“Butterfly is a beautiful insect. It represents a symbol of happiness, and rebirth and renewal. Butterfly reflects a need for change and greater freedom, and reminds us of courage: I think everyone needs courage to carry out the changes necessary if we want to change the world we live in.”

The first place I visited was Chennai, India, the birthplace of our Butterfly Project. We visited local anganwadis (day care centres) which were destroyed by the enormous wave that crashed on their world. They were in an absolute horrible condition. More than six hundred Anganwadis (day-care centers) were destroyed by the tsunami in the southern part of India.. Many are still in poor condition. The children at the center are fishermen’s children. Children were lying half naked on a dirty cement floor with mud covering their entire little bodies. There was no sense of hygiene, and the teachers only watched the children play in the dirt, nothing more. No games, no activities, no fun. Everyone was numb. Right when we set eyes on this place, we knew we had a lot to do.

Anganwadi Centres are pre-school and counselling centres run by the Social Welfare Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu for children and mothers of economically backward sections. Each centre has between 20 and 30 children in the 2.5 to 5+ years age group who stay for about 6 to 7 hours at the centre. They are provided with a meal at noon, pre-school activities as well as basic health check-ups and care.

The idea of the Butterfly Project was from our dear friend Mrs. Dianne Schaffter who is actually from our home town, Fairport, New York and at that time was residing in Kyrgyzstan. My dad spoke to the teachers in their native tongue, Tamil, and asked what they needed.

Why our project is called The Butterfly Project?

The life cycle of the butterfly is a miraculous example of transformation! We can use this miracle of nature as an example and inspiration for our own personal transformation.

The Butterfly Project training program for teachers in pre-schools in Chennai, India is based on the philosophy that we are all capable of transformation. The project involves supplying pre-schools with developmentally appropriate educational materials and training. One of the most important parts of the program is for the teachers to become aware of the steps involved in their transformation to becoming better teachers. They learn how to self evaluate their own growth and development. By doing this the teachers also learn how to help their students similarly transform and reach their individual learning potentials. Therefore, the Butterfly Project not only involves a transformation process for the teachers but also for the students, their families and their communities

The inspiration for the Butterfly Project came from the unusual circumstances surrounding the death of Mrs. Anne Dickinson Thomas, the mother of one of our Foundation advisors, Diana Schaffter. Anne Thomas died at the age of 82 years in 2004 in California at the Pacific Grove Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary when unexpectedly a sixty foot dead tree snapped and fell on her. She was visiting the park to see the Monarch Butterflies with her grandchildren on their Thanksgiving holidays.

However, a tragedy has been transformed into hope by The Butterfly Project which has been named in honor of Mrs. Anne Thomas’s life. Anne Thomas was a vibrant, caring, courageous and internationally minded woman who was born in England, worked in the Women’s Royal Air Force and then flew internationally as one of the early air hostesses for the British Overseas Airlines and later for Capitol Airlines in America. She was always full of optimism and determination and even at 82 years old was attending college courses and helping international students. It is in memory of this remarkable woman we dedicate The Butterfly Project.

“Examine which stage calls your attention the most: the egg is the beginning, the birth of some project or idea. The larva is de decision to manifest something in the physical world. The cocoon has to do with “going inside”, either through insight or the development of the project or idea. The breaking of the cocoon deals with sharing the splendor of your creation with the whole world. Once you understand the stage you are on, you can discover which is the next step.”

We immediately went out to purchase the items and came back with large metal trunks full of toys and games. We also trained the teachers how to use the materials with help from some of our friends in the area. First the teachers were given a box with slates and chalk for each child.

A short training was given on the variety of ways slates could be used in the classroom in order to encourage participation by the children. It was suggested that the slates could be used to illustrate class stories, teach basic concepts such as number, shape, letters, and to develop drawing skills.

Mrs. Dianne Schaffter is seen providing training programs for the teachers on transformation and on how to use the newly acquired educational materials to train the children

The transformation was almost complete; all they needed was a sense of hygiene. We built toilets, but did they know how to use them? That’s when we hired a woman who has a Ph.D. in puppetry to teach these children and the teachers about hygiene. We later revisited these anganwadis to see the progress, and the transformation was amazing. The children were so happy, they were singing songs for us with bright smiles on their faces, they showed us their favorite toys and we got to play with them.

The teachers were beaming with their newly-acquired knowledge and they welcomed us with warm hearts. Just experiencing such a heart-warming moment keeps me moving in my humanitarian work.

Well, the Butterfly Project and the beginning will always be in my mind. Butterfly is loved by people throughout the world. Regardless of nationality, skin color or religion, people associate butterflies with joy, happiness, and souls. To the Chinese, Butterflies are a symbol of joy. Most Europeans feel butterflies represent human souls. In many Asian countries, including Japan, a pair of Butterflies represent as a symbol of married happiness. And to many, butterfly meant the death of the body, and the progress of our soul. I was glad I was part of this major transformation.

BEFORE: Some day care centers were in poor conditions for the children to rest during the day

AFTER: a complete transformation where the children can sit and play in a healthy and clean environment

My mom is seen with a group of children at one of the Day Care centers.

We had a great time singing and teaching children songs