Jaselmear with her homeless children

 Meet Jesumiel

Jesumiel comes from Argentina and has been coming to Varanasi for 15 years. She originally came  to study music at the university but fell in love with the people of Varanasi and now makes this holy city her second home. Jesumiel  is a very quite yet grounded woman, who spend her mornings at Mother Tereasa's teaching art to the residents  then spends her afternoons at Assi ghat holding a small school for homeless children. She teaches Hindi  and  simple arithmetic as well as drawing, she also recites mantras and sings with the children. The kids know she is always at the same place at noon and they come to send a few hours learning. Some days she has one or two children and other days  up to 25. Jesumiel also take time to shampoos the children's hair and bathe them using soap in the Ganga on the warm days. The kids just love her and are eager to learn. Today they were so happy to show me their drawings and recite the alphabet together. The Indian tourisst also gathered today and were just amazed to see what they perceive to be the lowest caste children learning to write. I guess small miracles can happen every day thanks to people like Jesumiel.

girls drawing

homless kids of all ages welcome