Hope and happiness: an Indian adventure for Plan sponsors

In February 2008, Pamela and Tudor Quare of Holton St Mary in Colchester ventured on a driving holiday around southern India. The highlight of their trip was meeting their sponsored child, 12-year-old Veena. This is their story.

"The poverty aspect puts people off going to India but it definitely shouldn't. There are so many wonderful things to see, and the people are very friendly and warm.

We saw a bit of everything as we travelled from Chennai to Pondicherry, Madurai, Mysore, Bangalore, and places in between.

On the morning of our visit with Veena, our driver Ramu collected us from our Bangalore hotel and we went to the Plan office. There we learnt about Plan and the variety of community projects they're involved in throughout the region.

We then went to Veena's small village and when we arrived, she gave me a garland for around my neck. Her family offered us chairs to sit on, but we opted for the floor with everyone else. We were offered coconut milk, fruit and biscuits, but I was too busy talking to eat!

Veena, looking healthy and happy, told us how she wants to become a teacher. We chatted about life in the village, how they bought a cow last year and how her mother participates in a women's group where she learns about finance.

Women are gaining more control over their own lives there now which is wonderful. It was the possibility of a change like this that prompted us to sponsor a girl in India in the first place.

We also gave out some of the gifts we had brought over: a pen-knife for Veena's father, a nice shopping bag for her mother, pencil sets for both children, and some clothes, hair clips and a scrapbook of photographs from the UK especially for Veena.

Veena then took us on a walk through her village, past the fields being harvested, to an infant school that Plan has helped to establish. The children there sang and danced for us.

We chatted with the headmaster and gave out skipping ropes, stickers, footballs and pencils we had brought for them to share. It was so nice to see the children with such big smiles on their faces.

As we continued our walk through the village, Plan staff explained how measles are rife in that area in the summer months, and that the doctor now comes to the village to inoculate the children. Veena¿s community also now has access to clean water from a tap.

We then went to see another Plan initiative - a training college where less academically-inclined students can go to learn various trades. Girls were dexterously assembling computers while boys were welding and doing motorcycle mechanics.

The college also works with local businesses to employ these students once they have finished their training.

When we finally said our farewells, Veena's mother told me how happy she was that we are involved. We had a super visit and really enjoyed our time in the village.

We just feel so lucky to play a part and have high hopes for Veena's future."