When poverty met Christel DeHaan, and lost
Christel DeHaan places her steaming cup of cappuccino back on its saucer and, with a glowing smile, says, "My platter is full."
Indeed, it is.
Clad in a simple beige salwar kameez and brown wedge-heeled sandals, her hair immaculately coiffed, the 68-year-old is a picture of serenity. Indeed, she looks every bit the jovial, loving grandmother.
However, it's her sharp, twinkling blue eyes that betray her energy and enthusiasm. They are a testament to the work she has put in more than 12 years building schools in some of the world's poorest places for students she unfailingly refers to as "our children".
Christel DeHaan is the founder of Christel House International, a network of schools -- learning centres, DeHaan calls them -- in four continents. The first came up in Mexico in 1998, and, in 12 years, schools have sprouted in South Africa, Venezuela, USA, and, of course, in India.
That DeHaan takes her work seriously is a no-brainer. When this interview was being set up, I was asked what questions I would ask. "DeHaan wants to speak only about Christel House," I was told.
When poverty met Christel DeHaan, and lost
The Christel Houses have become the focus of DeHaan's life ever since she sold her time-share exchange business, Resort Condominiums International (RCI), for $825 million in 1996. She has already pumped in $130 million in the schools and has pledged $1 million to each school every year. She leverages this money by arranging for corporate donations of goods and services: computers, medical supplies, clothes and books from corporates such as Microsoft, the Taj Group and RCI itself.
Once the boundaries are set, DeHaan talks about her schools and the one day in Mexico that led her to begin thinking about the "human sector". She talks about growing up in post-War Germany, her move to the US, her immensely successful career with RCI. She talks about the problems with philanthropy in India, the need to amend laws so that more people can give.
Her enthusiasm flows though her warm, Bavarian accent that renders the word 'philanthropy' as if it were 'feel-anthropy' and 'ultimate' as if it were 'ool-timate'.
Ask her about the time Oprah Winfrey asked for help to get her own international school in South Africa up and running and DeHaan glows with pride. "Oprah could not launch her school even after struggling for seven years," she says. "She came and asked me how I was so successful."
DeHaan attributes all of her success with the Christel Houses to the people running the show in the different centres worldwide.
When poverty met Christel DeHaan, and lost
Jaya George, the principal of the Bangalore Christel House, says, "The onus is on the teachers to ensure the children do well. It is their responsibility and they are answerable for the child's progress."
DeHaan selects the principals of each school herself. She has promised to bear all administrative costs for the rest of her life. She has pledged her $4.3 million home to Christel House after her death.
"I feel blessed to be able to make a difference in the lives of so many children," she says. "The childhood I had was tough."
Tough does not convey half the story. DeHaan was born in Germany at the height of Nazi power. While Hitler was stomping all over Europe, her father, a German soldier, was killed in an American bombing raid.
DeHaan was raised in the ruins of post-War Germany by her mother. "My mother was my inspiration: I have learnt so much from her," she says.
Even though they were living in a time of need, "there was always place at the table. The neighbourhood children would often share our food." DeHaan says her mother never let her feel they were deprived.
And this, DeHaan says, is what brought her to what she does today. She had always wanted to help people, but it was an epiphanic trip to a children's home in Mexico in 1998 that made her realise how to.
When poverty met Christel DeHaan, and lost
Crammed in an orphanage were 130 children. They weren't orphans, their parents were just too poor to clothe and feed them. DeHaan had the money take care of everyone, but what would that accomplish? The children would move back to the orphanage, grow up and remain poor.
It was then that an idea struck her: It was the seed of Christel House.
DeHaan had made enough money by selling RCI, but she did not want to get back to the corporate world. "I wanted no more of commerce. I thought that I now had to do something in the human sector."
Her first school, naturally, came up in Mexico City in 1998. Three years later the Christel House opened its second school in Bangalore. And over the years schools have come up in Venezuela, South Africa, the US and Serbia.
Why these places? Is there some reasoning behind the selection?
"Well, there are three things," says DeHaan. "We have to identify pockets of poverty; then look if local laws support a venture of our kind; and, so far, we have set up schools where we have worked. It's our way of giving back."
When poverty met Christel DeHaan, and lost
India now has two schools -- one in Bangalore, another in Lavasa near Pune -- with plans of a third coming up next year.
"The model is holistic," says Mini Elias, Head of Development & Public Relations. "We take only those children whose family income is less that Rs 3,500 a month. The school also provides the children with physical and emotional health care and nutritional program for the time they are in school.
"Initially, gaining the trust of parents was the biggest obstacle. But over the years we have been overwhelmed by their response. This year our attendance stands at 933."
This isn't the only success story at Christel House Bangalore. Christopher, a student, was spotted at a Cricket Training Academy he attended and was chosen play in the Under-14 Club Cricket Tournament for the Sinhalese Cup in Sri Lanka. It was a dream-come-true for the 15-year-old whose father is an unskilled daily wage labourer and his mother, a housemaid.
For Suresh Govindaraj, Swathi Ramesh and Rakshitha Basavaraj, the ability to capture and translate social issues in a multimedia format has won for them several recognitions and awards. Rakshita's Story, a film influenced by the change that Christel House has brought into the lives of the students was shortlisted from 500 films from 48 countries and was then selected one among 57 films from 27 countries to be presented at Naples for the Kids for Kids International Film Festival in 2007.
Francis, a Class XI student, has it all figured out. He wants a career in narcotics. "I want to work with the Customs department," he says.
On the day I visited the Bangalore school, preparations were being made in anticipation of the arrival of "Christel ma'am". In fact, the children in the school know what difference DeHaan has made in their lives.
Suresh, another student, says, "I tell my friends in my locality to start studying. There is no use in wasting time."
When poverty met Christel DeHaan, and lost
But, convincing the parents is a problem, says Jaya George, the principal. "Most of the time the parents don't give food to the children once they get home because they know the school provides two meals every day.
"We have tried to involve as many parents as we can in all of our programs. Slowly, our efforts are paying off. The parents come and help in the hospital, the cafeteria. They help in the maintenance of the school. The idea is to make them realise how their children's lives are changing for the better, and this is possible only if the parents are in close contact with what we are doing. Now, these parents have become our public relations officers."
And this, say DeHaan and George, is the greatest success in the Christel House story.
One of her supporters once called her Mother Teresa. DeHaan bursts out laughing and, a few moments later, says, "I wish I wasn't called that."
When poverty met Christel DeHaan, and lost
But that she has dedicated her life to Christel House is no secret. DeHaan spends eight hours a day in the organisation's office, four days a week. She visits each school at least once every year. She asks for monthly progress reports on finances and test data. She communicates via Skype with her deputies at the far-flung international campuses.
Though she is satisfied, DeHaan feels much more needs to be done. "Indian laws need to change for more people to come forward. The culture of giving is still nascent in India. People need to know where their money is going. There is a great need for transparency."
However, at Christel House, transparency is no issue: Budget statements are available on request. And the success is there for all to see: Christel House Bangalore saw all of their students passing the Class X board exams, and each student came back to join the senior school course.
"We are very proud of our students, we are happy we can make a little difference," says Principal George.
Visit the 7-acre campus in Bangalore and you will be greeted with happy, bright-eyed children who speak impeccable English, even the ones in Class III. Principal George says the children are being groomed for life.
DeHaan says, "It's the Christel House magic."
Source: India Syndicate
Photos: Dipankar Paul/Christel House Bangalore