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Thanks to GP the experience is just mind-blowing. When I participated in the Ganga Action (Howrah Bridge) as a back up volunteer, it was my dream to become a climber to participate in such an exciting ACTION. And when I got selected I was so happy.
I am working with GP for the last two and a half years and I have participated in four actions. But this time it is something different. On the first day I made so many mistakes but I learnt from those mistakes. Sometimes I got stuck on the ropes and at that time I felt that maybe I cannot do it anymore. But the spirit of GP encouraged me to try it once more. Between the training Mr. Kamesh (trainer) and Asena helped me a lot. We are doing so many mistakes again and again but they really took care of us with a lot of patience. From the first day only Christie (Delhi), Sachin, Venu (Mumbai), Bung Bung from Chennai and me were trying to make a team, because without team work we cannot make an action successful.
Third day we hung the banner twice and I got the confidence that I can do it also. That day I made some new mistakes and I learnt some new things as well. I faced some problems at the edge for ascending and descending. After returning home all of us decided that the next day we won’t make that many mistakes as we will hang the banner successfully. That day I learnt so many things from the others which will definitely help me in the future.
On the final day we hung the banner twice and the most important thing is that our trainer suddenly changed his plans but we were successful and we did hang the banner. Of course I do not know everything about climbing but I can say that can do it.
Mr. Kamesh told us about the basis of climbing. And the most important thing is before going to the action everyone should check each other gears or do a body check up. And the banner is also important. If this is not done then everything will be in vain. If I do get a chance to participate in such an action again it definitely helps make the actions we do perfect.
And ultimately I really thank Asena who took care of us. She took care of all our small demands. Hats off to her. Third day I met Areeba and she was really cooperative and friendly. Thanks Areeba. Hope in the near future I will get another chance again so we can raise the voice non-violently and that’s why we are here!
VIVA GREENPEACE.
Phiangailiu Christie-delhi
It was fun, exciting and a completely new experience. I was glad that I got the privilege to join the training. I didn’t even think about it but I was fortunate to get selected. I would like to thank GP for this privilege and the arrangement.
We were a team of five members, one out reach officer and four group coordinators. Our trainer, Mr. Kamesh taught us with a lot of enthusiasm and patience. We got a lot of motivation and guidance from Asena and Areeba. We were taught the different techniques of hanging and climbing, but that’s not all, Mr. Kamesh taught us how to maintain the time factor and how we as a team should work. They were the most important factor. The most interesting experience is on the last day we had our lunch in polythene bag which was another completely new experience.
Putting up the banner was the important part of the training. We were dressed with heavy metal kits, ropes and other items to protect us which measured around four Kgs. We climbed up and hung down with a lot of effort and the last yellow banner spread out. That showed that we trained well and we believe that we can do it well. Putting up banners and climbing heights for Greenpeace to save our fragile earth.
W. Bungbung Singh-chennai
I was so excited and glad to be a part of such an adventurous training programme. I reached Bangalore on the 11th of February 08, sometime in the afternoon. I was at first afraid of climbing, but after sometime I got the courage from my respected trainer, “Sir Kamesh”. And it became so easy. I also learnt a lesson that “sometimes power is dominated by keen skill”.
I have been getting a lot of experience from the organization.
This
time also I had a lot of new experiences. Once for all I would like to
thank Sir Kamesh, Asena, Areeba, and all my team mates for cooperating
with me in this training programme. Sachin Gupta- Group Coordinator GP, Mumbai.
Hi I am Sachin Gupta, I have been associated with GP for more than three years in DD Mumbai team and as you know GP is full of opportunities and it was yet another time. Something new that has really excited me which I always want to do in my life that is mountaineering climbing training which was happening in Bangalore, where our head office is located.
It is an opportunity to learn and know yourself, as to how far one can go to support the cause in a different way. Our batch consisted of five people, from different cities which has been very good and different and very coordinating.
This four day training has been very tiring, painful and at the same time it has been very technical, adventurous and a safety oriented programme that has made us realize, an action is not that simple when we look at pictures in the newspapers as in any media which makes us so excited. But this high risk action requires a lot of understanding of the campaign and issues with proper plans, guts, passion and dedication and the belief in the cause that makes us really different from others in the world. That’s why GP is known as one of the craziest organization for its cause.
Our
Kamesh sir, who has trained and prepared most of our GP people for
extreme actions, has been into these adventurous activities for more
than 18 years. That has really Impressed me a lot because of his passion, dedication and professionalism towards his work he has believed in. A very sincere thanks to Kamesh sir for his effort.
And also I am very thankful to GP for providing another opportunity every time to feel something really worth for this only planet.
Venugopal -mumbai
The monumental means that I will be going to do a rope climbing, it was very exciting..
So when I came to Bangalore and saw the place I was wondering what kind of training it would be?. Kamesh sir gave us good training and made sure everyday went very easily. The lessons I have learnt from the training are:
• Use technique and then power.
• Use what ever maximum talent that you have.
• Climbing is a stress buster.
• Climbing challenges limits.
This feedback will not be complete without thanking Asena Pamei who has taken such good care of us. She reminds me of my mother. Thank you Asena! And Areeba was just like an old friend who answered all my questions about the campaign. I hope I get to do an action with my buddies, Christie, Somo ,sachin and Bungbung. It was physically very stressful for me as we worked continuously for 15 days before coming to Bangalore.
Suvra( friends call him Atom)
well, part of my dreams came true. The next part will come true on direct action which I really expect to take part very soon. I started from kolkata on 25th night by train and reach Bangalore warehouse at 2 pm on 27th January. I had an awesome slideshow experience on the evening and came to know perfectly what an action is. I was really amazed to see the warehouse with all the actual stuff and the boat especially . next morning we went to another place and met our wonderful instructor kameshji. On the first day ,I learnt a lot about making knots and other things about action. I also learnt what gears I needed to use and was amazed by the good stuff.
2nd day I learnt about climbing techniques and went up and down the ropes which was a great experience.
3rd day was the same with some more technique to be learnt. The 3rd day was too evently and the evening was pleasant too. I get to see Bangalore and had a nice pizza treat ,thanks to samirji of actions.
4th day was the most eventful where I successfully went up and hung a greenpeace’s banner saying “fight climate change or learn swimming”. I really enjoyed that part and felt like taking part in a real action.
In the end ,it was really great with the nice hospitality and all the friendly people trained with me .I enjoyed it very much and hope to take part in a similar action training very soon.
Md.Khan
It was great honor to me by greenpeace and I was overjoyed to know that I’d learn climbing and I thank action team for giving me a chance, It was a very good learning experience for me in training with my team mates Suvro, Sami, hem, Pushpinder and Smitha. I learnt new things which I never heard or thought of. Our master Mr. Kamesh has taught us in a very good way, he asks every time if there is any doubt, and he taught in such a way that we understand easily.
I feel very happy that I have learnt a new thing in my life and I achieved something new. It was very good that we lived in warehouse which was new to us because whenever we go out we always stay in lodges, In the ware house I could see all the equipment which have been used in actions and campaigns of greenpeace. Asena played a very good role, She was always helpful whenever I ask questions and she has taken care of our food.
At last thanks to all who directly or indirectly have given me a chance to learn rope climbing. I am waiting for an Action.
Md.Sami
We came on Sunday ie on 27th January to greenpeace warehouse for 4 days training. We don’t know how the time has pass. The training was fantastic and it was unforgettable 4 days of my life. Daily we use to get up at 5:30 am, then we get ready before 6:15 am then we have our breakfast at Andhra mess . then, we move to our training place. As soon as we reach the place, we set our equipments quickly for climbing . The trainer did a great job. Asena took care of everything.
I thank greenpeace for choosing me as one of the climbers and thanks also to all my colleague.
Hem Loitam: My experience with this training was fabulous. First of all I am honored to be selected for this training.When I was coming ,I was apprehensive that will I be able to it or not. But I am now satisfied with my performance.It was great to be with friends with sami,khan,subro pushpinder and smitha and ofcourse asena . it was very nice to know and enlightened with their experience and knowledge about greenpeace.
I am looking forward to meet them again especially in the action. I think I need more training to be more successful climber. Overall, it was fun living in the warehouse with all my colleagues. And lastly, I want to thank Kamesh for training us. It was a great experience !!
Pushpinder singh
I always wanted to be a climber since ever I saw the first one in TV. In school they said you are too young for it, in secondary school they said you have to study chemistry first and in graduation well I was always broke (its expensive deal).But working with greenpeace is full of surprises (sometime they are pleasant also) and one such was a mail in my inbox asking for volunteers for climbing, there u go.
So we stayed at ware house, slept in sleeping bags between all those old banners, rusting metal and brand new inflatable, Ate at Andhra mess, burnt lot of mosquito coil and yes cleaned up the water tank on very first day!!!
All well we learnt climbing also, and it’s not at all that simple as it looks, It has terminology like Spelligyca, Prussic Slings, Figure of eight and all that. Don ask me to pronounce that. They fix you in a He-man kind of harness and hang you on those two ropes and then you have to do everything step wise, those steps match the complexity of equations of my physics class, You do one step wrong and there you are stuck in the middle of nowhere.
But thanks to our maestro 
Kamesh that you finally get on ropes and learn all that so quickly. I really enjoyed the last two days and finally we unfolded the banner on last two days (Yes it was in right position) though NDTV denied to come to take the photo up cause we took so much time.
Coming to the gang, we were six trainees with asena sitting there BEEN THERE DONE THAT LOOK. Jokes apart she has so much patience to guide you every time and damn sweet nature. Then there was Smitha as sweet as she seems to be but somehow she was the best among us all on the ropes (like those girls in school who are always first in class)…
Then there was Atom(Suvro), man this guy is tough one really persistent hats off to you buddy, then Mr Khan, real fast on ropes and very jolly he is fun to hang out with (literally)!!! Then Sami serious, focused on job but his occasional jokes on Smitha and Atom were real good, Mr Hem; rest apart but this guy stunned us with his clear hindi (he is son of Manipur) but a real nice character very down to earth and straight forward. And me the dude!!! Okay having said that the best part was that I drove on that SUV up to training site on last day, gave some driving lessons to asena!!!
Overall truly satisfying four days and m raring to go for next AXN.
Smitha rao
Hanging around…
When I first sought to involve myself actively with Greenpeace, my father said to me one day, “ I saw your Greenpeace guys hanging upside down from a building.”
“My” Greenpeace guys were of course not hanging upside down, that was a result of some acrobatic imagination, but they were doing what Greenpeace does very well, worldwide. Something that I had always admired and aspired to be a part of and now after four days of learning industrial rope techniques, I can say I am well on my way to, at least be an active hanger around, all for a cause.
How much can one learn in 4 days of training. One learns in bits what one will face in an action. Learning to climb happens in ideal conditions. But the basic training is to make you comfortable with all the equipment you carry so that you can best decide how to use it in less ideal, even challenging situations.
Trust, a very important factor in any action. Climbing is all about trust, you trust the other person to secure that anchor point from where you will descend, and you cannot take any chances while fixing an anchor point either, another life depends on it. Mental and physical toughness again as pre requisites, and a calm mind, when your equipment does not “behave” the way you want it to.
From the first lesson of knots as we kept learning and discovering new things and imagining ourselves in action, it was a sequenced affair with the knots, equipment and the ropes.
The training was well spaced out, but was clearly too short. Just when we were beginning to get used to the ropes, it was over.
Staying at the warehouse was another experience all together. The interactions, songs, leg pulling all a part of the training experience. Sitting together and practicing the knots, the Andhra mess dinners and early morning queues to the only bathroom for 7 sleep lovers; an interesting potpourri of situations. Sami and khan from Hyderabad were upto mischief as atom from kolkata had us all entertained and worried whenever he got on the ropes- he would just not come down! Hem serenaded all of us with songs all day, Lali in his laal shirt was the dude forever and of course Asena the leader of the pack kept us on our toes all day.
In kamesh we found an excellent trainer, keen, observant and someone most importantly who knows how Greenpeace functions, making his inputs most insightful.
I am still imagining my foot to be in the footloop, waiting to stand up and put my croll up, or my stop rope giving away too soon and me being stuck on my ascender! And at the end of it, I would love to tell my dad that hey, am almost there, hanging around, for a cause.
Asena pamei:
I never imagine that I would be back at the same place at the same time of the year after 1 year with different people but nonetheless with equal passion and enthuse about climbing or more politically correct, learning how to climb .Watching them struggling with their equipments and ropes brought back many memories of our own struggled.
Watching the new climbers ( 6 of them ) getting along so well with each other and helping each other out , and how quickly they learnt the techniques in spite of less time and inadequate equipments makes me so proud to be one of the team members.
The elite club of climbers(ECC) of greenpeace India is expanding and we are on our way towards becoming one of the best climbing team greenpeace ever had !And hats off to all the people who had supported this training .
