It is nearing the end of my time in India. I have completed my audit and passed my 6 recommendations to Emma (the Country Director) and Gopi (the Finance & Admin Coordinator) and agreed them.

Yesterday the majority of the SPW team and I went to an event to mark World Environment Day which was held at Mathur Higher Secondary School approximately 1 and a half hours drive from Vellore. This is a government school where SPW, in partnership with Nokia, have created a resource centre. When we arrived the children were so excited that they shook my hand so hard they broke my watch strap!!! Both myself and Kate (a marketing and communications consultant from SSL in Australia) seemed to be the centre of attention and it needed some raised voices from the teachers to get them to sit down for the event. The Director of Nokia (India) was there and before I knew it I was ceremonially planting a tree to the rapturous applause of the entire school.

The children performed dances and plays all to do with the environment as well as receiving certificates and monetary awards sponsored by Nokia and SPW. When everything was completed and after the children had sung their oath to the environment, they were given reusable bags to try and reduce the number of plastic ones in circulation around Tamil Nadu and then the kids sang the Indian national anthem. As everything dispersed myself and Kate were mobbed for our autographs and plenty of handshakes. It was a great afternoon out and great to see SPW in action working in partnership with a large corporation.

This morning we attended the traditional Hindu wedding of one of the relatives of one of the SPW staff, Gopi. It was at 6:30am this morning and it seemed that the whole village had turned out for them. There were plenty of drums, fires, well wishers, the ceremonial washing of feet, tears, noise, coconuts, rings on toes, rice and smoke. The wedding concluded with the throwing of rice and at the end of the ceremony I was ushered on stage with Kate and the poor wedding couple now have a permanent picture in their 'wedding album' of their special day accompanied by one random European and one random Australian. This was followed by a wedding breakfast for approx 800 people served on a banana leaf consisting of curried vegetables, sweet cakes and many different breads which is quite a lot to get down in the morning. As we left we were given the gift of a coconut for good luck - all in all a great one off experience - my ears are still ringing to the sound of the many drums.

Later today the Country Director and some of the management team are going to a meeting in Chennai so there was an impromptu gathering where Emma presented me with a hand stitched tapestry which represents the Tree Of Life which is beautiful. I thanked the team and I reiterated that it has been a great experience for me, the volunteers and staff of SPW India have made me so welcome, I will remember it always and I will be a friend if SPW for life. I just hope my recommendations further strengthen the financial management in this country and across SPW.

Richard, Your man in India