This hero inspires girls to believe in themselves

This hero inspires girls to believe in themselves

By Bill Gates | March 22, 2022 https://www.gatesnotes.com/Development/Heroes-in-the-Field-Sudha-Varghese?WT.mc_id=20220322110000_HITF-Varghese_BG-EM-B_&WT.tsrc=BGEM

Hi Insiders,

As a middle school student in India, Sudha Varghese was paging through a magazine when she saw a photo that changed her life. It was a picture of a ramshackle hut on a roadside in Bihar State.

The people who lived there, she learned, were the Musahar. In India’s earlier caste system, they were viewed as the “untouchables.” They could not own land and worked as poorly paid farm laborers. Most never had the opportunity to go to school.

Sudha dedicated her life to improving their lives. Sudha focused her efforts on the Musahar women and girls.

She opened a school for girls, offering free lessons in everything from math to karate.

Most importantly, she teaches students to believe in themselves and their potential for greatness.

You can read more about Sudha and her incredible work in India here.

Thanks so much for being an Insider.

 Inspiring girls to believe in themselves

This hero’s school empowers girls to see their potential for greatness.

By Bill Gates

| 

March 22, 2022  3 minute read

 

 

 

As a middle school student in India, Sudha Varghese was paging through a magazine when she saw a photo that changed her life. It was a picture of a ramshackle hut on a roadside in Bihar State. This was where some of India’s poorest families live, a caption explained.

The image stuck with her. Raised in a prosperous family in Kerala, India, Sudha couldn’t imagine living in such conditions. Something, she thought, needed to be done to help the poor. And she decided she would be the one to do it.

“I decided all my efforts, all my resources, all my time, all my love, whatever I have, all that will go for the poor people who are needy,” she said.

Sudha’s family didn’t support her plans. But she didn’t give up. She joined a religious order, became a Catholic nun, and started doing charitable work. A few years later, disappointed that she wasn’t doing enough to help the poorest, Sudha struck out on her own. She moved to Bihar to live in a community like the one she saw in that photograph.

The people who lived there, she learned, were the Musahar. Musahar literally means “rat eaters.” In India’s earlier caste system, they were viewed as the “untouchables.” They could not own land and worked as poorly paid farm laborers. Most never had the opportunity to go to school. (You can read more about my visit in 2010 to a Musahar village in India here.)

Sudha asked some Musahar villagers for a place to stay. They offered her a grain shed. And so began a lifetime of work to improve their lives.

Sudha focused her efforts on the Musahar women and girls. They suffered from discrimination, and often violence. Sudha worked with them so that they could stand up for their rights. She helped them get funding for hand pumps so they could have access to clean water. She also encouraged them to ask for higher wages.

But the biggest challenge Musahar women faced, Sudha says, was how they had come to see themselves. Entering a room, they would look at the ground and always take a back seat. They thought they were not worthy of respect, she said.

Changing mindsets is never easy. And while she could work with the adult women, it was even more important to work with girls, she decided. They needed an education in a school that would help them redefine their self-image by believing in themselves and their potential for greatness.

No school like that existed, so Sudha decided to open one herself. She named it Prerna, which means “inspiration” in Hindi.

Prerna school offers reading, writing, math, history, and science. But Sudha wanted her students to learn how to stand up for themselves and be confident. So, she also added karate to the curriculum. The girls proved to be talented martial artists. Some have even competed in the world karate championships in Japan.

Sudha also teaches them yoga, drawing, painting, and singing. Her goal is to create well-rounded young women ready to pursue their dreams. More than 5,000 girls have graduated from her program.

During COVID-19, her school, like all schools in India, was forced to close for many months. Sudha and the other teacher tried to stay in touch as best they could through online classes, although many girls didn’t have access to mobile phones. They are in the process of restarting in-person learning this year.

Sudha also runs Nari Gunjan (“woman’s voice”), a nonprofit organization that provides education, literacy, vocational training, healthcare, and life skills for these women and girls in Bihar.

There is still much more work to be done to improve the lives of this community. Many families still live in poverty and are marginalized. But thanks to Sudha’s school and many efforts being made by the Bihar Government, Musahar girls are now pursuing their dreams of studying to become doctors, engineers, lawyers, and leaders in their community.

If a photographer came to Bihar today, a photo of a hut by the side of the road, like the one Sudha saw in a magazine decades ago, wouldn’t capture the story of the Musahar. What would, is a portrait of the young graduates of Sudha’s school. It would show them holding their heads high, looking straight into the camera’s lens, and inviting anyone who ever doubted themselves to believe in their own potential.

Meet more of my heroes in the field

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Qi Challengers!

Welcome Qi Challengers!

If you're here for the 5-Day Qi Gong Challenge, click on this link to be taken to your Qi Challenge routines!

Welcome to the Video Class Subscription. I'm really glad you could make it today. Every day that you practice Qi Gong is a day of living more deeply in flow. Here, you'll find the most recent two weeks worth of my in-person Qi Gong Flow Classes.

The Full Version of each class contains a one-hour routine plus a fifteen-minute meditation at the end. The Short Version of each class is a roughly twenty-minute routine.

You'll also find some bonus content, including a few "Getting Started" classes here on this page, which will remain available indefinitely, as well as a rotating set of samples of our outdoor Healing Series and Learning Series programs.

 

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Principles of Qi Gong

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AM Routine

A routine designed for the morning. This short video will help you engage your energy and vitality to form a strong foundation for the day.

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Wind down and release stress with a daily afternoon or evening routine.

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Qi Gong Routine for Sitting Down.

Bonus: Silent Routine

A silent routine to help allow you to get into your flow, tune into your body's cues, and presence of mind.

Qi Gong for a Healthy Spine

This program focuses on bringing suppleness and flexibility to the spine and neck, both healing pain and increasing strength.

Welcome to Day 1 of the 5-Day Qi Gong Challenge!

To complete Day 1:

1. Set a password and start the Challenge (this link works even if you’ve already set up your account).
2. Do the Qi Gong routine for Day 1.
3. Head over to the Holden QiGong Community Facebook Group and share your experience!

If you’re stuck and need some help, check out the orientation video on our Qi Challenge FAQ page. 

You’ll find a very detailed walkthrough of how to set up your account and access the Challenge. Just click “Play” and fast forward to 7 minutes and 39 seconds for login instructions.

===Today’s Prize===

There will be a total of TEN WINNERS for today’s prize of ALL of these programs (each winner receives EVERYTHING listed below): 

• The Qi Gong for a Healthy Spine Workshop ($97)
• Acupressure & Meridians for Self-Healing Workshop ($97)
• Healing Sounds Online Course ($47)
• The Qi Gong for the Upper Back & Neck Program ($27)
• The Legacy Qi Gong for Low Back Pain Program ($19.97)
• Qi Gong: The Seated Workout ($27)
• Qi Gong for Longevity ($27)
• 3 Months of our Video Class Subscription ($117)

===TO QUALIFY TO WIN=== 

1. Complete the routine for Day 1. (Click here to complete Day 1)
2. Go to the “Featured” section in the Holden QiGong Community Facebook Group.
3. Find the Day 1 thread (it's pinned at the top).
4. Answer the prompt in the thread by 10 p.m. Pacific TONIGHT. 
5. Check the Announcements section on Tuesday, anytime after 10:00 am PST / 1:00 pm EST / 9:00 pm BST / 3:00 am AEST the following day to see if you won! 

You MUST comment on each day’s post if you want to qualify for a chance to win the Grand Prize (worth over $3,000) at the end of the Challenge! 

You do not need a Facebook account to participate in the Challenge, but you DO need a Facebook account to win prizes.

===Questions?===

Please read the 5-Day Qi Gong Challenge FAQ page if you have questions or if you have trouble logging in.

Otherwise, follow these steps to complete Day 1 of the Challenge: 

1. Set a password and start the Challenge (this link works even if you’ve already set up your account).
2. Do the 20-minute Qi Gong routine for Day 1.
3. Head over to the Holden QiGong Community Facebook Group and share your experience!

Talk soon, 

The Holden QiGong Team
www.HoldenQiGong.com

P.S. What can you expect after you complete all five days? 

This is what six students shared after completing one of our previous 5-Day Qi Gong Challenges:

“I’ve felt progressively calmer and centered, yet fizzing with energy, like my battery is recharging a little more every day.” - Sara Watts

“What I love most is the feeling of peaceful Qi energy I can feel in such a short time - perfect for those busy mornings.” - Roberta Pescow

“I feel so much looser and not as achy and not in pain from doing this exercise  I think I'm in love. ” - Dee Daddow

“As someone who experiences chronic fatigue and pain, I find Qi Gong allows me to move my body daily without overtaxing my system and flaring up my symptoms.” - Jodie Lewin

“There are times during practice when I'm just overcome with joy.” - Julie Campbell

“In five days I feel more energized, am sleeping better, more peaceful, and get a good little workout for a late day pick me up!” - Mary Pat Correro

  

Welcome to Day 2 of the 5-Day Qi Gong Challenge! 

Follow these steps to complete Day 2 of the Challenge: 

1. Go to this page to access Day 2.
2. Click “Play” on the Day 2 video.
3. Head over to the Holden QiGong Community Facebook Group and share your experience to qualify to win today’s prize! (*optional)

If you haven’t done the routine for Day 1, don’t let that stop you. Start the Challenge TODAY. Use the link above to complete Day 1.

===Important Information. Please Read!===

The 5-Day Qi Gong Challenge comes with FREE access to our Video Class Subscription service.

You will NOT be charged when the Challenge ends. You DO NOT need a credit card to participate in the Challenge. The 5-Day QiGong Challenge is completely free! 

You’ll automatically be removed from the Subscription on April 1st unless you choose to continue your practice.

===Prizes===

We’ll announce the winners for yesterday’s prizes today at 10:00 am PST / 1:00 pm EST / 9:00 pm BST / 3:00 am AEST in the Featured section of the Facebook Group. 

There will be a total of EIGHT WINNERS for today’s prize of ALL of these programs (each winner receives EVERYTHING listed below): 

• Qi Gong for a Healthy Heart ($27)
• Qi Gong for Better Balance ($27)
• Qi Gong for Depression ($27)
• Qi Gong for Anxiety ($27)
• Qi Gong for Better Breathing ($27)
• Qi Gong for Energy & Vitality ($27)
• Qi Gong for Headaches ($27)
• Qi Gong for Healthy Bones ($27)
• Qi Gong for Healthy Joints ($27)
• Qi Gong for High Blood Pressure ($27)
• Qi Gong for the Arms, Wrists, and Hands ($27)
• Qi Gong for the Upper Back and Neck ($27)
• Qi Gong for Longevity ($27)
• Qi Gong: The Seated Workout ($27)
• Introduction to Qi Gong ($27)
• Mindfulness through Movement ($27)
• The Five Elements – Energy Flow ($27)
• Legacy Series: Qi Gong for Low Back Pain ($19.97)
• Legacy Series: Qi Gong for More Energy ($19.97)
• Legacy Series: Postures of Power ($29.95)
• Legacy Series: Qi Workout AM/PM ($19.95)
• Legacy Series: Qi Gong for Deep Sleep ($19.97)
• Legacy Series: Qi Gong for Stress ($19.97)
• 3 Months of our Video Class Subscription ($117)

===TO QUALIFY TO WIN=== 

1. Complete the routine for Day 2. (Click here to complete Day 2)
2. Go to the “Featured” section in the Holden QiGong Community Facebook Group.
3. Find the Day 2 thread (it's pinned at the top).
4. Answer the prompt in the thread by 10 p.m. Pacific TONIGHT. 
5. Check the Featured section on Wednesday, anytime after 10:00 am PST / 1:00 pm EST / 9:00 pm BST / 3:00 am AEST the following day to see if you won! 

You MUST comment on each day’s post if you want to qualify for a chance to win the Grand Prize (worth over $3,000) at the end of the Challenge! 

Good luck and happy practicing, 

The Holden QiGong Team

www.HoldenQiGong.com

P.S. If you know a friend or loved one who might want to boost energy, clear stress, and calm the mind over the next five days...

Copy and paste the message below and invite them to join you!

I just joined a free 5-Day Qi Gong Challenge. Let’s do it together! Join me here: 

https://qigo.ng/qi

P.P.S. If you’re having trouble logging in or you have logistical questions about the Challenge, please visit the 5-Day Challenge FAQ page.

  

 

It’s already Day 3 of the Qi Gong Challenge!

For a lot of people, it’s hard to find 20 minutes for self-care. But we can tell you’re committed to your health and energy if you’ve made it this far. 

If you haven’t completed any of the routines yet, get started now! It’s not too late to start, but it will be soon.

Follow these steps to complete Day 3 of the Challenge: 

1. Go to this page to access Day 3.
2. Click “Play” on the Day 3 video.
3. Head over to the Holden QiGong Community Facebook Group and share your experience to qualify to win today’s prize! (*optional)
   
   

===Prizes===

We’ll announce the winners for yesterday’s prizes today at 10:00 am PST / 1:00 pm EST / 9:00 pm BST / 3:00 am AEST in the Featured section of the Facebook Group. 

There will be a total of FIVE WINNERS for today’s prize of ALL of these programs (each winner receives EVERYTHING listed below, our most popular workshops):

• Acupressure Facelift & Rejuvenation Workshop ($97)
• Eight Pieces of the Silk Brocade Workshop ($97)
• Microcosmic Orbit Workshop ($97)
• Taoist Sexual Secrets Workshop ($97)
• Qi Gong for Better Breathing Workshop ($97)
• Qi Gong for a Healthy Heart Workshop ($97)
• Qi Gong for the Low Back Workshop ($97)
• Qi Gong for a Balanced Nervous System & Longevity Workshop ($97)
• Qi Gong for Healthy Digestion Workshop ($97)
• Six Months of our Video Class Subscription ($234)

The FIVE WINNERS of today’s prize receive a total value of over $1,000 EACH. 

===TO QUALIFY TO WIN=== 

1. Complete the routine for Day 3. (Click here to complete Day 3)
2. Go to the “Featured” section in the Holden QiGong Community Facebook Group.
3. Find the Day 3 thread (it's pinned at the top).
4. Answer the prompt in the thread by 10 p.m. Pacific TONIGHT. 
5. Check the Announcements section on Wednesday, anytime after 10:00 am PST / 1:00 pm EST / 9:00 pm BST / 3:00 am AEST the following day to see if you won! 

You MUST comment on each day’s post if you want to qualify for a chance to win the Grand Prize (worth over $3,000) at the end of the Challenge! 

Good luck and happy practicing, 

The Holden QiGong Team

www.HoldenQiGong.com 

P.S. If you’re having trouble logging in or you have logistical questions about the Challenge, please visit the 5-Day Qi Gong Challenge FAQ page.

  

 

 

Whoa, it’s Day 4 of the 5-Day Qi Gong Challenge. Can you believe it? 

Time flies when you’re full of Qi, right? If you’re ready to practice, follow these steps to complete Day 4: 

1. Go to this page to access Day 4.
2. Click “Play” on the Day 4 video.
3. Head over to the Holden QiGong Community Facebook Group and share your experience to qualify to win today’s prize! (*optional)

===Prizes===

We’ll announce the winners for yesterday’s prizes today at 10:00 am PST / 1:00 pm EST /  9:00 pm BST / 3:00 am AEST in the Featured section of the Facebook Group. 

There will be a total of THREE WINNERS for today’s prize of ALL of these programs (each winner receives EVERYTHING listed below):

• The Iron Shirt Online Course ($297)
• The Buddha Palm Online Course ($297)
  
• The Sound Healing Bundle ($144)
• The Energy Boost Bundle ($173)
• The Guided Healing Meditations ($147)
• Six Months of our Video Class Subscription ($234)

The THREE WINNERS of today’s prize receive a total value of over $1,200 EACH. 

===TO QUALIFY TO WIN=== 

1. Complete the routine for Day 4. (Click here to complete Day 4)
2. Go to the “Featured” section in the Holden QiGong Community Facebook Group.
3. Find the Day 4 thread (it's pinned at the top).
4. Answer the prompt in the thread by 10 p.m. Pacific TONIGHT. 
5. Check the Featured section on Wednesday, anytime after 10:00 am PST / 1:00 pm EST / 9:00 pm BST / 3:00 am AEST the following day to see if you won! 

You MUST comment on each day’s post if you want to qualify for a chance to win the Grand Prize (worth over $3,000) at the end of the Challenge! 

===Grand Prize! ($3,000+)===

You’re probably dying to know what the Grand Prize is, right? Well, we’re not going to tell you… yet. Sit tight until tomorrow and we’ll reveal what it is. 

For now, make sure you continue to respond to the prompts so you qualify: 

1. Comment and engage on all of the 5 daily prompts no later than Saturday, March 26th at 10 a.m. Pacific. (They’re in the “Featured” section of the Facebook Group). 
2. Answer the questions on the Grand Prize thread (we’ll post it Friday, March 25th in the Featured section of the Facebook Group. 
3. We’ll announce the Grand Prize winner on Saturday, March 26th around 11:30 a.m. Pacific after Lee’s live bonus class! 

===Exclusive Live Bonus Class March 26th @ 11 a.m. Pacific===

You’re invited! 

Saturday, March 26th at 11 a.m. Pacific Lee is teaching an exclusive bonus class. We’re only inviting people who registered for the 5-Day Qi Gong Challenge. (That’s you.) 

He’ll teach a 20-30 minute Qi Gong routine live. Then he and Holden QiGong co-founder Ben Cox will announce the Grand Prize winner. 

Finally, they’ll share how you can keep all five routines from the Qi Challenge for life. 

You can do the live class at 11 a.m. Pacific on March 26th on our Livestream page… or you can join us on Zoom using the information below. 

We’ll send you a replay after the call if you can’t make it live.

 

Join Lee and Ben for the Live Bonus Class and Grand Prize Announcement, Saturday, March 26th at 11 a.m. Pacific:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89084632224?pwd=NVZPM3hxWEVBSkpjSG54eUQwVFdXdz09

 

 

Meeting ID: 890 8463 2224

Passcode: 781869

 

Talk soon, 

The Holden QiGong Team

www.HoldenQiGong.com 

P.S. If you’re having trouble logging in or you have logistical questions about the Challenge, please visit the 5-Day Challenge FAQ page.

P.P.S. What’s different about Lee’s Qi Gong?

Lee focuses on practical, easy-to-follow, and accessible routines anybody can use. 

It all started back when Lee was nearly crippled by a rival soccer player back in college. He could barely walk, let alone run. He thought his soccer days were over. 

Try as they might, the physical therapists and doctors couldn’t do anything for him. 

So he tried something different. He went to an old martial artist.

He’d seen this guy smash through a big stack of 17 red bricks without cracking a fingernail. The guy said he used something called “Qi.” 

Lee wondered if this strange “Qi” power could also be used to heal.

Sure enough, after just one visit he felt nearly 75% better. All he had to do were some weird stretches. 

His teammates laughed at him at first… but they quickly stopped when they saw how fast he healed. 

That was the moment Lee decided to learn the healing secrets of the Eastern world so he could share them with the West.

He traveled to China, Thailand, and all across Asia studying with Masters. 

He learned acupressure, herbalism, Yoga, Tai Chi, and Qi Gong. 

And he began to systematically recreate the traditional approach to learning Qi Gong… because he knew the “traditional” training methods wouldn’t work in the West.

He threw away all of the:

• Mystical dogmas
• Complicated moves
• Abstract concepts 

He refined Qi Gong down to its very essence while keeping the integrity of the ancient art intact. He created his own style of Qi Gong that is easy to learn and easy to use. 

The result is a set of movements that feel instinctive, effortless, and even fun. 

Movements that naturally help your mind relax, your body open, and your Qi flow freely. 

These are the same movements you’ve been practicing in this Challenge. They’re practical, easy, and effortless. 

Complete Day 4 of the Qi Gong Challenge now.

  

 

 

 

Tomorrow is the first day of the 5-Day Qi Gong Challenge! 

===How to Complete the Challenge===

All you have to do to complete the Challenge is set aside about 25 minutes every day for the next five days.

Please note that we host the Challenge inside our Video Class Subscription member’s area. 

This means you’ll need to take a few seconds to set a password so you can log in and access all of the routines for the Challenge. We’ll send you all the information on how to set up your account today. Stay on the lookout for that email. 

Till then, we recommend you watch this short orientation video on our FAQ page. You’ll learn exactly how to find all of the routines for the Challenge about 8 minutes into the video.

===How to Win Prizes===

We’re giving away over $25,000 worth of Prizes during the 5-Day Qi Gong Challenge. 

Every prize, except for the Grand Prize, will have more than one winner. This means you have more chances to win! 

All you have to qualify for a chance to win is complete the routine for the day and answer the daily prompt inside the Holden QiGong Facebook Group by 10:00 p.m. Pacific that day. 

To qualify for a chance to win our Grand Prize (worth more than $3,000), you must comment and engage on each day’s post. (Yes, we keep track.) 

Join the Holden QiGong Facebook Group and introduce yourself in the “Introduce Yourself Here!” post.

===Questions?===

Please read the 5-Day Qi Gong Challenge FAQ page if you have questions.

Alright, that’s it, see you tomorrow! 

Talk soon, 

The Holden QiGong Team

www.HoldenQiGong.com 

P.S. If you know a friend or loved one who might want to boost energy, clear stress, and calm the mind over the next five days...

Copy and paste the message below and invite them to join you!

I just joined a free 5-Day Qi Gong Challenge. Let’s do it together! Join me here: 

https://qigo.ng/qi

P.P.S. If you have logistical questions before the Challenge starts, please click here to read the 5-Day Challenge FAQ page.

  

 

 

 

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