Girls and karate

The girls had a karate test on the 24th of February, and did just great! Check out the photos from the event --

Manjula getting her orange belt; she started karate lessons at KM in 2010.

The girls (Arabia, Netra, Mamatha, Shweta, and Renuka) who got yellow belts. 

The KM girl's gang!

Pooja, promoted to a maroon belt.

Break time: Shwetha, Vijayalakshmi, Suma, Divya. 

Prema (front), the most advanced with a brown belt.

Shwetha, Renuka, and Vijayalakshmi going from white to yellow belts.

We are very proud that the girls enjoy their twice-weekly karate lessons and are learning the value of self-defense, particularly in India where violence against females is a major issue faced by women of all socio-economic classes.

Go girls!

If you're interested in supporting our girls with karate lessons, their lessons cost approximately Rs.800 or US$16 per week. Thank you!

Blue belts

After 2 1/2 years, most of our older kids who have been taking karate lessons during this time have now earned their blue belts. A couple have their green belts, and two little ones (Surya and Sadif) just earned their yellow belts.

Before their blue belt test, the older kids practiced a bit and we were quite impressed with the progress they've made.

Karate with the little ones

At the same time that the big kids get their karate lessons on Tuesday and Sunday mornings, the little ones also have a lesson with the karate teacher.

Although really early in the morning (rise and shine at 5am), they do seem to enjoy their lessons!

... on the way to orange belts ...

On the way to getting their orange belts -- the kids had a Sunday session with other karate students of the school, practicing what they've learned. In a couple of weeks, they'll be going for their orange belt tests, an all-day event with hundreds of other kids taking karate lessons.

Sharath and Harish

Asha and another student

Lokesh and Sreenevasa

Yellow belts

In early January, ten of our older kids (Asha, Venkatesh, Lokesh, Amita, Sharath, Prema, Sreenevasa, Kaleem, Manikanta, Harish) passed their first karate test, and won the honor of wearing yellow belts!

Here's a brief shot of the kids coming back from their test.

Karate

The kids at Karunya Mane take karate lessons twice a week, on Sunday mornings and again on Tuesday mornings before school.

The older kids are with one teacher and the little ones do some calesthenics and jumping around with another teacher.