SUMMARY:What happens when you travel across the world to serve some of the most vulnerable communities on earth? In this special episode, Bill is joined by his son, Connor Hocking, and Shafkat Alam from the incredible grass-roots non-profit, Tiljala SHED. They discuss Connor's recent week-long volunteer trip to Kolkata, India (Calcutta).
Walking the same streets where Mother Teresa built her legacy, Connor shares his experience working in the local slums, while Shafkat sheds light on the daily realities of the city's marginalized ragpicker communities. It's a powerful conversation about perspective, family, and the global call to serve others.
SUPPORT THE CAUSE:To support the incredible work of Tiljala SHED, please consider donating to Connor's fundraising campaign :
HereSHOW NOTES & RESOURCES:* Watch Connor's on-the-ground interviews with Tiljala SHED:
[Video 1] &
[Video 2]* Read Connor's personal reflection on his trip:
Here* Dive deeper into Connor's experience with his more personal article:
Here* See the impact — MrBeast's video featuring Tiljala SHED:
Here* View Connor's photo and video journal from Kolkata:
Here* Learn more about the organization:
Here* Have questions for Connor? connorhocking1000@gmail.com
Chapters:
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00:01 Meet an organization helping the poorest of the poor in Kolkata
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02:55 Why Connor took 10 days of personal leave to fly to India
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10:41 No red tape: How one WhatsApp call set up the whole trip
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20:12 Meet Shafkat Alam and Tiljala SHED in Kolkata
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22:48 What rag picking actually means: Children scavenging trash for three dollars a day
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26:36 The vicious cycle: Loans, cheated weights, and getting locked in by the stockists
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27:54 Shafkat's father: First law graduate from the slums, primary school teacher by choice
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29:23 The first grant from Trickle Up Foundation in New York: One hundred dollars and one condition
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36:39 The 14-year-old who looked 10 and the mother who looked 40
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43:00 Holistic education: Taekwondo, guitar, scouts, and water parks for slum kids
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50:03 By the numbers: 35,000 families reached and 22,000 children in school
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50:51 The average age of marriage moved from 12 to 19 in one generation
Links:
Reach out to Shafkat Alam and Tiljala SHED to support thirty nine years of work pulling Kolkata's rag picker families out of poverty through education. You can donate, volunteer, or become an ambassador for the organization. Connor Hocking is also available to speak about his time on the ground in Kolkata.
If you feel moved to contribute to Tiljala SHED's efforts to empower slum communities in Kolkata, you can do so
here.
Au revoir!
Episode 4