Migrated Daily Wage Citizens - Getting a helping hand at Namma Bengaluru

Yes, there is lot of floating population in the silicon city. Professionals from IT, Management, Science, Arts, Communications, Electricians, Plumbers, Potters, Artists, Masons name any and you find them. The elite class though come in bulk they are capable to manage themselves with their very fair income. The problems arises when the people who migrate in search of their livelihood who earn on a daily wage basis. I'm talking about the people behind the beautiful buildings - The Masons. They work harder to get some extra money than their daily wage. The fact is harder, they end up staying with lower facilities than the basic one's. They come all along with their family to a new place, new city, new environment and work with new people. Yet they experience hard life struggling to get two proper meals a day. Just observe when we plan for a tour to a new place which we never visited before we explore the culture, people, food, art, craft and the famous things of that place. But Masons, come with only one intention of earning money but at the end they do not as much as they could have. As their earning roughly would be Rs.4800/- pm which is Rs.160 per day. The expenses that they have to manage in this highly inflated city is difficult.

All the difficulties apart. The major chunk of the problem lies with the children who migrate along with their parents. These innocents have to pay by leaving their education behind in order to compensate the survival and living of the family and it's members. There are organisations coming up with certain support to this community. And I feel happy to be a part of such process. The reason being you see the happiness in the eyes of these kids for having given them a note book and a pencil and a teacher to teach. They welcome and accept everyone with the same warmth and love. I could see lot of willingness in them to make an attempt to study and come up in life. I could see the hope they had on the people supporting  and help them study. I could see the interest to study. The talent was very much visible. When I learnt that there are people and organisations who care about this community I was overwhelmed.

Today, I happened to learn about the organisation called Sampark, an NGO which is involved in building women SHG's basically at Koppal.

Sampark works with 8000 families in Koppal district where it works with women and children in field of education, health, micro enterprise and micro finance.

In Bangalore Sampark works with migrants workers in construction sector. Sampark runs crèches for children of migrant construction workers. Sampark started its Workers Resource Centre in Kaikondrahalli which is going to going to work with 5000 construction workers in next three years through right based education empower workers to avail their rights.

There are laws which these people are unaware of. It's very obvious, we being educated and having access to all the information lack the knowledge. Sampark is making all it's efforts to bridge this gap. They are getting these Masons get registered to avail all the facilities that they are entitled to. Issues like accidents at the work place, education support for their children, prevent them from the exploitation in working hours, basic medical facilities etc.,

" Laws are existing, they don't walk up to you. You need to recognize what are the benefits available to you and run behind them. Else they just remain on paper"

A wonderful initiative by Sampark in taking these available facilities to the audience eligible and more importantly has every RIGHT to avail the same.

The Old Lady on the Street and Life in less than 60 seconds

An unbelievable experience I went through yesterday. Even today, I can not believe if what I heard yesterday was really true. We ought to learn so much from so many people. In fact, we learn the most from the ones who we least expect from. Yesterday was just impossible equation.

My brains juggled as I spoke to a lady standing on one of Bangalore most posh roads yesterday night. I was taking off my vehicle from the parking and she said, "Beta, jara madad karo" meaning, "Dear, please help me". I smiled and inquired what she wanted. She had a bandage on one eye and she said that she had been waiting for an auto from almost half an hour and nobody stopped. After all, the RCB vs SRH (IPL6) match had just gotten over and autos were in huge demand. She was unable to move, due to her lofty physique, and I starting waving hands at autos that almost fled on the road. We struck a conversation and it went something like this (translated to English)

Lady : What do you do?

I did not want to explain all that I do and so, kept it simple : I work nearby

Lady: Achcha, thank you beta. I am sorry I am bothering you so late at night

I : Why are you alone here? I mean, you are so old (60, 70 years). Why don't you get someone with you?

Lady: There is no one. I am alone

I was shocked. I observed the lady even more closely. She was lofty, one of her eye was operated (or missing?) and she had a chair, a fold-able metal chair, in her hand. She definitely looked very normal. Before I could decipher something, I just kept the conversation going, "You mean, you stay alone? Like, your family stays away or?", I didn't know how to ask any further.

The lady took over, "Its a long story beta. I was married to an IAS officer and we were very happy", I was like, WOW, what the heck, as she continued, "We have 10 children", I was searching for my brains now, and then, she had all the shocks, "My husband died of cancer and from then, I am homeless"

It was simply impossible for me to believe. How could this happen? Can life take such a turn in just a moment? I asked, "How about your children?"

She had an arrow hitting my heart right away, "They are all married. Some stay in India, some abroad and I do not contact them because I do not want to be a disturbance in their life. So, I live alone in a PG (paying guest)"

I was like come on, today ain't an April Fool's day though this is April. It was just bouncing over my head. I managed to just peek in a question, "So, you work somewhere nearby?"

She massacred me saying, "Yes, I beg here"

An auto stood by and the autowallah asked, "Where do you want to go?"

The lady got into to the auto, with great difficulty, and I stood there with a completely shattered feeling, with total inability to digest what I had heard. There is such a lesson behind everyone's life. There is story behind everyone looking for help. If we get to know these stories, perhaps, they would inspire us even more than the stories of Gates, Buffets, Jobs, Zucks or Ambanis. The humanity will be put to shame when we learn about these struggles. How can the world be so cruel? Can a moment cause so much disaster that can not be set right in a lifetime?

As I pondered, the auto started and I, without my knowledge, bent down to take the lady's blessings. She had a shine in her eye, perhaps due to a drop of tear, as she said, "Khush Raho Beta (Be happy). God Bless You"

Life, without our loved ones, might just become null and void.

Environment - Our Mother Earth Moving Away From Us

How nice it would have been to enjoy the cool breeze out there in summers throughout the day. How better it would have been to visualize the wonderful landscape around with the flowers blooming at every sight and butterflies adding beauty to this beautiful surrounding. Well, all this is a history. Yes, it's our past. Residents of Bangalore are shocked to witness that a city once called a "Green City" is now called a "Silicon City". My survey with most of them conveys that at the retired life everyone would like to settle down in a village among-st the nature. This was available at free of cost decades ago as a gift by nature to the human kind. Now, when a green city is replaced by a silicon city how can anyone even plan or think to live amidst nature. All this is past.If at all one wants to make it as a present and the future then one should start building a greener city than a silicon city. Be sure that your greener retired life is in your hands. So build it before it becomes impossible and remain as past.

Mother earth - Environment is supporting and protecting us against so many challenges. Why only the organisations should take the initiative to save it? Are they only beneficiaries? As a responsible, sensitive and a beneficiary don't we owe to come in action to save our earth? The fact is there are only few organisations who are involved and most of them are into building the mankind. When are we as a human, begin to care about the other living creatures around us? Are we so selfish that we focus only on our species? Do we not take so much from other species living around? Don't we have a responsibility to give it back? All these are serious questions to be answered than any competitive exams because when human don't exist what is the importance of anything else? We are at a very critical stage of life. We have lost so many species around us which we could witness at our childhood and they have become extinct. If each one of us do not make an attempt to at least care about the existence of the other species around us soon they will vanish completely leaving behind the mankind alone to suffer. They are now silent even after huge exploitation from us but their end will give an end to human life with loads of sufferings.

Today I met Suresh Heblikar sir and his team, a well known filmmaker (director as well as actor) and environmentalist. Discovered that he is from my home town, Dharwad, and soon, we were chattering in our north Karnataka accent. He runs Eco-Watch, 1998 with a key objective of spreading a message of environmental conservation through relevant, focused yet diverse programmes and activities. These outreach activities are aimed at building awareness about various environmental issues and concerns among student communities, organisations, corporate entities and the masses, in a simple yet effective manner. A worthy discussion today.This will hopefully create an eco-conscious culture which will help protect and improve existing ecological and environmental conditions in both urban and rural areas.

Simple yet wonderful activities like tree plantation, river cleaning, watch on emissions, celebrating World earth day, Environment day etc.,

You are just one step away, yes there are so many activities in which one can involve by spending few hours of your life. Trust me the time you spend in such activities is worth spending. This will ensure more life to your existing one's by your own contribution.

Ready to make your own life's better? Join hands

Exploring opportunities - Women Empowerment & Active Citizenship

For democracy to flourish and deliver on its promises-including political participation, human rights, access to justice, a good education, an improved quality of life, a healthy environment, and personal security-its citizens must be informed, engaged, empowered, and assertive. Similarly, institutions of governance must be inclusive, transparent, accountable, and responsive.

Youth constitute to about 50% of the existing population and considered to be as the most potential resource to bring about a change. As a youth I feel that every young generation of a nation has the willingness to learn, urge to take up tasks and successfully accomplish the task which is taken up. Youth fall in the learning period of a human life cycle and thus are open to learn and impact the people around.

However, youth participation is not solely about developing active citizens or building democracy for the future. It is vital, if participation is to be meaningful for young people, that they can influence and shape decisions and actions when they are young and not only at some later stage in life.

A wonderful initiative by CMCA - Children's Movement For Civic Awareness. An NGO invloved in engaging children in the democratic process & civic issues. They stress on the concept of "Be the change you want to see in the world". Majority of the population falls under the category of "If one person(self) doesn't behave in harmony with people & nature it doesn't make difference, let others take the responsibility". Carrying this attitude each one of us try to pass on the responsibility on others & thus end up no one taking up the responsibility. 

To mention a few of their initiatives - Pourakarmika Day, Traffic police Day, World Democracy Day, Water workshop, Environment workshop etc.,

CMCA conducts classes on civic awareness issues for the school children. Till date the private school numbers outraged the government schools. Recently they are collaborating with the government schools & nearby villages to Bengaluru. 

To mention a few of their initiatives - 

Volunteers are their strengths. Volunteers drive the entire events. They have a fixed set of curriculum on which they will train the volunteers for 3 days. They are very keen on the commitment of the volunteer for at least one full academic year starting from June to February. The volunteer is expected to take the class on civic awareness as per the prescribed modules by CMCA on the weekdays. As these classes fall into the regular time table of the day. Volunteer is expected to take at least 2 - 3 classes per week. Well, it doesn't mean that they are not allowed to take off that space is always given.

As of now they are trying to reach out their programs to the colleges. They would welcome volunteers to take up classes at colleges as well. They will provide a small honorarium & a certificate as well at the end of the program. Conduct various programs that enhance the volunteers skills & knowledge.

Young minds & hearts are easy to mold & shaped in the way required. CMCA focuses on molding these young minds into growing a more responsible & sensible citizens of the nation. Yes, it is very important for each one of us to be equally responsible for whatever happening around us. It's not a big deal to be an active citizen, it just takes the mind to know what's wrong & correct thereby choose to do right with the attitude of taking the responsibility individually. 

Had an opportunity to know learn on the women entrepreneurship at AWAKE

AWAKE -Association Of Women Entrepreneurs Of Karnataka. An NGO working in the field of women empowerment since 1996 is situated at Rajajinagar industrial estate.

They are involved in the activities that support & develop the entrepreneurial skills focusing on women. They conduct various training program that support the budding entrepreneurship & also the existing entrepreneurs. Apart from conducting classes they also support the budding entrepreneurs in designing a website for the business, marketing strategies for the promotion of the product, financial support, designing the project proposals, etc. The classes/courses held at AWAKE are at a certain fees. The group comprise of skilled, semi skilled, privileged & less privileged women's who aspire to take up entrepreneurship. The training details are advertised in newspapers, facebook & reach out in person to the slums to attract & motivate the women's to take up entrepreneurship. They work on various projects which their partner NGO's offers them. 

They also conduct focused program's like Entrepreneurship Development Program.

As a responsible citizen sensitive to the surroundings around can support & build these women's who are less privileged may be economically but they have all the spirit & courage to take the risk to run a business. 

1. At present they are carrying on a project under HP to promote computer literacy among the budding women entrepreneurs. They need volunteers who can come on Saturday/Sunday & teach the audience the use of computers which can help them to understand the basics & also the application of the same into their ventures. The volunteer has the liberty to take a call on the topics that one is going to cover. On the similar lines they are looking out for support in teaching English, Photoshop & hardware as well.
2. They have a library & they want to set up into a full fledged one. From arranging of the books on the racks to the data to be entered in the database. Basically want to make ease at the users space. New ideas are welcome. Volunteer has the space to experiment & set up the library.
3. Case study collection - As they are into the development of the entrepreneurs they are looking out for volunteers to help them collect some case studies which can help them understand the real business conditions.
4. Events - They have certain one time event wherein they need help from volunteers to co ordinate the entire program. The layout of the program, setting up a stall in the exhibitions etc. Video recording, photography are also welcome.
5. Talks - They are looking out for volunteers who can talk on life skills, personality development talks, stress management, risk management, time management etc.,

Apart from the above mentioned opportunities they are open to give the volunteers an opportunity to conduct any event which can help the women's to enhance their skills in the field of entrepreneurship. 

All sounds so small but yes, all these small activities pave way to build an individual & enables one to handle the odds one faces in the journey.

Feel so good to learn about various opportunities in the filed of women entrepreneurship & active citizenship.