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Friday, March 30, 2012

Volunteers Needed: to conduct social audit of NREGS and ICDS in Bihar

Volunteers Needed: to conduct social audit of NREGS & ICDS in Bihar
From: Ashish Ranjan
Hard Work No Pay Summer Jobs off the Beaten Track
*Do you support the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) and the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS)? Then why not give some of your time to help make it work? Last year 40 student volunteers from different universities across India helped the Araria District Administration and Jan Jagaran Shakti Sangathan ( *www.jjabihar.org *) with other civil society groups to conduct a series of social audits of NREGA works and ICDS centres. This year the ICDS directorate, Bihar plans to conduct similar audits in East Champaran District with the help of JJSS and other civil society organisations. JJSS also plans to conduct social audits and awareness campaigns in few other districts (subject to interest of the local administration). *
Volunteers are needed for conducting social audits and surveys in these districts of Bihar. This involves conducting awareness campaigns, organize public meetings, monitoring the functioning of MNREGA and ICDS, helping MNREGA workers file work application and related activities. Volunteers should be prepared to work in rural areas for at least three weeks, without modern comforts. Prior experience of fieldwork, and fluency in English and Hindi, are preferred but not essential.
ICDS directorate will pay a fixed amount to those who are engaged in Social Audits in East Champaran district (travel allowance plus minimum wage, i.e Rs 144/day) which will cover all your expenses. For other audit exercises there will be no stipend. However, since this is not a money-making opportunity, we encourage you to apply for volunteer work with an open mind. If a stipend is essential for you then please specify that you will only work on the ICDS social audit in East Champaran. More importantly, it is a chance for you to gain work experience, learn something about rural India, and contribute to the realization of proper functioning MNREGA and ICDS. Also clarify the dates when you will be available. Audits will be conducted in the months of May-June. Please send your resume to ashish.ranjanjha@gmail.com by *20th April, 2012*.
For any clarification you can call Ashish at 09973363664.
Kamayani Swami and Ashish Ranjan for the Jan Jagaran Shakti Sangathan.
*ICDS directorate/JJSS will issue participation certificate
www.jjabihar.org
--

Items available for donation at Kalyan

SHREEKANT JADHAV" shreekant.jadhav@gmail.com Thu Mar 29, 2012 9:34 am (PDT) Dear Sir, It is request to NGOs who are located near the below location given and who can pickup the Material that are to be donated.
Name of Contact person: Shreekant Jadhav Contact details (email or phone) : shreekant.jadhav@gmail.com or 9833592206.
Preferred time for pick up of material: 10:00 am to 02:00 pm Location of material (need not give full address in the email) - *City - Kalyan : State : Maharashtra*.
Type of old material to be donated and quantity : 1. Cupboards - 5 nos. 2. Bed - 1 no. 3. Clothes- 50 nos. 4. Audio System - 1 no. 5. Refrigerator - 1 no. 6. Air conditioner - 1 no. 7. Kitchen Utensiles - 25 nos. 8. Gift Material - nos.
It is requested to contact between 10:00 am to 06:00 pm. on or before 3rd April 2012.
With Regards, Shreekant Jadhav.

Maidan.in a new concept for sport and development

http://www.maidan.in/index.htm
Welcome to Maidan.in

Welcome to Maidan!
Maidan: Urdu, an open ground primarily meant for sport and other forms of physical activity. Maidan is a comprehensive resource on Sport for Development (S4D). The Sport for Development platform is for practitioners - newbies and veterans and everyone in between - from every part of the world to come together and share ideas, insights and experiences on how sport can make a difference, irrespective of what form it is, where it comes from, and what it takes. Please go through our sections to know more about the platform and its components.
If you are new to maidan online, you can register as a Maidan User and contribute to the growing s4d online resource on the platform. If you are a registered user, you can log-in now to share on the platform. You can also update your profile and see your recent activities in my maidan.
You can also keep your visit a casual one, and go through resources that we have compiled. Should it drive more interest of you, please feel free to contact us anytime. Come, join in. Change the game!

Success story of the Visually Handicapped

He was born blind and has never seen a single match in his life, but has proved that all one requires to become a great cricket commentator is a mix of erudite descriptions of action, comprehensive knowledge of great players, faultless recall of statistics, and needle-sharp sense of timing and judgment. Needless to say, Zimbabwean-born Dean du Plessis, 32, possesses all these attributes, and has been delivering commentaries on matches for nine years. He has shared the commentary box in Tests, one-day, and Twenty20 tournaments involving all the Test-playing nations in worldwide radio broadcasts.
It is du Plessis’s accentuated sense of hearing that makes up for being sightless. He relies upon sounds heard via the stump microphones to tell who is bowling from the footfalls and grunts, a medium or fast delivery by the length of time between the bowler’s foot coming down, and the impact of the ball on the pitch. He can tell whether a delivery was a yorker from the sound of the bat ramming down on the ball, whether a ball is on the off or on-side, and when it’s hit a pad rather than bat. "I have to work with the anchor. I am the guy who supplies, well, the colour," Times Online quoted him as saying. Andy Pycroft, the Zimbabwean opening batsman from 1979 to 2001, said: "The thing about Dean is the intuition. The public love to listen to him. If he has the right person at anchor to support him he is brilliant." Du Plessis hated the 'blind cricket' he was taught to play with a plastic-wrapped volleyball at the blind school he attended. At 14, while feeling bored one day, du Plessis tuned the radio in to a station devoted to ball-by-ball commentaries, and that was what was to change his life.
"There was a phenomenal noise in the background, 80,000 people in a stadium in India, people roaring. I realised it was cricket. I was fascinated," du Plessis said. He pushed his way into the commentary box at Harare Sports Club in 2001, and was allowed to try out with the microphone. He never looked back.

http://cricketnext.in.com/news/blind-cricket-commentators-success-story/43840-13.html

Majlis Legal Centre is looking to set up a socio legal counselling centre for victims of Rape in Mumbai

Majlis Law

Subject: Victim Support Programme

Majlis Legal Centre is looking to set up a socio legal counselling centre for victims of Rape in Mumbai

The shocking incidents of Rape reported in newspapers everyday is appalling. A victim who is already traumatised by the incident, has to then go on to tackle the ever daunting system of police, doctors, courts…

Each investigative report produced at this stage is evidence, that will be used in court during her trial. Most victims are either illiterate or not familiar with medico-legal terms and find the system extremely complicated. Even though all documents are available to her, she cannot scrutinise these documents to check if she has been misrepresented or there are technical errors. Most rape cases do not stand in court due to these errors.

The victim needs support, counselling, advice at every stage of the investigation and trial. Her self esteem, how to face the community and believe in herself, is of crucial importance.

Majlis’ team of socio legal activists aims to represent victims of sexual abuse, through the entire process of investigation, counselling and trial of the case. We will be by her side and help her understand the procedures and processes. We will guide her regarding medical examination and treatment, applying for compensation, police investigation, chargesheet, be a watching advocate and guide the public prosecutor. But most importantly we will be there for her.

Our commitment to working with women for the past twenty years and our legal knowledge of police investigation and court procedures will help us offer emotional and legal support to a victim at every stage. We are confident that this intervention will help women get justice.

The centre will also work at creating awareness about ‘do and don’ts’ in incidents of sexual abuse to community orgainsations. We will conduct sensitisation programmes for the state machinery. We will build campaigns against negative judgements and work with government on policy intervention that can help victims of sexual abuse.

-- Majlis 4, A-2, Golden Valley, Kalina Market Road, Kalina, Santacruz (East) Mumbai 400 098 Tel: 022 26661252 / 26662394 Email: majlislaw@gmail.com Website: www.majlisbombay.org

Monday, March 26, 2012

Music Basti- a new concept awakening

Intro to the Music Basti - music for social change

http://www.musicbasti.org/
About Music Basti November 16, 2011 12:50 PM
The mission of Music Basti is to strengthen the voices of children-at-risk, while raising awareness also on social global issues such as control and management of natural resources, food sufficiency, gender equity, sustainable environment, health and education. The vision is to establish and strengthen an egalitarian socio- economic order based on the democratic values of equality, sharing, non-violence, cooperation and common good.
Music Basti believes in music for community building and personal development. The program focuses on children-at-risk and urban youth through creating participative music education programs and life-skills. Its aim is to create and promote self- confidence and creativity through interaction and sharing in and through music actively, also involving the youth and music community in consultation, creation, implementation and evaluation.
The network of Music Basti includes musicians, volunteers and partners in Delhi and nationally, as well as internationally. Activities and programs of Music Basti have included the participation of over 400 children and 500 volunteers so
far, and has reached out to over 1,00,000 persons through public programs and online content. Its partners include "Dil Se" Campaign (Center for Equity Studies and Aman Biradari), The YP Foundation, Bridge Music Academy, Hard Rock Cafe Delhi, Gibson Foundation, EFICOR, HarmoNYom (New York), British Council, Max Mueller Bhawan and others. Collaborations have included projects with Plan India, Birmingham City University (UK), Study India Programme (UK), Furtados Music India, Indian Youth Climate Network, Radio Mirchi, Spandan Communications, CRY, iCONGO, American Center, and others.
The programs of Music Basti are managed and administered by Integrated Development Education Association (IDEA), an Indian non- governmental organization working for the empowerment of the powerless especially the dalits, women and children, and differently gifted persons. The agency was registered in 1991 under the Societies Registration Act (XXI of 1860) as an all-India non-profit Association.

Suprio Das, The true Changemaker

Citizen scientist....Arpit Basu

Figuring it out - Suprio Das quit his well-paying engineering job to work on low-cost technologies for the poor in West Bengal. His inventions are not about rocket science but the routine needs of the people. Last year, during a lecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA, scientist Suprio Das was asked what drew him to invent low-cost technologies for the poor. Das's answer was typical - find out what sucks and then fix it.
He applied this thumb-rule to all his inventions. The poor couldn't afford electricity, so his gadgets left it out. It was a career-defying choice: the 55-year old scientist was a trained electrical engineer. "To me, the idea is very clear. I need technologies that will not be complex, be easy to maintain and have minimum recurring expenses," said Das.
Consider some of them. His first project, a wheel-cum-pulley attached with a mobile battery charger charged the cellphones of Sunderbans residents without any electricity when the cyclone Aila struck in 2009. In 2006, he devised a unique battery, the Firefly, fitted on the wheels of a cycle-rickshaw that could be charged with a few hours of pedalling. The charged battery, when attached to a LED light, could illuminate a room. "Six hours of light with four hours of pedalling," summed up Das, with some pride. The process cut down the recurring cost of kerosene for lamps usually used in the households of rickshaw pullers. "My invention will reduce capital cost by 50% even when compared to solar power," added its inventor, a former senior manager with the Nicco Corporation Limited, a well-known cable manufacturing group. He quit Nicco in 2002.
On a different track The leap from a comfortable and well-paying job into a life of financial uncertainty, the mercy of donors and related challenges was hard, but not unsurmountable. (His project on the hand-powered charger funded by the state government, for instance, was wound up when the government lost interest in it). But why do it? There were, "primarily two reasons," he said. One of them was called Thomas Alva Edison, and the other, James Watt. Since his school days, Das had wanted to be like the American scientist, Edison, whose electric light bulb had been one of the products to use the principles of mass production to the process of invention. Like James Watt, a Scottish mechanical engineer, who had improved the mechanics of the steam engine, Das considered innovation as the art of perseverance and the science of improving existing technologies. Das established his name as an independent inventor a decade after he quit his job. From research to design, procurement of raw materials to assembling, he has been doing it all single handedly. He does not keep a research assistant for fear that his blueprints may be leaked. "I could have started my day at a golf course and would have called it a day with a glass of whisky at a prominent club in the city. Instead, my days, generally starts and ends at my research room to invent technologies," said Das sitting in his six-feet by four-feet research room on the first floor mezzanine at his Lake Town residence. He certainly looked like a man without regrets. He had done what he had set out to do. His inventions were not about rocket science but the routine needs of the people.

Accessible research Some time in 2005, the presence of arsenic in Kolkata's ground-water caught Das's attention. He started visiting villages of Bengal to collect water samples. In 2011, his invention, the Zynga, an automated chlorine doser, was installed in a small village near Gobardanga, Bengal. It was installed in five slums of Dhaka this January. So far, 3,500 slum dwellers of Bangladesh have used it. In May 2012, Das will choose a few villages in North 24 Parganas to install the instrument with the help of a local NGO. Approximately, 6,000 more villagers are expected to be benefitted by the project. The International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research of Bangladesh, and a team from Standford University, is now carrying out research to ascertain whether the innovation would help generate bacteria or arsenic-free water. "The cost for making a single Zynga is around Rs 5,000. It could be reduced 50% if it is produced in bulk. Most important, it requires no electricity," said its inventor. Das greets all questions on his future projects with caution. "Let me first see the fate of my Zynga. If need be, I will concentrate on its remodelling depending on user feedback. What next? I will definitely come up with another invention in future. After all, I am an inventor and there is no end to inventions," he said with a chuckle.

The Changemaker you Know: If you know an ordinary person with extraordinary achievements, someone who has battled odds to bring change, innovative entrepreneurs who have made a difference to their local economies, people whose stories will inspire others to work for change, write to us. Help us identify the unsung heroes of India. You can write to us at research@hindustantimes.com URL: http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Kolkata/Citizen-scientist/Article1-828939.aspx

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

NAC releases draft on social security

NAC releases draft on social security
Tue Mar 13, 2012 5:27 am (PDT)
NAC releases draft on social security....Anuja and Remya Nair
The Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council (NAC) has released draft recommendations for a social security package for the country's unorganized sector, which envisages providing life, disability and health cover, maternity benefits and old-age pension to workers.
NAC, in a draft released on 7 March, suggested that the different welfare schemes being run by the ministries of women and child development, health and family welfare, finance and labour and employment should be cleared by a single agency. This is aimed at linking existing and new schemes for the unorganized sector. The informal sector constitutes almost 93% of India's workforce and accounts for around 60% of the country's gross domestic product (GDP), according to official data.
The draft suggests setting up a national inter-ministerial panel to coordinate between the different ministries. It also proposes the creation of a national social security authority to design and develop a minimum social security package. NAC has sought comments from the public on the draft. Once finalized, it will be sent for approval to the government. NAC is holding consultations with the different ministries on the feasibility of a single-widow clearance for social security schemes, Mint reported on 17 February.
While the women and child welfare department runs the Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana, a conditional maternity benefit scheme, the labour ministry implements the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY), the government's health insurance plan for the poor. The finance ministry is also finalizing an insurance plan with disability, life and pension benefits, into which both the state and the central governments will contribute. NAC estimates a minimum cost of Rs.43,000 crore a year if this plan is implemented among 430 million workers in the unorganized sector. To cut costs, NAC has proposed the scheme be offered to women first. To achieve universal health coverage, NAC has suggested RSBY be extended to all workers in the unorganized sector and then be merged into a national health entitlement plan, which will guarantee free access to healthcare. "It is good the government is thinking about these social security schemes, but the macroeconomic implications of these programmes on inflation and fiscal deficit cannot be forgotten," said S.L. Rao, Bangalore-based sociologist and former director general of the National Council for Applied Economic Research. "Sadly, the government has, for years, showed no signs of cutting down on its expenditure; and in the current political situation, it only looks more difficult." The state governments may be unwilling to contribute their share of funds, Rao added. The Unorganised Sector Workers' Social Security Act, 2008, covers the segment through the various schemes run by the central and the state governments. But with a majority of the informal sector workers still outside the social security net, a working group of NAC was set up to make implementation of the law more effective.
anuja@livemint.com
URL: http://www.livemint.com/2012/03/12215827/NAC-releases-draft-on-social-s.html?atype=tp

Stanford-India Biodesign - Internship Program for 3 month

Stanford-India Biodesign - Internship Program for 3 month
Tue Mar 13, 2012 5:27 am (PDT)

Stanford-India Biodesign - Internship Program Applications are invited for a 3-month internship in Stanford-India Biodesign (SIB) program at SIB center, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi.
SIB is a collaborative program between AIIMS, IIT Delhi and Stanford Biodesign, Stanford University, USA The goal of the program is to train the next generation of medical device innovation pioneers for India through hands on real-world projects of low-cost medical device innovation run by teams of SIB Fellows with support from consultants and interns. The program brings together engineers, doctors, product designers and business professionals on to one team to ensure successful identification, invention and implementation of solutions in the real world. The program is funded by Dept. of Biotechnology and Indo-US Science & Technology Forum. (http://biodesign.stanford.edu/bdn/india/)
About the Internship program: This is an intensive 3 month program (extendable) consisting of hands-on training in Stanford's pioneering Biodesign process for inventing medical technologies as the interns work on real world projects. It offers an opportunity to work in a unique, creative work culture.
What we are looking for: Passionate individuals with a strong desire to create innovative device solutions to India's pressing healthcare challenges.
Candidates and Eligibility: Both experienced professionals and fresh graduates with masters (preferred)/ bachelors in Engineering, Design, Medicine, Bioengineering, or business are encouraged to apply, with age not exceeding 40 yrs. Candidates with entrepreneurial aspirations are encouraged to apply. Preference will be given to mechanical engineers and product designers for this year's program.
Duration: 15th April 2012 to 15th July 2012 (Full time)
Stipend: Monthly stipend of Rs. 20,000/-. No additional allowances.
Documents to be submitted by email:
1.Curriculum Vitae (2 pages maximum) containing passport size photograph. 2. Statement of purpose for applying for the internship; What value addition to your skill-set do you seek to derive from the internship; describe an experience that demonstrates your inventiveness 3. Attach a non-confidential file showcasing a past innovative endeavor (optional) Please email required documents to: stanford_india@yahoo.com with Subject: "SIB Internship 2012_"
Important dates: * Last date of application: 25th March 2012 * Interview of shortlisted candidates at SIB center, Delhi: Last week of March, 2012.
Contact us: Program Assistant, Stanford-India Biodesign Center, Room 108, Old OT Block AIIMS, New Delhi - 110029 URL: http://biodesign.stanford.edu/bdn/india/internshipannounce.jsp

Monday, March 12, 2012

Funds for Foreign Studies



INLAKS SCHOLARSHIP (http://www.inlaksfoundation.org/) The Inlaks Foundation funds up to 15 scholars every year for post-graduate programmes at reputable universities Last date to apply: April 15

JN TATA ENDOWMENT FUND SCHOLARSHIPS (http://www.dorabjitatatrust.org/) Scholarships are open for students interested in postgraduate studies abroad in any discipline Last date to apply: March 5

KC MAHINDRA TRUST LOAN SCHOLARSHIPS (www.nanhikali.org/aboutus/grant_scholarships.aspx) Last date to apply: Not available Interest-free loan scholarships are available for various subjects

NAROTAM SEKHSARIA LOAN SCHOLARSHIPS (http://www.nsscholarship.net/) Forms Available till: March 31

HSBC-CHEVENING SCHOLARSHIP (http://www.britishcouncil.org/india-scholarship-chevening-joint-programmes.htm) Three scholarships are offered to students who have got admission for masters courses at UK universities Last date to apply: February 28

GOA EDUCATION TRUST SCHOLARSHIPS (http://www.britishcouncil.org/india-scholarship-de-souza-trust-goa-scholar-ship.htm) Last date to apply: May 15 Students with admission to masters courses in the UK born of Goan parents or with Goan domicile are eligible

OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE SOCIETY OF INDIA SCHOLARSHIPS (http://www.oxbridgeindia.com/) Last date to apply: April 30 Scholarships of different amounts are available to students who have got admission for masters courses at Oxford or Cambridge

TEST OF ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE (TOEFL) SCHOLARSHIPS (http://www.ets.org/toefl/scholarships/overview/india/.) Last date to apply: April 13 Scholarships of different amounts available for graduate and undergraduate programmes at universities abroad

INTERNATIONAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE TESTING SYSTEM SCHOLARSHIPS (http://www.britishcouncil.org/india-exams-ieltsscholarship-plan.htm) Last date to apply: July 29 Applicants will have to have taken the IELTS

ERASMUS MUNDUS SCHOLARSHIPS (http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/erasmus_mundus/result_compendia/selected_projects_action_1_master_courses_en.php) Multiple scholarshops for universities across Europe with applicants being able to choose from 131 different masters programmes and 34 doctoral programmes

FELIX SCHOLARSHIP (http://www.felixscholarship.org/) Closed for 2012 Felix scholarships are awarded to students who have got admission to masters courses at the Universities of Oxford or Reading or the School of Oriental and African Studies

CHARLES WALLACE INDIA TRUST SCHOLARSHIP (http://www.british-council.org/indiascholarshipscwit.htm) Closed for 2012

RHODES SCHOLARSHIP (http://www.rhodesscholarships-india.com/) Closed for 2012

COMMONWEALTH SCHOLARSHIP (http://www.britishcouncil.org/india-scholarships-commonwealth-2.htm#contact) Closed for 2012

URL: http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Mumbai/Funds-for-foreign-study-Take-your-pick/Article1-817625.aspx

Loans for underprivileged to improve livelihood options

NGO provides loans for livelihood to youth from low-income groups

Be-ing the change you want....Shreya Ray A non-profit's latest venture is providing risk capital to young people from low-income groups to become social entrepreneurs
Radhakrishna, 26, lives in Nagamangala village in Karnataka's Kolar district, a village mostly consisting of farmers. The biggest problem in their village-a problem not unheard of in other villages in the country-is the poor means of transporting their produce to the nearest market; leaving farmers at the mercy of middlemen who procure the produce at the lowest possible price. To get around this, Radhakrishna decided to buy a second-hand truck to transport the farmers' produce to the market on time, at minimal cost. Only, who'd give money to an unemployed Radhakrishna to purchase a truck? And then in July he heard of Be! Fund on the radio.
Be! Fund, an initiative of the Delhi-based non-profit organization Going to School, launched in July to provide young people (in the 18-29 age group) from low-income groups with risk capital (Rs.1-5 lakh) and skill support to set up businesses that would give them a sustainable income and simultaneously solve the local social, economic and environmental problems of their communities. The fund-formed with grants from entrepreneurs Dev Roy and Phaneesh Murthy and Deutsche Bank, among others-is different from the microfinance sector in that it does not require entrepreneurs to repay the loan if the business fails. "We'd like the money to be returned so we can invest in more entrepreneurs. Returns are only paid when a business makes a profit, out of profit. But if a business fails, it is written off; a young entrepreneur is not put into debt," says Delhi-based Lisa Heydlauff, CEO, Going to School.
The project is part of a larger Be! An Entrepreneur mass-media initiative that aims to build an ecosystem where social entrepreneurship is promoted through school books, films and radio. The fund has just compiled its first batch of updatereports to gauge how the first batch of entrepreneurs-like Radhakrishna-have fared. The fund has given 11 loans so far, and next week it will be finalizing the second lot of entrepreneurs.
"By 2020 there will be over 210 million unemployed people in India; 90% of them will be below the age of 30. Currently, 50% of these young people are dropping out of school," says the UK-born Heydlauff, who has been working in the non-profit education sector in India since 1999. The best way according to her, therefore, is to encourage these young people to take charge of their communities and make "social entrepreneurship" an attractive word for them. "In India, if you ask a child what they want to be when they grow up, they'll say doctor or lawyer, nobody says entrepreneur," adds Heydlauff. To make entrepreneurship a household word among rural Indians, Be! Fund chose to communicate in a language familiar and attractive to most: Bollywood. They produced ten 30-minute short films about young entrepreneurs in rural India. The movies (the ones on radio were audio films) which aired-as a pilot-first on the radio in July, then on Doordarshan and Star Utsav in December, have already yielded 68,000 phone calls from young people with ideas. Both Star and Doordarshan partnered with the fund to air the shows. This is how it works: The young entrepreneur calls Be! Fund with his idea. A short-list is made based on the feasibility, efficiency and sustainability of the idea. Candidates are refused if their idea is unclear, does not "solve a problem" or if their business is in a place other than where they live. Once a candidate clears three rounds of interviews, he is given the money. "We also prefer someone who has already tried getting a loan as that shows they've been working on it for a while," says Heydlauff.
Muniraju, 28, from rural Bangalore is one such case. The former FedEx delivery boy devised a plan to recycle plastic by turning it into chips that could be used in various products, including computers. But because he had no property or collateral to offer, he wasn't eligible for a bank loan. Be! Fund's research found that there was no plastic recycling unit within a 20km radius of where Muniraju lived, and there was a direct need for such a recyling unit. The third stage involves a site-level visit involving interviews, and comprehensive business plans. Sector experts are invited and some spontaneous entrepreneurial link-ups have happened, like between Muniraju and his Bangalore-based mentor Pradeep Kumar, a businessman who was also working in the area of plastics recycling.
Muniraju's three-month-old business is already scoring high on the social aspect of his social enterprise: The eight women employed in his unit can now afford to send their children to school. Likewise, Radhakrishna's enterprise, for which he got Rs.3 lakh from Be! Fund, benefits about 1,000 farmers in his village, with a 30-40% increase in profits because of the removal of middlemen, and has employed two people from his village. "The farmers were in a helpless situation. Now, because of my transport business, things are happening time to time (sic) for them," he told us over the phone. The improvement in his own financial condition is a great help to his four-member family, which so far was running exclusively on his brother's income. The initiative turns the development debate on its head: Instead of getting people from rich privileged backgrounds to provide solutions to problems, it believes that young people from that particular background can provide solutions to-and, in fact, know the exact nature of the problem. "No one asked the poorest people to solve their problems," says Heydlauff.
URL: http://www.livemint.com/2012/03/11173412/Being-the-change-you-want.html?atype=tp

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Jobs Avbl.: for MSW and Research and Documentation Officer for CESD

Jobs Avbl.: for MSW & Research & Documentation Officer for CESD Posted by: "Dr. Anwar Shaikh" dranwarshaikh@yahoo.com Thu Mar 8, 2012 8:21 pm (PST)

� Greetings from Centre for Educational and Social Development. � We require: Fresh MSW (Male or Female), 2 Posts � fluent in English with computer knowledge for Centre for Educational and Social Development at Pune for slum and community Development Project. � Research & Documentation Officer�- 1 Post Responsibilities involve research, writing, compiling reports and other required documentation, and facilitating organization publications. � A) �Skills & competencies�- ���� excellent writing skills in English,�Marathi and Hindi ���� ability to understand�project and activity ��� �high comfort level with information technology;� ���� B) Minimum educational qualification: Bachelor's or Master's degree and�atleast 3 years' experience in research and documentation work in an NGO�� � � Remuneration For Freshers : upto Rs. 4000-5000 per month can be given for freshers(upto 6 months). � Remuneration for Experienced candidates : Rs. 7,000 to 10,000 per month. � If possible please send me details @ dranwarshaikh@yahoo.com. My mobile No. is 9822621579. � Thanks & Warm Regards, � Dr. Anwar Shaikh, President, Centre for Educational and Social Development www.cesdindia.org dranwarshaikh@yahoo.com Mobile No.: 9822621579. � � � � � � � � � � � Back to top Reply to sender | Reply to group | Reply via web post Messages in this topic (1)

Eradication of Blind Faith Bill

Andha Shraddha Nirmoolan Samiti -- Eradication of Blind Faith Bill

Andha Shraddha Nirmoolan Samiti
The Government has imposed the "Maharashtra Eradication of blind-faith bill 2005" upon us, the people of Maharashtra without completing the debate on the bill and by getting it approved just on the basis of a majority in the State Assembly. The Bill is very likely to get approved in the 3rd March -2012 in the Maharashtra State Assembly in the Upper House i.e Vidhan Parishad, after which it will be converted into a law.
"Government feels the need for this law to stop the Superstitious Rituals and Customs If the purpose is valid, then Government should be able to produce relevant statistics of the number of such cases in each year and how the existing laws are not sufficient to provide justice to the exploited in such cases as also the Police and Magistrate demands for the new law. On the other hand, Dr. Narendra Dabholkar, the Executive President of the Maharashtra Anti-Superstition Committee has been repeatedly saying that they have been following up with the government for the last 14 years for this law. If this is true, then who is really in need of the law, Government or Dr. Narendra Dabholkar ?
If one takes into account the political history of the Congress Party or the Andha hraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (Anti-Superstition Committee) one can easily conclude that their activities are against the well being of most religious groups. The legal experts said that the law was not only against Religious freedom but also against the very fundamentals of Hinduism. Hence a need for creating awareness among the people about this law was felt, and thus came into action, the movements and campaigns against the law!
Generally before any Law on a Social issue gets approved, its proforma is made public by the Government, so that people are aware of its enactment and they can express their opinions. According to the seriousness of an issue, the "Vigilance Officers of Democracy", the Newspapers and various Media, bring about an awareness and debate on the issue. Opinions of Experts and the Common man are evaluated. But, various powerful capitalist, communist and socialist newspapers like Dainik Loksatta, presented a one-sided picture to the public creating an impression that this law is a must and that it is not against Religion or Religiosity. Doordarshan, E-TV, Alpha TV Marathi(now Zee Marathi) and other Television channels, showed only one-sided news
Many political leaders were too busy in party politics to have any time for this Religious Calamity.
His Holiness Jagadguru Ramanandacharya Swami Narendracharyaji Maharaj Sect, His Holiness Shri Asaramji Bapu Sect, The Warkari Sect (Pandharpur), Art of Living and Sanatan Sanstha were some of the few Spiritual Organisations that participated in the campaigns against the law. Other Organisations simply took the stand that such a law just could not be. Some said, "Ministers come for darshan of our Guru, how can the same ministers make such a law?" We may hope that the eyes of these people will have opened by now. Just like Spiritual Organisations, most of the Celebrities too expressed that such a law can never be enforced. Some of them resorted to the convenient excuse of lack of time. Compared to people of other Religions, this attitude of indifference was seen among some communities.
It would be a hollow expectation to assume this law to be applicable to people of all Religions. Government has already succeeded in acquiring support from the Dalits and Bahujanwadis in favour of this law.
The law created by the AndhaShraddha Nirmoolan Samiti was called the "Maharashtra AndhraShraddha Nirmoolan Adhiniyam 2003". In the new proforma, the word AndhaShraddha which means Blind-Faith was dropped and instead the title has been deceptively reframed as "Eradication of Blackmagic and Evil Customs Law" to pretend that the Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti has no connection with the improved proforma. . Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti(ANS) was thus confronted with the challenge of defining what is blind-faith. Government and ANS had to frequently change various clauses within the bill and resort to frail excuses for their mistakes.
Confusion about Clause 2(D) of the bill:
Dr Dabholkar introduced the clause 2 (D) of the bill which defines what is blind-faith. The Definition has such horrendous implications on the society that anybody could be imprisoned even on slight opposition to his Religious Rituals. When some people created awareness in the society against this, lakhs of letters were written to the Chief Minister and the Governor due to which the law met with severe opposition from members of the Ruling Parties as well causing the bill to get dropped Finally the bill was renamed as "Eradication of Evil or Demonic Rituals".
In this list were some clauses which were clearly putting the onus on the Religious follower to prove the righteousness of his rituals on the basis of Science to escape from imprisonment! Scientific discoveries and resulting developments have limitations and are a only recent occurrence whereas Spiritual realisations have been happening since time immemorial to this date. Thus it would have been totally wrong to impose these clauses upon Religion and Religious followers. Due to the opposition to this law, only a limited 12 number of these 27 clauses have now been retained! success of our efforts. Some of these clauses have been mentioned below.
Government Officials if complained with a noble cause would not be punished under any circumstances. Shri Modak of BJP objected to this clause saying that it was not acceptable that the Government should have one law and poor people some other. This clause was dropped.
In the earliest proforma, there was a horrendous clause which stated that any kind of custom, ritual or tradition which would promote, preach, spread or publish Blind Faith. This could be used even against Hindu Rituals like Satyanarayan Pooja, Festivals like Ganeshotsav, Vowed observances like Pongal or Sankashti to be blindfaith causing imprisonment if anyone even slightly complained.
Since the last several hundred years various saints from this very land of Maharashtra have been working to create awareness against Blind Faith among people. For this, Saints have taught people the real path of Bhakti. At Pandharpur and Aalandi every year, people are made aware through medium of Devotional songs and Sermons. This work is constantly going on.
There is absolutely no need for a new law and the only solution to this is educating the masses and teaching them the right Religious observances. Such artificial Laws, which cripple the society with their bondage, can never lead to real progress.
One of the BJP leaders has described the present law to be "a defanged or non-venomous Snake", yet we need to remember that no one keeps even such a snake as a pet. Besides, there is always the threat of re-teething of the snake and its re-poisoning by the prowlers. That is why we need to prepare for the battle ahead. Participate in this Religious work by contributing in the forthcoming legal battle.

Schemes for women from Indian Railways, Agatha Memorial fellowships and Library fellowships

Indian Railways Schemes for Womens
Fri Mar 9, 2012 1:51 am (PST)
Indian Railways has always cherished its association with you: * Free Second Class Monthly Season Tickets (MST) for girl students up to graduation level * Concession extended to girl students of Govt. School in rural areas for entrance examinations of National Level of Medical, Engineering etc. * Combined quota of two lower berths per coach in AC-2 tier, AC-3 tier and Sleeper for Senior Citizens, female passengers of 45 years and above and pregnant women when travelling alone. * Separate reservation counters at major computerized reservation offices for the ladles. * Female senior citizens can avail concession upon attaining 58 years of age. * 50% concession is given to female senior citizens of age 58 and above on the basic fare of mail/express trains and all inclusive fares of Shatabdi / Rajdhani Trains Visit us at : www.indianrailways.gov.in URL: http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOIM/2012/03/07&PageLabel=29&ForceGif=true&EntityId=Ad02909&ViewMode=HTML ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MS. Agatha Harrison Memorial Fellowship for the Year 2012-13
Fri Mar 9, 2012 1:52 am (PST)

No.F.31-1/2012-ES.4 Government of India Ministry of Human Resource Development Department of Higher Education ES. 4 Section MS. AGATHA HARRISON MEMORIAL FELLOWSHIP FOR THE YEAR 2012-13
Applications are invited from Indian Nationals upto 19.03.2012 (Monday at 5.30 P.M.) who have specialized in Modern India Studies in the subject fields of History, Economics and Political Science with 60% (atleast) in Postgraduation and with a Ph.D. degree (in English Medium) in the subject field concerned (indicated above) with a minimum of three years teaching experience at Graduate/ Postgraduate level as on 24.02.2012.after completion of Ph.D. for the award of Ms. Agatha Harrison Memorial Fellowship 2012-13 instituted by the Government of India at St. Antony's College, Oxford (U.K.).
Before applying for this Fellowship, candidates are requested to see Eligibility Criteria, Educational Qualification, Terms & Conditions and details format/contents form the Department's website www.education.nic.in Candidates can download the application format from the above website and send application either online or by post. No application forms are being supplied by the Department.
davp 21201/11/0038/1112
URL: http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=pastissues2&BaseHref=TOIM/2012/03/02&PageLabel=25&ForceGif=true&EntityId=Ad02507&ViewMode=HTML ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Library Fellowships for six months duration, 2011-2012

Fri Mar 9, 2012 1:57 am (PST)

Indian Council for Cultural Relations Azad Bhavan, I.P. Estate, New Delhi - 110002 LIBRARY FELLOWSHIP 2011-2012 The ICCR has instituted six short-term library fellowships of six months duration on A. Swami Vivekanand & Maulana Azad's Vision: A Comparative Study B. Faiz Ahmed Faiz: His Political Vision 1. Fellowship Amount : Rs.72,000/- each 2. Duration : 6 months 3. Age : 35 Years as on 1st January 2011 4. Eligibility : Researchers & Post Graduate Students in Indian Universities The deadline for receiving applications for this round of fellowship is 15.03.2012. Successful candidates will be required to effectively utilize the resources of ICCR's library. Within a period of five months from the end of the fellowship, they are required to bring out a monograph in any Indian language, including Urdu, or in English or Arabic. Interested candidates should send a research proposal on one of the above topics not exceeding 1000 words to DDG (AN), ICCR, Azad Bhavan, I.P.Estate, New Delhi - 110002. Application should also include the following information: 1. Name 2. Address 3. Date of Birth. 4. Academic Qualifications with copy of relevant certificates. 5. Area of specialization & list of publication if any. 6. At least two recommendation letters from people of eminence in the academic World. Note: For more information please contact the Programme Director, Library in writing or Phone no. (011) 23370249,23370242 to the above address or on email at pdlib@iccrindia.net or go to our website at www.iccrindia.net Source: Hindustan Times, Page No.: 7, Dated: February 09, 2012 Back to top Reply to sender | Reply to group | Reply via web post Messages in this topic (1)

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Material used items donations available in Pune

lots of material donations avbl in Pune
Wed Mar 7, 2012 8:56 am (PST)
From: Anushya Prasad
Hello,
I happened to chance upon your website, while looking for NGOs that accept household electronics and such other oddities that regular NGOs do not accept. I work for a software company based out of Pune called Thoughtworks where a bunch of us run monthly drives to collect and donate old clothes, books, etc to NGOs around our area.
Recently we've had a lot of our colleagues asking if they donate used electronic items like their used microwaves, printers, etc. It'll be great if I could either understand how your establishment can help us or if you can connect us to a few NGOs that we can then tie up with to donate these items.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Anushya Prasad-Baxi

Voluntary fund for Indigenous populations

Civil Society Section
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Populations
Call for Applications
Dear All, The Fund for Indigenous Populations facilitates the participation of representatives of indigenous peoples' organizations in sessions of the Human Rights Council and of human rights treaty bodies.
Please verify the eligibility criteria for selection established by the members of the Board of Trustees of the Voluntary Fund. The eligibility criteria is available at the following web link:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/IPeoples/IPeoplesFund/Pages/criteria.aspx
Please note that the deadline to submit applications to attend the 21st session of the Human Rights Council (10-28 September 2012, Geneva) and the sessions of the treaty bodies taking place between July and September 2012 is: 15 April 2012.
Please find a chart of countries that will be examined by treaty bodies from July to September 2012: http://goo.gl/IFZgx
This information might be subject to change. Please check the webpage on a regular basis for updated information:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/Pages/HumanRightsBodies.aspx
The application forms are available on the following web link:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/IPeoples/IPeoplesFund/Pages/ApplicationsForms.aspx
Applications need to be signed, dated and sent with all the supporting documents to the following email: indigenousfunds@ohchr.org
For any other additional information, you can consult :
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/IPeoples/IPeoplesFund/Pages/IPeoplesFundIndex.aspx
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/unitednationshumanrights
Twitter - http://twitter.com/UNrightswire
YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/UNOHCHR
中文 *** Español *** Français *** العربية *** Pусский ****** For an unofficial translation of this message into another language you may try: http://translate.google.com/ Best regards, Civil Society Section Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Tel. +41 (0) 22 - 917 - 9656 Visit our website: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/AboutUs/Pages/CivilSociety.aspx Click here to join our mailing list: http://goo.gl/O8snt

A QUICK SUMMARY OF LEGAL OPTIONS IN ANY SITUATION

A QUICK SUMMARY OF LEGAL OPTIONS

A useful compendium. However, in the present legal system how fast one can get justice is anyone's guess !

Sr.No. Subject 1 Introduction http://legallysimplified.wordpress.com/2012/01/26/introduction/

2 WHEN GRIEVANCE IS AGAINST ANY GOVT / STATUTORY / MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY / ANY PUBLIC AUTHORITY / PUBLIC OFFICER / TO ENFORCE THEIR LEGAL OBLIGATIONS http://legallysimplified.wordpress.com/2012/01/26/when-grievance-is-against-any-govt-statutory-municipal-authority-any-public-authority-public-officer-to-enforce-their-legal-obligations/

3 WHEN FACING ILLEGALITIES OF POLICE – HERE FOUR KIND OF ILLEGALITIES HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED http://legallysimplified.wordpress.com/2012/01/26/when-facing-illegalities-of-police-here-four-kind-of-illegalities-have-been-identified/

3A LEGAL OPTIONS FOR AN “INNOCENT PERSON” WHO IS ACCUSED OF HAVING COMMITTED A CRIMINAL OFFENCE http://legallysimplified.wordpress.com/2012/01/31/legal-options-for-an-innocent-person-who-is-accused-of-having-committed-a-criminal-offence/

4 WHEN YOU ARE HOLDING SHARES IN A PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY OR IF YOU HAVE GRIEVANCE AGAINST A COMPANY OR YOU HAVE A GRIEVANCE AGAINST THE STOCK BROKER OR YOU HAVE A GRIEVANCE AGAINST THE STOCK EXCHANGE http://legallysimplified.wordpress.com/2012/01/26/when-you-are-holding-shares-in-a-public-limited-company-or-if-you-have-grievance-against-a-company-or-you-have-a-grievance-against-the/

5 DISPUTES ARISING IN THE REGULAR COURSE OF ANY BUSINESS ACTIVITY / TRADE RELATIONSHIP; IN THE PERFORMANCE / EXECUTION OF CONTRACTS / AGREEMENTS / OTHER BUSINESS OBLIGATIONS http://legallysimplified.wordpress.com/2012/01/26/disputes-arising-in-the-regular-course-of-any-business-activity-trade-relationship-in-the-performance-execution-of-contracts-agreements-other-business-obligations/

6 WHERE A FALSE COMPLAINT HAS BEEN FILED IN THE MAGISTRATES COURT AND THE MAGISTRATE HAS ISSUED SUMMONS / OR WHERE A GENUINE COMPLAINT HAS BEEN FILED BUT THE MAGISTRATE HAS DISMISSED THE SAID COMPLAINT http://legallysimplified.wordpress.com/2012/01/26/where-a-false-complaint-has-been-filed-in-the-magistrates-court-and-the-magistrate-has-issued-summons-or-where-a-genuine-complaint-has-been-filed-but-the-magistrate-has/

7 WHEN A CHEQUE IS DISHONOURED http://legallysimplified.wordpress.com/2012/01/26/when-a-cheque-is-dishonoured/

8 WHEN ONE IS TO RECOVER SPECIFIED / MONEY, i.e TO SAY RECOVERY OF LOAN, MONEY DUE UNDER COMMERCIAL TRANSACTIONS; MONEY DUE UNDER ANY CONTRACT / AGREEMENT; MONEY TO BE RECOVERED BY VIRTUE OF ANY LEGAL RIGHT / UNDER STATUTE, WHETHER FROM A PRIVATE PERSON / INDIVIDUAL OR FROM ANY PUBLIC AUTHORITY http://legallysimplified.wordpress.com/2012/01/26/when-one-is-to-recover-specified-debt-money-i-e-to-say-recovery-of-loan-money-due-under-commercial-transactions-money-due-under-any-contract-agreement-money-to-be/

9 WHERE ONE HAS ALLEGED TO HAVE BEEN SUPPLIED / PROVIDED DEFECTIVE GOODS OR ONE HAS ALLEGED TO HAVE RENDERED DEFICIENT SERVICES, OR WHERE ANY PERSON IS ALLEGED TO HAVE BEEN INDULGING IN UNFAIR TRADE PRACTICES http://legallysimplified.wordpress.com/2012/01/26/where-one-has-alleged-to-have-been-supplied-provided-defective-goods-or-one-has-alleged-to-have-rendered-deficient-services-or-where-any-person-is-alleged-to-have-indulgi/

10 WHEN SOMEONE HAS FILED A CASE IN THE COURT OF LAW, MAKING FALSE CLAIM THEREIN http://legallysimplified.wordpress.com/2012/01/26/when-someone-has-filed-a-case-in-the-court-of-law-making-false-claim-therein/

11 WHEN A PERSON MAKES A FALSE STATEMENT / FALSE DECLARATIONS IN HIS PLEADINGS OR FILES A FALSE AFFIDAVIT BEFORE THE COURT OF LAW OR KNOWINGLY GIVES A FALSE EVIDENCE TO THE COURT http://legallysimplified.wordpress.com/2012/01/26/when-a-person-makes-a-false-statement-false-declarations-in-his-pleadings-or-files-a-false-affidavit-before-the-court-of-law-or-knowingly-gives-a-false-evidence-to-the/

12 WHERE ONE IS AGGRIEVED BY THE ILLEGAL / PERVERSE ORDER (INTERIM OR FINAL) OF THE COURT / TRIBUNAL http://legallysimplified.wordpress.com/2012/01/26/where-one-is-aggrieved-by-the-illegal-perverse-order-interim-or-final-of-the-court-tribunal/

13 DISPUTES RELATING TO IMMOVABLE PROPERTIES http://legallysimplified.wordpress.com/2012/01/26/disputes-relating-to-immovable-properties/

14 WHEN A PERSON AGAINST WHOM SUMMONS HAVE BEEN ISSUED AND HE EVADES TO RECEIVE THAT SUMMONS http://legallysimplified.wordpress.com/2012/01/26/when-a-person-against-whom-summons-have-been-issued-and-he-evades-to-receive-that-summons/

15 WHERE A PERSON HAS A VERY STRONG AND PRIMA FACIE CASE AGAINST THE OPPOSITE PARTY http://legallysimplified.wordpress.com/2012/01/26/where-a-person-has-a-very-strong-and-prima-facie-case-against-the-opposite-party/

16 OBJECTIVE APPROACH TO ANY LITIGATION http://legallysimplified.wordpress.com/2012/01/26/steps-before-drafting-of-suits-petitions-complaints-appeals-other-pleadings-2/

17 FRAMING / DRAFTING OF SUITS http://legallysimplified.wordpress.com/2012/01/26/framing-drafting-of-suits/

18 INSTITUTION OF PETITIONS / COMPLAINTS / APPEALS / OTHER PLEADINGS (OTHER THAN SUITS) http://legallysimplified.wordpress.com/2012/01/26/institution-of-petitions-complaints-appeals-other-pleadings-other-than-suits/

19 PREPARING ONESELF FOR FEARLESS ARGUMENTS BEFORE JUDGES / MAGISTRATES http://legallysimplified.wordpress.com/2012/01/26/preparing-oneself-for-fearless-arguments-before-judges-magistrates/

20 SUBMISSION OF WRITTEN ARGUMENTS / REJOINDER http://legallysimplified.wordpress.com/2012/01/26/submission-of-written-arguments-rejoinder/

21 STANDARD DRAFTS http://legallysimplified.wordpress.com/2012/01/26/standard-drafts/

Sovereign right – of reply http://commonlaw-sandeep.blogspot.com/2011/04/constitution-of-india-doesnt-recognize.html How to deal with illegal notices of Indian Public authorities http://commonlaw-sandeep.blogspot.com/2010/05/do-we-have-discretion-to-disobey.html

Chetan Bhagat's article on Indian women being stressed out

Chetan Bhagats Article in todays TOI : Specially for Indian Women. Do Read it and share it with all the women in your life Alright, this is not cool at all. A recent survey by Nielsen has revealed that Indian women are the most stressed out in the world: 87% of our women feel stressed out most of the time. This statistic alone has caused me to stress out. Even in workaholic America, only 53% women feel stressed. What are we doing to our women? I'm biased, but Indian women are the most beautiful in the world. As mothers, sisters, daughters, colleagues, wives and girlfriends - we love them. Can you imagine life without the ladies? For now, i want to give Indian women five suggestions to reduce their stress levels. One, don't ever think you are without power. Give it back to that mother-in-law. Be who you are, not someone she wished you would be. She doesn't like you? That's her problem. Two, if you are doing a good job at work and your boss doesn't value you - tell him that, or quit. Talented, hard-working people are much in demand. Three, educate yourself, learn skills, network - figure out ways to be economically independent. So next time your husband tells you that you are not a good enough wife, mother or daughter-in-law, you can tell him to take a hike. Four, do not ever feel stressed about having a dual responsibility of family and work. It is difficult, but not impossible. The trick is not to expect an A+ in every aspect of your life. You are not taking an exam, and you frankly can't score cent per cent (unless you are in SRCC, of course). It is okay if you don't make four dishes for lunch, one can fill their stomach with one. It is okay if you don't work until midnight and don't get a promotion. Nobody remembers their job designation on their dying day. Five, most important, don't get competitive with other women. Someone will make a better scrapbook for her school project than you. Another will lose more weight with a better diet. Your neighbour may make a six-dabba tiffin for her husband, you don't - big deal. Do your best, but don't keep looking out for the report card, and definitely don't expect to top the class. There is no ideal woman in this world, and if you strive to become one, there will be only one thing you will achieve for certain - stress. So breathe, chill, relax. Tell yourself you are beautiful, do your best and deserve a peaceful life. Anybody trying to take that away from you is making a mistake, not you. Your purpose of coming to this earth is not to please everyone. Your purpose is to offer what you have to the world, and have a good life in return. The next time this survey comes, i don't want to see Indian women on top of the list. I want them to be the happiest women in the world. Now smile, before your mother-in-law shouts at you for wasting your time reading the newspaper. Cherish Womanhood.

Breakthrough, International Women's day award for Bell Bajao campaign

Dear Aasra, Just in time for International Women's Day, March 8th, we're thrilled to announce that Breakthrough's Bell Bajao campaign ---- calling on men and boys worldwide to take a stand against domestic violence ---- has won the Avon Foundation for Women's first-ever award for Global Excellence in Communications. At the Avon awards, we were deeply honored to stand among so many other human rights defenders working on the front lines to end violence against women ---- the world's largest pandemic. Other award winners include: Women's Aid (U.K.), YWCA Canada and the Rwanda Women's Network. We were also recently honored for our human rights work by the Young Environmentalists Programme Trust in India. And tomorrow: Join Me On The Bridge! That is, we hope you'll be among the thousands gathering on actual and virtual bridges worldwide to call for an end to violence against women, especially atrocities committed in the name of war. Hundreds of women will also unite on the embattled Rwanda/Congo border to demand peace. Join Breakthrough on the Brooklyn Bridge (Cadman Plaza West and Middagh Street) at 11 AM, or find an event near you. And be sure to check out our Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook page for up-to-the-minute coverage of the event. Thank you for supporting peace and safety for women worldwide. The Breakthrough Team We've just partnered with family-run Australian olive oil company Yellingbo Gold. For every purchase you make, Yellingbo will donate $2 to support our work to end violence against women. Make sure to check "Ending Violence Against Women" at the end of your order. Delicious, uniquely-packaged olive oil: the perfect gift to yourself or a loved one ---- and to women's human rights worldwide. Breakthrough is a global human rights organization that uses the power of media, pop culture, and community mobilization to inspire people to take bold action for dignity, equality, and justice.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Women's day

Womens' Day: How a call centre changed the lives of women in Wai
Tue Mar 6, 2012 7:04 pm (PST)
Rural girls find a calling.....Swasti Chatterjee How a call centre changed the lives of women in wai and nearby villages Nilam Khare, 24, worked as a tele-caller in Mumbai before getting married and settling down in Bopardi, a remote village near Wai in Maharashtra. It was difficult for Khare to adjust to the slow-paced life in a village, miles away from the hustle and bustle of a city like Mumbai. But she reconciled to a daily life of household chores and an evening visit to the fields to water the crops. Suddenly, her life changed when she got a job of data entry operator at Metric Consultancy Ltd, a Pune-based market research organisation which set up a call centre at Wai in the latter half of 2007. It began with 10 women and now has 50 women and 25 men who answer queries of customers of Tata Motors, Titan and Bajaj Allianz and students of Maharashtra Knowledge Corporation Limited, to name a few. Khare is not the only one. The company has changed the lives of many women in the villages surrounding Wai. Sarika Sukale, 36, was dealing with her husband's death and figuring out ways to run the family when she got a call that changed her life. She now works as a data entry operator. "My world came crashing down when my husband died. I had no savings with which I could educate my daughter. But things are different now," says Sukale, who stays with her parents, helps her eight-year-old daughter with her lessons and has saved enough for the next few years. The organisation started operating from Pune in early 2007 but had to close down because of low availability of manpower. "As we were a small organisation, we required people who were ready to work on small salaries. It was difficult to find employees in Pune who would compromise on salary. So, we thought of places where the cost of living was less," says Mihir A Shrinivas, the chief technical officer of Metric Consultancy. Shrinivas was involved in setting up the Wai branch. "We chose Wai, 67 kilometres from Pune, because it has road connectivity and it has educated people," Shrinivas says. They thought they could handle every other challenge if they could get educated workforce. "It was difficult to get uninterrupted telephone, electricity and Internet facilities even in the fringe areas of Pune. The challenges were bigger in the taluka areas," says Aditya Kank, the marketing manager. The two-storeyed office in the sleepy lanes of Wai boasts of an 80 kilovolt generator back-up apart from high-end computers and headphones now. "After completing their graduation, men are employed easily. Despite having the same qualification, girls lag behind due to family commitments," says Shrinivas. Dhanashree Londhe, 24, the supervisor of the branch, joined the company in 2007. Her father is a farmer, and it was tough convincing him. "After completing my graduation, I could not stay at home grazing cattle and waiting for the right match. The towns nearby offered employment opportunities in shops. Luckily, my father felt that this job was better than standing and selling grocery in the shops at Wai," says Londhe. From finding employable girls to convincing parents to allow them to work here, it has been a long but fruitful process. "Metropolitan cities have devalued the concept of call centres with awkward shifts and a toll on lifestyle. People here were worried if their women would face the same problems and if they would be safe. We had to assure them that this wouldn't be the case here," says Kank. To gain their confidence, the company hired men from the nearby villages for administrative work before employing women as tele-callers. They were trained in Pune and several counselling sessions were held with the parents of the prospective employees. "In the initial stages, parents had queries like why their daughters were having sore throats, how would they deal with impolite customers and were they given enough time for lunch? For the first few weeks, we let the parents sit through their daughters' office hours," says Shrinivas. The company also provides pick-up and drop facilities to all their employees. Women work the day shifts while men work at night. "In the beginning, girls used the employment opportunity as a stopgap arrangement before they married. But surprisingly, they kept working even after getting married," says Vivek Lokhande, the manager. Londhe joined Metric Consultancy while still in college. She continues to work here and commutes from her parents' home. "My in-laws stay at Medha which is 35 kilometres away from the office. I tried commuting from there but I never reached home before 8.30 at night. My family did not approve of this so I now commute from Vyajwaadi, my parents' home. I visit my in-laws once a week," says Londhe. URL: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/rural-girls-find-a-calling/919686/0 Back to top Reply to sender | Reply to group | Reply via web post Messages in this topic (1) 6.

Womens' Day? City sees 650 dowry deaths in last 10 years Tue Mar 6, 2012 7:04 pm (PST)
City sees 650 dowry deaths in last 10 years.....Mahima Sikand Mumbai: On an average, one woman in the city has killed herself every week of the last decade after being pushed to the brink over incessant demands for dowry, accompanied by mental and physical torture by her husband and his family. In all, police records show, there were 509 suicides and 141 murders between 2001-11. Another tragic figure was added to these chilling statistics on Monday when Shehnaz Dattedar (26) died after being set ablaze at her Goregaon residence. Her husband, a businessman, and two of her inlaws have been arrested for killing her for dowry (see P 2). Activists say police antipathy to blame Cops Undergoing Extensive Training To Get Sensitized, Deny Callousness FEW VICTIMS FILE DOWRY CASES Data compiled by the Mumbai police shows a marginal increase in dowryrelated cases from the first half of the decade to the second. A case was registered under Section 498 (A) of the Indian Penal Code that punishes the husband or his relatives for physical and emotional cruelty amounting to harassment almost every single day between 2001 and 2011. Although Delhi leads Indian metros in dowry-related murders, experts said the numbers in Mumbai are only the tip of the iceberg. Activists and experts say the Mumbai police data about dowry harassment cases hide thousands of stories that go unreported every year. "If someone tells me that over 10 years, there have been 509 suicides, 141 murders and 3,025 cases of harassment because of dowry, they are kidding themselves. If you scan your newspaper on any given day you will find a small report on a dowry death or suicide in some part of the city. These numbers, which are bad enough, grossly under-represent the ground reality," said Nandita Gandhi, an activist working with Akshara, a city-based women's resource centre. Gandhi added that many women don't file police complaints due to the antipathy of officers at the police station. This reporter saw a Tardeo police station inspector yell at a woman who was crying as she tried to register a complaint against her mother-in-law and sister-in-law for trying to kill her. The officer dismissed the woman's concerns as a minor domestic feud. "I get complaints from women who are tortured and harassed by inlaws and husbands all the time. These women term the police response as absolutely terrible. There is zero sensitivity when it comes to such cases," said lawyer-activist Flavia Agnes. Joint commissioner of police (crime) Himanshu Roy refuted charges of callousness and added that the lower cadres had been undergoing extensive training to get sensitized on dowry-related issues. "The Tardeo case is unpardonable but it is the exception and not the rule. We have tied up with NGOs to train our force and the response has been excellent. We also have counsellors from Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) at a few police stations and provide services to victims and complainants round-the-clock," said Roy. He said numbers compiled by the police reflected the real picture for the most part. "It is possible harassment cases are lower as a woman may choose not to file a complaint, given our social set-up. But there can't be too much of a discrepancy in suicide and murder figures as every death is investigated and then classified," he explained. "The conviction rate in dowry cases is absolutely terrible and reflects the attitude of investigating agencies," said Agnes. Roy insisted the conviction rate in dowry cases was fairly good.
URL: http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOIM/2012/03/06&PageLabel=1&EntityId=Ar00108&ViewMode=HTML

Training program for language education

Training Programme In Language Education (July-April)
Wed Mar 7, 2012 4:50 am (PST)
CENTRAL INSTITUTE OF INDIAN LANGUAGES (Ministry of Human Resource Development, Govt. of India) Department of Higher Education, Manasagangotri, Mysore-570 006 TRAINING PROGRAMME IN LANGUAGE EDUCATION (JULY-APRIL) Applications are invited for admission to a ten-month training programme in Language Education in any one of the Modern Indian Languages, at the following seven Regional Language Centres. The applicants should be Teachers/Research Students/Minority language speakers/Translators or others who are genuinely interested in language studies. The total number of seats available for admission is 506 with quotas reserved for different categories as per the policy of the Government of India.
CENTRES LANGUAGES Southern Regional Language Centre Manasagangotri, Mysore - 570 006 (Ph.0821-2345054) Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil & Telugu Eastern Regional Language Centre Laxmisagar, Bhubaneswar - 751 006. (Ph. 0674-2571342) Bengali, Maithili, Oriya & Santali Northern Regional Language Centre Punjabi Univ. Campus, Patiala - 147 002.(Ph.0175 -2286730) Dogri, Kashmiri, Punjabi & Urdu Western Regional Language Centre Deccan College Campus, Pune - 411 006. (Ph.020 -26614710) Gujarati, Konkani, Marathi & Sindhi Urdu Teaching and Research Centre Saproon, Solan - 173 211. (Ph.01792 -223424) Urdu Urdu Teaching and Research Centre 10-A, Madan Mohan Malaviya Marg, Lucknow - 226 001. (Ph.0522-2208490) Urdu North Eastern Regional Language Centre 3931, Beltola College Road, Beltola, Guwahati - 781 028. (Ph.0361-2303867) Assamese, Bodo, Manipuri & Nepali ELIGIBILITY AND QUALIFICATIONS: The applicants should not be trained earlier in any of the languages in any of the Centres. They should not have any previous knowledge in the language applied for. 80% of the seats are reserved for teachers serving in Government/Government aided/Government recognized High School (6th to 10th) with 3 years of teaching experience. 10% seats are reserved for Speakers of lesser known languages of smaller communities/tribal languages who are at least graduates. 10% Open Seats are for those who are Post Graduates in language or allied subjects with language as one of the major subjects at graduate level. The selected teachers from Government/Fully Government aided schools will be paid their salaries based on the Last Pay Certificate sent by their respective Drawing and Disbursing Officers. All other trainees will be paid a consolidated salary of ` 5,000/- (Rupees Five thousand only) per month. In addition all trainees will also be paid a stipend of ` 800/- (Rupees eight hundred only) per month during the training period. Prescribed applications forms and prospectus for admission can be had from the Director, Central Institute of Indian Languages, Manasagangotri, Mysore-570006 or from the Principals of Regional Language Centres as listed above by sending a demand draft of ` 150 [one hundred Fifty only] in favour of the Director, CIIL, payable at Mysore or in favour of the Principals of the concerned Regional Language Centres payable at respective Places or also by cash at CIIL, Mysore/concerned RLCs. For details visit website www.ciil.org under training admission from where you may download the application form and send it along with the demand draft. Candidates should submit their applications to the Director, Central Institute of Indian Languages, Manasagangotri, Mysore - 570 006 by 15th April, 2012. For any further details please feel free to contact Dr. Kedusto Kapfo, Head, RLCs, CIIL, Mysore Ph.: 0821-2345010 or Mr. C.K. Manikantan, Section Incharge, RLCs, CIIL, Mysore Ph.: 0821-2345156. URL: http://www.ciil.org/Download/ADV_in_Englishf2012-13.pdf

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Pukar youth fellowships

For more details, call us today: Rajendra: 97686 74050 Amrapali: 92240 43425 Kapil: 99205 62737 Poonam: 99200 85130 Sunil: 96197 66132 Rohan: 99307 19895
Contact us at: PUKAR, 272, Muncipal Tenament, BMC colony, Kherwadi, Bandra (E), Mumbai '51.
Phone: 022 6505 3599 Email: youthfellowship@pukar.org.in Website: www.pukar.org.in
Last date for applications: MARCH 31, 2012 PUKAR (Partners for Urban Knowledge, Action and Research)
Address:: 272, Municipal Tenements, Shivaji Nagar, BMC Colony, Kher Wadi, Bandra (East), Mumbai – 400 051 Telephone:: +91 (22) 6574 8152 Fax:: +91 (22) 26474872 Email:: pukar@pukar.org.in Website:: www.pukar.org.in
PUKAR is an independent research collective and an innovative urban knowledge producing institution that aims to contribute to the discourse on urbanization and globalization.

Barefoot college -uplifting rural womenfolk

Barefoot College - Changing the life of rural women
Mon Mar 5, 2012 3:47 am (PST)
Barefoot College - Changing the life of rural women
TILONIA: It gives no degrees and the teachers and pupils often do not share a common language, but India's Barefoot College has been transforming the lives of rural women for four decades. Located in Tilonia village, 100 kilometres (60 miles) from the capital of the western desert state of Rajasthan, Barefoot is a collection of environmentally friendly dome-shape buildings. Inside, about a dozen teachers give classes in subjects ranging from the basics of solar engineering, dentistry, mechanics or public health, to radio DJing. All the pupils sitting on the floor or leaning on old desks are women, some of them illiterate grandmothers from remote villages. Almost everyone is poor, many are unable to read or write, and some come from as far away as Tanzania. Barefoot was started by social entrepreneur Sanjit "Bunker" Roy in 1972 and has been breaking taboos ever since, educating women who are often second-class citizens discouraged from getting an education. Magan Kanwar, who teaches solar engineering, remembers being told by her father-in-law she should focus on knitting sweaters rather than dreaming of attending the school. "But I just wanted to do something more than cooking and producing babies. This college gave me a chance to find the purpose of my life," she told AFP. Lots of the women at the school have heavy-drinking and abusive husbands, she says, meaning their studies give them some independence and crucially can secure an income and a future for their children. "If there's no food for their kids at least the women can work and look after them, educate them, run the household," she explained. One of her pupils, 47-year-old Masamba Hameez Makami from Tanzania, will return home to install solar-powered lanterns in her village, which has no electricity, giving her neighbours lights at night for the first time. Her stay at Barefoot is funded by the Indian government, which provided 28 scholarships last year for women from Africa to do the six-month solar engineering training programme. "Very soon I will be able to electrify my whole village," says the mother of seven from Zanzibar. To overcome the language barrier, Kanwar uses sign language and colour-coded circuits to explain the solar process to Makami, who speaks Swahili, an east African language. "We women have our own code words," Kanwar says wryly as she solders electric wires to a circuit board. Barefoot's founder Roy, named as one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in 2010, believes that the key to improving living conditions in poor areas is empowering rural women -- the theme of this year's International Women's Day on Thursday. Training older women rather than focusing on men is the key, he said. "Men are very restless, compulsively mobile. The moment you give them a certificate they leave their villages," Bhagwat Nandan, a senior coordinator at the college, told AFP. "We deliberately confer no degrees," he explained. "People are obsessed with the idea of getting degrees, certificates and recognition but we recognise the hands-on, learning-by-doing process." The model has been copied in 17 states across India and emulated in 15 countries in Africa and several more in Asia and South America. Courses typically last between six to nine months and are free for students, thanks to funding from a range of donors including the Indian government, international agencies, and private and corporate foundations. An estimated 10,000 women students have passed through the college's doors, while alumni are running more than 800 night schools across India providing a multiplier effect as knowledge gets passed on by word of mouth. The establishment is a model of grass-roots cooperation and frugality. No one working there earns more than $150 a month but everyone receives a living wage. Living conditions are simple, with many classes taken on the floor. The institution, powered entirely by solar energy, also makes sure nothing is wasted. Bhanwar Gopal, an artist, prepares colourful masks for plays and puppet shows by recycling World Bank reports. "We keep getting these reports that no one reads, so we decided to put them to some use," Gopal said. "We use the World Bank paper to fight poverty and social problems in our own style."
URL: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/services/education/barefoot-college-turns-rural-women-into-engineers/articleshow/12132636.cms

Project Spoorthi for the differently abled requires donation of equipment

Donations of equipment needed for project Spoorthi
Spoorthi empowerment through Self help mutual groups and micro credit activities is an unique project of Department for differently abled persons and senior citizens. Government of Karnataka has implemented the project through CBR NETWORK (South Asia).The projects is implemented in 176 block of Karnataka in 30 districts. Approximately 7000 persons with disabilities are benefitted from this project.
We have trained 360 member resource team in a a team of 12 members consisting of Multipurpose rehabilitation workers, district facilitator and district level NGOs and the government at district level to implement the project effectively.
Training manuals in Kannada, digital materials Individual employment programme(First of its kind in disability sector)is developed to ensure the project achieve the planned goals. We wish to move away from stereo typed jobs such as brush making, candle making pickle making and develop employment based on aptitude and ability of individual with disability. Nearly half of the members are women in Spoorthi project.
We have chosen two small group employment enterprises which is supporting the policy of paper less technology of the Government of India and hygienic management of woman health by producing low cost sanitary towels in rural areas by women with disabilities. NANO Spoorthi digitalization centers will be established at Taluk level in the first phase. More than 90% of youth with disabilities in spoorthi project come from every community. Availing Bank loan to buy equipments is a challenging task as they cannot fulfill the Bank's requirement. There is a revolving fund of Rs 25,000 per taluk which is largely inadequate to set up the digitization units, E learning centers for children with disabilities (Elearning library),browsing centre, email and fax services as an income generation for groups of 6-10 persons with disabilities.
We request your esteemed company to give us the following equipment free of cost or at a nominal cost:
1. Old and used computers/lap tops 2. Old and used scanner and printers 3. Old and used fax machines 4. Old and used stabilizers 5. Used rewritable CDs and DVDs Our requirement 10 computers per talukx175 taluks 1 scanner cum printerx175 taluks 1 fax machinesx175 taluks 10 stabilzers x 175 taluks 100 cds/dvds per talukx175 taluks
We plan to use these equipments to set NANO units at taluk level. We should be happy to use your company stickers acknowledging your contribution to this noble project. We can raise money to pay nominal charges for the used computers.
Regards Dr Indumathi Rao
Regional Advisor, CBR Network 9880618880
-- 2012 Focus-CBR Quality Enhancement at Grassroots
Dr Indumathi Rao* Regional Advisor
CBR NETWORK (South Asia)
Mainstreaming Disability Issues using CBR strategy Special Consultative Status to UNECOSOC Associate Member-Rehabilitation International Member-Global Partnership for Disability and Development
134,1st Block, 6th Main, BSK III Stage Bangalore-560085, India Email-cbrnet@airtelmail.in Web-http\\www.cbrnetworksouthasia.org.in Phone-91(India)-80(Bangalore)- 26724273, 26724221

Swami Vivekananda Rural Community college

Intro to the Swami Vivekananda Rural Community College
Tue Mar 6, 2012 12:07 am (PST)
Swami Vivekananda Rural Community College SWAMI VIVEKANANDA RURAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE Managed by: SADGURU SRI GNANANANDA SEVA TRUST Keezhputhupattu P. O., Opp. Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences Near Kanaga Chetty Kulum, Via East Coast Road, Near Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu - 605 014 Telephone: 0413 – 2655 192/ 2655 193 Mobile: 94878 55192 / 94879 55192 E mail: vivekanandacc@gmail.com Website:www.vivekanandacommunitycollege.com
The Swami Vivekananda Rural Community College founded and managed by Sadguru Sri Gnanananda Seva Trust for the past 3½ years.
SVRCC is a school for dropouts built on three unshakeable foundations:
1. Vocational guidance that will guarantee employment, 2. Life skills that teach the youngsters how to lead a purposeful, positive and happy life, and 3. The value of unconditional love, nurturing care and disciplined affection
SVRCC seeks to find constructive solutions for four problems simultaneously through the great medium of community education: · Catering to the exponential growth in the need for employable people arising from strident growth targets set for the Indian economy · Bringing back into the society, from villages and towns of interior India, school dropouts in 10th and 12th standards who are at a dead end and could become easy prey to disruptive forces that constantly threaten our nation · Reversing the unwelcome trend of massive numbers of youth from the hinterlands coming into metros and large cities in search of the good life, thereby creating a serious imbalance · Contributing to the crucial cause of reaching the benefits of economic development of India across the entire population instead of to a few pockets of the very rich
To update you on what has happened in the last 5 months: The fourth batch of 90 students is training now. The construction of the College is progressing well and is targeted to be completed by June’12. The budget for Phase 1 of the build-out is Rs 3.5 crore and the value of work done so far is Rs 2 crore. We are making an all-out effort to ensure the financial closure of the remaining amount.
Ps: The story of SVRCC published in the Tamil magazine 'Thendral" in USA and Ppt. are sent separately

Corporate Social responsibility

Corporate Social Responsibility - CSR - IFC Paper 2011
Tue Mar 6, 2012 12:02 am (PST)
Subject: CSR - IFC Paper 2011
Main Point: Corporate Social Responsibility: Private Self-Regulation is Not Enough - by Michel Doucin
Category of Topic: Corporate Social Responsibility
Message: Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become an established part of the global landscape, with companies throughout the world abiding by the United Nations Global Compact and many governments starting CSR initiatives. Michel Doucin explains the history behind the phenomenon, identifying the pioneers, including those in emerging markets, and the different interpretations of CSR. He argues for the recently adopted genuine international rules to shape a universal CSR framework.
Additional Information 1: CSR - IFC Paper 2011

Skills augmentation need of the hour for NGO's to become more proactive

NGOs realise the need to train their mid-level leaders in worldly sk
Mon Mar 5, 2012 11:38 pm (PST)
Learning to lead.....Manasi Mithel NGOs realise the need to train their mid-level leaders in worldly skills
In 2009, when Keren Nazareth first joined Saath, a Gujarat-based non-governmental organisation, or NGO, working to empower the urban and rural poor, she was given the job of managing a fund-raising campaign. She did so largely through e-mails and printed posters. In her first year, she was able to get just one person to donate Rs5,000 to the fund.
Nazareth then set up a Facebook page and a Twitter account dedicated to the fund. In 10 days, Saath had managed to raise Rs2 lakh from donors across the world. "A lot more people came to know of our work. Now people have started asking us what we are doing before we even start," she says.
But it was only after Nazareth took a course in leadership development that she realised the importance of using the right kind of media to communicate. "We didn't have communication in media as a budgeted activity earlier," she says. "But from next year, this will be a part of our planning strategy."
Many NGOs are slowly realising that, to be effective, mere good intentions are not enough, they need management skills as well. "People joining the NGO space are not receiving the kind of training their colleagues in the corporate world are exposed to," says Santosh Babu, CEO of OD Alternatives, a leadership development consultancy. "A leader of an NGO has to understand his organisation is dealing with multiple stakeholders from the funding agency to society as a whole." American Express, in partnership with Common Purpose, an NGO, recently conducted a five-day workshop on leadership development, attended by participants from 12 leading NGOs. "There is definitely a significant gap in leadership development in NGOs, especially in situations where senior leaders move on and mid-level leaders have to step up and take their place," says Venkatesh Raghavendra, Director, Common Purpose.
Judy G. Tenzer, Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility, American Express, says NGOs today are more ready than before to accept this kind of training. "I think NGOs are evolving," she says. "Their structures are evolving and community needs are evolving, but the need for training remains," In 2009/10, Rashneh N. Pardiwala, Founder and Director of the Centre for Environmental Research and Education, or CERE, an NGO working to promote environmental sustainability, undertook a rainwater harvesting project to recharge nine defunct borewells in rural Maharashtra. The project was completed successfully and on time, but she was unable to retain her donor base for future projects. After undergoing training, she says a key takeaway for her was understanding the importance of donor retention, and how to achieve it. "I now look at my donors as stakeholders. I see them as partners," she says.
For Shayak Banerjee, Head, Programme Review and Management Team, Pratham, the largest NGO working on education in India, the training provided some very simple and applicable solutions for a grassroot-level initiative the NGO had undertaken in 2009. Pratham, for instance, had started a vocational skill development programme in 2009, covering 100 villages, for which it employed just one full-time staff member to cover 20 villages. The staffer had to mobilise village-level volunteers to teach students, and also monitor the classes. But daily monitoring of all 20 villages proved impossible. How to tell if the volunteers were taking classes regularly? The solution came out of a group discussion Banerjee attended.
Someone suggested the village panchayat or a group of parents in each village keep a record of the days their children attended classes. It proved most effective. "The most accurate data can come from them. This will majorly improve the quality of our training model," says Banerjee. There is, however, one problem. Many NGOs are cash strapped or else would like to use whatever resources they raise on the services they provide. It is difficult for them to invest in training programmes.
"The definition of 'leadership' is undergoing a change," says Rup Kumar Sengupta, Director, Human Resources, Population Services International, a global health organisation. "We are moving to an age of collaboration between all kinds of organisations. Training can help leaders to be more prepared for the future."
IMPARTING SKILLS Leadership development focuses on..
* Self-awareness * Understanding the people around * Understanding the system * Developing communication skills * Developing negotiation skills * Increasing networking ability * Reducing turnaround time
URL: http://businesstoday.intoday.in/story/ngos-need-to-train-their-mid-level-leaders/1/20285.html

Women's Day rally for the rights of the disabled

Woman’s Day rally for The Rights of Disabled Women Everyone’s celebrating woman’s day except the disabled women. A woman with disability is doubly disabled. First she is a woman who is discriminated against in society and second is a debilitating disability that hampers everything she does. This Women’s Day, 100 women on wheelchairs in Mumbai, force you to think about these women who are among the most discriminated people in society. Disabled Women are thrown out of flights with impunity (Jeeja Ghosh, 20th Feb, Anjali Agarwal 22nd Feb) Disabled Women are raped every where (A hearing challenged girl gets raped in a Bengal Hospital, 29th Feb) They rarely get married. Disabled Women are not even part of the women’s rights movement across the country. There is no woman with disability in parliament, even in Rajya Sabha. Disabled women are denied the right to motherhood.
On the eve of Woman’s Day on 7th of March 2012, 100 plus women on wheelchairs and hundreds of their supporters - activists, celebrities, parents etc. - will also sit on wheel chairs to express solidarity for women with disability in India. Brought together by the ADAPT Rights Group, Mumbai, they will force Mumbaikars to think – how long will this disability continue, how long will women with disability face apartheid like discrimination?
Will we ever create a society so inclusive that woman with disability will have equal rights like the rest of us? Will we ever have inclusion enough for disabled women to want to celebrate Woman’s Day?
Come join us in making a positive change in society.
Venue: Marine Drive, promenade, Jazz by the Bay
Day, Date & Time: Wednesday, 7th March 2012, 5:00 PM RSVP Bhavana Mukherjee - 09833179394
-- Regards, Mrs. Bhavana Mukherjee
ADAPT (formerly The Spastics Society of India) K.C. Marg, Bandra Reclamation, Bandra (W), Mumbai - 400 050 Tel : 2644 3666/2643 0703 Cell : 9833179394 Website : www.adaptssi.org

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Bad Bosses Often Source of Unhappy, Unhealthy Workers: Study

Bad Bosses Often Source of Unhappy, Unhealthy Workers: Study By SiliconIndia | Tuesday, 28 February 2012, 03:25 Hrs |

Bangalore: Often it is seen that a bad boss with poor leadership skills affects the enthusiasm of the staff and the productivity of the business. However, a new study highlights that bad bosses can affect employees personal lives as well, because many employees take home their workplace tensions caused by their boss reveals, Université Francois Rabelais in Tours, France, reports David Schepp of Aol Jobs.

The French scientists found that if a workplace atmosphere is not a healthy, productive one, it can adversely affect the employee’s health, raising the risk for heart diseases. This was also brought into limelight by the new study published recently in the "Journal of Business and Psychology."This said that managers who pressurize their staff in order to motivate them and the organizations that do not give importance to the individual contributions of their staffs are more probable to discover that their workers are more frustrated and are unable of working with others.

The study was conducted amongst all sizes of French business. Researchers polled more than 1,100 employees, with the help of a questionnaire, asking the employees for their idea of their boss' management style and whether they felt that they worked in an encouraging environment.
Employees who said that they felt well supported in their efforts to work independently were more satisfied and happy than their counterpart who felt their needs are not being met.
The researchers say "Our study shows that both organizational and managerial factors have an influence on satisfying or frustrating the basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence and how we relate to others,". Furthermore, they said that, "To satisfy employees' needs, supervisors should provide subordinates with options rather than use threats and deadlines, a strategy which could improve their workforce's well-being."
The study findings reveal that if the employees are grumpy and ineffectual, managers have no one else to hold responsible but them.

Nearly Half of World's Child Marriages Occur In India

Nearly Half of World's Child Marriages Occur In India By SiliconIndia | Thursday, 01 March 2012, 16:41 IST |

Bangalore: Contemporary India continues to be plagued by social and health ills like child marriage, early motherhood and domestic violence. More than 40 percent of the world's child marriages still occur in India. More than 60 million women worldwide who are between 20 and 24 years were married before they turned 18. Latest records in the ‘State of the World's Children report 2012’ released by UNICEF revealed that almost 22 percent women in India, who are now aged between 20 and 24 years gave birth to a child before they turned 18.
Almost 45 in every 1,000 births are born to mothers in the age group of 15-19. Around 57 percent of male adolescents (age 15-19) and 53 percent of female adolescents thought a husband was justified in beating up his wife under certain circumstances.
The report revealed that only 35 percent adolescent males (aged 15-19) and 19 percent adolescent females have a comprehensive knowledge of HIV. Almost 33 percent of children under the age of five in urban India and 46 percent in rural India are underweight.
Around two in four people in urban India and one in five in rural India use improved sanitation facilities. India ranks 46 and is among the 50 worst nations with the highest under-five mortality rate.

Friday, March 2, 2012

Educational Scholarships for Management Students

AVBL:Scholarship for Management Education for SS
Tue Feb 28, 2012 5:17 am (PST)

Subject: AVBL:Scholarship for Management Education for SS Main Point: S.P.Jain Institute is offering scholarships for PGCDM programme
Category of Topic: Education Scholarships
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how villagers banned hooch, curbed crime and raised the literacy bar

how villagers banned hooch, curbed crime and raised the literacy bar
Tue Feb 28, 2012 5:17 am (PST)

Crossing the bridge....Vijay Murty Team Spirit The villagers of Nakraganj, a remote area of Jharkhand, have collectively banned hooch, curbed crime and raised the literacy bar. But it all began when they first got together to build a bridge The villagers of Nakraganj, a remote hamlet on the Jharkhand-Bengal border, needed a bridge. For 10 years, they petitioned their local politicians and the district administration for help only to go unheeded. In 2010, led by their young and enterprising mukhiya (panchayat head) Laxmiram Murmu, the villagers got down to work. For six months, they levelled fields, sawed bamboo, chopped wood and forged iron frames to put up their bridge. The community initiative of Nakraganj is a success story that has dwarfed the achievements of many governments. Inhabited by 80 tribal families, this village, 250 km southeast of the state capital, Ranchi, used to be inaccessible. Reaching the market in the nearby Baharagora town meant a treacherous walk of more than 25 km. Mahuli, its major source of trade on the Bengal border under the Baliabera police station, lay across a rivulet impossible to cross in the rains. A two-crop area, Nakraganj bought wheat, livestock, spice, fish, salt from Baliabera. It sold Mahuli paddy and a few vegetables, mostly cauliflower and brinjal. "Life has become much easier now," said Murmu. Building the bridge had made villagers confident about team work. They have since then collectively banned hooch, curbed crime and raised the literacy bar. The village roads turned spic and span. The anganwadi centre began to fill with children busy with their books. A functioning village library-cum-information centre began being manned by people well-informed about village activities. Under Murmu, the village seemed to have found direction. Education had also been a key factor in the turn-around. "Our youngsters are now keen on attending high schools and colleges. Government-run schemes are gradually reaching us," said the 35-year-old panchayat head, a former Kolkata Port Trust employee, with pride. Having set a standard in his home village, Murmu said he wants to develop all 12 villages under his supervision. His good work has also earned him the respect of other villagers. "He is an able and committed leader. All gram pradhans (village heads) have extended their support to him in his noble endeavour," said the 55-year-old Nakraganj gram pradhan, Gurmohan Murmu. "What Laxmiram Murmu has done with his village should be taken up as a model," said local legislator Vidyut Varan Mahato. However, all is not well. The villagers of Nakraganj may have joined hands to build a bridge, but they also need government-sponsored initiatives of social welfare. Nakraganj, a Santhal village, shares its concerns with most tribal villages of Jharkhand, a state with 26 % tribal population. Lack of irrigation facilities has forced its youngsters to migrate to bigger cities for jobs. Its women crave vocational training to supplement their family's income. Santhals constitute 91% of the total tribal population of Jharkhand. Their per capita income is as low as Rs 9,500 per annum. The majority survive on forest produce. Their literacy rate is a low 27.5% and infant mortality is 42 per 1,000 births. Nakraganj, for instance, is in dire need of a health centre. There is none within 25 km. It takes its ill to the Tapsia Government Hospital across the Bengal border, eight kilometre from Nakraganj, and to the Baliabera Referral Unit, 18 km away, for advanced treatment. http://www.hindustantimes.com/Images/HTEditImages/Images/27feb_pg-27a.jpg The village primary school has just one teacher for 40 students. Despite repeated pleas, the state government has not provided any infrastructure. Given this bleak scenario, Nakraganj stands out. Its people have learnt to participate in community programmes in a spirit of collaboration. Its mukhiya is spearheading this drive. He has managed to find a teacher from neighbouring Mahuli, to teach the children at the village school on a token salary. "Developing a human resource is the best service to mankind," said Tapan Kumar Das, a former medical representative, who now coaches students preparing for engineering entrance examinations. "But I could reach the village only because there was a bridge," he said. (Inputs from Anbwesh Roy Choudhury) URL: http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Jharkhand/Crossing-the-bridge/Article1-817518.aspx