Organizing Village Youth

Soladahar is the most underdeveloped village under Gopali Gram Panchayet in the neighbourhood of IIT kharagpur. The complaint from Panchayet was that the village is unorganized and thus no development work can be done there. For example, in last monsoon the Panchayet people were not allowed to conduct any survey in the village who wanted to assess the extent of damage. They were told either you help all or none.

On hearing this, NSS, IIT Kharagpur started an effort to organize the village youth and generate confidence in themselves. The village club was revived. Sports materials were donated. Then the village youth took the responsibility of organizing a one day sports meet which was mentored and supported by NSS, IIT Kharagpur.

The meet was held on 30.10.2011. The gram Panchayet member was present in the prize distribution and was overwhelmed by the change. After the meet he, NSS official and village youth discussed together future development plan. Vigyan-Vivek members of IIT Kharagpur who run a free coaching centre there and a study circle helped in conducting the sports meet. IIT Kharagpur senior students provide PRERANA monthly scholarship to one boy and one girl of the village. Development activity under MGNREGA to start soon.

More photographs can be found in here (Link).

Rangametia Village Self Help Group Meet

On 29.10.2011 the NSS Unit dedicated to Rangametia village organized a meet with women folk of another tribal village named Rangametia. About 18 women gathered. Before this, NSS, IIT Kharagpur learnt from the Panchayet office that the self-help groups exist on paper but actually are not active. We discussed how we can help and the incentive is related to the condition that they become active. Besides some start-up help, some matching grant may be provided to the groups who start before others. The panchayet pradhan Srimati Sushila Hansda in spite of ill-health was present in the meet on our request and motivated all. The village club members played an active role. In fact, he was translating what we spoke in the tribal language to make everybody understand. NSS, IIT Kharagpur is providing some sports material to this club. Incidentally, all financial supports come from donation of IIT KGP students from savings of their allowances.

It is important to note that young student volunteers, many of whom are not very much familiar with the local language tried hard over several weeks to gather these village women at one place. On that meeting day too, they went house to house, motivated them and we had a successful meeting.