First time with YFS : weekend experience

Hi. My name is Raghu Nandhan. My first visit to YFS office in Chetpet happened on a cloudy Saturday evening in the month of November. Unlike the usual ‘hot, hotter, hottest’ climate of Chennai, the climate on that particular day was more than welcoming with a cool and gentle breeze with occasional yet heavy downpour of rain. I had gone over there to meet the YFS members and have a discussion regarding the volunteering opportunities. The YFS members were very warm and welcoming. After having a short discussion, I was advised to join the YFS members in their NGO visit which was located in a slum area at Vyasarpadi, in the Northern part of Chennai.

This particular NGO called “ VIVEKANANDA EDUCATIONAL AND HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT TRUST “ was started couple of years ago by a group of youngsters. This NGO is primarily dedicated to teach Computer skills to the under-privileged. Here, we were introduced to the NGO members - Naveen, Sathyapriyan and Ravi ji who were very hospitable and humble. The guys who are teaching the Computer skills now were once students of the very same organisation through which they had learnt the invaluable skills.

They have designed the syllabus in a very interactive and understandable manner. The syllabus has a Tamil translation beneath almost each and every word for easy understanding. This syllabus has been wholly designed by them from scratch and without any copy/paste or plagiarism. And they spoke in simple yet fluent English.

They now have 4 such centres in Northern Chennai 

• Swami Vivekananda Training Centre, Sanjay Nagar, Vyasarpadi
• Sister Nivedita Training Centre, Vadivelu Street, Perambur
• Dr Ambedkar Training Centre, Kannigapuram, Pulianthope
• Sri Ramanujar Training Centre, Ayanavaram

Apart from dedicated Centres, they are also training students in 7 Government Corporation schools in and around North Chennai, Moral Training centres in another 3 different locations through Biweekly classes. 

They have started a Data Entry Company which has secured a project from an Australian Firm, which is not a mean feat to achieve. Considering the limited resources and the monetary help they have, they have grown big and have achieved a substantial growth in their own terms. And they have created a meaningful impact in the lives of the underprivileged by imparting Computer Skills, which has made them more employable.

The following day (i.e. Sunday), I attended a meeting where all the Chennai YFS members had gathered along with 2 YFS volunteers from Hyderabad. The agenda of the meeting was to discuss about the undergoing and future project plans of Chennai and Hyderabad YFS. Introduction of the old and new members of YFS and also the difficulties faced in implementing the projects were also a point of discussion in the meeting. New ideas were put forth for the improvement of the functioning of YFS.

On the whole, these 2 days provided me an invaluable experience and am very glad to be a part of YFS Chennai Chapter. I am looking forward to many more such experiences in the future.

Uttarakhand Relief work

Uttarakhand  since June 2013

For the entire nation, what happened to Uttarakhand in June 2013 will go down in history as one of the worst calamities ever faced, some even comparing the devastation to the 2004 Tsunami.

The disturbing images of collapsing bridges and buildings; of people and homes being washed away by the torrential waters and of lakhs of innocent pilgrims & tourists stranded at various locations – all are a constant hard hitting reminder that when nature strikes back, its fury spares none. 

This region being home to several historic Hindu and Sikh pilgrimage sites apart from scenic tourist spots and trekking trails, the damage caused by landslides and incessant rains have been massive – in terms of loss of lives and property.  

Doctors, Individuals and many volunteers from various NGO’s from across the country immediately rushed to the hilly region to support the rescue & relief operation.  

Relief work:

To give a fair idea of the areas where the relief work is currently going on, would urge you to have a look at the Google Map below

http://google.org/crisismap/2013-uttrakhand-floods?gl=in

Youth For Seva is working with Sewa International in providing volunteer support to the relief work carried out by them in partnership with the local organizations & individuals. They were among the first organizations that have been working at the affected areas right from the time the disaster struck. 

Even now there is continuous heavy rainfall resulting in landslides, blocking & damaging of  roads and hampering the relief operation. We received a first-hand account from a volunteer of Sewa International named Anand Singh who is in Dehradun for the last few days. He was sent there to receive 500 Family kits donated by Abhaya Foundation, Hyderabad.

• ·         On 23rd July Started from Risikesh Kendra for reaching Gangori Kendra.Had to stay at Chindwali Sound from 23rd July 7.15 PM to 24^th July 6.30 PM due to landslide and severely damaged road and the inability of the vehicle to travel. Reached the relief camp at Gangori Saraswathi Shishu Mandir at 7.45 PM on 24th July. Unloaded the relief  material safely.

• ·         25th July from 12.15 PM to 4.30 PM took up the work of packing the material for convenient distribution to the victims with the help of local Volunteers.  5.15 PM conducted meeting with local volunteers discussing the Distribution process.

• ·         25th July Evening Due to unexpected heavy rains, delay in distribution program. Among the identified 35 Families of 5 villages, only 21 Families from 3 villages could reach the camp to receive the relief kit.

• ·         Most of the families receiving the material either were daily wage earners or those whose houses have been completely washed off in the floods.

• ·         The villages between Gangori and Maneri namely Hena, Garam Pani, Kwari, Naitala,  Ungi, Didsari, about 12 villages about 70 families out of the said villages, have been identified and distribution is going on in the form of 2-4 families at a time.

• ·         Some of the youth Volunteers who are involved in the relief work belong to families badly affected by the floods or whose villages are disconnected due to heavy rains. They are also being helped in all possible ways.

• ·         Due to heavy rains and cloudburst most of the villages beyond Gangori are still inaccessible and roads are badly damaged.  The D.M. of Uttarkashi also issued orders stopping the distribution work, as it may result in causalities or injuries to both volunteers and victims. Even in these circumstances plans are on to continue the relief work without disobeying the warning from the D.M.

• ·          In view of the said orders taking rescue material to the victims has become difficult. There is a limit of 25 kg maximum weight to be carried by a Pittu (coolie) and 60 Kg for a Khachar (Mule). which would be expensive and impractical. With roads damaged, these are the only means of transportation available.

• ·         Between Gangori and Maneri about 13 Km the cost of One Mule trip is between 1000 to 1200 rupees and that of a Pithu for 1 to 1.5 Km is about 250 to 300 rupees.

• ·          For few families who are dislocated from high altitude villages and have been staying at Garam Pani, Kot Bangla, Laksheshwar, Gangori  villages as refugees have been identified and relief material like clothes, Kitchen kit, given by Abhaya Foundation have been distributed apart from the Food material sent by Uttaranchal Daivi Apada Peedit Sahayata Samiti (UDAPSS).

• ·         Most of the families above are migrants from Orissa, Bihar and Nepal.

 

Immediate requirements:

Some relief related requirements like medical help is most welcome- health assistants have been running dispensaries due to lack of Doctors. Other items which are needed in good numbers for distribution are Blankets, Tents, Tarpaulins, Bed sheets and winter wear for adults and children.

There is also a requirement of Home Kit that consists of a list of materials per Family – grocery items, kitchen utensils and others like umbrella, lamp & mosquito nets (see image attached)

What can I do?

There is a lot of base camp work currently going on and a lot more are expected to happen in the coming months. Volunteers are tirelessly working day & night, braving the heavy rains, walking at least 10 kms everyday to reach out to people in different villages for distribution of Home kits by going without food themselves. It is quite an unimaginable situation but motivating enough for some of us to take a few days off from work and come together at this time of crisis.

You can be a part of it too. All you have to do is make yourself physically available for work. If that is not practical, then support those who are doing this on your behalf (At this juncture we appreciate help in terms of volunteer availability as well as financial assistance)

• Take a pledge to make a donation of Rs 500 for the volunteers of relief work & also spread the word to 5 of your friends to do the same.

http://www.causes.com/actions/1757021-support-the-uttrarakhand-flood-relief-volunteers?recruiter_id=13697768&utm_campaign=broadcast&utm_medium=wall&utm_source=fb

• Make donation for a Home Kit and help a family with the necessary ration to start again. Details attached.

•   Donate Blankets, Bed sheets, Tents, Tarpaulins or winter wear like sweater for adults & children. We DO NOT collect old or used clothes.

•   Donate medicines currently in need there. Details in the excel sheet.

•  We are also in need of medical professionals and trained counselors.

Make your donations to:

Name: Sewa International

Bank: State Bank of India

A/c No.: 31129537154

Type: Savings

Branch: Special Personal Banking Branch (PBB) Raj Bhavan

IFSC code: SBIN0004159

All donations are tax exempted under 80G.

For any clarifications, please write to yfschennai@youthforseva.org  or call on 9543043492.

Thanks,

Team YFS

School Kit Drive 2013 – a report

‘School Kit Drive’ is a time bound project (from April to July) started for the first time in Chennai last year where we raised funds to support 1000 children across Tamilnadu with their school stationary requirements. Through this initiative, we help those children go back to school who for reasons of not being able to buy a bag or notebooks or stationary, opt to drop out. A very small step to help many first generation learners to complete their schooling.

This year we increased our target to 3000 and reach out to the interiors of TN apart from Chennai city.

A School Kit consists of a school Bag, 10 Notebooks, Pen, Pencil, Scale, Eraser, Sharperner and a Geometry Box (for classes 8 & above). The contents of a kit have to be sourced separately and hence have to be assembled and packed before they are distributed.

 

 In order to raise funds for this drive our volunteers engaged their friends and relatives, some even going to the extent of getting the permission to put up stalls in the office campus / building cafeteria.  There were some who helped us identify the deserving children from various parts of the state.  Thus, the entire project was completely driven by volunteers in every phase. We also had the opportunity to get CSR support of a few companies who wanted to associate with YFS for other volunteering opportunities in the future.

Over all we saw a very enthused participation from at least 60 volunteers who helped us right from sourcing the kit contents, to packing them, till their distribution at various schools.

The first distribution began with 14 volunteers travelling all the way to Karumandurai, a tribal village nestled in the hills near Salem. Children studying in Saraswathi Vidya Mandir school of the nearby villages received the School kits.

Below is the list of places where we did the distribution of school kits this year;
(Students from financially poor background are identified from Govt schools, study centres run by partner NGOs at slums, orphanages and vanavasi schools across Tamil nadu)

1. A total of 650 students from the Vanavasi Seva Kendra Tamil Nadu (centres in Coimbatore, Salem, Nilgiris, Dharmapuri, Kancheepuram, Villupuram and Tiruvallur districts) will be supported.
2. 10 study centres in Chennai – Tiruvanmiyur, Velachery, Hasthinapuram, Manali, Perambur, Pushpa Nagar, Valsaravakkam, Dhamodharan Nagar, Vysarpadi and Ayanavaram. These are run by the NGO called Sevabharathi Tamilnadu and are situated in slum areas where children belonging to lower income group households attend. They run such study centres across TN. Total – 600
3. 2 Orphanage Homes (called as Anbu Illam) run by the same NGO in Chennai, one each for boys and girls. Total – 55.
4. A total of 162 children studying in Sri Krishna Sevashram Nursery and Primary school at Pillaipakkam, identified by a volunteer. The children attending the school belong to families who are daily wage labourers falling in the Below Poverty Line category.
5. A Principal of a Govt school in Chennai is taking the initiative to identify students from the Govt schools in Chennai who are in need of kit sponsorship due to financial constraints at home. These schools may not fall within the Corporation limits of Chennai city. Total – 350.
6. School identified by a volunteer in the villages of Vandhavasi & Tirunalveli. Total – 130.
7. 4 study centres run in the slums of Perambur & Vysarpadi by partner NGO Vivekananda Educational and Human Resources Development Trust. Total – 100.

We got an overwhelming response from all, right from the time we announced the School Kit Drive for this year till its completion. Fund raising is indeed a very difficult task but here in SKD we ensured that donors not only know about how their monetary contribution is being put to use but also participate in every stage of the drive. They were invited right from the packing session to all the distribution events.

We could not have achieved our intended target without the timely financial support of the below sponsors:

• funds raised by the employees of eBay/PayPal
• & UDAAN – a Geometric 3DPLM Initiative
• Aasha Charity UK
• JAWAHARMAL CHANDAN CHARITABLE TRUST (JCCT)

At the end of it, all that mattered were those smiling faces who felt excited to receive Bags and Notebooks with informative content inside and the zest to achieve something big in life!

Volunteers have shared their experience of SKD in the blog

If you would like to be a part of any volunteering activity in Chennai, then do write in to us at yfschennai@youthforseva.org
Happy Volunteering!
Team-YFS
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SKD-2013: Atthipet and Koladi Government Schools

Write-up by Vishwa:

It was a nice morning with great weather. The YFS team reached UCCK Matriculation School, Ayanampakkam around 10:30 AM. The school even when it is in a low facilitated grounds, looked clean and compact. The playground being in the center of the school building is also being used for collective prayers every morning. The Infrastructure was a feast to the eyes even when they were small and calm. Maintenance of the floral green with protective fence and daily care has to be appreciated. Around 10:45 AM, we started with 65 bags to the Atthipett Government School, which is 5 Km away from the UCCK Matriculation.

The Atthipett Government School comprising of 350 students out of which 60 belonging to 8^th and 9^th Grades were distributed with the School Kits. The students went to their peak of Excitement and Joy. We, the YFS team, all smiles across cheeks were happy seeing their sparkling faces. Every student started opening their bags and were amazed to see a whole lot of stuff that can last for an academic year for study purposes. Well, that’s exactly where the Success of SKD lies. Every children who received the kit thanked from the bottom most corner of their heart to all the volunteers whose work is behind the success of the SKD’13. Content seeing all the smiling children, we rushed to another school nearby. 

Koladi Government School, yet another poor Infrastructure, play ground less ans low hygiene facilities where more than 120 students are being educated. It was really our pleasure to target school of this type wherein the children getting their school kits makes us the happiest people on earth. 50 students belonging to 8th Grade received their kits. Children suggested the YFS team that their school lack greenery they deserve and hence it was decided that tree saplings with fence protection be planted during the YFS environment drive. The joy of giving made the day!

SKD-2013: Karumandurai - Salem 22nd June, 2013

Crisp Write-up by Volunteeer Viswanath: 

After a quick journey starting here from Chennai, we arrived at the school where the distribution of school kits and various other activities were planned. Saraswathi Vidya Mandir-Vanavasi Seva Kendram, A school with 350 children and 25 teachers to support and guide them through the process of Education and Growth. To brief the tribal village in which the school is situated, Karumandurai has around 10,000 tribal children deprived of Education and memorable childhood. Saraswathi Vidya Mandir, an initiative by Vanavasi Seva Kendram accommodates and educates its students with only 9 class rooms and irregular hostel facilities. 

The Youth for Seva team rushed upon their work immediately after reaching the spot wherein the school kits were first distributed. 350 school kits here at Karumandurai and another 200 kits to its primary block situated in Navampattu. 

As soon as the distribution was over, the initiative of forming Social Clubs were put forth by the YFS. Eco Club, Creativity Club, Speak-Out Club, Education Club and Computer Club had about 20 students each belonging to 8^th or 9^th grade. It should be stressed upon that the students were hyper active with excitement and joy sensing that they were about to start something practical which they have only seen in their textbooks so far.

The YFS team had 15 members who divided themselves each 3 to guide a particular Club activity. Computer Club earned the utmost attraction by students as that was the first time they actually operated one. Creativity Club made an outstanding effort in sparking a thought within the student community to Think Out of the Box.

Education Club made a sincere effort to stress the importance and persuasion of higher studies drawing a neat outline of the current Education system in India.

Speak-Out Club achieved a fantastic set of students who were initially shy to come out and spill their thoughts and opinions. 

Eco Club was a success in making children learn the aspect of conserving the green environment they live and the importance of its preservation for the next generation.

On a closing note, this whole initiative was a success and the YFS team were too smart to create a lasting impact on these children in a single day!