AUROBINDO CHAUDHURI MEMORIAL
GREAT INDIAN DREAM FOUNDATION
Karmani Hite is a combination of two Sanskrit words; ‘karmani’ means in action and ‘hite’ means in welfare work. So the phrase Karmani Hite means to work for the social welfare.
  April  2008 www.gidf.org Vol. 12 No. 12

HIGHLIGHTS
of the Month

Education :

Early Child Development Center inaugurated in Chennai

Two new centers inaugurated in Ahmedabad

Piggy Bank and Student Council  initiatives started in Mumbai ECD. 

Exposure visit to Jelly Beans, by DCC children, Bangalore


Livelihood :

Appreciation programme organized for 'Kala Ghoda' participants

SHG's from BPL families listed under NREGA for assured employment of 100 days


Health :

Eye Camps organized in Chennai and Hyderabad

Health Talk organized in Mumbai on International Women's Day.


Environment:

Rain Water harvesting initiatives started in Delhi
 
UPCOMING
  EVENTS

·          To complete rain water harvesting project before timeline

·          To plan summer vacation activities in summer vacations in Mumbai

·          To organize a workshop on health and hygiene by Arogya Sandhan in Kolkotta

·          To plan an Exposure visit to Children's Park, Bangalore

·          To do planning for mainstreaming the children into formal education and admission in schools

·          To initiate eye camp in other communities as well

 

 
 
 
For more information
on our activities and         
initiatives please visit www.gidf.org
 
We welcome your
comments, ideas,
suggestions or you can
even mail to us your queried about GIDF at
karmanihite@gidf.org

 
 
Head Office:
ACM GIDF
Unit 9 &10, D-2,
District Center Saket,
Level 2, Southern Park
Saket, New Delhi-110017,
Ph : 91-11-41799651-54
E-mail :
Website :


Dear Friends,
Aurobindo Chaudhuri Memorial Great Indian Dream Foundation (ACM GIDF) welcomes the readers of the April 2008, issue of Karmani Hite. GIDF is glad to share its account of social initiatives across 11 states in India with people having social interest and those who dream of making India an educated, healthy nation, free of poverty and its human indignities.
 
 
Founder's Day celebrated in all centers across India .

Founder's Day celebrations were organized on 28th March 2008, in all centers of ACM GIDF to commemorate the birth anniversary of Lt. Aurobindo Chaudhuri, in whose loving memory, the foundation has been established.


Founder's Day being celebrated across GIDF centers


Each city celebrated the event in there own special way. In Delhi , a fun filled event was organized at the center in Mandi Village , where the top performers of the year were awarded "Staff of the year" and "Star kids of the year" Awards. In Chennai and Pune, the children were introduced to the history behind the foundation. In Mumbai, a fancy dress event was organized on the same day. It was a lively sight to see kids from playschool TARA dressed up as doctors, soldiers and Miss India .  The kids also recited poems and spoke about the importance of education. The entire event impressed the parents and spoke volumes about the efforts put in by the teachers and students alike. In Kolkotta, the Founder's day was celebrated at a community level, wherein a meeting was organized with all the educators. A discussion was initiated amongst them, where they commented on 'How they dream about India after 25 years'. After the discussion they also prepared posters and slogans on the issue. The founders' day was also celebrated at the two recently inaugurated centers in Ahmedabad. The teachers there took this opportunity to connect with the children, who in turn were dressed up for the event and had a gala time, enjoying the games and dance sessions that were organized.

All in all, the founders Day celebrations were an opportunity for the foundation to reach out and connect with the community, and spread the message of 'the great Indian dream', which the foundation endorses.  
 

Noteworthy activities started by students of Non formal Education centers in Mumbai.


 

The children in Mumbai's Non Formal Education Centers are starting interesting initiatives, with the support of their educators. In one center of every cluster, a 'Piggy Back' system has been initiated by the students, in which, close to 75 kids are saving some money every day, depending on their economic conditions. The idea originated when an educator in one of the clusters realized that the kids were being forced to drop out of school because their parents were not willing to pay their fees. The educator suggested the kids to start saving some amount from their own pocket money daily so that they could attend school. This system has now become fairly successful and is already active in three clusters in Mumbai. The finances are managed by the students themselves, with the educator interfering only if they require his help. Each group of students has found amongst themselves a Finance Minister, and assistant to manage the Piggy Bank system. The children use this money for buying stationery, and for other educational activities.

Another interesting initiative that has been started is that of a Students Council. The students and educator of the Goregaon cluster have come together to form a Student's Council, which consists of a Chief Minister, Vice Chief Minister, Discpline Minister, Display coordinator and a Sanitation minister. This council assists the educator in executing daily activities at the center. The roles are rotated amongst all the students in the class so that each one gets a chance. This is an important initiative, as it helps in raising the confidence of the children by instilling leadership and organizational qualities in them.

 

International Women's Day Celebrations in Mumbai

 

The Mumbai center of ACM GIDF organized a number of community events to mark International Women's Day on 8th March 2008 A large increase in the number of chicken pox cases in the last month, prompted the educators to organize a Health Talk in Nargis Dutt Nagar on the same day. Dr. Saumya and local leader Ms. Taslima Khan were invited to address the audience. Dr. Soumya cleared the misconceptions and myths surrounding the disease. Apart from basic pointers on health and hygiene, she also informed them about the disease, its symptoms, precautionary measures and proper methods for treatment. She also ensured the educators about her support to their causes and assured ready help whenever it would be required.


In Gyaneshawar Nagar, a community meet was organized by the educators on the occasion of women's day. The primary objective of the meet was to appreciate the contribution of women in our society and also to make them feel special. Mothers of the students were invited and asked to draw whatever they wished to. The women drew flowers, trees, homes and some wrote their names. Educators shared their thoughts on Women's Day with the mothers, who in turn, demanded the initiation of adult literacy classes. The children of the centers too were invited along with their mothers. They presented songs and recited poems for their mothers and the other women present thus marking a pleasant end to the event.
 

Assured employment scheme creates 'DHOOM' in Uttar Pradesh

 

The Dhoom Project in UP is a significant part of GIDF's livelihood initiatives. The project which constitutes vocational training and skill development of the rural and urban poor, especially women, is responsible for providing livelihood initiatives to a large number, thus leading to their upliftment and the development of the country. It consists of many individual projects such as embroidery, stitching, weaving, crocheting, beadwork, carpentry etc. which are undertaken for skill and capacity building of the beneficiaries. Products made by the beneficiaries are exhibited and sold at reasonable prices in the market thus becoming a means of income generation as well as visibility for them.

Recently, under this project, Self Help Groups from Below Poverty Line families have been listed under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, thus giving them sustainable employment opportunities of 100 days.

The project has been growing from strength to strength and has been creating opportunities for a large section of the under privileged through training and skill building initiatives.

 

  Rain Water Harvesting initiatives started in Delhi

 

 

Looking at the grim situation of water shortage in Delhi , the foundation has initiated the installation of Roof top rain water harvesting structures in government schools across the city. The project, called 'Neer Suraksha' is supported by GAIL (India) Ltd. and the Ministry of Environment, Delhi Govt.

Under this project, the foundation has identified government schools in nine districts of Delhi , of which, four are severely affected by the paucity of water, thus covering the city in its totality. They have purposefully picked all girls schools, realizing that the lack of proper water and sanitation facilities particularly affects the number of enrollments in these schools. The Eco Clubs of the schools have been made responsible for the maintenance of the structure, which requires an annual cleaning regime to keep it functioning properly. As the structures have been planned in 35 schools, the approximate water recharge that would be generated is close to 35,000 cubic centimeters, benefiting 25,000 students across the city. The water that is recharged from the structures can be utilized as it is or can be used for treatment of the depleting surface water table in Delhi .


 
 
Regional Offices : Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata   Branch Offices : Pune, Bangalooru, Ahemdabad and Hyderabad
Project Offices : Auraiya district in Uttar Pradesh, Guna district in Madhya Pradesh, Dibrugarh district in Assam and Agra