Philanthropy has no Boundary

An article ”Old age a boon or curse” in Samaj, (Odia Daily) in last Saturday, reminded me of my visit to a slum last month. Purpose was mainly to interact with the members of Mahila Arogya Samiti (women group) of a slum in Bhubaneswar. It was good to hear about their work, interest and knowledge on many health issues-immunization schedules, ANC, PNC check up, first aid, knowledge and practice on importance of safe water, improved sanitation, hygiene practices etc.

I got introduced with a septuagenarian Sumitra Nayak. A graceful lady carries smile in her face, one can feel the contentment in her. She is basically from northern part of Odisha and migrated long back to Bhubaneswar and has settled down in the same slum.  Her husband died in early days, son got some mental health problem and left home long years back and never returned. Three/ two (don’t remember) daughters all married and settled in other cities. She stays alone and meets her ends with the old age pension and by doing domestic work.

While questioning what satisfies you being in a women group, giving time for others, at times compromising your own work she replied it’s of immense pleasure to help others. I asked can you share one such incidence. She narrated and I was really impressed and inspired. 

“One of the inmates in our slum got Tuberculosis; he stays with his wife and two children. We MAS members took him to Capital Hospital, Bhubaneswar. From there they referred him to Chandpur TB Hospital at Jatani (around 30 KM from Bhubaneswar). His wife was not in a position to attend him in hospital for a long uncertain period, as she had to go for work and take care of two children. Principally she cannot afford to lose her earning for two months, so I attended him at Chandpur Hospital in Jatani and with doctor’s advice we came back home after two months.” Finally she told "the couple was in need and I was alone, so thought of giving time for a good cause".

I felt like touching her feet. I gave her a hug and asked to take a snap with her along with the group. I could feel her joy by getting my appreciative embrace and special attention but I was really moved by her act.  I returned office remembering and discussing about her with one of my colleague. In a society where many are not willing to take care of their own people even parents, just look at the old lady when she needs extra care she takes care of others in neighborhood that to attending a TB patient. As all of us know even today people hesitate to mingle with TB patients and even patients do not disclose the disease with a fear of being ostracized.

Truly you make your life graceful, rewarding, and satisfying, it’s all about attitude. Philanthropy is all about attitude and has no limit.

Salute to her and all such poor women working for good cause in their community.

Have a good day!

Morning chat on village sanitation

How do you feel when you get a chance to talk on sanitation issue in the morning over phone? For me it’s all time favourites to discuss at anytime, at any forum. Got a call from my uncle retired as General Manager Personnel in Vizag steel plant last year, now settled at Bhubaneswar. Studied in Sainik School, Bhubaneswar long back may b in 60s, spent most of life time in Vizag City, it is good to find his interest in village life. Perfect in planning, just before his retirement he constructed a good house in his village near nimapada with all urban avenues, spending a sizable time in village, going their regularly, busy in doing kitchen garden, plantation, farm house, gossip with villagers, reading magazins, now more interested in reading it from his apple ipad J

Got a call from him today morning, appreciated my effort of writing on water sanitation issues in Economic and Political Weekly. It was great to get encouraging words from him. Discussion started with personal level and went on towards sanitation issues in village, comparison of situation in rural urban, role of Govt. civil society, community, responsible conscious citizen, nation building, on and on. Responding to, many of his queries on sanitation, I tried to let him know the Govt. policies on sanitation and implementation gaps in the sanitation program in India.

Role of NGO, Govt, Community and we the citizen...

What a poor NGO will do - whose work is to motivate people for use of toilet asked to construct it, resentment from community as they consider toilet installation is the work of Govt. and expect more subsidy if they delay the process. Govt. has introduced cross verification and many signatories to check misappropriation by NGOs/ other implementing agencies, signatories if not all many Sarapanch, Junior Engineers except percentage from NGOs to sign in the completion certificate. Irony is that people even want to make easy money of other’s shits.  If implementing agencies  give Utilisation Certificate, they are paid after many months and by that time instead of being in the field he has to pursue in Govt. offices running hear to their as if begging for money release. On toilet installation if you see the statistics wastage of crores of money under Total Sanitation Campaign, now Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan. You find delapited school toilets as monuments in villages. Most of the Nirmal Gram Panchayats are slipped back and people defecate at open. I don’t understand why should Government engross itself fully on Individual toilet installation for all? Is open defecation free means ignoring open disposal of waste?

Community action for sanitation

My uncle was describing the village life, people’s attitude, how he has started cleaning the weeds from the village road side when at village. While discussing on such issues I told him let’s forget there is any govt scheme on sanitation and involve others in village for such works, was giving tips how to make it a community action. We planned to go to that village sometime together. Person like him can really be a role model and a change maker in his village. Hope to get an additional crusader in sanitation campaign. J  

Safe Drinking Water in Slums From Water Coverage to Water Quality

Published in Economic and Political Weekly : 14th June 2014 issue as special article

This article analyses the water, sanitation and hygiene situation in slum households and compares it with the non-slum urban households using data from the 2011 Census. It argues for a shift from the mere water supply coverage to an emphasis on quality water distribution. Intermittent water supply coupled with poor sanitation contributes to higher health risks. Promoting point-of-use water treatment and basic hygiene practices on safe handling and storage of water are important preventive health interventions. This article advocates for a shift from availability of infrastructure to delivery of service-level outcomes.

http://www.epw.in/special-articles/safe-drinking-water-slums.html

Salagrama in the hand of Monkey (Mankada Hatare Salagrama)

Salagrama - a sacred stone usually a black colored spherical fossil found in the holy Gandhaki River in Himalaya. They are considered to be lord himself and are worshiped in temples and at home.

Last weekend, I thought of roaming by cycle which I occasionally do in the galis (narrow roads) of Cuttack city. Popular saying in odia on the millennium city Cuttack, Babana Bazar and Tepana Gali (52 markets and 53 narrow roads) and that day my cycle ride was the gali from Tinikonia Bagicha to Buxi bazar crossing Kesharpur again from Meria Bazar towards dolamundai crossing friend’s colony. Find a busy road, shops and denizens sitting in front of house or in barandas (open space outside houses) may be due to hot and humid summer evening sans power supply. It was worth watching the reaction may be cycling in such roads by my age group of women is not that common. J    

The open surface drain is the specialty of that gali. Witnessed children defecating open in the drain, people throwing all garbage directly to open drain and as usual you find people urinating at road side which very common scene in Cuttack. Local administration carrying a massive drain cleaning activity before monsoon breaks, perhaps worried of last year’s water logging in the city due to chocked drains. Found debris lying on roads blocking almost 70 percent and some side by roads were completely drenched and covered by debris leaving no space to even walk.  It was so spiteful, filthy, unhygienic and unhealthy. I wonder if this the only way to clean the open drain?

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Cuttack is such a beautiful city situated in the delta of River Mahanadi and surrounded by Mahanadi, its dis-tributary Kathjodi. Many times while commuting from Bhubaneswar in my glass covered AC Car in ring road, I keep on watching the crimson hued sunset, the beautiful view of Kathajodi River, the horizon, the gorgeous embracing sky.   Such a beautiful place, so scenic landscape... Once you open your glass you get the real smell of river side open defecation.  It’s so disgusting always and ever. Be it in an advance country with such unique topography it would have been an important tourist place attracting visitors worldwide.    I always feel this is the genuine case of Salagrama in the hand of monkey (Mankada Hatare Salagrama).

Technology Solution: promotion of hand washing practices at critical time

Technology solutions are vital. It’s appealing, adoptable and has greater acceptance, if it is innovative and done with local know how with application of simple science. All most all schools in rural areas do not have specific hand washing provision. You will find many academically good schools in cities even do not have hand washing facility. A simple hand washing solution for schools children done in the design lab workshop at Bakul Foundation. It was really good to brief young participants from countries like Estonia, Denmark, Nepal and India on water sanitation issues in slums, interact with them and learn being a part of the final presentation day in design lab workshop. (Feb 2014)

Local knowledge, and application of that knowledge in various technological adaptation shows it is not only the cup of tea of the engineers with a technical degree. Let’s promote local innovators for adopting technologies required in our day to day life. 

Photo courtesy: Design Lab: https://www.facebook.com/designlabee

Relevance of the story “Kalia dalana” today

It is nice to find Swayam’s (my son 3+ yrs)interest in stories. Currently he is gripped by a pictorial, coloring story book on Sri Krishna Bala Leela and as a result I got an additional work, to narrate various short stories on Bal Krishna as and when Swayam wishes to hear. He enjoys the little Krishna’s victory over demons and how all celebrate that victory. One of his favorites story these days is the story on Kalia Dalana-Krishna dances on the hood of serpent kaliya. Just putting the story in few lines even if it is known to many of us.

In Yamuna there lived a deadly poisonous serpent called Kalia. He poisoned the whole water of Yamuna. Once seeing his friends missing, Krishna searched and found them lying near the bank of Yamuna. The Blue water of the Yamuna had turned black because of the poison of the snake. The water of the lake was radiating heat due to poison. Birds flying over the river were falling down dead. All plants, birds and trees of that region had perished by the contact of the poisonous air of the lake. Krishna decided to purify the river by getting rid of the black serpent. Krishna, girding up his loins and clapping his biceps with his palms in challenge, plunged into the water from the top of a Kadamba tree. By the vigorous dance of krishna, the umbrella – shaped hoods of the serpent were all bruised. Kalia finally surrendered to Krishna and proceeded to sea to make their abodes.

Story telling is popular in all most all cultural tradition. One primary purpose is to introduce values to children. It is really encouraging when children relate the message of these stories in their life know-how.

Taking back to our ferry trip from Dakhineswar to Belur matha, I dropped the idea of collecting the holi Ganga water for Puja, in fact did not feel like to touch even. On our way, was discussing with hubby on direct disposal of drain water to water bodies, no strict regulation, level of consciousness and insensitivity of people who through anything to water bodies, dying rivers ... Taking the clue from our discussion, many times after listening to the kalia dalana story Swayam says mama like kalia many people made river Ganga dirty. Is not it?

On a serious note I always feel why small but important issues are not taken by government to act on a priority. It is real shame that we are neglecting our natural resources the most in the name of development. The learning of the stories is better essential for adults than children. Wish to witness a time when Kalia will finally surrender and vanish. The water bodies will be rescued for the benefit of all species.