GENERAL:Defining Moments
The onset of monsoon brought about relief from heat and expectation for future. Amidst the arrival of dark clouds, dancing peacocks, pattering Sheds and rushing umbrellas the weather at GDL was changing too. From hot, hectic,colorful, myriad and fruitful summer activities carried out by the interns from BITS and U.S. to the poise of tired but satisfied bones waiting to say ‘ thank you BAGAR for being such a lovely host this summer’.
It was also a time to celebrate the indomitable spirit of the interns; in putting up the web-site, setting up of S.F.C. , controlling and documenting job seekers at BEX , grooming the future leaders , creating career handbooks and promoting safe drinking water programmes. The dedication , creativity , resource- management and mobilisation exemplified by them is going to be a source of inspiration for people whose lives have changed by their endeavour. The happy and laughing faces of players of football camp shall continue to connect community with the organisation in times to come.
The weather was changing with each passing hour so were the Scenes and Responsibilities at GDL.The GDL SHOWCASE organised on 13 th july was an effort to summarise , rejoice and share the achievements of the organisation with the community. It was an occation to honor-Radhika Batra, Preeti Balkrishnan and Ashish Gupta- the three INDICORPS fellows who changed the way BAGAR looked and thought about itself through their endeavours in different sectors in the last two years. It was a emotional ceremony for the fact that it marked an end to their tryst with BAGAR as they were about to fly back to U.S. in couple of days.
The conclusion of a glorious era has brought about new phase at GDL .Under the leadership of Mr. Ajay patel ( M.D. GDL) and Mr. Anil Purohit (Community leadership Manager)GDL looks forward to carry on with rejuvenated vigour the Existing Tasks and meet the new challenges with positive thinking and practical approach.
GDL’s first community showcase
On Sunday July 13th, GDL organized its first showcase. Through the medium of video, the GDL team presented to the community what all we have been working on in recent months. Overall attendance was approximately 250. Chief Guests at the event were the COO of the Jhunjhunu district, Gautam Mukherjee; the District Employment Officer, Harish Verma; the Secretary of Piramal Boys Senior Secondary School, R. B. Chomal; and Mrs. Agarwal.
Some of the highlights at the event included recognition of Praveen and Balveer Bundela - two English students who found jobs in Jaipur - as well as of Nidhi Khandelwal, Naresh Bagoriya, and Harish Singh - summer camp students who were selected as exemplary by decidedly unanimous votes in class - and of the women from Source for Change.
The showcase was a nice closure to a great summer.
English Course Strategizing
**A challenge BEI’s Spoken English Course has recently experienced has been a lack of commitment by students. The English trainer, Arbind Ji and I have seen this in the form of a lack of effort in class and low attendance.
While BEI and the Spoken English Course’s objective is to place graduates in jobs, the Spoken English Course has accepted some individuals who are not yet ready for work. We have observed that it is largely these students who exhibit these noncommittal behaviors.
Thus, we have made it our mandate to take only those students who are in search of jobs or those who wish to perform better in their current jobs. Our feeling is that if we take only these students we will have classes in which students come prepared, are excited about learning and come with an urgency to learn quickly so that they may apply their skills to a job.
Shifting Mindsets
**As my last posting indicates, a student in the Spoken English was offered a retail job but was forced to refuse it because his parents objected to him joining.
Very recently (within the last few hours), the student informed me that he convinced his parents to allow him to start. Unfortunately, the company at which he declined the offer filled the position but he has been able to secure a phone interview at a different company today.
When asked why his parents initially refused to let him join, he responded that they didn’t think he could pursue his last year of college and work simultaneously. Additionally, because the starting salary is not as high as his parents would have liked, they didn’t see any benefit in him working there. However, he persuaded his parents by bringing up his cousins who have been working and studying at the same time and by conveying that the experience he would gain on the job would prepare him well for an MBA. Additionally, while the initial salary is low, the possibility for promotion is high.
This shift in this students’ parents’ mindsets proved that if we are able to convey our message to one or a few people and it leaves an impression on them, they will carry on what they’ve learned to others. Sometimes these messages are taken to parents or elderly members of communities whose ways have proven the most difficult to change. This experience has shown me that word-of-mouth, youth, and investing in people are influential factors that play into ‘development’.
If at first you don’t succeed…
An exciting development concerning BEI’s Spoken English Course is that a student in the Spoken English Course who interviewed at a company about a month earlier but was declined, was hired at a second company at which he interviewed.
After feeling very dejected by the first company’s decline, the student had the conviction to do well at his next interview – and he was. Unfortunately, his parents did not allow him to accept the job but he now at least knows that when ready, he is capable of getting an entry-level job and earning for himself beginning his career.
In the future, the English class management team might find it useful to speak with students’ parents, or have students talk to their parents specifically about the job for which they are applying. Keeping all parties informed could bring to light early on any objections parents have to their children working. This would prevent any ill feelings among the students, BEI, and the respective companies.
In any case, this is a ‘plus’ for the English Course trainer, Arbind Ji, indicating that he’s training his students to meet industry needs.
Piramal Foundation efforts recognized by community
The ‘Adarsh Bagar Vikas Sansthan’, a Bagar-based NGO, felicitated the efforts of the Piramal Foundation towards the development of Bagar on July 7, 2008. The award was presented by the chief guest, Rajasthan State Assembly Chairwoman & Local MLA Smt. Sumitra Singh.
For GDL, it is a milestone: the community has recognized the measurable change that has happened in the last two years. We now have a solid platform to partner with the community to further develop the town.
Bagar’s Own Website!
Hello!
I am writing to officially inform you that Bagar now has its very own identity on the worldwide web at www.bagar.org. Because of your generous contribution to the Grassroots Development Lab and the town of Bagar, you are the best person to assess the site’s success in capturing the true essence of the town.
BagarLive! is a virtual space that is meant to bring Bagar to the attention of the entire world. This is the only place on the web dedicated solely to Bagar, its people, potential volunteers, and to tourists.
Please visit the website and take a look around at everything it has to offer– from its rich culture to a local school directory and legends of the town. Among the site’s multiple purposes, it will not only help those who have worked or lived in Bagar to keep track of its recent progress , but will also help bring tourists from India and abroad to this unique and colorful town. Content in Hindi will be released in the coming days.
Once you have clicked through, please feel free to email me with any comments or suggestions you have for the site. I can be reached at stephals@sas.upenn.edu.
Thanks for your time and I hope that you find www.bagar.org to be helpful, educational, and inspiring.
Sincerely,
Stephanie Searles
BagarLive! Project Manager
Piramal Foundation Grassroots Development Laboratory
Summer 2008
A Success
The Summer Camp’s last day was this past Saturday. I know I’ve been very bad about posting updates regarding the camp, but the month just flew by! In the end, we had 25 students (including one very brave girl) with a variety of skills and talents. Throughout the course of the camp, we taught English, computers, and leadership. Although the camp came with its own set of unique challenges, it was a success overall.
Some highlights of the camp included the lively debates about capital punishment and football vs. cricket as well as the guest lecturers who pushed the students to explore their creative sides and build their confidence through role plays.
The camp culminated with the students being told to think about and present ideas regarding how they could continue the learning process. They had some great ideas, including sharing the cost of subscribing to an English newspaper.
Youth leadership seems to be a good anchor initiative of the community leadership work stream. Next steps include a follow up session with the students as well as a modified version of the Future Leaders Course.
Source For Change makes the news again!
Source For Change makes a splash in the local newspapers. On the occassion of the opening of their new offices and computer lab, the SFC associates were interviewed. Read their inspiring story in this article entitled “Source For Change made us independent”.
Bagar Live!
For the past month, I have been working on creating a website for Bagar, a way to bring the identity of this lively town to the worldwide web. I have spent my days walking around the village, taking pictures and also talking to as many people as possible about the culture and history of this town. The other day, I spent (a very warm) morning walking around talking with Manalal Ji, a retired army veteran from Bagar who told me about some of Bagar’s history and interesting sites. Together with my partner Anurag Dutta, the technological backbone of the website, we have been able to begin to create a virtual space for Bagar at www.bagar.org. Now, the site features information for citizens, visitors, and volunteers. There is an article about the history of Bagar as well as a list of frequently asked questions about the town and a photo gallery. Coming soon will be a directory for schools and businesses in Bagar as well as lots of other resources and information. Keep checking for updates!
One of the goals of this website is to attract tourists to the town. This will allow people to experience just how great Bagar has become and will also help boost the economy here. Also, www.bagar.org is a great resource for volunteers who are considering coming to work at GDL. Within the next few weeks, certain projects will have their own pages on the site and will easily be able to make updates based on their latest achievements and accomplishments.
Tell everyone you know about www.bagar.org and take a look yourself at what is soon to become the best website for any rural town in the world!