16-August | NGO Visit

It was 16th August when all the students of CORE were taken to Bajrangpur, a slum around 25km. away from Indore. This was the place where one could actually feel the ray of hope getting stronger and brighter. The place has recently managed to change its identity from being a typical slum area to a developed concrete village. Instead of belonging to the mob that longs for water, they are among the few privileged that have their own water tap. They are proud of the efforts they have put into securing the water tap, getting the streets lighted up, strolling along the concrete roads. The renaissance is clear to one and all and it is also clear that these changes did not happen overnight. The women of Bajrangpur came together and joined hands with an NGO, “Uttahan”, which works for the emancipation of slums. Also playing a major role was IDA (Indore Development Authority), funded by The Dept. for International Development, UK. The members of Regional Voluntary Committee (RVC) comprises of 11 Women of the village who provide training for the approach mechanism of the Municipality and other maintainence jobs. A sense of satisfaction and happiness reflected the faces of these people at being a few of the developed ones.

The other side of the coin was reflected when we went to the slum area of Rahul Gandhi Nagar 5, where the development work was just on track. The people were waiting for the infrastructure work to be over and done with so that they could start their social work. The official from the Municipality, Miss Seena Shaikh, accompanied by a locale, Miss Shareta Vyas alias Guddi, informed us that the land given by the government for the upliftment of the slum was encroached upon by a colony. All the 11 lanes of the slum were getting water supply from a nearby plastic pipeline and electricity from one pole on the outskirts of the slum. The men in the house were drunk and only the women were found working. These people had their life in the doldrums since the man of the family wasn’t working while the woman who worked wasn’t being paid well. Small boys were seen buying thinner and using petrol on handkerchiefs to be used as addictives. The women of this area, too, have taken the onus upon themselves because they are aware that these changes will bring some light in the lives of the next generation. A 36 member committee formed by the women of this village reports a particular problem of their area to the official of that place. 11 of these 35 women are registered as an NGO so that when Mr. Wasim Iqbal, from the Feedback venture, Delhi (who is working on the project “Utan”) goes back, they can handle his work. Work is also being done to rehabilitate the children from addictions in a non-addiction camp, Ashirwad. He also told us about the various other committees that have been formed and a special committee that looks after the education of girls in that area. Mr. Meetesh Jha also extended a helping hand by agreeing to make some attempts to provide solar electricity in the area.

Looking at these people fighting for the basic necessities to survive was indeed very heartening and  we thanked God that we are so blessed to enjoy the comforts of life. The visit gave a new dimension of looking at life where as future managers and citizens of the country we should be sensitive about the needs of the society and especially the underprivileged.