Pravah Jaipur Initiative

Glimpse to Jumbish n Sign Cafe

2011-11-28T06:11:00.000-08:00

This Saturday, PJI was witness to a spectacular workshop by Surabhi Jain, a newbie at Pravah but no newbie at sharing things beautifully :) She conducted a session on the basics of sign-language. Old and new volunteers alike, along with the stalwarts, got to learn something new from this session. A lot of us were surprised to see that sign language uses such common-sensical actions, and it was lots of fun to spell out our names and other words for PJI family members to guess!

The next in this series of learning Sign-Language is to follow soona fter Jumbish!

Surabhi is a 2nd year student of B.Com at Kanoria College, Jaipur and works with her mother at the Deaf Women's Society of Rajasthan. Most of us take for granted, our ability to talk and communicate with words and voice. Born to parents who are speech- and hearing-impaired, signing is Surabhi's mothertongue. Her life, and indeed that of her parents, shows us that courage and determination to excel can never hold us back.

Sunday saw a hullaballoo in true PJI fashion. With over 20 masti-mongers working in and around the kitchen, the plan was to have a cook-out Awesome Style. And indeed, that is what it turned out to be :) WIth someone chopping the onions, another boiling the rice, a group peeling pea's - the Sunday cookout tasted a mouth-watering pulao and chutney! Yum. We should do this again, and soon!

(Who's hungry? I AM!)

Till next time, folks!

Jashn- e- Jaipur: A Youth Jumbish 2011

2011-10-17T10:41:00.000-07:00

Jashn- e- Jaipur: A Youth Jumbish 2011

Why Jaipur?

Our exchange with young people and organizations across the city of Jaipur led us to discover that while Rajasthan is known for its social activism across the world, the young people in Jaipur tend to be very disconnected from this legacy. The city is undergoing a number of changes which is resulting in a lot of turmoil. In terms of aspirations, the city is looking towards Delhi- malls, multi- storied buildings and call centers. Personality development, English speaking classes and tuitions for civil services among others are on the rise. Dealing with this fast paced urbanization while being rooted in the cultural tradition has created a tough situation for young people. In this fast-paced, competitive world, the locus has somewhere shifted from education for development of character and growing up to become an effective human being, to education that merely equips young adults to do well for themselves alone. This has led to a preoccupation of the young person with his/her own development in exclusion of the rest of society.

Why do we need to work with Young people?

We believe that young people can change the world today. We believe that the young people have great energy and passion which infuses young people with the potential to initiate, actualize and sustain positive change in the world. Every young person has a potential to be a change maker, all they need is an opportunity to discover that potential.

In a world where every day brings a new headline to add a sense of insecurity and fear, values like trust, love, peace and interdependence are fast giving way to cynicism, and a desire to focus on just self.

In this scenario, many young people who want to engage often hold back (willingly or unwillingly) for fear of being perceived as mad or being labeled as the odd one out. Often they are held back by their immediate families, who feel that this may take them away from their path towards success.

In this process the young people loose a great opportunity to develop as good human beings, who retain their individuality while valuing interdependence and hence connect their self with the larger society. The ability to think and analyze for one self, look beyond what exists, take stances and action, are all skills which are necessary skills for both career and in life and are learnt in the process of becoming an active citizen. Working with young people to inspire them to become change makers and active citizens is therefore imperative to the health of the entire world.

What is active citizenship?

The word citizenship is often viewed solely from the political lens. To many of us it defines the relationship of an individual vis a vis a state. However, we believe that a citizen is also a denizen of a city, a nation and a world. We have a responsibility as guardians of these common spaces, beyond our homes and institutions.

Citizenship is that, which makes us participative, proactive, and responsible towards society. This citizenship is boundary less, not defined by state, caste, religion, language.

An active citizen is someone who steps out of the comfort zone of complacency and acts for social change. Values of interdependence and ownership are at the core of active citizenship.

What is Jashn- e- Jaipur: A Youth Jumbish?

The Youth Jumbish is going to be a space to celebrate the young change makers, inspire young people to get engaged and see how the process will benefit both of them and the world at large. It will also give them concrete spaces to get involved through volunteering and other means, and put the focus on how it can be cool to be an active citizen. The Festival we hope will also help the society at large see active citizenship as an integral part of education of a young person.

We hope that the spirit of fun, celebration and hope, along with real examples will help inspire young people to embark on a journey of self to society, and start the process of creating a community of Youth active citizens who can create their own vision of what Jaipur should be like and act on it.

What will the Jashn- e- Jaipur: A Youth Jumbish do?

There are many young people wishing to create social change and becoming active citizens in Jaipur. However, they often find themselves in isolation and feel the need for a platform where they could connect with like minded peers, and discover and enhance their potential as change makers.

It is precisely this platform that we want to start building through the Jaipur Youth Festival. With this festival, young people will be inspired to become active citizens by creating their vision of Jaipur, celebrating the work of young active citizens and identifying ways in which they can get involved.

It will also create a case for how getting involved in society gives a space to learn many things including skills which help in developing a good responsible human being which will help in both career and life.

All this of course while having fun, and using interactive and creative methodologies like theatre, music, art, and craft among others.

Some questions that we hope the Jashn- e- Jaipur: A Youth Jumbish will raise:

- Can Citizenship be more than just a relationship of an individual and a state?

- What are our responsibilities to common spaces beyond our homes and institutions?

- How are our lives connected with those who we have never met?

- What can we do to make love, peace and respect universal values?

- Why is Active citizenship so important?

- How can we move from independence to interdependence?

Vision:

To inspire young people to become active citizens by promoting new thinking and imagination on the theme and recognizing citizenship work done by young people.

Objectives:

- To inspire young people to become active citizens by recognizing and celebrating existing youth citizenship work.

- To create a community of Young active citizens who can engage with social action by helping them identify ways in which they can make a difference through methods such as volunteering.

- To enable young people to make a connection between self and society and make a case for active citizenship as an integral part of an individuals’ education and life.

Possible Outcomes:

- 40 young people register to volunteer with different organizations.

- 30 people sign up for exposure trips

- A forum of young active citizens who meet once every month for sharing what they are doing towards the Jaipur that they want and have imagined and sessions by diff orgs as inputs for the same.

Target Group- 15- 25 years

Scope of Impact- Adolescents, Youth and Parents and the larger society.

How can different people/ groups / institutions get involved :

Schools:

- Send children on the day of the event to participate (sections 9 and 11 pref)

- Choose to create a group to perform on day of event- within which

Option a- To choose a theme and devise it on their own

Option b- they ask us to connect them with facilitators on issues and/ or skill

- Host a film screening followed by a session on an issue to engage people in dialogue.

- Hold an internal debates, discussions and sessions, to talk about what active citizenship is and why it is needed.

- Take the children for an exposure (with or without our help)

- Nominate groups/ individuals who have already been engaged in social action (groups who participated in Project Citizen)

- Ask children to create posters, write poetry, and create notice boards in this issue.

- Hold parents – children dialogue on this issue.

- Hold internal sessions on skill building on how to get engaged in society.

Colleges:

- All of the above

- Give us space to mobilize people and invite them to participate even outside of college if the college does not wish to engage directly.

- Nominate students as volunteers for the fest.

NGOs:

- Stalls during the event

- Facilitators for issues and skills- help facilitate the process

- Take on volunteers

- Facilitate exposures

- Volunteer as part of org team

- Share resources

- Help in outreach

- Help in identifying other facilitators and access to young people

- In case youth or adolescent oriented org then all the options as under schools and colleges.

- Developing creative interfaces between school and college students and the communities that they work with.

Artists- Theatre, painters, photography, musicians etc.:

- Help facilitate the process with young people.

- Create pieces on social issues which can be exhibited during the event and even before and after to make people think

- Creative ways of communication through the festival

Media :

- Outreach

- Taking up the issue for public dialoguing

These are some of the ideas that we have on ways in which people can engage

By The Way (part 4)

2011-08-17T22:23:00.000-07:00

I was reading about static and dynamic energy. Static electricity refers to the buildup of electric charge on the surface of objects. The static charges remain on an object until they either bleed off to ground or are quickly neutralized by a discharge.

I was wondering where I should keep young minds in this definition. I guess, they are static energies, ready to either discharge or transform into dynamic energy.
One example we are seeing in the form of university elections. Such an energy and passion!!But God knows, in which direction this energy is flowing. How many transformation this energy takes…from static to dynamic to light to mechanical to thermal energy. Yes.. lot of heat has been generated in the campus.

Confusion is also an energy form. History is full of such examples where young people have transformed their confusion energy into something productive..I won’t take the name. This task I leave up to you to think those names

In context of energy, I suddenly remembered three young people, who are trying to transform their confusion energy into something. This something is what that I can’t tell you as I don’t have a right to judge or comment but I can observe that they are not sitting idle and watching what so ever is happening or not using their energy in freaking out with friends and not converting this energy into any university election.

Then what are they doing and who are they.. This is the tale of The Ashutosh, The Shyam and The Jaiveer.They struggled with their confusion and I guess still struggling but they are using this confusion as their torch to see their path. This way they have transformed this energy into light and looking for ways in which they can transform it into productive kinetic energy.

By the way.. They are not afraid of confusion. After all confusion gives us options and confusion energy gives us courage to at least try those options… SO FOLKS , LETS BE CONFUSED… and cheers to The Ashutosh , The Shyam and The Jaiveer to enjoying and living this confusion and trying to convert this confusion energy.

Café Mohalla- BACK WITH A BANG!!

2011-07-28T00:25:00.000-07:00

“Theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being.”
- Oscar Wilde

Participants-Garima, Gunjan, Dipesh, Ritansh, Jimmy, Sunil, Anand(volunteerfrom faith), Bhomik, Keshav, Shyam, Sangeeta, Mridula, Kritika, Chaitanya, Karan, Shivang, Abhishekand Rajesh.

This Saturday Café Mohalla of PJI started with the celebration of Ritansh‘s birthday and its rebirth (applauds!!). It was best to commence the programme with a brief introduction about CAFÉ MOHALLA from the mouth of Gungun, as the idea of café is the seed of her mind only. She explained the concept of 5th space of PJI and how we can build relationships by sharing keeping importance of money constant.Acquaintance with Café Mohalla demanded introduction of everyone present for the café which was carried out by their respective names along with a gesture each.The programme got a step ahead by the question asking the thing that pops up in mind first when the word theatre is heard, and the question was answered very actively and creatively by everyone like

“projection of feelings- anger,frustration,bliss etc.",

”mean to express humanity”,

”expression of thoughts...”

Naveen took the cafe further by a group game of quickly forming groupsof number of members said in random.Next succeeding was movie making game in which everyone got the chance to add on to the play started by Sunil and to show their acting and creativity skills.The next two wereBang-bang game and the Bhains-gawala (blind fold) game which taught participants the importance of trust and listening skills in a very fun- interactive manner. Non-stop fun called for a breakin which everyone enjoyed delicious and healthy sprouts salad andchaach (butter milk) prepared by Gungun and Dipesh.Fun and learning were more tocome as we got served withFarjistan-Ki-Farzi baatein game, yes-boss game and fake-acting game in our plates by Naveen which worked on their skills likes improvisation, presence of mind and creativity. But the real show stopper was the Pantomime game in which participants were made to sit in two rows and been given themes to enact and hence transfer it along the row. Giving them the feeling of competition and team work and also bringing out the essential life skill of inter-dependency.

The session concluded with a little discussion on what all we had learnt about theatre and life through all these games and how easily all these things also describes the quality of our behavior, emotions and perceptions with others in our daily life.

Overall the café on Theatre was all about fun,acting,spontaneity,sharing and learning in a row. Café Mohalla’s return was at its best and credit goes to Naveen for the way he designed and left no leaf unturned to imply acting through various games and also to the ever enthusiastic PJI volunteers to show so much of energy and interest throughout the session (CURTAINS DOWN !!!!!!!!)

Facilitated by Naveen Sharma and Co-facilitated by Aprajita Sharma.

No one to blame

2011-07-18T05:33:00.000-07:00

14 July, 2011- Thursday

As we saw our little chat on recent blasts taking shape of a bigger debate and arising many questions we thought of continuing it further as a bigger discussion in the volunteer group instead of the scheduled open space event. Mumbai, a city that has suffered four terror attacks in the past decade, was once again targeted on Wednesday, when three bombs exploded within minutes of each other in various locations around the city causing 18 deaths and 131 injuries.

The discussion has gone really intense as some of the entirely different view points came up from different people though one thing which was clear enough was that everyone was questioning their beliefs of non-violence.

People came up with different reasons for the attacks like some thought it is another terror attack, some thought it’s a political gimmick and even as a pre-planned strategy to counter the budding Lok-pal bill hype.

A volunteer Jaiveer said that we get pretty much used to and careless after a while. Moreover repetition of such events makes us don’t care about it and we get inattentive which cause loop holes in our security system.

Puneet said that he’s pretty much concerned about these issues and try to do whatever he could but he just don’t know what he can do to prevent them.

Jimmy, from states, said that he doesn’t like to judge people and he has his beliefs in non-violence, but incidents things like that make him doubt his beliefs.

Khalil, a film-making unit member, said that we just talk on such issues and then we forget about them without taking any preventive measures.

Another volunteer Jitendra who was pretty sure that the root cause of all this is our flawed political system and hence our bureaucratic administration. As he said that our stereotypes are so strengthened that sometimes they overshadow the reality. According to him the current corrupted political status is responsible for every bad thing happening to our country and each one of us is equally a culprit for these blasts as we are not aware of our responsibilties and rights and we’re not giving worthy governance to our nation and neither taking any steps against them on an individual level.

Another PRAVAH member Abhishek questioned are we really playing our part in being active and attentive citizens. We’re blaming our politicians and defence forces but are we really aware of whom we’re selecting as our representatives in assembly elections.

Soon after our discussion came to an end we get to see some of our politicians giving statements on the blasts when mumbai was still struggling to get back on its feet. But it din’t had much effect on our ministers as they continued to get in their blame game once again. As Rahul Gandhi told journalists that 99 per cent of terror attacks in the country had been halted thanks to improved intelligence and other measures. It is very difficult to stop any single terrorist attack. Our home minister P Chidambaram said it’s not an intelligence failure as it was a coordinated terror attack of ISI and IM. At the other end Raj Thackeray aimlessly blaming the migrants from north and east India for the blasts in Mumbai. While Advani pointed out at Pakistan and ISI, senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley commented on TADA. At a time when the political class needed to come together, it's their contradictions which have come to the fore.

But looking at the government’s counter-terrorism record, it shows a complete different picture. The unpleasant truth is that the much-vaunted police modernisation effort the government began after 26/11 has just not delivered. Not one of the five urban terrorist attacks that preceded the latest Mumbai bombings has been solved.

In my perspective, whatever the reason may be but one thing I’m sure of is that these things aren’t going to change any sooner if we won’t start acting like a reponsible Indian citizen. And to some extent I do agree to the point that we all are equally responsible for these attacks. Political statements as such shows us the drastic socio-political status of our counrty and the unprofessionalism of our intelligence and investigation agencies, but that doesn’t mean that we all our innocent. As it is our responsibilty to prompt policemen when we see negligence in security, it is our responsibilty to see in what hands our country’s governance and defence is going in and it is our job to make people aware of such facts by public disussions and awareness campaigns. Otherwise we have no right to blame anyone, so are we really playing our parts?

Story Telling Workshop

2011-06-20T01:21:00.001-07:00

Story Telling Workshop

Pravah Jaipur Initiative organized a 3-day workhop (June 7,2011 – June 9, 2011) for the members of PJI’s Critical Video Unit (CVU) and youth interested for film making internship. This was to improve the writing skill in script writing and story telling.

Mr. Manak Matiyani, trainer for this workshop, from Commutiny Media, New Delhi, was really inspiring. He shared his knowledge and taught the skill of writing to the volunteers through simple examples such as the popular story of “the Hare and The Tortoise” and experiences makes it easier for the volunteers to understand.

The concept was explained through interesting mediums like graphs, presentations, video screenings, discussions, etc. A very important concept of story mapping was taught by a powerpoint template of a graph to show where a story needs to have a point of interest.

Through traditional and popular stories volunteers identified the essential elements of story such as Plot, Conflict, Climax, Resolution, etc. The symbolic ability of a story and its perspective as one way of telling stories differently gives a different identity to a story. On the first day, a group activity of innovation on a film was done and all the volunteers enjoyed it fully by making a remake of “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge” to a hilarious movie “Dilwale Dulhe le Jayege” in a proper structure giving it a new look.

Everyone shared their individual stories looking at innovative ways of telling and structuring. A very essential 3-Art Structure of scripting was explained by looking at the structure of a popular bollywood film “Sholay” and 3-Act Division, Plot points, teaser and tag was taken in detail and the volunteers learned breaking up the story to organize their ideas and follow a simple structure and identified transitions, symbolism, visual and audio elements and layering by looking at some short videos and discussing on it.

Had screenings of PJI short film and identified the 3 act structure. Also seen and discussed movies which do not follow this structure, knowing when and why you are breaking the rule and innovations on the three acts.

As PJI always works on youth development and talks about social issues, a concept of social cinema i.e. messaging through movies on social issues was taken deeply by taking cues from advertising of Jagori’s, MustBol, Indian Railway, etc. After discussing upon these, volunteers learnt that a target audience need to be defined with tone, plot, narrative style. A story with a emotional and personal connect is more effective in conveying a message.

Manak, the mentor also tried to meet the expextations of our volunteers and explained the differentiated the concept of story, script, screenplay and story board. The feedback of the volunteers for the workshop was very positive. “I had so much many stories in my mind but never knew how to express it effectively. Now I can write it in an interesting way” said Mohammad Khalil. “After this workshop I know how a social issue can be shown in an appealing and interesting manner” added Abhishek Chawariya. - Kritika Shukla

Story Telling Workshop

2011-06-20T01:21:00.000-07:00

Story Telling Workshop

Share-A-Smile Cafe

2011-06-15T02:54:00.000-07:00

On Friday, Ashutosh hosted a Cafe meeting to informed the volunteers about the Share-a-Smile program and its Project Yatra. The project is a program to help members explore themselves, learn about different social issues, and contribute their own skills by teaching English in a government school.

The first phase of Project Yatra is the "virus" stage, which aims to make people more aware of the ways they are linked to and play a role in social problems. This will be achieved by hosting public meetings. In the cafe, the members started out playing games which forced them out of their comfort zones and urged them to consider different concepts, such as efficient use of resources.

The cafe participants then discussed the next two phases of Project Yatra. The next phase is "Gyan", in which the participants will go to government schools in Jawahar Nagar and other areas of the city. They will seek to help the students by teaching them English.

The last stage of the project is "Khoj", an exploration of one's self, in terms of skills, options, and active consideration of the choices we have in life. Ashutosh speaks about how Kabir said that the only question we can really seek to answer about ourselves in "Who Am I?", and this will be a central part of "Khoj".

Share-A-Smile is actively seeking volunteers to join the Project Yatra campaign for the next two years! If you are interested or would like more information please contact Ashutosh at 8302485842 or shareaasmile@gmail.com.

Environment Day Cafe!

2011-06-07T00:18:00.000-07:00

The Pink Square Mall was host to a Cafe Mohalla meeting on International Environment Day, June 5th. PJI celebrated by hosting an interesting and interactive cafe meeting in the mall, where we played games, watched films, and did other activities relating to the environment.

We started by playing a few energizers and games which relate to concepts and the environment, such as "seed to tree". Then we watched a few short films on topics such as environmental crises and climate change. One animation on what we can do to help protect the environment was made by our very own volunteer Chaitanya.

"At the cafe, we interacted with lots and lots of people. The environment was very good. People became more aware of what they are doing and what they should do," Chaitanya said. "I havent showed my film on such a large scale, like in a mall...it was really very good to know that the crowd who I dont know, they also like my movie."

Afterward, we had an intensive discussion on these issues, along with what steps we ought to take in our own lives to help solve environmental problems. We did a "kabaad se jugaad" activity, in which we made bookmarks from old newspapers, in order to conserve our resources and put them to a good use. To help publicize this cause, our volunteers went out in to the mall to distribute kits made of "kabaas se jugaad", as well as tree saplings generously donated by the Pink Square Mall.

Roughly 25 members came to the Cafe meeting, which was organized by Amreen and Bhavya. We collaborated with the NGOs Message and Muskaan in hosting the cafe. This is the first monthly cafe which will be held at the Pink Square Mall, which we hope to establish as an open space and platform for youth in Jaipur. We are grateful to Nitin and everyone else at the mall for hosting these cafes.

Family Day Event with Muskaan!

2011-05-26T01:28:00.000-07:00

On May 15th, PJI collaborated with Muskaan and Taabar on a festival to celebrate International Family Day! The event was held at Pink Square Mall and featured folk performers, musicians, and many different activities for people of all ages. The theme of the event was "The World is Our Family."

Muskaan planned this event in order to spread awareness about family, and its connection to domestic violence and the concept of a happy family. The event was also intended to spread awareness about the importance of balanced relationships, and how the lack of balance can create critical situations in the family. "The World is Our Family" means that the boundaries of our family can include neighbors, friends, and all members of society.

Many PJI members assisted in making this event a success. Ritansh performed an original rap on this topic to help spread awareness. The event also features skits, puppets, acrobats, a magician, face-painting, and fun games.

Protest Against AFSPA: Vapas Lo!

2011-05-23T02:33:00.000-07:00

Dozens of PJI volunteers joined the protest against the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, organized by PUCL yesterday. We gathered at Albert Hall at six o'clock to begin the protest, and together with the public we watched a street theater performance by members of PUCL on this topic. Afterward, all the protesters marched together down JLN Marg, shouting our slogans of peace and handing out information about AFSPA to onlookers.

AFPSA is used in the North East and Kashmir to allow the military to engage in undemocratic activities. It gives them the right to arrest anyone suspected of being a separatist or insurgent, and even to kill based on suspicion. There have been many high-profile cases of military brutality as a result of this law. Iron Sharmila, an activist from Manipur, has been fasting for over ten years in an attempt to persuade the government to overturn AFSPA.

This issue has come to Jaipur via the play "Le Mashale", a one-person show performed by Ojas in many locations throughout the city. PJI helped to host and publicize these performances. More recently, PJI volunteer Shyam Bansal was instrumental in planning this protest with PUCL and mobilizing our members to join the movement.

Join PJI for a Peace Rally on May 22nd!

2011-05-19T23:26:00.000-07:00

PJI volunteers are leading a peace rally on Sunday, May 22nd at 6 pm. The march will protest the Armed Forces Special Powers Act and military abuses in Manipur. Come to support the movement and Irom Sharmila's struggle against violence! The notice is below:

REPEAL THE DRACONIAN

Armed Forces Special Powers Act

STOP THE CRUSHING OF DEMOCRACTIC RIGHTS IN
NORTH EAST AND KASHMIR

LET US ASLO LIGHT A TORCH FOR IROM SHARMILA'S STRUGGLE
AND DEMAND THE REPEAL OF AFSPA

Join us at 6 pm in front of Albert Hall Museum,
22nd May, 2011
The Torch Rally will go upto Badi Chaupar.

For the last 54 years, Independent India has had a law in the North East states and Kashmir called the Armed Forces Special Powers Act. It gives extraordinary powers to members of the armed forces-to arrest without warrant and shoot to kill on the basis of suspicion-and no legal action can be taken up against the armed forces without prior sanction from the Centre. On this day in 1958, the Indian Government promulgated an ordinance much worse than its predecessor, used by the British to crush the Quit India Movement and the Naga rebellion in the North East. On the 18th of August, this draconian law got the stamp of the Indian Parliament.

In the pretext of controlling insurgency, this Act in free India has only intensified the insurgency in these regions and legitimized thousands of gross human rights violations like rape, torture, murder and “disappearances” of innocent people in the North East and J&K.

Various movements in the North East and Jammu and Kashmir and human rights groups across the country have consistently for the last several years have been demanding the repeal of AFSPA as it is anti constitutional. One protest demanding the act's repeal that has stood out for the last ten years has been the fast of Irom Sharmila of Manipur, who has refused to eat anything. She is in an Imphal hospital under arrest by the Manipur Government and been forced fed by tubes.

This act has been opposed by the Government’s own commissions and committees appointed to look into the matter. The Committee to Review the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, headed by Justice B. P. Jeevan Reddy in 2005, the Administrative Reforms Commission headed by Dr. Veerappa Moily in 2007 and several others have recommended its repeal. Internationally, UN bodies including the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and recently the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders have urged for its repeal.

If we have to save Indian Democracy, then from all over India we must support the voices of the Irom Sharmila, the millions of people of the North East and Kashmir and put pressure on the Government of India that a law like AFSPA has no place in the Indian democratic system.

On the 22nd May 2011, let us in Jaipur join hands with fellow citizens all over the country and stand up against AFSPA. Join us at 6 pm outside the Albert Hall Museum, Ram Niwas Marg and light a torch for Irom Sharmila and the people of the North East and Kashmir to express our solidarity with their struggle. We will take out a march to Badi Chaupar.

For more information, you may contact :
Pappu (2594131, 93151562965) and Shyam (7737757778 & 9352908580)

Khula Manch 2011-2012: Featured Volunteers

2011-05-18T01:06:00.000-07:00

Introducing PJI’s Khula Manch 2011—a gang full of energy, drama, fun, and sensitivity. These are the people who make PJI what it is: a space where we have fun, learn, and love each other. Each is unique in their own, but are together on the journey of “Me to We”.

These volunteers are at various stages of their journeys, but have all been with us for at least the past three months. This list will continue to evolve over time, as we are joined by new friends and old ones go to pursue their next opportunity in life.

Our Active Citizens, in alphabetical order, are:

A member for the CVU team, Abhishek Chawariya is very mature for his age and very committed to his work. He always looks forward to learning. Given some work, you can count on Abhishek to finish it. He is very genuine, honest, and open to feedback.

Ankita Rawat is one of the liveliest volunteers at PJI. Although she has only been around for the past few months, she is already a crucial part of PJI with her heart and soul. She is a people person and ropes in everyone around her. Ankita was very helpful in developing the PJI facebook page for us. It has been a pleasure to have her in PJI, and we shall miss her and hope to see her here back!

Aprajita Sharma loves to learn and is keen to know as much as she can. She is always asking questions, which we love about her. She has been volunteering with the NGO Faith for some time and it is great to see the way she has engaged with the kids there. She is someone who is really passionate about making a change in the society.

Ashish Khandelwal is sensitive and committed. He has been involved with Faith through the UVP Program for a while and his commitment, love for the children and the space is something to aspire to. We love seeing Ashish around and are always delighted to hear his stories.

Ashutosh Nandwana has been with us for a long time and has grown beautifully over the years. His ability to receive feedback and move on through struggles is an inspiration for all the volunteers. In his journey from “ME to WE,” he has now gone to next step and starting his new venture “SHARE A SMILE.” He makes us proud and gives everyone smiles.

Banwari Bhamaniya is one of our older volunteers, who has been coming on and off to PJI but is nevertheless a core part of the space. He is our Self Defense champion, and has taught many of us how to defend ourselves and mobilized youth through his self-defense workshops around Jaipur. With always a smile on his face and lots of passion for this place, he deserves much praise.

Bhavya Soni, one of the older volunteers, is always supportive and had been a backbone for PJI. He writes beautiful poetry, plays the fiddle expertly, and is really passionate about these and other talents. Soft spoken, he is always helping us with his creative thoughts.

Bhomik Jain’s quest to explore self and his desire to share that with all gives us a lot of excitement and knowledge. An adventurer, he is always open to new avenues. Though he studies engineering, he is a master of many other skills. A Khoji to the core, always exploring more!

Deepa Jhangyani is our interior designer, and has been working very hard to make the space livelier and prettier. She is a hardworking girl with a sweet smile always on her face, whatever happens. You see her everyday working to get funding and discussing the new design with volunteers. It has been a pleasure to have Deepa around, and we are looking forward to the renovation of the office.

Our Jolly Dolly wins our hearts with her smile. Her dedication and love gives us a lot of energy. She is Ssensitive to everyone’s need, soft spoken but with a determination to go on. One of the member of our Trimurthy gang who also takes PJI as her second home, she is someone everyone misses when she’s not around.

Gunjan Thakur is a bolt of lighting that comes into PJI and spreads smiles and laughter all around. With so much love and energy, Gunjan calls PJI her second home and this home is definitely incomplete without her. Her inquisitiveness is contagious. She is our Chota Bomb.

A true volunteer in the heart, Jaiveer Rathore brings a lot of joy and fun to PJI. He is always open to feedback and change. Jaiveer is a gem of a person, loving and friendly involving everyone around him. It has bee great seeing Jaiveer growing, becoming a leader, and discovering his newfound love for theatre. We look forward to seeing more of his plays and the growth of his Action Project PUKAAR!

Jimmy Potter has given us “ANOKHA MOKA” and brought Kabir and Kabir ke dohe into the space. He is a great singer and the best thing in him his willingness to accept and try out new things—for example, his fluency in Hindi. Every time Jimmy is in PJI he brings a lot of smiles and happiness.

Jitendra Sharma is a passionate singer and poet. He is wonderful at articulating life’s experiences in words and through music. PJI is full of his fans of his poetry and singing. Jitendra has been with us for a while and is always around to support us and be with us.

Joey Stromberg is from the U.S. and taken a year off to volunteer in India. Professionally he is a journalist and an environmentalist. Joey has been with us for the past year and has been a big support in keeping us updated on our Blog and FB. He has loved and lived India and PJI to the fullest. He is someone eager to learn new things and especially Hindi. He is a favorite of all in PJI.

Keshav Modi is Pravah’s computer champion, but his skills go far beyond. He is someone who knows a lot and is always there in PJI wherever required. A blossoming entrepreneur, Keshav is on the way to success already. We hope to continue seeing him and his creative ideas in PJI.

Krishna Kumar comes into PJI quietly and is always in his own way sensitive to all. He has been learning to play flute and we are looking forward to hearing him play.

Over the past six months, Maneesha Singh has become a central part of PJI and we are all so sad to see her go. Her friendliness, enthusiasm, and energy makes her a big sister figure to everyone at PJI. For planning exciting new events, meeting new volunteers, or being a leader to help the group overcome challenges, no one is better than Maneesha. We wish her the best of luck in Delhi and thank her for being such an amazing presence in PJI!

Meenu Pareek, a member of the CVU team, is a hard worker and very kind as well. Whenever we need anything in PJI Meenu is the person to ask and she strives to help everyone. She is our perfect resource person and a crucial part of the space.

Mohamad Khalil strives to change the future of his community through the lens of camera. He is always one of the first to meet all new volunteers with a smiling face and very passionate about filmmaking.

Praveen Garg is always courteous and one of the sweetest boys around. He is always ready to help and have fun. His help in our database renovation is worth applause. Off to become a teacher, he will be a great one with a lot of patience and love.

Rahul Aggarwal is new to PJI and is already seen frequently. He is someone who takes on new ventures and has all the skills to complete them. Rahul is always ready to help out and is a valuable part of the PJI crew.

Rahul Sharma is part of the CVU team and is one of the CPs who is closest to our volunteers. He is someone who is open to new ideas and a good learner. Always smiling and dancing, he brings in a lot of energy to PJI every day. He aspires to become a filmmaker, and his technical skills give him great potential for accomplishing his dream.

Rajesh Khotiya can be quiet, but when he speaks, he is very observant and provides very clear analysis of the discussion. He is a big asset for PJI. He wants to continue to work as a filmmaker and want to make documentaries on issues related to marginalized communities.

Ravi Saini is one of the oldest volunteers of Pravah and the most frequent. His newfound love for jewelry-making and ‘Kabaad se Jugaad’ shows his creativity and we love it. Ravi’s down to earth attitude and sensitivity towards all the volunteers make him a good friend to everyone.

Ritansh Pandey, our rapper, wins everyone’s heart wherever he goes. For him, rap is a passion, as is using his musical skills to address social issues. His journey is an inspiration for all the new volunteers, as he brings a different side of music to the table. His passion and dedication towards his music is mind-blowing. We hope to see him in PJI more often and have him teach us how to RAP!

Sangeeta Deshwal enters PJI every time with a determination to do something. Once she has a job—be it calling volunteers, or messaging about an event—we know it will be done. She has been with us for over a year and has always been a support to us in whatever way possible, constantly ready to take on more.

A singer and lyricist in making, we met Shivang Shukla during this year’s Fly Peace Campaign, and he won a lot of hearts through his singing. His simplicity and honesty is one of his strongest assets. Shivany is open to new ideas, and seeing him more often at PJI brings in fresh air for us.

Shivangi Dadhich is a breath of fresh air for PJI. Her energy lights up the space every time she visits. She is always enthusiastic to try and learn new things. Though she has been here for only a few months, she has become an integral part of PJI and takes full ownership of the place.

Shyam Bansal has been with us only a little while, but has already brought in a lot of energy to the space. His ability to take different initiatives and readiness makes him an invaluable part of PJI. He is always ready on call and brings in new ideas for the growth of PJI. Shyam is truly a passionate young man with a lot of potential.

Bubbly Sonia Yadav is someone you know if given responsibility will always get the job done done. She is always ready to volunteer for PJI and gives us the support to go on. She makes tasty Maggi and feeds all of us with love. Our happy-go-lucky girl is always ready to accept her challenges and is always positive.

By The Way (part 3)

2011-05-16T00:10:00.000-07:00

By The Way (part 3)

CONFUSION can lead us to solution. When we deeply think of a problem, we go into the bottom of it. Sometimes we realized our confusion is just nothing or if it’s real then why it has been raised. Sometimes this confusion combating struggles can force us take serious or disastrous or may not be disastrous steps in our lives. Again this disastrous word is also very confusing because whatever is disastrous for me might be good for someone else’s life or it’s just the matter of perception.

I thought to write about the confusions coming into young people’s lives how well or how not so well, they are dealing with it. “The Meenu” has decided to take a break from a confusing chapter of her life. “The Rajesh “and “The Rahul” are also winding up one confusing tale. “The Seema” has already taken big step and moved forward. It will be too early to say whether they ending a confusing tale or starting another. Well I always wish good luck to them.

But then suddenly a twist happened into the story. “The Rajesh “decided to stay back. I guess this is the heights of confusion.

It’s been 2 years since these young people have been working in a team of 6 people and making documentary films for community. They were seemed to be happy with their job roles. All of a sudden they felt off from this. The reason; I received confusing answers.

I tried to dig out the confusion and in the depth of this dark confusion there was an answer (or may not be an answer but something leading towards finding answer). This answer is a reflection for all of us who speak a lot on the welfare of underprivileged and marginalized people and pretend that they can change their lives.

These people came here having a dream in their eyes. It proved a fancy world to them. Before coming here they lived in their own world where everyone was equal to them. It’s a simple psychology that we relate with similar people who have similar set of life style and similar set of issues in their lives.

Then they came out of that nest and came among a different set of people and environment. It was proved a fancy world for them. They started liking it. Soon they started dreaming, that they can change theirs as well others’ lives by their work. A big dream to chase….. I’m not demoralizing such people by saying that, it’s just a practical statement.

Well, they really tried hard to make this dream come true. But external factors pulled them downwards. AND these external factors came from nowhere but from all of us who brag to be social workers. We really need to rethink how we treat these people. Are we making them see false dreams? Are we expecting too much of them? Are we forcing them to perform beyond their limitations? Are we considering them as investment commodities or simply whoever they are realistically?

Let’s be honest this time. Our own confusion can create confusions for others, the people who look up to us for inspiration.

By the way, it’s time for accepting that more than them, we are confused.

Ankita's Letter to PJI

2011-05-11T03:03:00.000-07:00

In my words, PJI is a space where there are no boundaries. It's an open space, and it's the world I've always dreamt of. Here, I live the way I want to. There are no restrictions, nothing positive or negative, no failure and no comparisons. PJI loves me the way I am and I don't have to be fake.

In my family, when I have to decide my goals, I have to think twice (thrice actually a number of times) and it keeps bugging me. And there are a lot of questions in my mind, like whether I have chosen the right path, if I will be able to follow it, and what my parents and family will say--will they be happy with my decision? A number of questions are due to the fear of failure.

But PJI is the family which has supported me and my goals and pushed me to go for the things I wanted. It has taught me that failure and victory are part of life, and given me courage to face the failure. With PJI, it has been a productive journey, teaching great lessons and introducing me to real life. I feel like I have spent a decade here.

Meenakshi Bhanj Deo is a mentor, a friend, and a mother figure. She’s the best lady I have ever met in my life. I really want this beautiful bond to go on till death. She’s open to ideas that are given to her, and has never made me feel like a fool. She always supports me for the ideas I have and I am really thankful to her for being so generous.

Whenever I used to speak my mind, people laughed at me. But Meenakshi saw the hidden part of me and pushed me to go forward, no matter whatever the result will be.

Maneesha a great mentor and is like a elder sister, who has always been supportive.

She taught me how to maintain stability in life and also to make a comfort zone between me and my parents. She’s just like a potter that keeps a supportive hand inside but a tough one outside so that the pot takes a good shape.

Amreen, I want to thank you for the love you given me. I admire the way you speak with volunteers. The softness and clarity in your speech and the way you make others understand things are remarkable.

This place has given me lots of good friends and the only thing I regret is joining it so late. I will miss every single person associated with PJI.

Gender Workshop

2011-05-10T02:56:00.000-07:00

PJI hosted an eye-opening workshop on gender, perceptions, and stereotypes yesterday. We were lucky enough to host a pair of young activists who designed this innovative program, Nandan Latwal and Sundeep Choudhary. They have also worked with the comMutiny Youth Collective and Pravah Delhi. About 20 PJI volunteers attended the session and came away with many new learnings and reflections on the topic.

The session started with participants being asked to express themselves on a sheet of paper, and then try doing so while imagining themselves to be another gender. Afterward, the workshop moved on to discussing various gender stereotypes with the use of creative short films on the topic.

We discussed what sorts of expectations and identities we are given as a result of our gender--things like, "you are a boy, so you should focus your career on earning for a family," or "you are a girl, so you can't stay out late or speak too loudly." We also got an education on the difference between gender and sexuality, the various genders that exist, and other clarifications on this important topic.

"In a place like Jaipur, where the gender issues are very untouched, it was actually very moving for us to see the individuals participating in the entire process," said Nandan. "It's a very serious issue, which is generally not talked about, so we should promote such efforts."

The volunteers who participated in the workshop learned a lot. Keshav Modi said that he had been unclear about different terms, including transgender, and understood better after the session. "I always thought boys are just lucky, but seeing the films and having spoken about the topic, I realize that there are expectations and difficulties for guys as well," said Shivangi Dadich during the workshop.

We want to thank Sundeep and Nandan for enlightening us on this topic and hope to continue engaging on this important issue in the future!

"My Body is My Weapon": Review of Le Mashale

2011-04-26T00:36:00.000-07:00

“Le Mashale” is unconventional, high on emotions, an out and out amazing rhetoric which initially takes the audience away from the closed theater dome to gracious lands of Manipur, thanks to the beautiful descant by artist about the natural beauty, people and culture of the this state in north-eastern part of India.

And in the later half, the very confident and talented actor swiftly changes the mood. Assembly of viewers walks down the roads of Manipur once again, but to everyone’s astonishment, this time they only see painful feminine screeches, small ponds of blood and unspeakably horrendous accounts of human-to-human abuse.

I feel there are 2 particular reasons for which “Le Mashale” befalls in the ‘must watch’ category:

A) It touches that part of India which may be politically integrated with the country, but certainly has a long way to go before it earns acceptance and brotherly affection from mainland India. The play also opens numerous chapters in life of Manipuris, including the sufferings as by-product of a draconian law named AFSPA. I believe this single play can be very important in initiating a much-delayed and much-needed country wide debate on whether AFSPA has any value in some North-east regions of India and could it be made a bit more flexible/liberal eyeing current situation.

B) Second reason is undoubtedly Ojas S.V., the lone actor of “Le Mashale.” In my 3 years of indulgence to theatrical drama, only few performances could move me. This was one. This young girl from Pune, with the backing of an unscribbled script, makes you believe in the end that you have observed life of Irom Sharmila at close hand, even if it’s only the first instance one has ever heard of her. (Personally the scene involving vigorous stuttering of newspaper portraying the plight of a tormented woman took me away completely.) I also sense that immense potential of soliloquy as a medium of drama is yet to be discovered by major theatrical stakeholders.

My regards to the Iron Lady of Manipur and wish she becomes Iron Lady of India too.

-Siddhant Nowlakha

Le Mashale Comes to Jaipur

2011-04-25T02:28:00.000-07:00

We have been lucky enough to host the performer Ojas as she has come to Jaipur to perform Le Mashale, her remarkable play about the famous activist Irom Sharmila and her decade-long fast to bring justice to Manipur.

The play is a one-person performance which uses drama, multimedia, and other elements to tell this important story. Irom Sharmila has been fasting for over ten years to protest the AFSPA and other unjust elements of the armed forces' actions in Manipur.

Ojas, a native of Pune, has been performed this play over 90 times, in all regions of India. She has spent the past week in Jaipur to spread this story and message to audiences throughout the city. PJI, in collaboration with PUCL, Sarthak, and Sangram has facilitated performances in IIIM, SWRC Tilonia, Sankskar School, JKK, MGD School, and SV Public School from April 22nd-25th. Jaiveer, Ashutosh, Abhishek, and Akshay worked intensively to make these performances possible.

The performance has generated rave reviews and taught many people new things about this important issue. Information about acts of violence and brutality by the Indian military has been spread in this innovative manner, and has led to many audience members adopting new viewpoints about the topic.

Ritansh Pandey, a PJI volunteer, said "The play was really nice and really touching. We got to many things about the northeast that we never knew before, things that are not covered by the media. We got to know the really inspiring and touching story of Irom Sharmila, and it inspired us to join hands for the movement."

PJI has also facilitated question-and-answer sessions and discussions with Ojas after many of the performances. These discussions have allowed audience members to learn even more about the conflict and better understand different aspects of the performance.

Visit to Gurudwara and Our Seva in Society

2011-04-18T22:44:00.000-07:00

A group of 15 PJI volunteers visited the Guru Nanak Pura Gurudwara in Raja Park last week, on April 14th, for the Sikh festival of Baisakhi! We joined crowds of attendees to perform seva, helping to prepare food and clean the cooking area. We also sat down for a langar, sharing a meal of roti, daal, sabji, and halvah with the hundreds of others in attendance.

After the visit, the group sat down for a discussion. Many volunteers talked about new experiences they had at the Gurudwara, and we all learned about the concepts and symbols of Sikhism. We spoke for a while about the ideas of seva and langar, and how these relate to the religion.

The discussion progressed towards the idea of looking at things that all religions share (like attitudes of service and sharing), and how this can sometimes be more important than just focusing on the differences between them. Very similar is a concept from the Self-Awareness Workshop--that we actually share 95% similarities in personality and ideas between people, but we spend so much time on just the 5% differences. This also led into a talk about how we can perform seva in society as a whole.

Our trip and discussion were very valuable in terms of learning new things and further exploring concepts that we've already known. PJI hopes to continue exploring diversity with sessions on different religions and other groups.

Deep Self-Awareness Workshop

2011-04-12T03:33:00.000-07:00

This Saturday and Sunday, 19 PJI volunteers took part in the Deep Self-Awareness workshop, doing activities to better understand deep questions about themselves and their path in life. The workshop was facilitated by PJI Director Meenakshi Bhanj Deo and Neha Buch, and was conducted at the University of Rajasthan in collaboration with the Department of Adult and Continuing Education. At the end of the two days, the participants had gone through an intensive process of self-reflection and sharing, coming together as a community and also going through the process of look at themselves.

The group was led through this journey through a number of activities such as discussions of paradoxes, individual inventories, and group sharing, and learned about topics such as fear, language, and assumptions we make about others. Participants made personal identity maps, looked at their personal systems for reaching their goals, and investigated themselves in many other innovative ways.

PJI volunteer Shyam Bansal said, "The workshop was a really effective tool to get to know self, because usually the poeple tend to ignore certain things in their life, but through the workshop we came closer to those things and we thought about them."

We also mixed fun with this reflective work, using dancing, music, and energizers to help build group cohesion and enjoy our time together.

Shashi Sai, director of the Department of Adult and Continuing Education, said "The modules were so intensive and so good that the students remained interested. And the small sessions to re-energize were really interesting. In all, the whole two day program was a great experience for the students and the department also."

We hope to continue this process of self-reflection going forward at PJI. Let us know what you thought of the workshop!

Bhangra at PJI!

2011-04-06T23:59:00.000-07:00

PJI held an Open Space meeting yesterday to learn Bhangra dancing from our facilitator and expert Mr. Tejpal Dhillon!

Around 30 members packed the cafe to learn some new steps and learn about Punjab from Tej and Maneesha. Tej is a Bhangra competitor who was brought up in the U.S. but has family roots in Punjab. He taught us all a number of Bhangra moves, told us about the origins of the dance style, and led us in dancing to his personal Bhangra tracks.

After the Bhangra, we sat together and learned a little about the state of Punjab from Tej and Maneesha. We also discussed upcoming PJI events and awarded certificates to all of those who donated blood as part of last month's "Save Life By a Drop" blood donation camp.

Thanks to Tej and everyone who came to make the event such a success. And let us know what you thought about the Bhangra!

Open Space on issue of Molestation

2011-03-30T00:49:00.000-07:00

PJI's Open Space was held on Tuesday on the issue of female molestation in India. Volunteers came to discuss this important issue, as well as watch a private screening of the film "Garima" on this topic, with a special discussion with the filmmaker Mr. Rajpal Singh. The members learned a lot about this issue and discussed many possible solutions for addressing it in the future.

The Open Space started with a screening of the 30-minute film which focuses on the topic of female molestation. Afterwards, Mr. Rajpal led a discussion of many different aspects of this issue: the role of media, the role of family and society, and various factors in the workplace. Additionally, we spoke about various causes that lead to this problem, and the different types of molestation (physical, mental) that can occur.

Other volunteers shared some of their own experiences dealing with this issue, and offered their own opinions. Some raised the concern that it is not always possible to stop this from happening whenever we see it, depending on the circumstances. We discussed more fundamental solutions, such as: females being more vocal about these issues, talking about the importance of this issue with small children, and male college students working to create a safety net around their female friends. One volunteer spoke about potentially starting an action project to educate people in her college about this issue, and others discussed researching the rules of judicial system.

Kabir Cafe!

2011-03-13T23:23:00.000-07:00

PJI hosted a Cafe Mohalla on the theme of the mystic poet Kabir's music and how it relates to self-development this past Saturday. The event was held in Deer Park, and over 30 volunteers came to learn about this subject, meditate, play games, and enjoy themselves on the beautiful day.

The cafe started with an hour of meditation led by local theater artist Asif Sher Alikhan, to help the members get into the mindset of intensive thought and self-reflection.

Afterward, Jimmy Potter and Jitendra Sharma used their musical talents to lead us through a number of Kabir's dohas, discussing how they can relate to self-development. They performed with instruments including drums, guitar, khadhtaal, thambura, and sitar. Some of the questions of self-development in the dohas included asking what we are, how we perceive the world around us, and what we want to do in life. Also, the concept of reflecting on and changing ourselves before we tell others how to change was stressed throughout the various songs performed.

At the end of the cafe, the PJI members played a variety of games, made some food together, and did some fun activities to cap off the day. The cafe was a wonderful mix of fun, discussion, and self-development. Thanks to all those who organized and took part in the day's activities!

Save Life By a Drop Blood Donation Camp

2011-03-02T21:12:00.000-08:00

PJI is hosting a "Save Life By a Drop" Blood Donation Camp this Sunday, March 6th!

We will be collecting blood donations for needy patients in Jaipur. About 60% of the Indian population is eligible to donate blood, and it takes roughly an hour in total, but few people do. Your generosity can mean the difference between life and death for many people in need.

The camp will be held at the PJI office at C-96 Jagraj Marg, Bapu Nagar, from 9 am to 2 pm. The event is held in collaboration with Santokba Durlabh Ji Hospital. If you are over the age of 18 and have not donated blood in the past few months, you are likely eligible. Please bring your friends, family, and anyone else interested in supporting this event!

Cafe Mohalla at LMNIIT Fest

2011-02-28T03:38:00.000-08:00

PJI held a Cafe Mohalla meet at the LMNIIT Vivacity 2011 Fest this past Sunday. Throughout the three-day event, PJI hosted a stall to promote visibility and tell new people about Pravah. On Sunday, roughly 20 volunteers came to host the cafe meeting.

As part of the Cafe, members played games such as snakes and ladders to help other students learn about active citizenship. They interacted with many students from colleges in Delhi, Laxmangarh, Punjab, many different colleges in Jaipur. Also, there was a street play about peace at different levels of society, to spread the message of peace to the audience at large.

The cafe was followed by a performance by PJI members Ritansh and Karan on the fests' main stage, and the group stayed to enjoy their energetic show. The Vivacity Fest was a great opportunity to engage with new students and spread the PJI message, and many expressed an interest in joining the group as well as signing up for the upcoming blood drive.

If you were a part of the Cafe, post a comment to let us know what you thought!

Opportunity Bank Updates

2011-02-22T00:02:00.000-08:00

Take a look at PJI's Online Opportunity Bank to learn about internships, fellowships, databases, and all sorts of other resources available to help you get involved in the development sector. The Young India Fellowship, for example, is a brand-new one year program designed to educate and develop young leaders to help solve social problems across India.

Access the database here!

Active Citizenship Cafe

2011-02-16T23:06:00.000-08:00

Cafe Mohalla gathered on 13 February outdoors next to Albert Hall for a cafe on the theme of active citizenship. A number of new members came out to learn about this concept and about PJI, and were welcomed into the community. We started out with games and energizers, to help everyone get to know each other and have a fun time.

The discussion on active citizenship was prompted by an active citizenship shopping game, where everyone sat in small groups with a number of cards with different statements on them. Each card described a different action, such as "I will start a literacy campaign for children," or "I will think about the consequences of my actions," or "I will try to understand others' points of view." The groups decided which card represented active citizenship most to them from each stack, and wrote down their reasons.

Afterward, the whole group got back together and had an intensive discussion and reflection about their choices. Some felt that we should "firstly change oneself, then only can we make change in society." But others thought that taking some action to help others is important, and should not wait for a long process and self-exploration. The discussion led to a heavy amount of reflection on what active citizenship means, especially as relates to self.

Bhomik next gave a short presentation on the concept of the "fifth space"--a space for youth separate from their normal responsibilities that provides a platform for self-exploration and active citizenship. We also hosted Jayesh and Amit Deshwal, who were visiting from Udaipur, and they gave a talk about Swaraj University, an alternate education community they are a part of, and Shikshantar an NGO that shares many of the same values. Afterwards, our guest Jimmy Potter delighted everyone by singing Kabir songs for those in attendance.

The cafe was organized by Bhomik, Amreen, Maneesha, Meenu, and Sonya, and about 35 people were in attendance. After all the discussions, we shared snacks and played games like frisbee and shuttle. The feedback was very positive overall, and many new members said that they become more informed about active citizenship and also were motivated to try to learn more about themselves.

Republic Day Cafe Mohalla with Radha Kant Saxena

2011-01-27T05:20:00.000-08:00

For Republic Day, Cafe Mohalla welcomed many new members to listen to Radha Kant Saxena, the retired Director General of Rajasthan Police prisons and current Vice President of the Peoples Union for Civil Liberties. Mr. Saxena is a tireless advocate for reform of the criminal justice system, and he generously shared many of his personal experiences and views with the group to raise awareness of this important issue.

In keeping with the holiday, he centered his talk around the constitution's rights and duties towards Indian citizens. He spoke about the frequent corruption of justice seen throughout the nation today, and shared some personal stories highlighting this issue, as well as corruption in politics as a whole.

Mr. Saxena's session was also highly inspirational, as he described his faith in today's youth to tackle this problem and move the country forward on this issue. The Right To Information Act, among other tools, is essential in bringing government officials to respect their duties towards normal citizens. Perhaps most importantly, as Mr. Saxena said in reference to making progress on any social issue, "In each of us there is a Mother Teresa, it is just up to us to have the courage to live our life in that way."

Afterward, we had a question-and-answer session, and a discussion led by Meenakshi and Richa of how to bring these values into our everyday lives. Volunteers shared their own stories, with Aditi speaking about her experience working on education, and Siddhant sharing on how his views of reservations changed when he saw the other side of the story. Saurab spoke about he and other students from MNIT started an NGO called Utthan that works to educate physically and mentally challenged children.

Lastly, there was an informal chat with a group of Global Exchange Volunteers from the UK and India who are working in a village in Tiloniya, Urmul, near Jaipur, and a session explaining Cafe Mohalla and PJI to all new members. Afterward, we shared snacks and played a game of frisbee. Jaiveer announced his new action project,"Pukar--The Unheard Voices", which will document how the lives of people have been changed since the Jaipur bomb blasts of 2008. Anyone interested in being a part of this project can contact Jaiveer or attend the first meeting on Feb. 2nd at 1 pm.

In all, the Republic Day Cafe was a huge success. Bhaumik, Sunil, and Meenu worked to organize all the activities, and over 50 people were in attendance.

18 months of Community video unit team in PJI

2011-01-16T20:51:00.000-08:00

Pravah Jaipur initiative is a youth development organization that facilitates the leadership journey of young people through experiential learning.
The nature of work inspired Pravah to take up Community Video as one of its programme and Aaina TV came into the existence in 2009.

Aaina TV: Through this unit Pravah Jaipur Initiative (PJI) is trying to bridge the gap between the youth from the marginalized section of the society and the urban youth.

Through this CVU Pravah, Jaipur has trained local community members in community video production. The Community Video Unit (CVU) comprises of 6 community members who are trained as full-time Community Video Producers. They are between the age of 18 to 30.They have produced 4 "video Magazines" on different social issues like road safety, water and active citizenship. The team robustly feels that video is a tool for them to expand scale and reach, promote awareness and information, and to enable communities to advocate and negotiate with relevant authorities.

Brief about producers

1.Seema Gupta – After joining the CVU team and working as a producer, she can feel the change in herself. She feels that now she has started thinking, developing her own point of view. As she herself said “Most importantly, I have started working for others also, which provides me great satisfaction.” She wishes to create another CVU in her community and train youth in community video.

2.Meenu Pareek After being ill-treated in her own house she finds strength in her work at the CVU. She wants to continue making films on issues to become a change maker in her community.

3.Abhishek Chanwaria studying in class 12^th and making films on social issues gives him immense confidence. Once a shy guy, he express himself very confidently now. He is always ready to learn new software - whether it’s from his trainer or a volunteer visiting Pravah. He loves that after he joined the CVU, his community sees him in a new light – takes him more seriously.

4.Mohammad Khalil: He used cut and polish gemstones before. But he loves being part of the CVU and feels lucky to have learnt filmmaking. He wants to change the future of his community through the lens of camera.

5.Rahul Sharma: Technically the sharpest of the group. He wants to become a filmmaker himself.

6.Rajesh Kumar: Once an extremely shy person, Rajesh has grown as an individual during his stints at the CVU. He is part of every screening and takes the initiative in conducting post screening discussions. He wants to continue to work as a film maker and want to make documentaries on issues related to marginalized communities.

Assessment:

The community producers at Aaina T.V. are a young and energetic group. They have lived in Jaipur and thus were exposed to the medium even before they joined Aaina T.V. Thus they are technically quite strong and have understood the medium well.

Pravah Jaipur Initiative was at a nascent stage when the CVU was formed. The producers were selected from the community based on their interest. But from the very beginning all the producers participated in all the other programmes in Pravah. This gave them a strong base to overcome their inhibitions as well as an opportunity to learn new things apart from their regular training. In the last eighteen months they have learnt to make radio spots, mime, theatre and thus Pravah also feels that CVU is a useful tool for their overall communication activities.

Innovation by the group

For increased community mobilization Aaina T.V. would make small radio spots on social issues like RTI, active citizenship etc. and would then play it on the loud speakers. This not only attracted a large crowd but kept it interested as each time they would come up with a new idea/style for audio spot. They even use this opportunity to promote and discuss the theme/date of their films.

Impact: Aaina T.V was an integral part of Pravah and they participated in all of Pravah’s other programs wholeheartedly. Since Pravah was also at a nascent stage when CVU was formed, Aaina T.V. helped Pravah to set its roots in Jaipur. Four films were made by Aaina T.V. and their impacts were:

Ek Pehal badlav ki: A film on environment- on growing trees: kicked off a campaign on tree plantation in some areas. Not only did the residents participate in this campaign but one of them also volunteered to get tree guards for the planted trees and took responsibility of maintaining the plants.
Since Aaina T.V. actively participated in Pravah’s other programs, during one such meeting in the slum, women approached the producers and spoke about the issue of aggressive alcoholism in their areas and the devastation that it has caused. They urged Aaina T.V. members to make a film on it. Thus the community not only treated the CVU as their voice but actively participated in it.
After a film on water conservation “Jaldhara Jeevandhara” one of the community members – actually took the initiative and constructed a rain water harvesting structure in his house.

Challenges faced:

Pravah had a full time trainer and were happy with the skill level of their producers. The biggest challenge that Pravah faces now is the sustainability of these producers and the CVU. We spoke about producers taking up small documentation films, but with cut throat competition in Jaipur they seemed skeptical about it. It was also suggested that this team could be converted into a documentation unit of Pravah wherein they would document Pravah’s programmes as well as approach other NGOs to do their documentation.

Fly Peace Kites makes an impact

2011-01-09T22:21:00.000-08:00

PJI's Fly Peace Kites Campaign has been a huge success over the past weekend, as the campaign has visited different colleges, NGOs, and public spaces around Jaipur, and young people in attendance have taken notice of this creative campaign for peace. Through theater, music, kite flying, and other innovative mediums, the volunteer group has effectively started a conversation about peace in society among thousands of young people in the city.

With recent visits to Maharani College, ICG, MNIT, LBS College, Guarav Towers, and Faith NGO, large crowds have come to enjoy the different parts of the event. The street theater skit, which is about the meaning of peace among each different level of society, including the home and family, has been a huge hit. The original compositions by Ritansh, Shevang, and Karan also took the message of peace and explored it through experimentation and mixing of different genres, and their performances have been a big hit at every venue.

The use of kites to spread this message has been a big success as well, as thousands of kites with different peace messages have been written and flown around Jaipur. The PJI campaigners have used the kites to provoke thought about this complicated topic and record the thoughts of many young people from different backgrounds and communities.

We invite you to join us as this campaign continues at Umang NGO and IIRM tomorrow, for the final day. The event at IIRM will be from 1 to 3 pm. Come and be a part of the movement towards peace!

Fly Peace Campaign!

2011-01-06T02:10:00.000-08:00

PJI's Fly Peace Campaign was kicked off today with a pair of events at Rajasthan School of Art and Sanjay Teacher's Training College! Hundreds of students were in attendance at both events, and the crowds thoroughly enjoyed the musical performances, theater skits, and kite flying activities.

At the Raj. School of Art in Kishan Pole Bazaar, the Fly Peace Campaign event was up on the roof. It was inaugurated with a speech by local artist Ekeshwar Hatwal, who decorated scores of kites with his sketches and designs centered on the concept of peace and other social issues. Afterward, we were treated to performances by Ritansh who rapped 'Teen Bandir', and Shevang, who sang 'Jai Guru Dev' and played guitar. Next was a theater performance by our very own volunteers, and an hour of kite flying from the roof.

At STTC, the event was repeated but with different songs performed, and Ritansh and Karan together mixed rap and classical in their original song 'We are like Free Birds.' The crowd really got into it, and also appreciated the anchoring by Maneesha and Pritika.

The campaign continues tomorrow with a visit to Maharani College at 11 am. Come check it out!

Christmas at Pravah

2010-12-26T23:08:00.000-08:00

On Christmas, Cafe Mohalla celebrated the Christmas spirit by hosting a cafe session on the topic of waste and waste collection in India. The volunteers gathered together to meet a group of young waste collectors, who were befriended by Priyanka and Sonam.

The cafe started out with the volunteers playing games and relay races with our young friends. After getting to know them, we sat together to watch the short films Until Kids with Raghu Dixit and Wasted, which explored the social issues related to waste disposal in India. Through conversations with the children and watching the films, the volunteers sought to gain an inside look into how waste affects people's lives.

Afterwards, the group had an intensive discussion about the topic. Volunteers spoke about potential solutions, and tried to decide how exactly we should view the profession of waste collecting in our society. We also discussed how to balance work and education for children who have the obligation to support their families.

At the end, we all got together for a Christmas party, with idli, sambar, and candies from our own personal Santa Claus. The volunteers collected donations of clothing and other gifts, and gave them to the children for the festival.

Charu's Change Journey in Pravah

2010-12-23T00:16:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been more than one and a half years now since I joined Pravah. Its been an absolutely amazing journey. PJI is not just a normal meeting place, not just as NGO for me. It's more like a family in which I've grown up over time.

When i joined in July 2008, I had no clue that getting associated with Pravah would change my life 180 degrees. Before I joined, I actually had no idea of what I wanted from my life--I was a girl who was ignorant of the real life, having some kind of dissatisfaction. But when i joined, I actually met beautiful people, people who are not just friends with whom you sit and have fun, but friends from whom you learn every time.

At PJI, I learned how to be with different kinds of people, because everybody came from absolutely different backgrounds. It provided me with an amazing platform to express what I feel and what I think, and to think about things which I had never bothered to give my time. Pravah boosted my self confidence, which I had lost a long time back.

This is how my journey with Pravah started, and gradually over time Pravah became my family, a family which has been a support to me in everything I want to do--whether it was providing aid to convert my ideas into realities, or supporting me to start my own group called Pahal, which works on environmental pollution, or to get associated with the NGO Faith where I volunteer. Over time, through Pravah I got in touch with other organizations, strengthening my bond with Pravah.

My association with Pravah has not just changed me, but also the outlook of people towards me. The contributions of Pravah are quite apparent in me when I got into a big organisation like NTPC for my training, and proved myself by getting the highest marks in my panel interview. The most important thing that i got from Pravah was the concept of networking, since it gave me ample opportunities to meet people who are masters in their own field.

After getting involved with Pravah, doors of opportunity have opened for me. In a sentence, Pravah is the best thing that has ever happened to me, and its only because of Pravah that today I know what I want to do in my life. Thanks to Pravah for being my family throughout my stay here in Jaipur, where I am so far away from my family.

Charu Jhalani

Amreen's Pravah Journey

2010-12-22T01:26:00.000-08:00

Life is a journey which is full of different and unforgettable moments and experiences. Some are good, some are bad but no matter what is the kind they always teach us new lessons and motivate us to do new and adventurous things. The time which I spent in Pravah Jaipur initiative was the most memorable and life giving. I learnt the importance of being an active listener and its impact on others. Apart from this it’s necessary to have an insight about our own self….who I am? “What I will do in my future?” “How I will handle my conflicts?” The space provides me friends, skills and knowledge and a thinking process which will definitely help me out in my future. I call pji my second home because it’s the place which gives me motivation, support and relationships which will always remain with me….. I find peace and satisfaction while working at PJI as it is such a fun filled place. I can connect to people at the same level, and have really discovered my own little space here which apparently everybody respects. I have become more confident and outward going than before. I can speak in public without fear and really enjoy the discussions over the various issues. I learnt the various ground rules which make one as an effective team member and a better listener. I attributes to the ‘no boss’ culture at the Pravah Jaipur Initiative. This home was with me in my hard as well good time, always providing me care, love and support to move ahead in my life positively.

My first workshop with pravah was in may 2008, I remembered my first day when I entered the krishanayan (jawahar kala kendra) with loads of hesitation confusion and loneliness which were my only friends since 3 year…….but the coming 5 day of the workshop were the best days of my life or I should called them the turning point of my life……..I met so many new people , interacted with them and after the workshop I have a bunch of friends who has no doubt replaced my old friends (hesitation, confusion and loneliness).The time I had spent with neha, vivek ,meenakshi, richa, cvu unit and volunteers filled my life with energy, enthusiasm and synergy. No matter how much I thanked these people, the words always remain less. Their presence in pji always gives a motivation to do more and achieve more.

I remembered when I often get those dreams of running in black hollow tunnel….couldn’t able to see, feel and decide……where to go, where to start………these thoughts were making me mad…….demotivating and ruining my own self……but suddenly came a ray of light, guiding me to explore myself, enabling me to stand and share my views about the world around me. Pravah act as a spark which ignites in me, the power to make changes and the first change which I did is in me……reacting less and listening to people around me. Isn’t it great? Yes it is great when you start getting feedback that you did a great job amreen…..I love these feedbacks after all I am an human beings…..and trust me this breed crave for positive strokes. It’s the first time in my whole life when I found a place where people are identified by their talents and positive qualities in spite of in things they are bad at……….so coming to pravah was like a rebirth for me…….every thing a did at pravah made me more confident and knowledgeable and helps me in moving ahead.

While working with pji, the most significant celebrations were youth festival 2009, sessions in umang and my action project “LETS POST ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP”.the process of managing and organizing youth festival was a learning experience which helped me in enhancing my skill as a leader and also made me more passionate to work in development sector. The education programme with joe in umaang made me more close to those children. It exposes me to the problems and situations that they have to face in their day to day life. I feel overwhelmed sometimes at hoe well the children respond to the work. I love being with them and felt that a really amazing bonding was formed between me and the group.

Finally comes the time for my action project, one of the best thing ever happened in my life which gave me confidence to lead and prove myself as a leader. Initially my nervousness was up to the peak about the sessions but meenakshi and richa were a great support. All the session went well and I felt like i was climbing a mountain and reached half of it. Now the anxiety is lessen but still half way was left. But after till middle I got the courage to move ahead and I did it……I successfully did the blood donation camp with the help of lovely people around me. In the end I learnt a lesson, while climbing we need three important things – water bottle, trekking shoes and a bag of utilities. For me, here the water bottle was my will power, trekking shoes was pravah and a bag of utilities were my family and friends.

The journey with pravah was full of responsibilities and challenges, I think these two things runs parallel and challenges make us more strong and capable. The first challenge while working was to be calm…. my short tempera often creates tensions for my own self. Second was convincing my own parents to support me in whatever I am doing……..trust me it was the toughest thing to do. And one day the miracle happens, my mom said – I will join pravah after my retirement. And about my tempera, now I acted calmly in many situations and while working too……………

Pravah provide me a set of skills which are helping me in present counseling course. I am dealing with my clients with full patience, open mindedness. Now I tend to react less and dealing people calmly. The acquired positive attitude is influencing my life personally and professionally.

When I was a child, my grandfather told me the importance of balance in life but that was just theoretical, in reality I have practiced it actually during my journey with pravah. I tried to maintain the balance between home and office. The time spent in pravah was one of the bests, energetic and lively. Leaving pravah wasn’t easy for me but I know it was not an end, it was a new beginning……A BEGINNING FOR A NEW LIFE WITH NEW CELEBRATIONS, LEARNINGS AND CHALLENGES……and this time I am completely prepared for it……………

Few lines I can quote for this lovely journey –“ maine yaha zindagi ko dekha, is nafrato ke sheher me, pyaar se bhara ek ghar dekha , Deeware jiski hatheliyon si komal, darwazo ko baaho sa khulte dekha , farsh pe maa ki goud si thandak, or khidkiyon ko intezaar me jhulte dekha i…………..logo….maine phr apne ghar sa, ek ghar dekha ”

FROM

AMREEN

Taaza Khabar: PJI Walks with Altaf Bhat Chisti

2010-12-13T00:51:00.000-08:00

PJI Volunteers joined activist Altaf Bhat Chisti in his journey for peace this past Friday. After a number thought-provoking discussions with the Kashmiri native--who is walking from Mumbai to Delhi to campaign for peace in the Kashmir Valley--a number of PJI volunteers decided to walk a few kilometers alongside him, from Johari Bazaar to Lal Mahal in Jaipur city.

Altaf was 18 years old when he was picked up by terrorist groups and sent to a terrorist training camp in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Three months later, upon returning, he laid down his AK-47 on the border and decided to devote his life to peace. Despite facing harassment from Indian officials and serving jail time for his past activities, he still continues to believe peace is the way forward for Kashmir, and works to spread this message everyday.

Around 15 PJI volunteers walked with Altaf after hearing his story. They marched together, continuing the peace campaign and working to make sure their voices are heard.

Keshav Modi, a volunteer, said "From Altaf, I came to learn many things about Kashmir, and the problems people face in Kashmir. Previously, I had only known one side of the story about BSF, but Altaf showed me the other face too, the many instances of cruelty. After learning from Altaf, I felt I wanted to do something for the Kashmiri people, so I walked with him"

Many other volunteers felt the same way. They want to make sure that the stories of actual Kashmiris like Altaf are heard, so India can address this issue in an open dialogue and find a peaceful way forward.

Taazaa Khabar: Conversation with Mohammed Altaf Bhat Chisti

2010-12-08T23:23:00.000-08:00

Mohammed Altaf Bhat Chisti visited PJI yesterday to share his remarkable story and a conversation with the volunteers about issues relating to his native Kashmir. He is in the middle of a peace march from Mumbai to Delhi, to spread the message of peace in Kashmir, and we had the opportunity to learn a great deal from his personal journey and transformation.

Altaf grew up in Kashmir, and at age 18, joined Al-umar-mazuhidin, a terrorist training organization in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. After training for 3 months, he returned to his native place and realized that using violence is not the right way to bring peace to the region. He now believes that no religion or community has the right to kill innocent people, and using terrorism as a political strategy is against humanity, religion, and law.

Since his transformation, he has worked to promote a message of peace in Jammu and Kashmir. He worked as a freelance journalist in the state for two years, but was arrested by the Border Security Force and sentenced to two years in jail. Even after being kept in Trinaga Central Jail and receiving cruel beatings by officials, he still believes peace is the way forward for the community that lives in Kashmir.

To promote this idea, he began his peace march from Mumbai on the 23rd of September, and has had conversations about these issues with people he meets along the way. He wants more people to know the real face of the Kashmiri people--what they feel and think, and what their issues and views really are.

He stopped by PJI for a tremendous conversation yesterday with around 25 volunteers, telling his story and answering countless questions. Volunteers asked about a wide range of subject: why many Kashmiri people don't want to be a citizens of an Indian state, what problems result from army occupation, and why the border is porous to terrorists. We learned a great deal about the reality of life in Kashmir, and Altaf's message for the way forward in this troubled region.

All are invited to accompany Altaf for the first kilometer of his walk to Delhi on Friday! Please meet at 2 pm, at Jama Mazid Johari Baazar. We will gather and join this heroic figure in spreading a message of peace.

Meet the 2010 Youth Changemakers

2010-12-01T22:23:00.000-08:00

In celebrating the 2010 Jashn-e-Jaipur Youth Jumbish last week, we gave awards to 9 remarkable groups and individuals who have engaged in active citizenship and made contributions to social issues.

They are:

Jaiprakash Aajad
After regularly donating blood for the past three years, Jai established a youth group in his home village of Nila, in Jumba Rangand, and encouraged others to donate together. He also helps children from BPL families afford the cost of uniforms and books in pursuing education. He envisions a future where no one will suffer from a lack of blood in hospitals.

Aditi Chouhan
A B.A. student at Maharani College, Aditi works with the NGO Sidart to promote female empowerment and education. She has conducted awareness programs around women's rights and HIV/AIDS, and strives to help girls from BPL families get scholarships to attend school. Aditi says that she plans on continuously working for women and girls at every level of society.

Amaa Prith Kaur
Amaa works with Aadhar Parivar Seva to spread awareness of disease and education. After facing problems in her home life, she took responsibility by learning stitching, taking care of financial responsibilities, and inspiring others to get involved. She has assisted with the Badh Shiksha Samiti program on the issue of education.

Ashok Kumar Mahavar
Ashok also works with Aadhar Parivar Seva to spread awareness, by eradicating myths and misconceptions about HIV/AIDS. He established a theater group that travels to bastis and local communities to raise awareness around this issue.

G21
G21 stands for Grouped into One, and is a student group from MNIT. After coming together to actively address quality and hygiene in their canteen, they broadened the group's goals and started a tree-planting program, as well as a tricycle donation program to people with disabilities.

Dusra Dashak
Dusra Dashak's Pindwana Program was awarded for its exceptional work on controversial issues with tribal communities. Controversial rituals such as kheemch wedding selections, dhudhan, and dayan are the topics of education campaigns and other programs by this organization.

Rashmi Patel

Rashmi is a theater artist who uses this integral medium for addressing social welfare. She is associated with the Rajasthan School of Theater, and has worked on a mass awareness program using theater for the past five years. She brings the program to local communities and also performs at JKK.

Yagyatosh Bagriya
Yagya works with Help in Suffering to rescue injured and neglected animals, and has devoted his life to animal welfare. He frequently finds injured animals and delivers them to the NGO. He also aims to inform people about the importance of animal well-being.

Suresh Bairwa
After recieving life-skill training from Dusra Dashak and working on his own problems, Suresh has inspired many towards the goal of social welfare. He spreads awareness around topics such as health, education, and sanitation, and has also dealt with issues such as illiteracy and alcoholism.

Internships/fellowships/other opportunities

2010-11-28T21:30:00.000-08:00

If you’re looking for a fellowship, internship, or volunteer position in a variety of areas that relate to development or active citizenship, take a look at this list of opportunities available:

Fellowships

Teach for India
“Teach For India is a nationwide movement of outstanding college graduates and young professionals who will commit two-years to teach full-time in under resourced schools and who will become lifelong leaders working from within various sectors toward the pursuit of equity in education.”
Specifics: 2 year commitment as a Teaching Fellow in an underserved English-medium primary school in Mumbai or Pune. Includes training summer, monthly stipend
Qualifications: Young professionals working full time OR students in final year of undergraduate or postgraduate degree; Excellent academic record; fluency in English; age 20-35; leadership skills, communication skills, ability to take on challenges
Application Deadlines: 10 October, 2010 (early), 28 November, 2010 (regular), 9 January, 2011 (final).

Indicorps
“Each year, Indicorps selects young professionals of Indian origin for one and two year service fellowships with grassroots service organizations in India.”
Specifics: 1 or 2 year commitment to work at an NGO, fellows apply to projects in their area of interest, includes month of orientation and period workshops. Includes living stipend to cover room, board, and fellowship-related travel.
Qualifications: Person of Indian origin; University degree OR five years work experience; interest in dedicated service and personal growth; visionary, passionate, and qualified for their particular project choice
Application Deadline: 15 August, 2011

SBI Youth For India
“Providing educated Indian youth with an opportunity to touch lives and create positive change at the grass root level in rural India.”
Specifics: one year placement at a rural NGO to work on social issues and aim for rural development on a specific project; includes stipend for living expenses
Qualifications: Indian citizenship, age 21-35, college graduate; motivated, successful candidate with passion for development work; demonstrated initiative and leadership potential in past
Application Deadline: 31 December, 2010

Ashoka Fellowship
“Ashoka Fellows are leading social entrepreneurs who we recognize to have innovative solutions to social problems and the potential to change patterns across society.”
Specifics: The fellowship program provides support to social entrepreneurs who are currently implementing a new social program, campaign, or organization.
Qualifications: Ashoka selects fellows that are exceptional social entrepreneurs, with a remarkable new and creative idea that will achieve social impact.
Application Deadline: fellows must be nominated by someone who believes they merit an Ashoka Fellowship; the nomination process can be started by emailing Ashoka’s India representative at Solomon Prakash at sprakash@ashoka.org

Deshpande Fellowship
“The Deshpande Fellowship Program consists of a seven-month program geared towards providing a budding batch of social entrepreneurs with the skills they need to create positive change in society.”
Specifics: The fellowship program provides training and hands-on learning experiences to social entrepreneurs over seven months; training takes place in Northwest Karnataka; includes salary of Rs. 10,000 per month
Qualifications: desire to create lasting social change; between 23-28 years of age; graduate or post-graduate degree; at least 6 months work experience in the development sector
Application Deadline: November 10, 2010

Internships/Volunteer Positions

EduCARE India
“EduCARE-India, a non-profit NGO, having hosted more than 100 interns and volunteers in the recent years, has developed a number of positions for international internship and volunteer work in India with a focus on several core areas of community education, development and welfare work.”
Specifics: EduCARE is based in Chandigarh, Punjab, and lists a number of internships and volunteer opportunities.

Pravah Delhi’s Rural Internship
Pravah Delhi’s SMILE (Students’ Mobilization Initiative for Learning through Exposure) program provides an opportunity to learn through an experience serving with a grassroots organization or movement in a rural area. Pravah is partnered with over 30 organizations across India. The internship includes a 3 day orientation, a 3-4 week internship period, and a 2 day feedback camp with other interns.
Specifics: The internship is for a period of one month, and includes a fee of Rs. 4000/-
Apply: contact or send application form to astha.gupta@pravah.org or 011-40505743

Resource Databases
Indiserve
Indiserve is a database of various NGOs and grassroots organizations throughout India actively seeking volunteers and interns. Each listing specifies qualifications, specific projects to be worked on, length of internship, and other information.

Idealist
Idealist is an international search engine for jobs, volunteer opportunities, internships, fellowships, campaigns, and other resources in the development and NGO sector.

College Project
College Project is a database for Indian college students searching for projects, internships, or corporate practical placements needed for their degrees, separated by degree type.

What A Jumbish!

2010-11-24T02:01:00.000-08:00

PJI's annual Jashn-e-Jaipur Youth Jumbish this Saturday was an event to be remembered. Hundreds of students and young people came to participate in the events and take in a fantastic day of live music, theatre, empowerment, and active citizenship.

In the morning, the bands Makeshift and Zenith started with an amazing atmosphere in Krishnayan Theatre at JKK, and kept the level of energy going throughout the day. Out in the atrium and in Rangayan Theatre, our partner NGO Umang held presentations, games, and shows about the theme of disability, and on the national campaign Badhte Kadam, which promotes the inclusion of individuals with disabilities in society.

After the bands, the Kula Manch team performed a play that looked at a number of social issues: alcoholism, domestic abuse, government corruptions, police violence, blood donation, and child labor. The discussion afterward was about the role of active citizenship in these areas, and many members of the audience shared their views.

Plays, skits, dances, songs, and poetry by Zenith, groups from LBS College, MNIT, Maharai College, Dusra Dashak, Taabar, Help in Suffering, and Aadhar captivated the crowds in Krishnayam throughout the afternoon. Topics included road safety, gender, animal welfare, environment, alcoholism and drug abuse.

Towards the end, performances by Zenith and Makeshit, along with the classical-rap mix of MVC brought the Jumbish to a climax, with the crowds dancing and chanting for encores after each song. A huge number of youth had come to JKK and enjoyed the entertainment, energy, and passion towards active citizenship shown by all the performers. The festival was capped off by a slideshow of Pravah volunteers and everyone involved in planning the Jumbish.

Of course, the presentations of the 2010 Youth Changemaker Awards were some of the festival's biggest highlights. A remarkable batch of changemakers were honored with the award. They were: Jaiprakash Aajad, who has promoted blood donation and education in his village; Aditi Chaumaan, who works for the rights of women and young girls; Amanpreeth Kaur and Ashok Kumar Mahaavar, who work with the NGO Aadhar to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS and education; G21, a group from MNIT that has worked on tree-planting and disability campaigns, Dusra Dashak, an NGO that has worked to empower girls and eradicate controversial practices in tribal groups; Rashim Patel, who has used theater as a tool towards social welfare; Yagyatosh Bagaria, who works towards animal welfare and frequently brings injured animals to a shelter; and Suresh Bairwa, who has educated his community on issues such as health, education, and sanitation.

More to come in the upcoming days highlighting the award winners, the specific bands and acts, lots more photos, and all other info from the Jumbish!

2 Days left: Visiting JKK

2010-11-17T23:05:00.000-08:00

The coordination team visits the Krishnayam Theatre at Jawahar Kala Kendra

Talking through the design of the festival

Enjoying coffee and tea in JKK's coffee house

The fine arts volunteers wrapping up some excellent work

4 Days Left!

2010-11-16T00:27:00.000-08:00

Jitendre making some decorations

Sorting heaps of kabaad se jugaad

Volunteers from Fine Arts department working on a banner

Everybody's driving each other crazy!

Youth Jumbish Only 5 Days Away!

2010-11-15T04:03:00.000-08:00

The Jashn-e-Jaipur Youth Jumbish Festival is only 5 days away! And the Kula Manch Team is getting ever closer to finalizing plans and having everything ready for the big day. We've already had some coverage in DNA, Dainik Bhaskar, and promotion on MyFM. And here are some pictures of the team discussing details, rehearsing performances, and making all the "kabaar se jugaar" favors to be included in each kit. Get ready.

Kula Manch Team learns as it plans Youth Festival

2010-11-10T22:38:00.000-08:00

The Kula Manch team, while planning for and designing the upcoming Youth Jumbish Festival on November 20th, is also going through a process of learning and self-development about the topic of active citizenship.

Yesterday, the team rehearsed their plays and skits on a number of social issues: domestic violence, alcohol abuse, government corruptions, police violence, blood donation, and child labor. These will be performed at the festival to educate and provoke conversation. The group then discussed how the issues related to the concept of "active citizenship"--how exactly, in these situations, they could play a role as active citizens.

The discussion moved towards the idea that active citizenship can often mean something much bigger than typically thought--it can be much more than social service or working in the NGO sector. Oftentimes, being an active citizen is about self-development and becoming more aware of one's own actions. An example was mentioned: what about a teacher who pursues extra training and research about educational methods? He is developing his own skill set, but many felt that he is also an example of active citizenship.

The issue of child labor was also examined from both sides. It's very common, for example, many argue that it is wrong in all cases, but very few offer practical solutions. For many children, not working means not being able to eat. Just telling them to go to school doesn't lead to an actual resolution. So what is the next step? People offered a number of creative solutions--maybe it could be some sort of vocational training, which would enable kids to move on to a better life at some point without a formal education.

Later, others spoke about how active citizenship fits into their own personal conflicts. In many places, females are under pressure to marry and have children at a young age, when they still want to pursue education. How can they, along with their families, serve as active citizens in this situation? Similarly, many are pressured to choose a career that is high-paying, instead of following their passions in life. Conflict within personal relationships can be a significant part of being an active citizen via developing one's own self.

As they are finding out, planning the Youth Jumbish Festival is as much about the process as the result. For the Kula Manch team, teaching others about active citizenship requires for them to look inside and examine how they can be active citizens themselves.

Youth Jumbish Team Hard at Work

2010-11-07T20:16:00.000-08:00

The planning team for this year's Jashn-e-Jaipur Youth Jumbish Festival is hard at work! They've been working on the design for the festival, reaching out to partner NGOs and colleges for collaboration, and securing official sponsors for the show. Get ready for great performances by local Jaipur youth bands and other groups. Here are a few pictures of the team in action:

And remember, if you have any nominations for the annual Youth Changemaker Awards, please download this form and submit it to richa.sharma@pravah.org

Taazaa Khabar: Oct 17-24

2010-10-26T22:20:00.000-07:00

This past week at PJI we hosted a Peer Educators Workshop on HIV in collaboration with the University of Rajasthan's Department of Adult and Continuing Education. We worked with 69 participants from the university to raise awareness of the HIV issue, help educate about the details, and enable young people to serve as peer educators to further spread knowledge about this disease.

HIV and AIDS are important social issues facing India, but a surprisingly large amount of educated young people lack crucial knowledge about these health concerns. The foremost goal of the workshop was to allow expert facilitators such as Mr. Pradeep Chaudhary, Ms. Kavita A. Verma, Ms. Mona Balani, and Ms. Neelima to share their knowledge about HIV with participants and dispel many of the myths associated with the disease. The workshop also included acting out HIV scenario role plays, discussions of HIV services available in Rajasthan, and talks about the various stigmas and discrimination faced by HIV-positive individuals. The potential role of youth volunteers in HIV prevention programs was an important component of empowering the participants to play an active role in solving this enormous social issue.

Coordinator Richa Sharma felt the workshop was a big success in raising the knowledge level about HIV/AIDS. "The participants had never talked about AIDS/HIV issues, so the biggest achievement was that they spoke about the issue and they raised their concerns and questions. Most of them were bachelor of education students, and they are the future teachers, so it was nice to answer their queries and they understood their responsibility to educate more people about HIV/AIDS."

The workshop included a pre-test and a post-test to evaluate the participants' existing knowledge of HIV and how much the activities were able to improve from this base. The participants demonstrated much improved knowledge about misconceptions and facts regarding the HIV issue.

Jumbish Youth Festival: Nov 20

2010-10-18T03:24:00.000-07:00

PJI will be holding its annual Jumbish Youth Festival this November 20th!

The event will be held in collaboration with Umang, a local NGO that works as "an initiative towards rehabilitation of persons with disabilities," at Jawahar Kala Kendra. We welcome Pravah volunteers and anyone else interested to take part in this workshop celebration. The festival will focus on the potential of youth to engage in and lead social campaigns and movements, and we will felicitate youth who have successfully served as role models in this capacity during the past year. If you would like to nominate yourself or someone you know for an Active Citizenship Award, please complete this form and submit an electronic copy to jaipur@pravah.org or bring a hard copy to the Pravah office.

We have the ability to shape our society for the better, and we want to spread this message to young people by felicitating those who have sought to fulfill this potential. This one day celebration will be centered on the theme of Active Citizenship and Disability. Along with the felicitations, performances, skits, and other activities, we invite local youth music groups to perform songs on the theme of active citizenship. If you are interested in performing, please contact Richa at richa.sharma@pravah.org

Runaway Kids: Enduring Their Destiny

2010-10-14T03:21:00.000-07:00

The following is an account of the Cafe Mohalla visit to Taabaar, by Siddant Nowlakha

10 year old Vipul (name changed) was just as shy and timid as a child of his age could be, while meeting a bunch of strangers desperate to get his attention and amuse him. He would smile at times, and then give a look as if he was bored. Then Vipul joyously announced that he has recently knitted a ‘jhola’ (hand-bag), and that he’s big fan of Sunny Deol, and also that his best friend is Bablu.

One may feel Vipul is just another kid, but will be surprised to learn that he is identified as ‘A runaway kid’.

During the exposure visit of a group of teenagers from Pravah, Jaipur, to TAABAAR, a local NGO working for enhancing the lives of kids who have fled from their homes at a young age. They left for reasons diverse and painful enough that separate stories could be written on each. Mr. Rakesh, a highly experienced and dedicated fellow, and a co-founder of TAABAAR shed light upon the lives of these children, some who are in the centre, some who went back to their homes, some who are still fugitive, and some who couldn’t survive this ‘filthy’ struggle of life.

According to him, every other child escaping his home is a case of violence or forceful education. Violence normally comes from the guardians of the kid and can range from moderate to extreme. Children often runaway to dodge studies as well, which they don’t find interesting enough or may even face abuse at school as well.

Once the children run away, most of them can’t count upon many options but to reach a railway station and climb on any train available. The big bad journey starts there. They reach alien stations, which welcome them with fear and hunger. And local station gangs catch hold of them like a scavenger pounding on its prey. The members of the gangs lure new-comers, offering them food and shelter. Once taken in, the child is pushed into age-old gang business of collecting used plastic bottles (and anything else they can get a hand on), which is sold up to for Rs. 1 per bottle. The frustrated child, disturbed by past memories, is now taught another part of ‘station life’- the drugs. Their ‘big daddys’ deliver ‘whiteners’, ‘iodex’ and other unconventional stuff, widely on hand in markets for completely different purposes, but used by for direct swallowing or intaking with bread, as if fruit-jam.

The toxic matter attacks the nervous system, and the body loses sensation for several minutes. This way the sickening memories of the drug-taker may find calm for sometime, and hence provide a perception of tranquility. During this stage, some even damage their anesthetized skins with shaving-blades, one more way to express internal aggravation. In later stages they may become addicts, using their money to buy drugs, and when facing shortage of funds, jump into eve-picking, robbery and blood-shed violence.

As Mr. Rakesh told brief stories of various incidents, I was shocked to learn that many of these kids are traded like commodities among various gangs. They are beaten, may become disabled due to accidents on tracks, are sexually abused, and suffer from diseases--including STDs--without ever getting medical treatment. In one story, he told how a kid was taken back home, only to find that his mother was dead and alcoholic father sold his five daughters.

Fortunately, not every child has to cope with this misery all his life. There are rehab centers like TAABAAR which pick up those who have a chance to recoup, give them care, teach basic rules of respectful life, provide counseling & medics, inculcate skills like dancing, painting, art, stitching, and above all pour into them a sense that they are not unwanted on this earth, but do have a meaning for which they have to live.

Vipul, now in the garden, was vivaciously showing us his little gymnast skills on a trapeze-like swing. Though he refused to sew a formal-suit for me, claiming he is not that good with needle & thread (I’ll not mind mate..I am jobless right now and may require that only in 5 years till which hopefully you’ll learn) but its okay, I still love you. Oh! I can’t believe that I cared for human sufferings for the first time, too busy with my romance with animals.

Goodbye children. As I leave I remember that I gave my heart to all of you, as nothing more could I afford, and gave a moment from my life to hope that your future remains as bright as the yellow of the banana peel that one of you just tossed into the bin.

Taazaa Khabar: Oct 3-10

2010-10-14T03:20:00.000-07:00

There was a lot of activity this past week at Pravah, highlighted by the Window to Kula Manch Workshop held in collaboration with the University of Rajasthan's Department of Adult and Continuing Education on October 9th and 10th. The workshop was a big hit, as dozens of new participants from Jaipur area colleges attended to learn more about Pravah, discuss social issues, and get ready to participate in PJI's urban volunteering programme.

The Story of Boom Mogara

After starting the workshop by sharing objectives and expectations and doing a few energizer games, we conducted an activity where workshop participants "shopped" for different social causes, discussing the relative values of social campaigns and how they related to the term "Active Citizenship." Next was a powerpoint about PJI itself, detailing all the programs, action projects, and events PJI hosts on a regular basis. The group then decided to give itself an identity, creating a dance and song:

Boom Mogara
Chima-Chima
Agaram Bagaram
Hu-too-too!

Over the rest of the day, we took part in intensive discussions about the identities we assign to ourselves and others, and how these affect the way we view society. Even after a long day, all the participants felt very positive about the experiences they'd had and the new friends they had already made, and were eager to continue on Sunday.

The next day, after a few more morning energizers, we got things going with another discussion, this time about the stereotypes we often apply to society. Each participant wrote down one stereotype, and then was put in the position of arguing against it, while other group members argued for it. The larger group discussions made for some very passionate conversations about stereotypes and what we can do to help break them down.

After a quick lunch, we went for an exposure visit at Taabar, a local NGO that works to help runaway youths in Jaipur by housing them, protecting them from exploitation, and seeking to repatriate them back to their home states. Participants from Cafe Mohalla came along for a combined visit this week. Taabar's Programme Director Rakesh Sharma gave a talk about the NGO's operations and goals. After that, we had a few hours to spend with the youths of Taabar--playing games, chatting, and learning about eachother. This was one of the most inspiring and enjoyable parts of the workshop, and all the participants were enthused to be there.

We concluded with a discussion about various action projects we could commit to getting started, such as helping out at an elderly home, or starting a campaign to collect books for needy children. Feedback from the workshop was very positive. Many participants shared that the Taabar visit was their favorite part, as it helped them learn about the reality of homeless children in an immediate way. Others enjoyed the games and group discussions. Nearly everyone requested that the workshop would last for more days, and wanted to continue their journeys with Pravah in the future.

What's Happening in AAINA TV

In other PJI news, the Community Video Unit's Aaina TV has been hard at work on their new film. It will focus on the personal journeys of the Community Producers themselves, and will be told through a spoof of the Vikram and Beitel story. Here's a preview clip of the upcoming film:

Window To Khulla Manch

2010-10-04T01:51:00.000-07:00

The Pravah Jaipur Initiative is currently mobilizing college youth around Jaipur to involve in our Khula Manch youth group and the urban volunteering program. For the same we are planning to hold a two-day unpaid workshop to orient nominated participants into this program. The sessions will educate students on a wide range of social issues and attempt to engage them in active citizenship and participating in positive social change. In the process the participants will also develop their own self confidence and communication and teamwork skills. The sessions will specifically focus on the theme of Stereotypes and Identity, and will seek to challenge participants’ existing assumptions about society while motivating them to create and implement their own solutions to social problems.

The workshop will be held from 9^th to 10^th of October, from 9 am to 6 pm. This will be a non- residential, day long workshop of young people roughly between the ages of 18- 22 years. The venue will be notified after the confirmation. We are seeking up to ten nominations from each area college of students interesting in participating in this program. We request that nominations are submitted by October 6^th. Nominations can be submitted to richa.sharma@pravah.org or by phone at 141-4030356 or 9983762103

In case of any queries or clarifications, please feel free to get in touch with us directly, either by phone or email. Our address is C-96, Jagraj marg, Bapu Nagar, Jaipur.

Aman ka Sandesh campaign

2010-09-28T03:16:00.000-07:00

PJI Launches “Aman ka Sandesh” Campaign

This past week, Pravah launched a campaign called “Aman ka Sandesh”: A Message of Peace. Volunteers here at Pravah have led a series of rallies and public discussions promoting peaceful acceptance of the upcoming Supreme Court verdict on the Ayodhya title suit. The campaign stresses the importance of unity between different religious groups, regardless of the suit’s result, in order to maintain peace and avoid violence.

The campaign first began as an informal conversation among volunteers at Pravah about the upcoming Ayodhya verdict on September 23^rd. After discussing the long history of violence and rioting relating to Hindu-Muslim issues, we felt that avoiding violence is more important than any particular verdict on the Ayodhya site. We next focused on how we could make a difference in solving this problem, and decided to engage in community outreach to raise awareness. The participants divided into small groups and engaged local residents in discussion at Tonk Fatak and Nehru Garden. After receiving a positive response, we decided to develop a full campaign to spread awareness about the issue.

We then developed slogans, made posters, and planned campaign routes for the coming days. From September 24^th to 26^th, rallies were held from Police Memorial Circle to New Gate, and at Choti Chopar in the Old City. The rallies ranged from 15-30 participants from Pravah, who marched with placards reading “Aman ka Sandesh”, “Love, Brotherhood, Unity, Peace,” and “Let There be Peace.” After each of the marches, the participants broke into small groups to engage local residents in discussion, emphasizing the need to remain calm after the verdict is issued, and encouraging the reporting of violent activities to the local authorities. Media coverage of the events included interviews by BTV News, among other outlets.

Public response to the ongoing campaign has been positive. In the reflection circles that we have formed after each rally, participants have shared their experiences and noted that most local residents have supported a peaceful resolution regardless of the Ayodhya verdict. The police, too, have been supportive—although they initially forbid the group from marching in the Old City, they happily granted a permit once they learned the campaign is promoting non-violence. Thus far, we have spoken to approximately 500 local residents in small discussion groups, enabling intensive reflection regarding this issue. We hope to make a real difference in promoting peace and unity in response to this controversial issue, to avoid rioting and shutting-down of shops in Jaipur.

Mohita speaks on Islam

2010-09-26T23:51:00.000-07:00

“Don’t hang out with him, HE IS A MUSLIM”…..

“Muslims have spread their terror and terrorism again!”…..

“You are a Muslim! What are you doing in India?”…..

“We don’t want to rent our apartment to someone who cannot be trusted (Muslim)”…

In the country with largest constitution which talks about secularism and equality, the above sentences are not unheard of..!

We still have not been able to understand that in the end we are all INDIANS. And hence in order to break our stereotypes, Pravah Jaipur Initiative (PJI), invited “DR. IQBAL” Of “JAMATI ISLAME HIND” (1948), to help us discover Muslim as a religion and to explain us the beauty of Islam.

Islam means “Complete surrender to God”. Islam was sent by messengers of God to spread the message of peace and love amongst all. Then why may I ask are Muslims considered terrorists amongst even the most educated minds in our country.

Think twice before discriminating a women in the name of Islam as “status of “mother” is three times more than that of any men in Islam”.

Islam says that any men who gives birth to a daughter and takes care of her upbringing without any discrimination than he would surely reach heaven and will be the most blessed soul in the eyes of “Allah”.

Sir spoke about women’s right to property, right to inheritance and the right to earn.

“Burquas”, as we all feel are nothing but ways to subjugate women have an entirely different meaning in Islam. The word used in Islam is “Hijab”-which demand men and women BOTH to cover their body apart from their hands, feet and face(optional).

This is pure religion with absolutely no intention to suppress women.

“Painting” and “Music” which we often hear is against Islam is as equally respected in Islam as any other form of art. With the exception that painting of any living being is not allowed.

“Education” is compulsory for women.

Women are even given “mehar” by the boy at the time of marriage.

Muslim Women deserve all the respect in the world and we have absolutely no right to discriminate or subject them to any atrocities in the name of Islam.

Its about time we start treating the fair sex fairly………..!!!!!

Reflection of CVU team

2010-09-13T00:48:00.000-07:00

Mr. Akshay Mathur

GURU JI

I am associated with a N.G.O. (named Dristi) in Ahmedabad. As PJI required a trainer for its C.V.U. team, I got deputed from Ahmedabad to Jaipur. It was 25 June 2009 when I first joined Pravah. I trained the members of C.V.U. team for almost a month. I told them everything I knew about movie making which covers video capturing & editing, camera handling, picture editing.

Till now, we have produced 2 documentaries, 6 radio programs and many street plays and currently we are working on the 3rd documentary. After completion of a documentary, we screen it in diff. communities. Our 1^st screening was a memorable event for me, a lot of people were present there and their enthusiasm motivated me to work hard in future. Whatever we have done in C.V.U. is a great achievement for us, and for this I would like to thank my team members.

If we talk about Pravah as a whole, it’s great and completely different from all other N.G.O.s because it provides us free space. Here, C.V.U. members are also considered as an integrated part of PJI. We all are a part of the Pravah family and the office is no less than our home. To me, all C.V.U. members are just like my own children.

In the future, I expect that PJI would get associated with more colleges. After completion of this C.V.U. project, which is an 18 month project, I can see myself back in Ahmedabad. But I wish if Pravah could launch a new and revised C.V.U. project after completion of these 18 months

Seema Gupta

Earlier I was in PRATHAM. I entered Pravah through a whole process of appointment. Initially we were told about the structure, working and objectives of C.V.U. After that our trainer Mr. Akshay taught us every necessary technical skill which included camera work, computers, mass communication, research work, theater, mime and above all how to observe and understand issues of community people.

The best thing about Pravah is that here every individual is respected and everyone is treated equally. Here, we all live like a family and I love every member of this family. Meenu and Richa di are especially close to me.

Although every moment spent in PJI is special to me, but still the Ahmedabad trip and Youth Jumbish are very much close to my heart. I along with Khalil Bhai covered the whole Youth Jumbish with our video camera.

After being in Pravah for one year, I can feel the up gradation in my personality. I have started thinking, developing my own point of view. Most importantly, I have started working for others also, which provides me great satisfaction.

My complete future is going to be devoted to social service. I wish if I could create another C.V.U. in my own community, and provide training to youth through this community. I have started working upon myself. I hope we will be able to make our mark in society.

I always pray to god for PJI’s growth and success in future

Meenu Pareek

I came to know about Pravah by Sam, who was doing intern with PJI. After coming here in Pravah, it seems like all hopelessness and depression is changing into hopes, self confidence and self respect. I never got respect in my family but in Pravah, we all are respected equally. For other volunteers, Pravah is there 2^nd home. But to me, it’s my only home.

Best thing about Pravah is that here we all live like a family; everyone in here encourages and supports each other. We may learn technical skills in market but respect and individual development is the main thing that makes Pravah so special to me.

Here in Pravah, I learnt not only technical skills but also personality development & communication skills. We visited different communities and listen to their problems then I came to know about many problems in our society. We then, created documentaries based on such issues and screened them in communities. While doing this work, we all C.V.U. members were bonded together.

When I did my SWOT analysis and ORID exercise, I learnt how I can enhance my thought process and can talk to people without hesitation. Now I think about society and other people also who are under privileged and needs help. This is in true sense the journey of “Me to We”.

What I expect from Pravah is that, even after the completion of this 18 month C.V.U. project, we should carry on with our C.V.U. team. I wish pravah Best of luck and wish CVU team to continue working enthusiastically.

Abhishek Chanwaria

My entry in Pravah was exactly same as it was of Meenu’s. Initially I was a shy guy but as time passed, I gained knowledge and experience, which automatically filled me with confidence and now I can address any group of people very easily. My personality has been modified a lot during the last one year.

In pravah I not only learn technical skills but we take part in various sessions and events also, by this I’m learning so many new things in life. CVU is an integral part of Pravah and being a community producer, I’m an integral member of Pravah. This is a great feeling. It makes me proud of myself.

Pravah also helps me in my school studies. Here everyone has respect for each other and everyone helps each other. We learn together, we participate in events together; we share with each other and make fun together. Being in Pravah is not a job for me, I’m here as a student, who comes here to learn.

After being associated with Pravah for 1 year, I feel more aware and awake. Now I have become more observant and can express myself in front of anyone. During last one year, I have developed a status in my own community and earned respect.

Well, in the future I am planning to start a Youth Club in my community and I am going to seek some help from Pravah for this. It is my dream to transfer the knowledge (gained from Pravah) to the youth of communities.

I will always remember the annual fest of PJI (i.e. Youth Jumbish), as it was a remarkable experience for all of us. We enjoyed every moment of it. Every other moment that I spent in Pravah was memorable for me. I wish an awesome future for PJI & C.V.U. Best of luck.

Mohammad Khalil

It was 13 months ago that I came to know about Pravah during a meeting with PJI volunteers in Edgaah. Before joining Pravah, I used to work on a shop, where my job was to cut & polish the gemstones. Now, I feel proud about the decision of choosing Pravah over that job.

Pravah really means a lot to me. During this one year in Pravah, I learned camera handling, video editing, theater, street play etc. Other than this, Pravah is giving me opportunities to interact with so many different people. Association with PJI helped me developing my personality as well as gaining new experiences.

The all C.V.U. meet in Ahmedabad, the annual fest YouthJumbish and the workshop on capacity building were a few events which I wouldn’t be able to forget ever. Participating in Muskaan events, youth café and attending various workshops helped me being an active citizen.

Pravah and CVU is not only a space for technical learning, it gives us opportunities to develop as an individual. Academically I am not even 10^th passed, but knowledge and experience kept coming to me through Pravah during the last one year.

We performed street plays and took meetings around the communities of Jaipur city. Earlier I was concerned for my own community and never looked at the things in this way. My perception of understanding people and their issues have been changed now.

I wish that Pravah gets associated with more and more people. May god empower each & every member of Pravah, so that they could take it to new heights of success.

Rahul Sharma

It has been more than a year that I am associated with Pravah Jaipur. I was told about Pravah by a family friend of mine. I can still remember my first day at Pravah office, when Meenakshi didi handed me a newspaper and asked me to read it loud in front of a group of people. I was stunned due to lack of self-confidence. But now, outspokenness is my identity, and this is all because of the exposure that Pravah provided me.

Being a part of C.V.U. helped me a lot in learning. During the Ahemdabad and Delhi trip, I experienced a complete new world. There I learned how to make new friends, how to meet any stranger and a lot more about social connect.

I never did theatre or mime before, but after coming here in Pravah, I learnt these new things. They were interesting as well as provided me a new insight of seeing things differently.

My group of CVU loves me a lot and helps me in learning and grasping knowledge. Volunteers in here, also help me for my academics. All this learning will help me in future.

Well, if we talk about future, I see myself as a film maker who works for society. I want to work (along with our C.V.U. team) for more & more communities. I want Pravah and C.V.U. to expand more & more.

Rajesh Kumar

Before coming to Pravah, I was a volunteer in Aadhaar. I was an extra shy person who never dared to talk much. But after spending a year here in Pravah, I have been able to express myself in front of anyone. Now I wish to talk to more & more people. Pravah provided me opportunities to interact with different people.

Our coordination is the thing that I like most about the C.V.U. team. Everyone here supports and encourages each other. When I made a card for Seema’s B’day, I received appreciation from everyone.

The trip to Himachal was a milestone in my life. This trip opened me up completely. During this trip we gained knowledge as well as a lot of enjoyment. I came to know about the different aspects of TEERI Dam project. Also the Ratanpura trip is unforgettable to me.

Being a part of Pravah, helped me in learning mass communication, camera work, video editing, computers, theater and mime. Special thanks to our Guru Ji (Akshay Sir).

Here Pravah is helping me, so that I can help others. Pravah provides me exposure of meeting and visiting various other organizations also. We record Muskaan’s events and sometimes even participate in them.

Using all the knowledge that I have gained in PJI, I would like to create a documentary in the future on some issues related to rural area

Neha Singh

I joined Pravah two years before as a volunteer. It all started with a workshop, which was organized by Pravah in our college. While working with Pravah, I realized my duties for this society.

Best thing about Pravah is that here, we all work together like a family; we encourage, help and support each other. I can still remember the All C.V.U. meet, where I fell ill. At that time, our other C.V.U. members took care of me very nicely; especially I would like to thank Rajesh and Rahul for whatever they did for me. Other than that, the first Youth jumbish and the first workshop on theater were also memorable to me.

The best thing about Pravah is that here we can work by and our own ways. No one forces you to do anything. I made lots of friends in Pravah, now I know the importance of friends in life. Well, what I want Pravah to do is to get connected with more youth and to work further on community issues. I want Pravah to satisfy everyone, who gets connected with it.

While doing street plays in communities and taking meetings, I came to know various problems and issues of community people. For me water, health, sanitation or education is not the primary problem in my life so never thought in this direction. But when I met those people who are struggling in their daily life for these basic issues, it touched me fathoms deep.

In the near future, I am going to continue in PJI but I can’t commit anything. But I am sure that somehow I am going to work for the benefit of society.

cafe mohalla invite

2010-09-08T21:36:00.000-07:00

another rocking afternoon with PJI friends on 11 Sep 2010 at 02.30 pm .....

Bandh Doesn’t Work!!

2010-09-06T23:53:00.000-07:00

Today, opposition parties of India have declared bandh to protest against price hike. Offices,shops and markets are forced to close down. Political workers have stopped all kinds of transportations. Daily wagers and laborers are loosing their earnings for today. Patients and people who are ill are finding extremely difficult to reach to hospitals or dispensaries. Petrol pumps are closed. Many people are dragging their vehicles.... and political parties claim that they are doing all these for common people!!

Here, let me clarify that i am strongly against the price hike. I condemn and protest the price hike in my strongest words. It affects life of common people very badly and it’s important to find a solution as soon as possible. But at the same time, Bandh is not a solution at all, as it also affects common people badly. All those who earn their bread and butter on daily basis have to suffer in the end. We must protest the price hike but not at the cost of bread and butter of poor people. We must protest and involve as many people as possible against the price hike but not forcefully. All those who have decided to declare a bandh, do not care about those poor people at all. I am saying this because there are few questions in my mind. Why have they called for bandh instead doing direct protest against the current government in the parliament it self? Why don't the leaders of all opposition parties do Satyagrah and decide to go on hunger protest until government reduces the price? Where are all those big leaders of opposition parties during this Bandh? Sitting in government quarters and enjoying rain? Why these big leaders of opposition are come on road and join the protest? Why don't these big political leaders go and protest against Prime Minister and Finance Minister in front of their houses and not on roads? Are they scared of getting arrested?

I saw a story on a news channel in which they compared this Bandh with emergency of 1975. But during that emergency many big leaders went to jail for many months. Why our leaders are so scared of getting arrested? If all politicians are so concerned about common people, why don't they stop using government cars...at least for a day in one week? I believe that none of these politicians whether they are in power or in opposition do not care at all about people of this country. These politicians have no time to discuss the issue of BPL rather they disscuss IPL in parliament!! Opposition leaders are doing this Bandh just to make their presence felt and highlight their parties in people's mind. That’s it!

This one day bandh (even if opposition declares more bandhs in future) will not make any difference to government's decision to increase price. But these bandhs will surly make lot of difference to poor and common people in negative way. Political parties will gain publicity, talk shows will be organized on news channels, rich people will enjoy the day off from work and poor people will say 'koi fark nahi padne wala..sab log apni roti sekte hai...hamara kya?'

All of us who are concern about the price hike must protest and try to make difference...but we must protest creatively without affecting other people. We should not only protest against price hike but also these Bandhs! I am not a politician, nor a bureaucrat. I am a common man and do not understand this political games. I do not have any hardcore solutions but i strongly believe that This Bandh Doesn't Work!

By the time I finished this article, few national leaders got arrested. I would still say that 'big' leaders are just sitting and doing nothing meaningful for people. (By Gaurang Rawal)

Ojasi Mehta Sharing her experience of comics workshop in Banswara

2010-08-25T01:28:00.000-07:00

Ojasi Mehta ,a volunteer of PJI had a comics workshop in Banswara. This is her experience of this workshop in her own words.....

Who can tell what is truth and what futility ?

Who can tell which dream will turn into reality?

When I was attending the Capacity Building Workshop conducted by Pravah Jaipur Initiative in collaboration with other organizations in Jaipur , far in my mind, a dream was shaping that I will conduct a workshop in my hometown too. I learnt comics though I wanted to learn film-making first but I chose comics because I knew I can spread this art easily than film-making. And I am glad that I could do it. And I could do it only when first I thought – I can do it.

I had to face many challenges but as always I am so lucky and things turned into my favor. The workshop was organized by Bharat Vikas Parishad , Pravah Jaipur Initiative & World Comics India. I got so much help from Bharat Vikas Parishad and I represented other two organizations as a volunteer. My only biggest challenge was that I was alone as an instructor or trainer and I knew making Comics is a no joke. We elders could only do it in two days with the help of two elder trainers and I had so many small kids , all were below 8^th class but as they say , “jahaan chaah hai wahaan raah hai” I did my best. My one friend came ahead to help me . Nishita is pursuing BVA(visual arts) from ICG college, Jaipur. Fortunately , she had also attended a one day Workshop on Comics in her college so she was equally supporting me.

Other challenge was collecting kids and managing them . I wanted to conduct this workshop for the students above 8^th class but as usual at my end children are very shy & egoistic . They think they know everything and need not to learn anything new. Well , on the contrary , the small kids were so enthusiastic and eager to learn that I couldn’t hold the boundaries which I made any longer. First day , I had hardly five kids but last day I had almost 20-22 kids . The reason , simply was that children were enjoying themselves and through mouth publicity they grew into a good numbers. They were learning something new which they liked. They were busy , doing something productive and creative. And above all , their parents were encouraging them a lot , after all now children were not watching tv , wasting their time and irritating their parents.

Last day had become very memorable for me as I got many wishes as well as many amazing feedbacks , which I had hardly expected. A small kid , Parv Vyas who is in 3^rd std , though couldn’t complete his comics but he made comics in his drawing book which was on “water conservation”. He gave message that – “we should not bath in shower and waste water”. That amazing kid himself used to bath in shower but when he made that comics , he told his mother that – “I wont bath in shower and in bath tub because I myself made comics on that, we should not waste water”. His mother told me on last day that I was trying to teach him this from last two months but he wouldn’t listen to me , now your comics workshop has done what I couldn’t. This was a Big Compliment for me. I got success. I told her that if such small child can understand what I wanted to convey then I think I have done my job.

The response was beyond expectations. I knew Banswara is not a developed city , but it is an intellectual city. People are ahead in taking initiatives and they engage themselves in many social activities. Many people came to meet me during workshop , to understand the concept and wish me luck. My principle , Saroj Nagawat ma’am asked me to organize a workshop in my school , which is a thing to proud on. Parv’s mother , who is also a teacher asked me to add Theatre also next time , as she says , many people are interested in learning new things.

Earlier I had planned to take registration fees but then I discarded that thought and took no fees from anyone and so couldn’t provide much things and gifts to kids. But the response and enthusiasm of visitors and well wishers was so amazing that Last Day , Saroj ma’am gifted drawing books to children and Kothari aunty gave them pencils and other stuff . My parents financed the whole workshop. Whole in whole , the workshop was beyond expectations… & my experience…. Ah! I am short of words now .....

cafe mohalla on picnic

2010-08-11T04:26:00.000-07:00

CAFE MOHALLA ON PICNIC!

We will meet on Sunday 15th August in Pravah Office at 8.30 am. And will then go out for a picnic. Request all of you to be on time.

Event is open for all, bring your friends, family, near and dear!

Just guess where we are going! The one that has the first right guess, will win a nice price..

Hints for the place are as below:

1. Hills

2. Water

3. Religious shrine

4. FUN!!

hey Buddies.. we will be there by 3 so bring enough food or snacks....

Hiking on "Panch Mundiyan"(five skulls) in Shivalik range of Himalya, Himachal Pradesh

2010-07-15T22:33:00.000-07:00

06 July 2010, My life will experience this. Never thought of .The day started with hopelessness..as it was heavily raining continuously and never experienced the tracking of this sort before... Thought of giving it up. That time only on feedback was coming into my mind, why we are forced to do this in this bad weather.. It might be risky... But I started Coz I thought of giving myself a chance...

Now I connect this task to my own life.I pushed myself beyond the boundaries of my physical stamina..i think it was the team work and the mental state or desire of doing it, was giving me strength and pushing me.. Now I value my life much.

There were times during the track, when i was feeling depression, frustration and anger and some times feeling excitement, adventure, joy and thrill. So this track gave me all kind of feelings. it was a reflection on one's own life. where it had ups and downs, smooth and scary ways, but if our desire or passion is strong and most importantly we give and take help, it becomes achievable.

This achievement becomes more celebratory when celebrated with the people who have been associated with you in this journey and we share the credit... When I reached at the Hill top, I felt myself more lovable.

It wasn't this much simpler. During the track, one of our team member got injured, and then it became so scary for me. But at the same time it increased my desire to reach to the top.

We were helping each other. When we used to see some slippery or risky patch, we used to warn others to watch out.. Cant we do this in our lives also.So that one person's experience can benefit others also.

When we were at the most risky patch.. I thought for some time " I should have opted the easier tasks." But as soon as we compared our task, what we have done and what we are going to achieve, we realised we have made a good choice. For me the journey, the different feelings and team work during the track made my achievement more valuable.

The Panch Mundiyan hill is not very much explored by hikers.. It has an untouched beauty.. I couldn't dare throw my lunch leftover there. We collected everything and took them back. Wow.. I'm amazed to notice my own sensitivity for environment.

Overall, I'm valuing my life more, tried to understand the life and learnt to live life with full passion after this wonderful experience.

Mohita's reflection on Cafe meet

2010-07-11T23:50:00.000-07:00

Another successful café mohalla meet….!!

As always in Pravah Jaipur initiative, the 10^th of July, being the 2^nd Saturday, had the privilege of being the “café day”. Preparations, which were going on since Monday, were at their peak. Every volunteer was in the best of their moods and energies. Just the whole air at PJI was exigent yet enlightening.

Café started off at 3:00. It was hosted by the very interactive bhavya soni… the theme of this café was “ROAD SAFETY”. We began with introducing ourselves to everyone. And as is well said “well begun is half done”. So was the case here. It’s my personal favorite part of the session as we get out of our shells. Know more people! Make new friends! Reflect on our thoughts! Break a lot of stereotypes! And most importantly take our first step in the journey from “ME” to “WE”…

Right after the introduction we had various games which along with being fun had a lot to learn from…!! The energy was being radiated from every single face present at the PJI premises. The very loud guffaws are still loud in clear in the back of our minds.

No just because of the café but this was the release of the 2^nd film by the very proud “CVU” team. Even the single glimpse of the film could very easily reflect the amount of hard work and dedication put in. and this blog would be incomplete if I don’t specify each and every name. Rajesh, Rahul, Abhishek, Neha, Khalil Bhai, Seema di & Meenu di – “hats off” to every second that you put in the film. I would like specially acknowledge “akshay sir” and “Richa Di”, without whom I don’t think the CVU would have ever existed!

I must say the film was indeed enlightening. One of the most outstanding works I have ever seen with people of that age!

Then was the arrival of the most awaited and my very favorite “Mridul ma’am”. Her glow! Her radiance! Her positivity! Creates a highly distinguished aura all around. This was my 2^nd encounter with her and believe me I feel like her biggest fan! She spoke to us about road safety. She shared her experiences about “MUSKAAN”. Her beautifully craved words of wisdom, just like a comet, left their tail behind. Her views, well justified, leave you with a lot to think about. It was a privilege, an honor to have her with us and at least I would look forward to it in future.

The discussion was later followed by lip smacking “samosas” and “kachoris”. We then bid adieu with promise to never let this energy at PJI fade off….

youth power

2010-07-11T21:24:00.001-07:00

Youth Power

Self Defense

workshop

After the success of the self defense workshop organized at the

Department of Adult and Continuing Education Rajasthan University, here we are organising it again . Our self defense workshop program will be facilitated by Banwari Bhamniya .He is a 1^st degree black belt in Tae kwon do

Registrations are open to the next workshop

All those

who are interested please

contact Banwari Bhamniya on 9772015143

2010-07-08T02:12:00.001-07:00

By the Way (Part 2)

2010-06-30T21:42:00.000-07:00

Ever seen the scene behind the stage. There is always back stage performance. Not a single but so many at time. And what a chaos in the green room. Participants are unfortunate as they can not see the performance of other participants. Some still try to watch from the backstage but then the loud voice of the coordinator comes and they run into the greenroom. This time the coordinator of the show seems to be the most important and the busiest man of the evening. Naveen was backstage waiting for his turn to come. He had 3 performances with muscle injury in shoulder. Just struggling to give his best one.. There is another person with the struggle. The Dance Guru of our dance center. Struggling with himself and with the participants also so that they can perform well.. Well.. for this addition the introduction is ok.. We’ll see him in next addition.. By the Way.. He is”The Abey "

Naveen got admission into Interior designing course. What a shift. From B. Com to Dance to This one. It seems he is trying to find his path.

Here Meenu is in celebratory mood she has finished her one year in the office. She was behaving like a kid that day, madly dancing.. She is going with me to Delhi for some review meet, she is happy. Im also happy when she is happy. Actually Im always happy when people around me are happy..

2010-06-29T22:24:00.000-07:00

PRAVAH JAIPUR NEWSLETTER APRIL, MAY AND JUNE 2010

EXTENSIVE JOURNEY

Café Mohalla

The start for Café Mohalla’s second season took place on 15^th May after a break due to the examination period. In this welcoming meeting the participants got a glimpse on what happened in the May Open Workshop on Comics, Theatre and Filmmaking. This was realized through a film and a slideshow about the workshop. This meeting was very fruitful in the sense that the idea on Water Conservation Campaign was presented by one of the volunteers. This was a kick off for intensive period of action around the topic.

In the second Café Mohalla’s meeting in June the topic dealt was sexual harassment. We also got to see and try some self-defense techniques in the aftermath of self-defense workshop. In the same gathering we also had the pleasure to hear the inspiring thoughts of Asharf Patel, the founder of Pravah, as she visited the event.

One more chance to be present in interesting discussions and enjoy the good company of Pravah-oriented people was on June 26^th, as the last Café Mohalla of June 2010 took place. We had an interesting session led by Meenakshi about evaluating our own values. We learned about the importance on understanding the values through which we operate and make our daily decisions. In addition this Café Mohalla had an exotic flavor due to the Finnish dish perunasaalatti that was served, and due to the energizer where the participants had the chance to learn some Finnish.. Paa, olkapaa, peppu, polvet, varpaat…

Resource library

16 new books and 4 films are added in the library

INTENSIVE JOURNEY

CVU team

The past three months have been full of action for the CVU team. In April the team finished the screening of the first film with the theme Water Conservation. This film awoke positive reactions in the community people. Some of them initiated to accept suggestions given in the film considering water conservation. Also the production for second CVU film started in April with the theme Road safety. CVU team had meetings in the communities, and our partner Muskaan also gave out its contribution to the film.

Road safety theme was chosen as a topic because the theme touches everyone. A considerable amount of accidents happen in Jaipur, and CVU team wanted to spread awareness about how to prevent them and how to act I case of an accident. This film was prepared to prevent the accidents. Short after finishing the second film it was time to start planning the third one. The themes that people in bastis have suggested for this film are education, sanitation and environment.

CVU team has also taken a new step in to a new field by preparing two radio-programs on Water Conservation and on Right to Information. These were done in cooperation with One World South Asia. The team would like to thank Kavita Srivasdava from Pucl and Dr. Awadh Prasad from Vinoba Bhave Gyan Mandir for their assistance in producing these programs.

KHULLA MANCH

Water Conservation Campaign (24^th – 31^st May)

Currently there is one problem tangible to everyone living in Jaipur area – water scarcity. In one of the Cafe Mohalla meetings, one volunteer came up with the idea of starting an action project on water conservation. Everybody thought that it is a great idea, because each one of the group could very easily relate to it. The group felt that it is their place to do something about the problem. So they did!

This energetic campaign was realized through performing street plays and giving out booklets, which consists of information on the topic in the form of comics. Besides informing others on the matter of water conservation and its importance, the volunteers participating in the campaign had the possibility to get deeper understanding on the phenomena. The whole process started with orientation on the topic during one week.

Pravah volunteers managed to reach a considerable amount of people, approximately 700 persons, and they reported that the response from the public was mainly very positive. This campaign is yet another example on how it is possible to contribute on important matters and learn new things through methods that are enjoyable and fun for everyone.

The Water Conservation Campaign (along one of the volunteers Mohita Khilwani):

Campaign started with meetings held everyday for a week. The first week’s orientation consisted also of a visit to “Vinobha Ashram” with the purpose to learn about rain water harvesting. One of the major stereotypes that the team members had regarding this method was that it is really complicated, but in fact the techniques were extremely simple and easy to implement.

The group of volunteers chose comics and theatre as tools for spreading awareness. The group was assisted in the preparation of the play by the very talented "ASIF SHER ALI KHAN" popularly known as Asif Bhai. Some members of the group put their creative strokes forward and designed some comics which were then distributed amongst the various sects of society. The places were the campaign was realized were:

- 28th may: Bapu Nagar.

- 29th may: Central Park and Nehru Park as well as Birla Mandir.

- 30th May: Jaldhara and Gaurav Towers.

To read more about the campaign and Mohita’s thoughts, visit www.pravahjaipur.blogspot.com

Self-defense workshop

PJI is all about giving young people the possibility take action in matters important to them. Banwari, one of the volunteers suggested that he could organize a workshop around self-defense-theme. The idea was born when he realized that many girls in

India

are subjected to sexual harassment and eve-teasing. According to Banwari especially girls need the skills on how to take care of themselves in threatening situations.

There were 11 participants in the workshop, from which 9 were girls. Banwari, who himself has a black belt in Taekwondo taught the participants basic techniques of karate, self-defense, pressure points and defense mechanisms. Workshop was a success: the participants reported feeling empowered, and considered the methods learned very useful. Positive feedback was also given on the discipline and time-management of the workshop. When it comes to the negative feedback some participants stated that the workshop was a bit too short.

Banwari himself thinks that all in all the workshop went very well. There were some moments, however, when he felt that things are not going as planned. In the beginning of the workshop there was some confusion around the roles between the instructor, Banwari, and the participants. These problems were solved after discussing with participants about the matter. Now afterwards Banwari concludes that solving these problems taught him a lot. Now he understands how important it is to communicate and share things with others.

Now there are plans to start a new workshop around the same theme. Also in collaboration with Rajasthan University of Continued Education, there will be organized a series of self-defense workshop for the girls living in the hostels.

Annual Events

Open capacity building workshop (4th-8th may 2010)

Comics, Theatre & Film making

In May Jawahar Kala Kendra was sparkling with positive vibes. This special atmosphere originated from enthusiastic young people eager to learn new skills. It was time for the open workshop organized by the Pravah Jaipur Initiative & Jawahar Kala Kendra in collaboration with World Comics India, Drishti Media Collective, Muskaan & Pahal Samajik Karya evam Shodh Sansthan.

This 5 day capacity building workshop focused on using creative arts as a communication method. The workshop was meant to help the 36 young people participating learn the skills of theatre (specifically Theatre of the Oppressed), Grassroot comics and Film Making to communicate on social issues. In the process the participants also developed their self confidence, communication and teamwork skills.

One of the participants, Ojasi Mehta, describes the workshop as follows:

“I loved it [comics workshop] because anyone can make it with very few things – a black sketch pen and 2 A4 size papers. Well… we learnt so much in 4 days – to make cartoons, give special effects, give a title to comics and so on… But with learning we had lots of fun… Theatre learners learnt small skills of theatre and I could see on Finale how they took out the hidden actor in themselves. Though everyone complained that five days is a very short period to learn such art but they still make something out of it. Same with the film making students – 5 days is a very small period … but as they told us they enjoyed the time, got familiar with camera and… they learnt “How to think…” because their trainer Akshay Bhaiya would ask them to “think..” and disappear for several minutes …”.

The feedback from the workshop was very positive. After attending the workshop one of the volunteers Yashawant co facilitated a comics workshop with World Comics India in Pali. Afterwards Yashawant together with Kriti Sharma made good use of their skills by organizing a comics workshop on water conservation for 15 school children in Dosa. These five days certainly gave fresh ideas on how to promote various important themes with the help of creative methods!

Learning and fun moments:

- The Community Producers took exam on their technical learning and presented short films made by them individually

- Jimmi from Drishti organized an editing workshop for CVU team in the month of May

- Shantanu, one of the volunteers, organized a photography workshop for the Pravah team

"By The Way"

2010-06-24T09:10:00.000-07:00

There is a hope, fear, and dream inside everyone. That’s a nice sentence for starting an article about young people. When I thought of writing something about the youth, I myself got confused where to start and how to start. I, myself, belong to the community of today’s youth. So I think in the initial sentence of this article I should also add the “confusion” word.
As I have planned (after combating the confusions), I’ll write a series of articles on young people who are from different socio economic, cultural and educational background and what are their hopes, fears, dreams and CONFUSIONS. Why I have written the word confusion in caps. Am I giving importance to this word or this word itself is an integral part of youth’s life.
Well, as the series will go on you will know the same virtues of mine also as I’m trying to find the same in other young people or it may be my own perception of seeing things. Again, I’m sounding CONFUSED.
Let’s just not talk about myself; you will gradually know me by reading me.
For some official work (yes, official, my NGO is professional and we do work professionally, so official word is apt), I happened to visit someone in Ramganj bazaar (that’s a part of Jaipur’s old city, yupp the heritage one). There I saw a girl, sitting quietly and fastening shoe laces of her niece. I noticed innocence at her face. I met her sister as I was on the mission of selecting few people for our community work. Then by someone I got to know about her tragic personal life. She came for interview in my office. I was in the interview panel. The first impression shouldn’t be a last impression so I strictly interviewed her. She was firm on her stances. The views and ideas were still raw and unpolished but they were full of feelings and experiences.
She joined the office. Regardless to say that I wished her to join us, as I wanted to explore this girl. Today she has been with me since past one year. Now a new face of her life started with us. She couldn’t pursue her studies due to issues in personal life, but now she wants to study further. Whatever work she takes, she does that with full responsibility and zeal. She has started laughing as in her own words, she couldn’t few months back.
Why these changes happened? A girl from a lower middle class, conservative family, who perhaps missed the element of happiness in her life, has started thinking and doing. Yes, thinking and doing as earlier she was only into doing not into thinking. Still she has a long way to go but the process has been started.
She comes to office by bus and once a week she comes office by walking (4 Km either side). Is she saving money? She gives that money to any handicapped helpless person she meets in the way. This is her way of charity.
She reads, works, talks and most importantly thinks. This is her way of contributing to the human resources’ pool of our country. Her resilience gives me lot of energy as I see her combating the CONFUSIONS. She gives us all credit but whatever we did to give her a chance, was our work but the way she is exploring her own potentials is remarkable.
Another person I happened to meet just 3 months’ back is a young Dance instructor (Oh, I disclosed that I go to dance classes). A very young, happy-go-lucky boy who perhaps far away from setting missions for him. A young passionate person but trapped in CONFUSIONS. What sort of confusions? He himself doesn’t know. He comes from an affluent family. He has access to all possible urban luxuries with the fulfillment of basic amenities properly. When he dances, he is like butterfly kissing a flower. So delicate but firm also.
I think, for start, this introduction is sufficient because now onwards I’ll take you through the CONFUSION combating journey of these two people. Others will keep on taking entry in these journeys. One person who knows that she is confused and wants to show her life a path. The other one who still don’t know that he is confused. But few virtues common. They both are passionate, have lots of dreams, hopes with ofcource fears also.
I hope you will enjoy the journey of “The Meenu” and “The Naveen”.

Mohita sharing the " Water Conservation Campaign"

2010-06-15T21:48:00.000-07:00

Another milestone conquered!

Pravah recently moved another step ahead on the ladder of "active citizenship". During one of the cafe mohalla meetings, one of the volunteers came up with the idea of starting an action project on "water conservation". Just the thought of brought us out of our deep slumber...!!

Because each one of us could very easily relate to it. Considering the present scenario "water scarcity" is not uncommon any more! We all realized that its we who would have to take up the initiative. Since it was the first time i was working with Pravah, i was very excited as well as a little nervous.

We held meetings everyday for a week and there was excellent participation of all. We even visited “vinobha ashram” to learn about “rain water harvesting”. It was a very important lesson.

One of the major stereotypes that we had regarding this method was that it is really complicated but to my surprise the techniques were extremely simple and easy to implement. We mutually decided the tools of spreading awareness, which were theatre and comics. Because we realized that they are highly effective in grabbing attention and are simple to understand. Hence we decided on performing a play wherein we were assisted by the very talented "ASIF SHER ALI KHAN" popularly known as asif bhai amongst us all. He helped us design the play.

Some of put their creative strokes forward and designed some comics which we distributed amongst the various sects of society. And then the project began its mass appeal:

28th may: this day we started with a bang. We reached out the crowd of bapu nagar. We performed our very first play near "janta store", many of us were doing it for the 1st time and were hence tensed. But the response that we received was beyond imagination. It raised our morals and brought a new ray of confidence amongst us all.

29th may: we took another step and widened our horizons and voiced our opinions and ideas amongst the people at “central park” and “Nehru Park” in the early hours of morning. People were extremely participative. Their enthusiasm was unfathomable.

Later in the evening we reached out to the masses at “birla mandir”. People contorted and veraciously voiced their views and appreciated us for the cause.

30th May: we extended our journey a little more and reached “jaldhara” as well as “gaurav towers”. With that we came to an end with the 1st phase of our project. While going back we had a different energy. The realization of the lessons we have learnt. The confidence that we have built. The change that we have made but above all the love that we have received

On one of the days we even went to the residential areas and conversed with the people there. We came to learn a lot about the problems that they face and how they overcome it by doing their bit in their day to day lives.

We learnt various ways of saving water:

1. We realized that we can save tones of water by using bucket instead of showers or bath tubs.

2. Recycling is another extremely important means that people have adopted. A lot of them wipe the floors with the same water with which they wash their clothes. We can even collect the water with which we wash utensils and water the gardens with it.

3. It is always advisable to water the garden during early morning hours or late evening as it prevents the water from being evaporated by the scorching sun during the day.

4. We should use buckets or sprinklers to wash our vehicles rather than pipes.

5. We can stick some innovative posters about water conservation on the wash basin or drinking water area.

The entire journey was a joy ride. It was a learning experience. I want to thank ‘PRAVAH’ for giving this kind of an exposure. For believing in me. For having faith in me. It was just the first phase. The second one will start bang on from mid-July. It was a great experience to work with Pravah and I would always be a part of it for as long as I can.