Leadership activity

Location: Governament school, Bommasamudra.
Activity done: Creative activity-Doll making (25/02/09)
It was the welcoming smile by the head misstress which made me to talk to her with confidence. I told her about my assigment in the village & I requested her that can school provide me for time to do some creative activities with children for two days ,1hour each day.She happly accepted this.

I have taken 5th,6th,7th & 8th standard childern for this activity. Before starting this activity I asked children that from which all substances we can make dolls.The answers came out like paper, sponge,cloth,cotton ect.I told them that today you will learn doll making by a pair of socks.Their was a question mark on the faces of students & also teachers.Which made this activity more exiting.
I invovled children for help. In this I have taken one 8th class girl & 8th boy. The time gap between opening of the threads from socks was not that interesting for them, but once the cut threads start giving shape to the doll they all felt very happy.One of the assistant teacher told to the children that this activity will be the project work for this semister.I felt happy when I heard this.I could finish this activity by 45minutes. It was nice to teach & enjoy with children.

Right To Information

RTI
Resource persons: Mr.Ashutosh & Mr.Tippanna
Day:1
Date:02/03/09
The session started with overview of the three days content. Then followed by the expectation by the fellows, each one was give a piece of paper to write down the same. It was read by Mr.Tippanna. Then few basics of RTI's (Right To Information ) like definitions, year of act’s initiation was explained. Later the same piece of paper was given to write our experience of the incidence where we met the Govt office. Then it was read by Mr.Ashutosh, except few all were bitter experience.Next we were given many information regarding RTI which includes the following points;
· Definition
· Launching date
· Definition of Suo-Muto
· Contents of Suo-Muto
· Procedure to put application for Suo-Muto
· Importance of Suo-Muto
In the afternoon session we were taught, how to write a application for Suo-Muto information. We selected one of the Govt office to apply the same. By 2:30 we left the campus to the Govt office.
Assigment: Case study of Suo-Muto of the one of Governament office.

Day:2
Date:03/03/09
The session started with the experience sharing about the submission of application for Suo-Muto information. Resource persons gave suggestion to those who were not able to apply for the Suo-Muto information. This was followed by the presentation by each group in which we studied the case-study, with PPT presentation. Later we were enriched with the specific information act. The following are the information includes in that;
· What the Act says
· How to apply for it
· Contents of this Act
In the afternoon we were asked to bring a postal order of Rs10/- to apply for the specific information. We learn to write the application, then started to our chosen Governament office.
Assigment:Case study of RTI susscesful story.


Day:3
Date:04/03/09
Day started with the activity-extempore in which we were standing in the circle, we were given a chit in which topic was written, This went on for 40mins.Then the class room session started with case-study presentation. This was followed by the explanation about following points;
· Section 7
· Section 8
· Section 9
In the afternoon session we were given a brief session on the activities done by the apnarti established by our resource persons. In which suggestions & questions asked by the HODof Computer Science,BVB College of Engineering was enlightening for all of us. After this we, in group demonstrated the street play then left to the choose place to do the same.
We could do the street play in many places successfuly. Response from the people was tremendous. Many came out with the problems they are facing. One of the persons their came out with the offering of tea to all of us, he appreciate for our activity to create awareness among people about RTI.He told that he is very thankful for coming,he insisted us to do one more play in side of the village,which we could do later.

Three days the session was very much enriching. As I personally not read any thing about RTI it was very helpful for me. This made me excited throughout the session. Three days the session was more lively, interactive which made everybody alert in the class. We enjoyed the learning part of it.

Leadership activity in Bommasamudra

Most of the time I wish to interact with the children wherever I go. I am very happy to do activity with the children. Same thing happened when I entered the school in Bommasamudra.I asked the in charge of the school did they have any sort of discussion with the girl children regarding Menstrual cycle & importance of hygiene during that period? She told, no;& asked if I can help in that regard it will very great. I selected 6th ,7th ,8th class girl children for the session.
In the beginning I asked their name & what they want to become in their life & listed it on the board .Next question is what is the impotent necessity to achieve this? There were many answers, we came to an end that health is the most important one. Later I related health to personal hygiene specially during menstrual cycle. Initially many put their head down, some starting feeling shy, very few were seeing me. After the ice breaking activity many started asking questions which was very interesting,
· Why the blood will come?
· Mother says it’s bad blood is it true?
· Why we should not touch the one who is in MC?
· Why it is not in boys?
· What is white discharge?
· What are the sanitary napkins?
· In TV they show blue ink flowing in to the napkin what is that?
· Where to get sanitary napkins?
· How to dispose it?
· Which is good one?
& so on…………..
I could answer to their questions. Session went on for nearly 2 hours.We ended the activity by reminding them about their goal with the quotation ”HEALTH IS WEALTH” Teacher felt happy & we felt satisfaction.

Leadership activity

Itwas Saturday 9:00am when we decided to visit a Urdu school to do our leadership activity.We walked around 15 minutes from BVB college ,Vidyanagar.we could see green flag on a small building.My friend told me its the Urdu school.It is one of the oldest school in the Hubli,started in 1932.There we met Mrs.S.A.Kori who is incharge of the school.The school is not having its own building,right now it is running its activity in a Darga.The school building has collapsed few years back & still under construction.Mrs.Kori was happy to recive us,she allowed us to do leadership activity with the children.We could teach them few games & gave tips about personal hyegine through a story.Inchrage told us she could see enthusiasum on the face of the children after playing. We thank the teachers, incharge & children for giving us a chance to be with them. We strted from the school by 12:00pm.

Visit to Kurdikeri village

“We know it is not good ,but we are not having any other alternative for it”told by a village lady when I entered the village KURDIKERI by passing the open defication area.I used to think that villagers do not have much knowledge about cleanliness ,the bais was broken by the village lady.This was the first unlearning for me in the village stay. I have done transect walk with villagers in which I could meet Anganwadi teachers,Nurse, Headmaster of governament school, Chairman of Panchayat, Priest, SHG members, Shopkeepers,farmers & so on.
Let me brief about village KURDIKERE:
LOCATION:Kurdikeri is around 20km from Hubli.It is surrounded by Kardikoppa in south,Kamplikoppa in east,Surshettikoppa in north,Bagekoppa in west.

HISTORY OF VILLAGE:Around 300years back a family came from Unkal to this place to stay,they had a blind women with them.Later this village develop.People started recognising this village with the name of the blind women(in kannada Kurudi means blind) & the village got the name as Kurdikeri.

LIVELIHOOD ACTIVITIES :
• 80% of people have their own land, so agriculture is the main occupation.
• Sheep rareing.
• Brick making.
• Dairy.

CROPS Grown:
• Soya
• Maize
• Cotton
• Vegetables
• Alasandi
• Greengrams & many other finger millets

EDUCATION FECILITIES:
• 2 Anganawadi
• 1Higher primary school

FACILITIES NEEDED:
• Drainage system.
• PHC
• Bank
• Toilets
• School building
• Medical shop

PROJECTS IMPLIMENTED:
• SARVODAYA KHADI GRAMODAYA PROJECT
• BAIF PROJECT
• SUJALA PROJECT
• LEISA(Low external input sustainable agriculture)
PRA tools used:
• Trasect walk
• Social mapping
• Matrix analysis
• Seasonality mapping
• Time line
• Focused group discussion

MATRIX ANALYSIS
CROPS INCOME YIELD MARKETING RESISTENCE STORAGE
SOYA 5 3 5 5 5
MAIZE 4 3 4 3 1
JOWAR 1 2 2 4 3
COTTON 2 1 4 1 4
VEGETABLES 3 3 1 1 0

SEASONALITY MAPPING

MONTH JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JULY AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
RAIN - - - 1 2 5 5 5 4 2 - -
INCOME 4 - - - - - 2 2 3 3 4 4
EMPLOYMENT 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 4 4
MIGRATION 5 5 5 - - - - - - - - 5

CHALLENGES FACED:
• Gathering of people
• Power cut in the evening
• Availability of place for FGD
• Getting people for trasect walk
• Involment of women in mapping

OPPORTUNITY AS A SOCIAL ENTERPRENEUR:
• Markenting for vegetables
• Storage of vegetables
• IG activities for migrating people
• Fecility of toilets

In Balamandir

It was 12:30pm when we reach balakiyara balamandira in Gantikeri. It is a beautiful place. We met Mrs.Kankanur who is the in charge of that balamadira. She explained us about balamandira, it has 130 girl children out of them. Some are orphan, some are Child delinquency. When we told her, we came to teach children some activities and wish to follow up it in following days she felt happy and provided us two classrooms.
we selected 7th, 8th and 9th students for activity that is paper bag making. we started teaching the activity it went for 1hr, children with enthusiasm. Children were happy and asked us to come again. While coming we met Mrs. Kankanur and presented few paper bag made by children’s she felt happy and appreciated our work, asked us to come again and teach many things to children.

In the cradle of Himalayas

It was May (2008) end when we,me & Nitin(my husband) decided to move towards Himalayas.After a long discussions with in us we started on 2nd June to Delhi.The most interesting part of this journey was trucking. we spent around 2 & a 1/2 months in himalayas by walking & some times trucking with least money in our hand.We covered Rishikesh,Haridwar,Gangotri,Gomukh,Yamunotri,Kedarnath,Badrinath,Massuri& Dehradun. One should visit himalayas to see the greatness of Indian culture,the hospitality the villagers show towards a strngers like us was unimmaginable.One interesting thing I wish to share with you all;one day after walking for more than 25 kilometre in the nearby village we wish to take rest(it was late evening),we asked a lady,she welcomed us to her home.When we got up in the morning both the couple(house owners) were getting ready to go to field work,leaving us in their home.We asked them that how they are trusting us so much ? we may run away by stealing their things.The answer was still amazing,they told-if you take anything it was not belonging to us.Such a wonderful people they are.Such experiences are plenty in the journey.We could meet many sanyasis,sadhus,Babas,Ashrams & scholors.We could enjoy the breez of terrific Ganga,soothing Yamuna & guptagamini Saraswati.We spent a day in Gomuk glacier,which was a deadly & unforgetable experience.The air & water their is so pure,we used to feel less hungry unlike in plains .Legends behind each place in himalayas take you to a different world.Whenever i share my journey to himalayas with anybody i go back to the thrilling experiences.I personaly felt that everybody must visit himalayas once in their life time.I have given a very brief introduction about my journey.If anybody wish to visit himalayas by trucking,can contact me for route map.