Tailoring Training and Sewing Machines to Women @UshaIntl

8 February, Hazaribag: A week long residential training for 20 rural women from Chandwara (Koderma) and Churchu (Hazaribag) blocks has been started under Usha Silai School program with support of Usha International Ltd. They will get training for sewing machine maintenance, repair and a refresher outlook for tailoring job within the period with help of master trainers from Usha Company.

Mr. Ritesh Lohani (program officer, Usha International Ltd.) has informed about next training and machine distribution at Dumka during 16 – 22 February with NBJK for 18 women from Jarmundi, Kathikund, Raneshwar, Shikaripara (Dumka) and Maheshpur (Pakur) blocks. All the trained women will open Usha Silai School to provide paid tailoring training to neighborhood girls/women at their villages as a dignified and convenient means for livelihood on part time mode. Usha trainers’ team is comprised by Mrs. Sangeeta Jaiswal, Mr. Mannendra and Mr. Kamal.

There are 1941 Usha Silai Schools functional in Jharkhand and Bihar under the program by NBJK with Usha International Ltd and these schools have produced more than 10 thousand skilled girls and women for tailoring.                        

Review Meeting of Rights to PWDs Program @ActionVillagein

7 February, Hazaribag: Review meeting with Hazaribag district program team and DPO (disabled people’s organization) members was held under Rights to PWDs program with support of AVI-BLF, UK. The program runs in Sadar, Churchu, Ichak and Katkamsaandi blocks in the district. The meeting was vital in presence of Mr. Ivan C. Nutbrown, Mrs. Kathleen Siddle and Mr. Anthony T. Mortlock (all from AVI-BLF, UK) while Mr. Satish Girija (Secretary, NBJK) has welcomed the participants and maintained for proper education to children with disabilities as well as active DPOs to promote self-reliance among PWDs.

All they discussed over baseline survey in 365 villages, certification of identified PWDs, their access to entitlements and strengthening of DPOs under the program started from July’15. The staffs have shared their views upon survey experience in remote-naxal prone villages, government facilities to PWDs, their awareness level and activities of DPOs. Also they mentioned about the case of Ruby Kumari, a challenged girl student facilitated for college admission/hostel accommodation and the initiative by Katkamsaandi DPO for marriage support to youth members suffering from social boycott as success stories under the program. K’saandi DPO office bearers like Mr. Govind Mehta (president), Murli Manohar Gupta (secretary) and Santosh Kumar (treasurer) have got opportunity to elaborate their work before the visitors.

The people living with challenges and discriminations are within focus and strengthening of their DPOs is our priority, said Mr. Rajesh Ranjan (state manager, RTPWDs) during the meeting. Mr. Neeraj Gupta (district program manager) has reported about beneficiaries of certification (186), pension (24), railway pass (14), school/college enrollment (42) and self-employment (21) as achievements under the program.

Resolutions amid VHSNC District Federation Meeting @oxfam

28 January, Hazaribag: District federation of Village Health, Sanitation & Nutrition Committees (VHSNCs) met on the initiative of NBJK under the program of Strengthening Primary Health and Education with support of Oxfam Patna. The federation has passed resolutions to improve essential health service through government schemes discussed about irregularities in events of VHND (village health & nutrition day) and enhancement of untied fund in proportion of village population. Also VOs representatives and DPM of National Health Mission have enriched the meeting with their views. VHSNCs federation seeks for following changes consensually –

• Regular and timely meeting of VHSNC, expenses of untied fund as per work plan and population wise enhancement in the fund.
• Health checks up, ANM consultancy and dry ration distribution on Village Health & Nutrition Day.
• Regular meeting of VHSNC members and AWC (aanganwadi centre) for better coordination to ensure institutional delivery.
• Coordination for PHC/health sub-centre/CHC, staff & service availability at health centres and community participation to boost up the campaign of institutional delivery.
• Bank account facility for payment to JSY beneficiaries if certified by Mukhiya.
• Inclusion of Identified VOs in hospital management committee to facilitate services and benefits for rural population.

All office bearers, members and invitees have demanded to manage shortcoming of medical staffs, doctors and proper infrastructure in the field and agreed upon issuance of child birth certificate on the ground of birth place. Mrs. Sanju Devi (president), Mr. Shambhu Mehta (member), Mrs. Aarti Devi, Mrs. Nisha Devi, Mrs. Savita Devi, Mrs. Saraswati Devi, Mrs. Ambaree Khatoon, Mrs. Nirmala Devi (all sahiyas/BTT), Mr. Neeraj Bhagat (DPM-NHM) and Mr. Jageshwar Sharma (BPO, Chouparan) were present in the meeting along with VOs representatives like Mr. Satish Girija, Mr. Awdhesh Pandey, Mrs. Meera Kumari, Mr. Ajit Tiwary, Mr. Lakhendra Thakur, Mr. Brijnandan Singh and Mr. Virendra Giri.

NBJK Celebrated 67th Republic Day

Nav Bharat Jagriti Kendra has celebrated 67^th Republic Day of the nation at its CO (coordination office), HO (head office) and BOs (branch offices) with full enthusiasm. This began with national flag hoisting ceremony by Mr. Girija Satish (President, NBJK) at CO in presence of staff members, neighborhood children and community.

In a brief address, he saluted all martyrs-freedom fighters of the nation and referred about equality with other fundamental rights of citizens granted by constitution. He praised the democracy adopted by India and appealed all to contribute that as aware voters for development needed to counter growing differences. Mr. Satish Girija (Secretary, NBJK) has greeted all present there and called the day as an opportunity to think as a nation in need to progress together. NBJK was founded with a broad vision of social transformation and committed to people’s empowerment as the tool for such change, he opined. Mr. Abhay Kumar (staff member, Ramgarh) has mentioned about social gaps in the name of caste and religion due to an inert mindset only as our constitution prohibits such acts. The function was charged with the slogans for great leaders voiced by all before the flag.

In the program organized by Hazaribag district administration, NBJK was represented with a tableau on Child Rights. Also NBJK managed schools have celebrated the day much lively.

Interface Meeting on Quality Education @oxfam

21 January, Hazaribag: An interface meeting among office bearers of district level federation for School Management Committees (SMCs), member representatives from voluntary sector and the nominee of DSE (district superintendent of education) office was held under the program namely Strengthening of Primary Health & Education with support of Oxfam Patna. Mr. Satish Girija (Secretary, NBJK) has welcomed all and stressed upon mutual cooperation between community and government for quality school education in rural areas.

After proper discussion, all participants have agreed about new recruitment of school teachers for academic purpose only in proportion with enrolled students, schools with boundary wall, toilets, water/drinking water and sports facilities, one day monthly orientation to students for Baal Sansad activities, increase in school development fund as Rs. 50,000 and Rs. 30,000 for middle & primary school, transparency in fund allocation & quality up gradation for mid day meal, minute of monthly meeting & copy of resolutions by SMCs to concerned education officer and unification of village education committee, mata samiti and SMC as a single entity with authorized bank account for any government school.

The meeting was attended by Mr. Sanjay Kumar Tiwary (representative & media in-charge for DSE office), SMC federation officials like Mr. Amit Kumar Mehta, Mr. Vinod Ram, Mr. Vijay Saw, Mr. Fulesar Ram, Mr. Shiv Kumar Besra, Mr. Pradeep Ram, PRI members Mr. Prem Paswan and Mrs. Parvati Devi including Master Bittu Kumar, Sheetal Kumar and Baby Monika (all Baal Sansad members). VOs were represented by Mr. Awdhesh Pandey (CVUK, Barkattha), Ms. Reeta Kumari (JSK, Hazaribag), Mrs. Meera Kumari (GIDS, Hazaribag), Mr. Harinath Tiwary (LUK, Katkamsaandi) and Mr. Brijnandan Singh (NBJK).

Soft Skill and #Yoga Classes at RTCs @AxisBank

RTCs (Rozgar Training Centres) under Axis Bank Foundation-Mumbai supported Sustainable Livelihood Program by NBJK have introduced soft skill classes for youth trainees. After ToT for RTC faculties by Quest Alliance-Bihar in August’15, all 11 centres in 10 districts (Jharkhand) have initiated towards soft skills like time management, SWOT analysis, personality development and communication etc of their students.

RTC at Piska More (Ranchi) has started Yoga classes for youths to keep them fit physically and mentally. It’s significant to add such special classes besides specific trade wise training to prepare them for a competitive job market looking for better candidates always. Currently there are around 1000 youth trainees at centres of Hazaribag, Koderma, Ramgarh, Ranchi, Khunti, Jamshedpur, Dhanbad, Dumka, Deoghar and Giridih.

During Oct – Dec’15, 1216 pass out trainees have developed their skill through short courses of hardware, software, tailoring, beautician, agriculture, cell phone repairing etc there and 488 have been placed already.  Mrs. Sujata Prasad (programme manager) confirms about training quality up gradation and better learning milieu by introducing soft skills and Yoga classes to RTCs.

Cluster Level Meeting by Carers @CarersWorldwide

18 January, Hazaribag: Under the support programme to Carers of differently able/mentally ill/ epileptic/old aged family members in collaboration with Carers Worldwide-UK at Hazaribag, Carers’ cluster level meeting took place at Meru and Ramdeo Khairka villages of Sadar and Daroo blocks on 18^th & 19^th January respectively.

At Meru, 46 carers from 16 villages came together and discussed upon enrollment of carers as beneficiaries of social security schemes by the government. School enrollment and needful rehabilitation of their CWDs (children with disabilities), cooperation from PRIs (panchayati raj institutions) members to mainstream carers and their livelihood support training were other relevant topics talked about on the day. Mr. Rajeev Kumar Mehta (Ex-Mukhiya) and Mr. Jay Shankar Mishra (Deputy Mukhiya) have led villagers for the meeting. At Ramdeo Khairka, 36 carers have participated in cluster meeting under leadership of Mr. Veerendra Kumar Yadav (Mukhiya) who assured to support the people taking care of their dependents.

Md. Nayeem (project coordinator) has introduced objective of the meeting and took a stock of the situation through progress report. Mrs. Vimla Rana, Mr. Paras Nath Mahto and Mr. Kamal Kant Pandey (project team members) have played important role to organize the event.

Opening of Komal Poojan School at Lord Buddha Home for Children

5 January, Bodhgaya: Mrs. Komal and Mr. Poojan have inaugurated Komal Poojan School by NBJK at Lord Buddha Home for Children, Silaunja (Bodhgaya) in presence of local MLA Mr. Kumar Sarvjeet and many eminent citizens like Mr. Dwarko Sundarani, Mr. K. N. Giri, Mrs. Jyoti Manjhi (Ex-MLA), Mr. Raghunath Choudhary (PS member) and many others. Mr. Sarvjeet has welcomed the initiative as a hand holding support for poor people from capable persons with a vision. He appreciated the young industrialist couple with a concern for orphan and poor children.

The inaugural function was followed by a symposium over “Quality Education for Children” and Mr. Girija Satish (President, NBJK) has pointed out the cost factor for such education, very often beyond reach of children from lower strata. He assured that Komal Poojan School will provide cost effective quality education to the children from Nursery to class V from incoming session. Currently LBHC caters 68 orphan-poor children with facilities for their education including all others needed for them and Komal Poojan School will prove it’s worth in future with full range of classes, he added.

Mrs. Jyoti (Ex-MLA, Barachatti) praised the multi dimensional work of NBJK and Mr. Devendra Pathak (Niranjana Welfare Trust) has valued the school as citizen making idea. The function was anchored by Mr. Santosh K. Gautam and organized by LBHC management team.                                                  

Strengthening of #PrimaryHealth and Education @oxfam

15 – 23 December, Chouparan: NBJK has organized a number of events like training, meeting and workshop under the program upon Strengthening of Primary Health & Education covering 20 villages in Chouparan block with support of Oxfam, Patna. On 15^th, training to office bearers for district level Presidents’ Federation of School Management Committees (SMCs) and VOs interested in people’s entitlements. 24 SMCs from 10 blocks of Hazaribag district were represented by their presidents. Md. Sayeed (Resource Person) has introduced them with rules & regulations to address SMCs affairs smoothly.

On 16^th, office bearers from district level federation of Village Health, Sanitation & Nutrition Committees (VHSNCs) and Sahiyaas have joined the training to be more familiar with their role and responsibility. Mr. Neeraj Bhagat (District Program Officer, NHM) has briefed them about health related schemes for villages. Likewise a meeting of network VOs took place on 17^th December to way out community participation in entitlements realization for health and education under the government programs. On 18^th and 20^th December, district level federations of SMCs and VHSNCs have met to draw attention over need of a single and empowered management committee for government schools that can ensure quality education by recruitment of teachers also.

On 23^rd December, a workshop on “Achievements and Experiences of Baal Sansad Program” was organized at Ranchi to signify pupils’ participation in school management and improved education. A comparative study upon the development was presented on the occasion and a number of students active in Baal Sansad have shared their feelings there. The workshop was attended by academicians, NGOs and PRI members.

Village# Health Camp@lordbuddhahome

08 December, Bodhgaya: Nav Bharat Jagriti Kendra has organized a village health camp at village – Bataspur under Bakraur panchayat of Gaya district in Bihar. NBJK managed Lord Buddha Home for Children (LBHC) has been providing common health facilities to rural people since years and such outreach camps are part of the intervention.

The camp entertained 42 patients in need of blood and oral/dental check up, a costly affair for them neglected very often due to ignorance. This served as an awareness drive regarding prevention for many coupled health problems among villagers. Also people came to know about other community works like skill development training for youths, entitlements/rehabilitation for differently able people around LBHC by NBJK.

A team comprised of Dr. Abhishek Mrinal (Dentist), Mr. Dilip Kumar (Lab Technician), Mr. Santosh Pandey (Compounder), Mr. Devjit Banerjee (Faculty-RTC), Mr. Santosh Kumar Gautam (Block Coordinator- PWDs) and Mr. Tripurari Prasad Singh (Asst. Prog. Manager, LBHC) has worked hard to make the health camp a success.