Nav Bharat Jagriti Kendra
Nav Bharat Jagriti Kendra
Lok Samiti Convention at Patna
On 17 November, Bihar state Lok Samiti has called a convention for volunteers & office bearers at Patna. Mr. Girija Satish (President, National Lok Samiti) was the chief guest of this programme who advocated for development policy to focus upon individual with substantial support and to make one responsible at the same time for outcome. He questioned upon government schemes like mid day meal at schools, nutritious food supplements at aanganwadi centres and subsidized food grains to BPL families while suggested for cash transfer to beneficiaries. Mr. Girija Satish was in favour of empowered gram panchayats/urban local bodies with judicial and financial powers to realize their ideas for development. He has charged present election system for high level corruption in India and warned against heavy capitalization of a democratic process. Expressing his concern over drug and liquor addiction among youths, he called for stern measures to be taken by government including policy shift for revenue. He stressed over practical technical education after 10th class for youths and a nation wide campaign for “Learn and Earn”. Mr. Girija Satish has identified the need of an inclusive and mandatory Insurance coverage for all citizens to meet up their health and emergency needs. The convention was chaired by Mr. Vijay Kumar (President, BSLS) who appealed for hand holding initiative among youths became victims of alcoholism and drug addiction. Mr. KG Azad (Convener, LS) has argued to oppose social evils, religious fanaticism, centralized development policies and briefed upon organizational expansion in Uttar Pradesh. Mr. Shivji Singh (General Secretary, BSLS) has outlined the resolutions related to strong PRIs & local bodies, addiction free Bihar, judicial reform, profitable agriculture, home to landless and communal harmony later passed by the convention. Mr. Binod Sharma (Treasurer, BSLS), Mr. Vidyabhushan Singh (Ex-MLA), Mrs. Manti Verma, Mrs. Radha Arya, Md. Nizamuddin, Mr. Jagannath Singh, Mr. Ramsharan , Mr. KD Singh, Prof. Somnath Tripathi and others have addressed the convention attended by around 400 people from different parts of Bihar.
Voter Awareness Campaign by Swaichhik Manch
On 13 November, members NGO of Bokaro district Swaichhik Manch have organized a rally to sensitize voters to exercise their votes during assembly election scheduled in November/December for Jharkhand. The rally was started from the office of district commissioner in presence of Mr. Ravi Kumar (district public relation officer) who appreciated the move of NGOs to encourage democratic ethos and civil rights through mass contact. The rally has disseminated a strong message among people to vote judiciously and reached to Naya More, a public address place at Bokaro with banner and slogans. The NGOs have distributed informative handbills, caps and posters for awareness. They performed a street play also. After that, a meeting was convened over Voting as the Right to Exercise and various orators have expressed their views upon the theme. More than 300 strong supporters of civil rights and 27 NGOs linked with Zila Swaichhik Manch have participated in the program. Mr. Gautam Sagar, Mr. Vijay Kumar, Mrs. Arti Jaiswal, Mrs. Anwari Bano, Mrs. Suman Kumari, Dr. C A Kumar, Mr. P. Nayyar, Mr. Vikas Kumar, Mr. Aman Gorai, Mr. Basudeo Sharma, Dr. Shyam Kumar Bharti, Mr. Mahadeo Mahto and others have led Swaichhik Manch for the event. Mr. Bindeshwari Pandey has inspired the audience with folk songs to vote with responsibility. It’s significant that Swaichhik Manch is a collective of NGOs promoted by NBJK in Jharkhand and Bihar. 
Remedial Coaching Students on Exposure
Class 10th students of Remedial Coaching Centres in villages of Hazaribag district (Jharkhand) by NBJK with support of Axis Bank Foundation, Mumbai have enjoyed their exposure visit to Birsa Munda Animal Park at Ormanjhi near Ranchi. On 6, 7 & 8 November, 400 students from Chouparan block went there and observed a variety of animals and birds. On 11 – 12 November, the opportunity was availed by 350 students of Churchu block and they have enjoyed it a lot. 490 pupils at the centres in Sadar block went there on 13 – 15 & 16 November. Birsa Animal Park is a unique park with rich biodiversity and big campus. It has a natural environment with boating facility and proper safety arrangement for visitors. The project team of Mr. Bijay Mahto, Mr. Manish Sinha, Mr. Narayan Rajak, Mr. Om Prakash Gupta and Mr. Ashok Kumar has guided the students during the tour and helped them to satisfy their queries. This was an occasion for most of the students, particularly girls to be familiar with the world made for other species also. Many parents have appreciated the event as helpful one for knowledge expansion of their children and the way NBJK has taken care of students during visit. This was a live and linking practice of learning for children, said Mrs. Sujata Prasad (Programme Manager).
Staff Orientation in Rozgar Training Programme
Newly recruited staffs under Rozgar Training Programme went under orientation training on 2 – 3 November at NBJK Coordination office, Hazaribag. The programme has been launched by NBJK with support of Axis Bank Foundation, Mumbai. On this occasion, Mr. Girija Satish (ED, NBJK) has shared an outline of the programme with its team and said that every year 5,400 youths will be trained in the trades like computer software, hardware, BSPA (Bed-side Patient Attendant), mobile repair, driving, beautician, agriculture, electrician, BPO/call centre and tailoring at 10 training centres in Jharkhand. He stressed over practical skill to be taught there and placed the target to train 21,600 youths with 70% placement ratio within 4 years of project duration. Mr. Abhijit Roy (Programme Manager) has assured to achieve this objective through monitoring of quality training and market demand. There was a full-fledged discussion upon syllabus, training/IEC material, equipments, documentation formats, N-computing, mobilization and placement strategies among the team which was facilitated by centre wise presentations. Separate sessions with Mr. Sanjay Sinha (Finance Manager, NBJK) and Mr. Arun Verma (HR Manager, NBJK) have enriched the orientation. They have introduced about accounting norms, stock keeping, budget, travel, human resource modalities with related policies before all staffs came from Rozgar training Centres at Khunti, Hatiya, Piska More, Ramgarh, Hazaribag, Koderma, Dumka, Deoghar, Dhanbaad and Jamshedpur. There were 60 participants in this orientation camp including centre coordinators, faculties, mobilizers and placement officers. Mr. Amit Kumar (Branch Manager, Koderma) and Mr. Rupesh Mallik (Centre Coordinator, Hazaribag) have contributed to make this a successful orientation to programme team. 
Quiz Competition for RCC Children
A block level quiz competition was held on 18 October among selected students from 33 Remedial Coaching Centres of Sadar block, Hazaribag. There were 60 children of class 8th, 9th and 10th, who participated in the program to respond a number of questions pertaining to mathematics, science, English and general knowledge. These participants have been picked up after a cluster level quiz competition organized previously in month of July. During the quiz, a close rivalry among students has charged the atmosphere and shown confidence of information bubbling young minds. From class 10th, Shohaib, Ankit, Neelu, Divya and Riya were emerged as winners while Mohit, Kajal, Vikas, Shankar and Sandeep have won among students of class 9th. Amid contestants from class 8th, Kunti, Radha, Rupa, Anisha and Shweta Bharti were declared as successful students. All these students have enjoyed first to fifth positions in their respective categories. They belong to RCCs based in villages like Churchu, Sarauni, Mukundganj, Amrit Nagar, Mandai Khurd, Nagwan Churchu, Sakhiya, Silwar and Oriya. Ms. Sujata Prasad (Program Manager) has distributed prizes to winners of quiz competition and encouraged all the participants to observe happenings outside as well as inside with interest.
Shaping Lives with GiveIndia’s Support
Rangeena Kumari is a 14 years old girl in village-Nariyahi of panchayat-Padariya, post-Basariya, and block-Chouparan in Hazaribag district of Jharkhand. She is currently studying in class 9th in Chandrakala Devi Daga High School, Kewaliya (Chouparan) and is a bright student. She was a school drop-out until last year despite her will to study. Her father, Mr. Basant Thakur is a small farmer who lives in a kuchcha house along with 6 family members. Agriculture is the only source of the family’s income. With a meagre annual income of Rs. 30,000 only it was difficult for Basant to manage schooling for his children. Rangeena had to leave school despite her strong desire to study further. Last year; she was enrolled back to school with the kind support of an individual donor via GiveIndia and is performing well in her class. She dreams to become a teacher in future and wants to support her parents. She is a beneficiary of Girls’ Sponsorship program of NBJK. GiveIndia supports this endeavor along with other programs like Cataract Surgery and Orphanage also. From 2010-11 to 2014-15, various donors via Give India have sponsored village girls for their yearly school education and have benefitted 1284 girls cumulatively till September’14. During this period, GI has also provided support to 1011 poor eye patients suffering from cataract to restore their vision by LNJP Eye hospital, Bahera (Chouparan). At Lord Buddha Home for Children, an orphanage with support of SKB, the Netherlands and managed by NBJK, its financial backing has enabled 15 children to study in a good school and receive the basic facilities towards building a promising future for them. 
Best Farmer Award to NBJK Beneficiary
Mr. Birsa Munda (son of late Soma Munda), a farmer of Latardih village under Murhu block in Khunti district was declared as the Best Farmer in a function held by District Agriculture Department on 15 September i.e. Foundation Day of Khunti district. On this occasion, Mr. Edwin Minz (District Agriculture Officer, Khunti) has praised Birsa for innovative agro practices and honored him publicly with the spade & sprayer. Birsa and his wife Mrs. Sani Munda are associated with Food security & Livelihood program by NBJK with support of Sir Ratan Tata Trust, Mumbai. Sani is a member of “Shanti Mahila Mandal” SHG promoted under the program. They have total 14 acres of land, out of which 8 acres are farming land as a reliable source to feed their 5 members’ family. In this Kharif season, Birsa has sown paddy in 4 acres and prepared 15 decimals lands for tomato farming. He started with tomato as a cash crop first time in the year 2012 as an experiment on lesser area and earned Rs. 8000 in the season. This encouraged him a lot to go further and produce more quality tomatoes. NBJK has supported Birsa Munda for input arrangement and guidance at every step like nursery set up, transplantation, weeding, fertilizers composition, pest control, harvesting and marketing. This year, he has earned around Rs. 20000 up to September and now planning to utilize more lands for the purpose. 
Training to DPO Members & Office-Bearers
3 days residential training to office bearers and members of Disable People’s Organization in Chouparan block (Hazaribag) was conducted during 10-12 September under Cross CBR program with support of Sightsavers, Kolkata. On this occasion, Dr. Jitendra Kumar (State Coordinator, Sightsavers) has provided important inputs about organizational strength and the very process of empowerment for the people involved in shaping up of any body with common interest. Mr. Shankar Rana (Coordinator, Lok Samiti) has shared his expertise upon various legal formalities to be fulfilled by any social organization. Er. Prabhunath Sharma (Treasurer, NBJK) put a methodical presentation before the trainees with questions like for what, why and how an organization proves its existence. The training was coordinated by Mr. Virendra Sinha (Program Manager) who focused over better living condition for PWDs through entitlements and the right to get benefits of government schemes. He said that a DPO can play important role in mainstreaming of its members through collective activities and concerns. 36 PWDs members & office bearers of DPO from 30 villages of Chouparan block have participated in the training enriched with a motivational film show.
NBJK Contributes to ASER Survey
In the period of 8 – 10 September, NBJK and Pratham (Mumbai) have organized a training program for volunteers selected to conduct ASER survey in 30 villages of different blocks of Hazaribag district within next 15 days. ASER (Annual Status of Education & Research) is a nation wide survey by Pratham to check academic condition of children fall under 05 – 14 years age group. This training was imparted to 21 volunteers who are assigned to draw information by visiting selected villages. In every village, they will go to the government primary school and 20 selected families to get the required feedback. The volunteers will make draft maps of the visited village and will assess children’s performance in Maths, English and Hindi in course of the survey. During the training at NBJK, all the trainee volunteers had an opportunity to conduct mock survey in nearby villages like Oriya and Singhani. Mr. Narayan Rajak (NBJK) and Mr. Suryabhan (Pratham) were resource persons while Mrs. Sujata Prasad (PM-education, NBJK) has coordinated the program.
Shoes Distributed among School Children
NBJK and Plan India has started phase II of their shoe distribution campaign on 1 September from Churchu block. It’s noteworthy that they have covered 54, 042 children of 390 schools in 7 blocks namely Churchu, Tatijhariya, Daru, Sadar, Ichak, Chouparan and Barkagaon of Hazaribag district during November’13 – May’14 as phase I of this noble effort to provide shoes to village children. Mr. Shivesh Verma (Consultant, Plan India) justifies shoes for children as a deterrent to various infections which ensure safety for tender feet and inspire children to go their schools regularly. It adds to education ultimately and our target is to equip the same children with new pairs of shoes as a booster to this awareness, he said. Under phase II of the campaign, 5,483 students in 68 schools of Churchu block, 10,900 boys & girls of 63 schools in Sadar block and 1,754 children of 13 schools in Tatijhariya block have been covered till 3rd week of September. All the shoes are donated by Toms Shoes, UK and entire distribution exercise will take one more month to reach rest of the schools in other blocks of the district.