Project Kali: उमीद एक बदलाव क About the project #ForShiv

PROJECT Kali

उमीद एक बदलाव क

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Project Kali aims at the upliftment of the Jatav Community of Shadipur, New Delhi, who following the demolition of their homes, had been living in transit camps in a slum in Anand Parbat. Picking rags and selling nimbu-mirchi for a living, and with inadequate exposure to alternative economic opportunities, the members of the community often struggle to make ends meet. In the absence of basic amenities and education, they live from hand to mouth and teeter at the brink of abject poverty.

Through Project Kali, our endeavor is to empower the members of the Jatav Community, make them selfreliant and substantially improve the way they perceive themselves. We plan to achieve this through interactive activities and sessions with them and providing them any assistance they require from distribution of blankets, ration kits to educational resources for the children of the community, successfully impacting more than 300 people. The pandemic didn't stop us from fulfilling our duty and even though we were stuck at our homes, we were in constant touch with them. Through systematic guidance, mentorship and support, we wish to bring some positivity into their lives and share moments of joy with them.

Since its inception, Project Kali has made considerable progress, and we are affirmative and confident about the future. Over the years we've been supporting them in every way possible. We conducted a sanitary pads distributing drive and interacted with the girls and women of the community on various issues like menstrual hygiene and health and successfully impacted around 85+ women. Apart from that we also organized an awareness session on family planning wherein we interacted with them and also informed about the various schemes of the government of India in this arena.

As a part of “ANSUNI” , a new series introduced under Project Kali, we share the intricate stories of the people from the community as a way to give a platform to their voice. It whirls around the lives, experiences and hardships of the Jatav community in Shadipur. Their smiles bring immense satisfaction to us and are a testimony to our intention and effort. We hope to take Project Kali to incredible heights in the near future!

#Forshiv

“It’s not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving” - Mother Teresa

Under Project Kali, we initiated a fundraiser campaign for a cause very close to our hearts. Shiv, a seven month old boy and a member of our Project Kali community, was diagnosed with Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD), a defect that causes an abnormal hole in the heart, and had to undergo a surgery for the same. With parents having limited means, we took it upon ourselves to ensure that he gets the right treatment.

Having associated with Shiv ’s parents under Project Kali, when they approached us for financial aid, we were more than willing to offer help. We initiated a fundraiser campaign called “Help Shiv’s Heart Beat” through milap.org to raise funds for his surgery. With extensive campaigns on campus and on our social media handles, we managed to raise close to Rs. 70k for his surgery.

It is said that together we have the power to bring about a change we alone could not even think of and with people donating generously towards our cause, we were able to turn this campaign into a successful one. Shiv had his surgery on 13th of April which was successful and he's in good health now.

Knowing that we could play a part in restoring Shiv’s health, our hearts swell with joy and pride. Accomplishments like these reaffirm our faith in well-meaning, unstinting service. Shiv’s parents, Karan and Sunita, were overwhelmed and their gleaming smiles filled our hearts with content and gratitude towards each and every donor who contributed to the cause.

STORIES FROM THE COMMUNITY

Over the years, project Kali has seen many stories of gradual positive changes be it in the living condition or the education of the children of the community. One such instance is the story of three teenage girls, Poonam, Tulsi and Pooja, who became the first ones from their community to appear for class 10th Board Examinations. Their sheer determination and will to make a difference in their lives and the lives of their family members is truly commendable. In spite of having a gap of three years after class 9th, they didn't give up and kept their hunger for education alive. In the last few months they were enrolled with the classes under Project Sanskaar and were tutored by our volunteers. It's a big achievement for them and their families and feels no less than a victory.

Q. Hi Poonam! So you appeared for your 10th grade board exams this year, how did they go? How’re you feeling about the results? Are you optimistic?

POONAM: Yes, my exams are already over, the results haven’t been declared yet. My exams went well. I’m confident that I’ll pass all my exams. English is my only concern, I don’t think I’ll score well in English.

Q. How long have you been associated with the classes under our Project Sanskar and who were your mentors?

POONAM: I have been associated with the project for a year now. I was taught by several mentors, like Honey Bhaiya and Ashmita didi.

Q. How was the news of you appearing for your board exams received by your community? What was the general reaction like? Do your parents feel proud?

POONAM: Everyone in my community has been very supportive, encouraging and positive. My parents are very proud of me and have high expectations.

Only a couple of people have been discouraging and have tried to pull me down by questioning the idea of getting an education, given the fact that I’ll eventually be married off to someone. However, I don’t pay any attention to them and have faith in my abilities and decisions. I know what’s best for me.

Poonam in Interview with us:

Q. Since you are the first one to be writing board exams from your community, do you think more girls will now be inspired to finish their education properly and more parents would encourage their daughters to have a formal education?

POONAM: Yes definitely, I’m very confident that a lot more girls from my community will go to school now. My friends and I are trying to teach our siblings and other kids in the community.

Q. Apart from a degree and employability point of view, why do you think having an education is important?

POONAM: I think having an education is extremely important. More than anything else, education imparts knowledge that comes in handy at several points in life. My lessons have enhanced my understanding of society and the world in general.

Q. What are your dreams and aspirations?

POONAM: I’m keen to finish my high school education. After 10th grade, I want to perform well in my 12th grade board exams. After school, I hope to educate other kids in my community.

Tulsi in Interview with us:

Q. Hello Tulsi! You just wrote your 10th board examinations. How did they go? How do you and your parents feel about it?

TULSI: They went well. I felt very good, being one of the first ones. My parents are really proud and feel happier than me.

Q. How was your experience at project sanskar?

TULSI: It was very good, my teacher helped me a lot too with my studies. Harshit Bhaiya and Pakhi Didi taught me English very nicely. They gave me confidence to write my exams. We did revisions and solved problems together, they also taught me how to write well in exams.

Q. Do other girls in your community feel inspired, seeing you being one of the first girls to write board exams? Is there any message you would like to give them?

TULSI: Yes, a lot of them feel inspired and I am sure they will succeed very well. I will encourage them to study further. I will ask them to take my example and excel well in education and studies

Q. Did Covid disrupt your studies? How did you manage it?

TULSI: Yes, it did affect my studies to an extent but my mentors at Project Sanskaar, continued to take online classes during Covid. I understood the concepts well during those classes.

Q. Now that you've written your exams for 10th boards, have you thought about your future? TULSI: I do wish to study further. It depends on my scores for this exam, whether I will graduate school or not. But I believe God will help me through. About college, I haven't yet given much thought to that.

A word from the volunteers;

“I remember the day when I was selected as a volunteer for Project Kali, I was very elated to be a part of the same. It has been months now since I became a part of this. Under project Kali, we conducted awareness campaigns, a Sanitary pad and mask distribution drive and raised a good amount of funds for seven months old SHIV, suffering from Ventricular Septal Defect. Before joining Project KALI my perspective of NSS was very limited, but its real meaning for me has expanded to work for others’ upliftment and now I have understood the true meaning of NSS’s motto “Not Me but You”. When I met different people during ground visits, lacking such basic requirements, I came to know how well off and fortunate I am. My problems which seem to me as the worst ever tragedies one can face in life are just incomparable to what these people face. I have many such experiences in Project Kali (NSS) which made a remarkable impact on me and will always be remembered. I can proudly say that joining Project Kali was one of the best decisions I have ever made.

~Honey Deval , Volunteer

“It has been wonderful working with the team and contributing for the well-being of our Kali community. Under the constant support and guidance of our project heads, we have been able to do many things, like paying offline visits to the community children and raising funds for a baby’s heart surgery. For me personally, it is an exposure like never before. I have got to learn many things in the initial months only. I have seen a significant rise in my confidence level and sense of responsibility. In the end, let’s not forget about the feeling of achievement that one gets by helping the needful and the level of satisfaction which is immeasurable!”

~Anjali Yadav, Volunteer

“My experience at project Kali was just awesome. The work we did was really amazing and satisfying. I myself felt a change in myself while working for the kali community. The funds we raised for shiv to the donation drives were like food to soul....to see someone smile is the most amazing feeling one can ever experience.

~Mankeerat Kaur, Volunteer