Ekal News, November 2014

GLOBAL NEWS

Ekal support meet - Muscat

Muscat Ekal support meet was held on 20^th Sept 2014.  Mr.Gajesh Dhariwal. Co-ordinator welcomed the guest.  Meeting was inaugurated by lighting the lamp by Guest of Honour Mr.K.K.Taori, chairman and it was followed by prayer.

The programme went ahead by Ekal video screening and power point presentation which was followed by question & answer session.  Presentation was given by Mr. Shankar Chelaram of Ekal UAE and the closing remarks were given by Mr.K.K.Taori and the meet ended by Indian National Anthem.

Few members have assured to continue their support for the next year also.

Ekal,USA raises Rs. 1 Crore to implement clean India campaign in villages

By Ranjani Saigal, Executive Director, (EVF-USA)

'Ekal vidyalaya foundation – USA (EVF-USA)’ recently (oct3-5) hosted an international conference in Cincinnati, Ohio to address various issues like integrated development in remote parts of India. 

 Inspired by the Clarion call for ‘SWAATCH BHARAT’ (clean India) by Prime Minister Mr.Narendra Modi, Ekal volunteers whole heartedly adopted this campaign to create and implement a strategy to clean the Ekal Villages where 1.5 million children are being nurtured and groomed.

This conference had brought volunteers from across India, US & Canada and astoundingly raised Rs.1 Crore for this purpose.  Ajay Singh, Project Co-ordinator for EVF-USA, informed the gathering about the state-of-the- art approach adopted by ‘ Ekal-India’ to administer and monitor various aspects of 'Ekal’.

At the conference, Ekal also addressed the national tragedy of the floods affecting the Kashmir Valley.  Ekal USA has year-marked $150,000 for the flood victims. In short Ekal vidyalaya is playing a key role in the lives of neglected masses for their self-sustenance & empowerment.

Ekal impact through the prism of mahila varg

In 2013 seventeen Mahila Vargs were conducted and 3198 women volunteers  participated to improve the Ekal Villages at the grass root level.

School children, both present and past, does not touch liquor,

All these women authenticated with full authority and confidence that:

·         Ekal schools run their villages regularly.

·         All the schools have lady teachers.

·     The children of Ekal schools both past and present do not touch liquor even though their grandparents and father drinks.

·         Stopped all bad habits like smoking, using abusive languages, pays attention to the hygiene, becoming devotional and patriotic.

·    In Punjab border area Ekal-Villages drug menance have come down considerably due to Ekal schools as the Gram-Pramukh-Sardaji reported.

By this trend, Ekal is producing a new generation of nearly 40 lakhs Ekal children and youth who do not touch liquor.

Ekal Sansthan launches the study circle

 Honourable Minister of State Shri.Pravesh Sahib Singh – Chief Guest inaugurated the Ekal Study circle on 30^th August 2014 at India International Centre, Delhi.

Smt.Manjushree, President Ekal Sansthan gave the welcome address and explained about the role of the Ekal Abhyan which had started its journey 26 years ago.  Shri Praveen Arya, during his presentation highlighted the concept of Ekal Study circle.

The chief guest in his address focussed on the priority of Government of India on the promotion of skill development and entrepreneurship, particularly in rural and urban areas.

Dr. Dinesh Tyagi, CEO-Common Service Centre explained the concept of Common Service Centre and its role in rural and tribal areas.  He also laid great emphasis on developing heart to heart relation with the tribals to gain their confidence.

Shri.Singh urged the Ekal to link Ekal movement with their schemes.

The session was concluded by Dr. P. L. Chaturvedi, Chairman, Ekal Sansthan & former Vice Chancellor.

My Visit to Ekal Vidyalaya Schools

By Adarsha Prahalad, Houstan, Texas

I visited the Ekal vidyalayas near Mysore, in Karnataka to get the first-hand experience of how the schools are run.  If one of the people in USA took time to see how the less privileged coping without proper facilities it would be clear how lucky we are.

The first Vidyalay we visited was in Boochalli on 14^th August 2014.  It was well organised.  There were about 16 students who greeted us with ‘JAI SHREE RAM’ as we entered.  I was very impressed as I had never heard the phrase used as a greeting.  We all encouraged them to keep studying hard.

The school in Devarhalli was run in a big hall used for group puja’s of the village.  They called it as Ram Mandir.  They too greeted us in the same way.  The teachers followed the curriculum provided by Ekal Vidyalaya to teach.  The main agenda for the day we visited, was to practise the dance taught by their teacher whom they called ‘AKKA’ which means sister in Kannada.

We liked how the school were run and how the teachers take extra effort to keep the learning experience unique and fun for the kids.  

By visiting these two Vidyalayas, my perspective of Ekal Vidyalaya efforts increased by leaps and bounds. 

Overall from this experience I see knowledge in new light and education for what is true value, is priceless.

Tree Plantation

Ekal Vidyalaya, Salem Phoenix Trust along with Green World organised the planting saplings in 19 villages around Yercaud on 19^th Oct 2014.  Puja was performed by chanting mantras and the saplings were planted.

This programme was attended by Smt.Lankeshwari and Sri. Sampath Kumar of Ekal Vidyalaya, Tamilnadu.

Diwali celebrations

Friends of Tribals Society Coimbatore celebrated Diwali with full time workers which was attended by President Sri. Shreegopal  Maheswari and Ladies Wing Secretary Mrs. Kavitha Maheswari and by Mrs. Rajeshwari Ravikumar.  The programme started at 1.00 pm.

The introduction speech was given by Dr.Satheesh, after that  all the karyakarthas of Coimbatore were handed over a packet of crackers and sweets  as gifts.  The crackers were bursted and home made food with variety of dishes were served in banana leaf.

Vanyatra

 

 Ekal abhiyans Bharat Lok Siksha Parishad, Delhi  arranged a trip to Amritsar on 5/092014 to visit  the Ekal school.  Sri Manmohan from Australia, who was visiting India was accompanied by Sri Hardev Singh from BLSP Delhi .

They visited 2 villages,  first they visited Ludhad, where they met the teacher, children and the Gram Smethi.

Then they went to Dayalpur where they met the Gram Samethi, 18 ladies and 7 men participated.

Ekal during Kashmir Flood

Ekal Movement in Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh

Ekal Vidyalaya Movement reached Jammu and Kashmir in the year 2000. Presently Shri Sanjay Kumar is the Sambhag Pramukh (In charge of J&K). Under his leadership many karyakartas have been cultivated and groomed. Shri Jaidev Ji a life devotee is in charge of Ekal schools in Kashmir valley; it is interesting to note that all the children and teachers are Muslims.

It isn’t an easy task to travel from one place to another in J & K; it is time consuming and exhaustive due to extremely rough geographical conditions in Kashmir valley & Ladakh. Our karyakartas face a lot of hardship in the hilly areas of Jammu & Kashmir. In spite of security threats it is amazing to learn that most of the teachers in these parts of the country are young girls.

Ekal in Leh and Ladakh

The rough mountain terrains and landscapes separate Ladakh from the rest of India and is no less than a foreign land for Indians and foreigners alike. Ladakh is literally translated as, ‘Land of high passes’ in Tibetan and is located at an average altitude of more than 3,000 meters above the sea level. Ladakh's culture, economy and society has been shaped by many factors.

Leh known as the Land of Heaven has been the battleground for many a war between India and China and India and Pakistan. It has been tainted with innocent blood!

Ekal is the ray of hope for many Indians perishing in remote and extreme terrains.

Flood in Kashmir

Unfortunately, in September the incessant rains for six days caused havoc in the state of Jammu & Kashmir. The condition of the victims was pathetic. The deluge of water was a horrific sight. Many areas of Srinagar district such as- Lasjan, Nowgam, Chhanpura, Nayak Bagh, Badshah Nagar, Hyderpura, Batmello were flooded and the worst affected villages were Lasjan, Nowgam which are adjacent to river Jhelum. The flood waters breached the banks of Jhelum and submerged Srinagar, including the Badami Bagh Cantonment, disrupted “electricity, water supply and civil communications.”

People who shifted to higher and safer places escaped the deluge. In Rajori, a village near Naishara 190 people who were returning after attending a marriage were washed away completely. In Udampur near Panchori a village named Sadal was wiped out due to land slide. Ekal had 2 schools in this area, both of them are wrecked.

Although some members of various rescue operations and other government forces were aiding in rescue and relief operations at some places, the major rescue and relief work was solely being performed by volunteers, young men and local boatmen.

People suffering on account of the flood — both elite and poor—spread their hands out to collect some ‘tehri’ (rice cooked with turmeric/haldi) from relief camps set up on a Srinagar bridge.

Brave hearts rescued many pregnant women from inundated areas and carried the distressed on their shoulders while wading through flood waters in trying circumstances.

Boatmen rescued hundreds of people in their boats, without getting any credit for their heroic efforts on prime time television debates.

Our Ekal Vidalaya teachers in Budgam viz. Mehraj, prepared wooden log boats for rescue operations and also made arrangements for food to be transported to roof-tops where most victims were huddled. They distributed rice, fruits, vegetables and other materials for free as part of a humanitarian gesture. Ekal volunteers opened shelters to make sure people have a safe place to stay, a hot meal and access to other support. Relief items help people in the immediate aftermath of floods. They tried garnering food, blankets and other essential items for survival as people had lost things and lives to floods. Counselling for flood victims was offered. People who were piled on the roofs and other high points were reached by boats for rescue operations.

Disaster had set in Reshipura, Pedgampura, Larikpura, Gulzarpura where the water had reached 12 ft. to 32 ft. The flood did not spare even concrete houses. Our team of Ekal teachers with the help of other groups had involved in rescue operations and also had helped the medical camps by providing some medicines to each group of villages by way of relief measures.

Ekal teachers have even gone to the extent of housing flood victims especially womenfolk and children. It has been a major concern because of a heavy loss to the field crops, fruit crops, and the detail of cattle mortalities can’t even be accessed at this stage, which is beyond imagination…the non-stop heavy rain for about 140 hours has done some irreparable damages.

The floods were an unexpected occurrence and hence relief operations had to face many constraints. Within the limited resources that were available Ekal volunteers had engaged day and night in doing a commendable job for the society.

Ekal feels proud of its mite.