Hello friends! We are back with the updates of this quarter’s activities in Seem.

Interaction of staff & students of msw programme

The staff and students of Masters of Social Work visited the library as part of their exposure to understand working at the grassroots level. They interacted with Jaya to understand the setup of the library. They also interacted with the older girls and the women of the Self Help Group.   

Closure of all activities due to the 2nd wave from April end onwards

We had just about resumed the activities as usual when we had to suspend them again due to the second wave of Covid-19.  The small kids who had just started attending on a regular basis were very disappointed with this. But without choice, all well laid out plans for the coming months had to be put on the backburner.

Distribution of rations

There was a severe and unfortunate increase in the number of Covid positive cases in the village and the area was declared a containment zone. It was seen that there was a shortage of essentials and there was no support forthcoming from the official agencies. We subsequently decided to take up the distribution of ration packs from 11^th May.  Almost immediately, a number of well wishers pitched in and we were able to organize another round of distribution. A total of almost 100 households were benefitted by this.

Supply of essential medicaL equipment

A friend of ours, Tulika and her group, immediately managed to mobilize much required essential medical supplies. We coordinated with them and the Community Health Centre at Garampani to supply medicines, medical equipments, and concentrators as per their requirements.

Some of these equipment were also retained in the library for use in the village.

A group of young college-going girls have volunteered to provide basic medical assistance to the villagers. A training session was arranged in the library and the village ANM demonstrated how to use oximeters, blood pressure and blood-sugar monitors, nebulizers, and oxygen concentrators to these volunteers, the Aanganwadi in-charge, and the ASHA workers.  As a result, almost all the villagers have access to thermometers, oximeters, and other emergency medical kits as and when required.  These volunteers have also been instrumental in motivating some apprehensive villagers and registering them for their Covid vaccinations.

We hope that this initiative can be taken forward in the future and are working with Tulika & her team to provide better and immediate medical facilities to the village and surrounding areas.   

This is what one of our volunteers had to say, “Due to Covid, our colleges are closed. We now come to the library daily to use the computers and carry on with our studies in peace. Since last month, we have also gotten the opportunity to do community service as volunteers. The library arranged for the ANM to come and teach us how to use an Oxygen concentrator/ BP monitor, nebulizer, oximeter and blood sugar monitor. This will be very useful for us in the future as well. Though some of us have learnt about them in theory, (some of us are Pharmacy students), the practical experience has been more fruitful and enjoyable.  We are also able to help our village people now. Earlier they used to have to go to the Community Health Centre, which is 10 km away to get these routine tests done, but this was stopped since the outbreak of Covid last year. Now we are able to do the monitoring here itself.  We also guide them how to keep their BP and sugar in control.” 

In fact, along with this, a lot of older women have started to go for regular walks and there have also been demands on us to teach them yoga!

Restart of library activities

With the intensity of the second wave reducing, we were able to resume activities in the library in phases.

VTC Activities

This was started off from the first week of June with the old group of women and some new apprentices. They come daily and continue with their stitching work. Materials have been sourced from Garampani. With the help of Rohini & Tautik to guide them, production has resumed.  In fact, they have been able to process some orders which have been well received.

Studies of college going students

These girls have started their online studies in the computer lab and attend their classes daily.

Outreach Classes in byasi village

From 1st June onwards, a young girl named Bhawana, who has completed her graduation and was associated with the library, has joined us. She is conducting tuitions and library activities for the younger kids in her village.

TUITIONS and Library with activities & GAMES on WEEkends

Tuitions have resumed from 15^th June. 4 groups of about 40 kids from classes IV – VIII attend in the mornings and about 28 children from classes IX – XII attend Math and Science classes with Vijay in the evenings.

Text books, copies and stationery items have been supplied to all the kids attending tuitions so that the parents are not burdened.

Drawing and poetry writing competitions

After a long hiatus, such competitions have restarted. The children have participated whole heartedly and have won several prizes.  One prize winning composition is given below:

परीक्षा

छत्रों की तैयारी और करोना माहामारी

भविय्श की चिंता और जीत की तैयारी

मुश्किल भरे दौर हैं ये चिन्ता के

मानो एक जंग से हों हिंसा के

बिना परीक्षा उत्तीर्ण तो हो गए

क्या भविय्श बना पाएंगे बिना शिक्षा के?

अंकपत्र तो मिल जायेगा, कारण सहित

क्या आप रहना चाहेंगे शिक्षा रहित?

परीक्षा की उल्झन को, समाप्त कर आगे बढ़ें

नया स्थर है, चलो जीत की तैयारी करें

महा संकट स्थिथि है ये, आओ इसे समझते चलें

एक बार फिर मेहनत कर भविय्श उज्जवल करें

सुहानी जोशी, कक्षा ११

COMPUTER LAB

The computer lab has been upgraded with help from a well wisher. The main server has been replaced, 4 tabs have been procured for online classes and a new LED TV has been installed. Regular computer classes covering about 45 kids have been scheduled in the mornings and evenings from 1^st July onwards.  

STARt of internship

We have finally been able to start our internship/fellowship programme this year. Himadri, a second year student from the MSW programme of Kumaon University, Nainital, has joined us from the end of June for a period of 3 months. She will assist Jaya in the library activities, outreach, and documentation. We hope this initiative will bring new experiences for the children and add value to her course of study. 

VISITORS

Due to Covid, we did not have too many visitors this quarter. However, we did have some interesting people visiting us despite the difficult times.

Pankaj and Anjali from Udhyam visited on 16^th April and spent time here at the library. 

Sahil and Saurabh, two young men who have moved to the hills, visited us in the end of April and again in June. Saurabh, who is a musician and has a way with kids, interacted with them and they sang songs together. We are exploring possibilities of how they can help us with some activities with the children.

Jaya’s sister, Asha and her family came over in the end of June and spent some time with the children and the older girls and had a birthday celebration. We also utilized this day to distribute prizes for the competitions held recently.

NEW TRUSTEES ON BOARD

Rohini and Nidhi, who have been associated with the activities of the trust for the past one year, joined the Board of Trustees with effect from April 2021. They will provide assistance to us in furthering the livelihoods and vocational training initiatives and co-curricular activities in the library.  We welcome them on our board and look forward to a long and fruitful association with them.                          

This quarter was marked by the disruption caused by the second wave of Covid, but we managed to resume activities once things started getting slightly better.  Let’s all hope and pray that we experience normal times soon and that we can take up more activities with the enthusiastic children here.

Cheers & wishing everyone the best from SEEM!