Hello!

We’re back with yet another newsletter- this time for the month of July ’09.

We’re excited to announce that Sangam India has started work in a new community, stationed near the previous one. It comprises a comparatively larger population with a wide range of variability in terms of living standards.

As of now, a basic survey has helped us to initiate dialogue with the community, though we hope to learn a lot more as the weeks unfold. We’ve started with a focus group for the women, which was an incredibly successful event. We have managed to begin a dialogue with the women of the slum, during which they have started to voice their opinions and pledge their support. We are very excited about where this may lead. We will be continuing our weekly educational programme, and as usual we look forward to hearing your input.

The recent survey has of course brought to light the poor sanitation conditions that leave a lot to be desired. Our hygiene enthusiasts are trying to find a feasible solution to this as well.

We’ve established new committees that will be working from abroad, mostly through interactive web-based efforts. We hope this will increase our efficiency and involve all of our members more intimately with the day-to-day workings of our ground team, in areas such as Education headed by Aparna Bhaskara, Sanitation headed by Sujan Pakala and Health headed by Pavan Kumar Allareddy. We’re grateful to Rafi Dudekula for helping us set up the proper infrastructure through which our members can collaborate. We’d love for you to be involved with any committee that you’re interested in. Please let us know!

Another exciting development is the launch of our new website. We sincerely thank Tina Ye for giving our site a fresh new look, all set to inspire! We hope you agree with us at www.sangamindia.org.

Thank you,
Rifa Khan
Sangam India
http://www.sangamindia.org

To join our mailing list and get monthly updates into your inbox, please visit http://list.sangamindia.org.

Hello!

June has been one topsy-turvy month for Sangam India. Before we delve into the intricacies of this month, we must pause to express our gratitude.

The entire team of Sangam India, Chennai would like to thank everyone who came forward to help the inhabitants of the Ramavaram slum. For the uninitiated, a fire consumed the entire slum, minus its dwellers, leaving 400 people homeless.

Our efforts to tackle this challenging situation involved supplying the people with basic necessities, including food. With the clockwork efficiency of the members of the Porur Sai Samithi and the generosity of Vishranthi Trust, more food and clothes were distributed. We thank them for their timely aid and co-operation.

The Government plans to relocate all 110 families to Perungulathur, 25 km from Ramavaram. The idea of parting with all the friends we have made over these months has been debated, denied and finally accepted. Though distance plays devil, we still hope to visit them to implement a few more plans such as health education, malnutrition management and perhaps even a health camp for men, women and children. Two girls, Amudha and Meena, will be accommodated in a hostel in Porur, to ensure a hassle free year of academics.

Our interaction with the inhabitants of Ramavaram has taught us a great deal, perhaps even beyond what we imagined. Armed with experience and good will we now venture into another community – to teach, to learn and empower to excel.

In other news, Sangam India is now on Twitter! Follow us for updates on our work and on other news of interest at http://twitter.com/sangamindia.

Thank you for your time and support.

Rifa Khan

Sangam India.

To join our mailing list and get monthly updates into your inbox, please visit http://list.sangamindia.org.

Hello!

Sangam India brings to you its newsletter for the month of May. Before we leave for our summer break in May, here’s a synopsis of the last month.

For starters, the Education Programme for children has gained an exhilarating momentum. With every visit the kids learn new lessons – and make sure we learn from them too. Simple activities from colouring to role playing are used to make learning fun. Currently Bhavya and her team are hard at work to create more lesson plans, and any help associated with this will be more than appreciated. An Educational Committee has been made to develop the curriculum. The details of this can be procured from our website: http://www.sangamindia.org

Legal intricacies are being worked on by the Legal Team of Sangam India. Hopefully our efforts will lead to the much desired consequence of acquiring an NGO status as soon as possible.

Anand Charity (a California-based NPO) has been kind enough to recognize our cause and mention our work in their quarterly publication News@Anand (http://blog.anandcharity.org). We thank them for this appreciation.

While most of the Sangam Team will be away in the month of May, the regulars will keep up their diligence. Rest assured that the “away team” will work on the necessary research to create better plans for the coming months, so distance is just a number.

With summer at its peak, we hope the team that has headed home has some respite from the agonizing heat and will come back in June, rejuvenated and ready to work!

Happy Holidays everyone!

Rifa Khan
Sangam India
http://www.sangamindia.org
info@sangamindia.org

To join our mailing list and get monthly updates into your inbox, please visit http://list.sangamindia.org.

Hello!

As Sangam India is already into the second month of action for ‘09, the drawing board is brimming with ideas, the enthusiasm is still infectious, and ground work is gaining momentum.

March saw an interesting turn of events, starting with the educational programme for children. Bhavya and her team worked out comprehensive plans to make learning fun. Albeit a daunting task, the success of their plans seems evident in the progressively growing excitement among the children.

The Legal Team is still working at procuring the NGO status. This department welcomes any legal help you can provide, so feel free to contact us, and we’ll put you in touch with them.

Rampant malnutrition is the prime obstacle to improving the health standards among the children. Right from protein pack supplementation to roping in a paediatrician we have started work to tackle this concern, with creative inputs from Dr. Thinesh.

Medical complications that were addressed include one young woman’s post-op trouble and Nagajyothi’s unsafe type CSOM (she has been discharged from the hospital).

A survey of just two blocks made it clear that the women of the slum are interested in vocational training. We realize that financial independence of the women is imperative and will only aid the monetary stability of the family. Vasundhra and Vandhana are chalking out the best possible plans to make this a reality.

Since the last visit was canceled, the upcoming one (4th Apr ’09) is even more eagerly awaited. A new website is also on the cards, for which we thank Tina Ye. Until then, please stay tuned to the existing one- www.sangamindia.org.

With Easter just round the corner, if you’re willing to share clothes, books or your views, do let us know. Thank you for your time and support.

Here’s wishing you a Happy Easter!

Rifa Khan

Sangam India.

To join our mailing list and get monthly updates into your inbox, please visit http://list.sangamindia.org.

Hello!

We sincerely apologize for the sabbatical. Now that we’ve taken care of the technical snags, Sangam India is back to work!

The algorithm of bringing our ideas alive involves planning, informing you (the member), execution and assessment. The Newsletter for the month of March gives you a synopsis of three brainstorming sessions involving all of these aspects.

Plans for the upcoming months include:

• vocational training for women
• subsidizing the cost of reconstructing a bridge that gave way during the November floods
• fun, informative weekly education sessions for the children, in which we will be working synergistically with the existing local tutor
• organizing a field trip for children with 100% attendance at school to work as an incentive to encourage them to take their formal education seriously.

The recent trip to Ramavaram on the 8th of March brought to our notice the various health ailments and the concerned people have been advised to seek medical help immediately. Sangam members posted in different departments of the free clinics will be present to assist them.

Above all, we seemed to have earned a modest amount of good will, as uninhibited opinions, queries and requests came free flowing in the last visit to Ramavaram. Building on this, we have a visit planned for the upcoming Saturday.

Games, recreational activities and lesson plans for the children have been chalked out. A review for implementing more plans is also on the cards for the weekend peeking round the corner.

We would really appreciate your feedback. One aspect in which we especially need your input is in the development of lesson plans. If you have ideas, suggestions, or would like to volunteer your time for developing our curricula, please feel free to comment on our blog (www.sangamindia.org) or email any of the concerned board members. Here’s wishing you a Happy Holi from the Sangam Team.

Rifa Khan
Sangam India

To join our mailing list and get monthly updates into your inbox, please visit http://list.sangamindia.org.

“Lead me from Death to Life, from falsehood to truth.
Lead me from despair to hope, from fear to trust.
Lead me from hate to love, from war to peace.
Let peace fill our hearts, our world, our universe…”
- Prayer of Peace

As different parts of the world are held hostage by questions of peace and security, we offer this Prayer of Peace.

November began on a hopeful note, with a health camp that tried to alleviate the troubles of the slum in Ramavaram and its twin (across the road). During one of the follow up rounds, Nagajyoti was found to have chronic suppurative otitis media – an ear infection of severe complications but with a surgical solution. Following which, an appeal was made on our blog www.sangamindia.org for aid- monetary or otherwise.

The Women’s International Perspective: “Students in India take social change into their hands” an article by Fehmida Zakeer, has an optimistic ring to it. We’re happy to know that we’re far from being alone in making the change that we set out to be.

However, Trouble in rain gear wreaked havoc on the inhabitants of Ramavaram. Robbed of their belongings and the security of their homes, they have been temporarily shifted to a school complex near the Nandambakkam Police Station. We hope the food supplies provided some relief in these trying times.

This presence of mind of the State Government avoided what could have been a much worse situation. Perhaps this deluge can help the authorities to overcome their myopic resolve, so they can see for themselves the inadequacy of the slum to deal even with the regular winter rainfall.

We hope the New Year dawns upon brighter times so we can recover from the darkest hour of a very troubled night.

Rifa Khan
Sangam India

To join our mailing list and get monthly updates into your inbox, please visit http://list.sangamindia.org.

Hi!

The month of October, and the action it churned out, brings to you this newsletter from Sangam India. The winter rainfall brought us more surprises than we expected.

First came a note of appreciation from Pa. Vijay – a poet and a lyricist of growing fame. At this point, we would like to thank all the fellow members of Sangam India whose work is yielding constant acknowledgement and support from unanticipated sources.

Then, a scheduled visit to Ramavaram brought to our notice some unscheduled trouble. The rain played nemesis to an extent that a few inhabitants were deprived of their shelter and belongings. The Sangam Team geared into damage control mode. With food supplies and medicines water-borne diseases were kept at bay. Life in Ramavaram recovered well, and pretty fast.

The silver lining behind the troubled clouds – Diwali!

We discovered a new way to celebrate Diwali – the Ramavaram style. Clothes and grains for every family brought smiles that truly ushered in the festival of lights. We thank all the people whose generosity made this Diwali special for the people of Ramavaram. The sights and sounds of this day have been uploaded on our blog www.sangamindia.org.

What lies ahead? The next month will kick-start with a Health Camp followed by regular visits for follow-up. Meanwhile, we are also sketching out plans for the next year. Your inputs are paramount to our process of blue-printing. We have made this easier with our Orkut and Facebook groups. So, lets stay connected.

Rifa Khan
Sangam India

To join our mailing list and get monthly updates into your inbox, please visit http://list.sangamindia.org.

Hello!

One month and a few happenings later Sangam India brings to you this newsletter for the month of September.

We dedicated this month to the women of Ramavaram. Setting up and conducting the Women’s Health Camp was not as challenging as bringing the women out of their haven of domestic chores. We thank CanSTOP for all their support, medical and otherwise, that made this camp a reality. Though the more startling reality is that a home-maker’s health is so important, and yet so horribly neglected. If you are involved in work similar to ours please make an effort to educate women, especially working women, to take better care of their health.

Acknowledgement in print (Youngistan in Action- said The Hindu) has always motivated us. We’re happy to inform you that now even vernaculars such as Kumudam are aware of our work and are extending their support. For further details about this you could refer our blog www.sangamindia.org

The road ahead will include a Health Camp for men, distribution of clothes for the festive month of October, and a pit stop. Due to inevitable distractions such as University exams, Sangam India will not initiate any new ventures from November till the end of December. This time will see less activity and ground work, but the drawing board for new ideas for 2009 will always be functional. Please feel free to work on it.

We hope the festival of lights brings you good luck and prosperity. Sangam India wishes you a Happy Diwali!

Rifa Khan
Sangam India.

To join our mailing list and get monthly updates into your inbox, please visit http://list.sangamindia.org.

Hey!

Thank you for your time. We’re Sangam India, a group of students hoping to make some changes around us. If this is the first time we’ve met, our blog www.sangamindia.org will furnish you with details about our origin and objectives. The Sangam India Newsletter will be a monthly visitor to your inbox.

We’re glad to inform you that August was powered with three ideas- aid, aim and accelerate.

Before delving into the details of that, here’s a quick review of activities that took centre stage:

A brief visit to Ramavaram for educating on basic hygiene practices was followed by a Dental camp. As planned, people requiring further treatments have been referred to Sri Ramachandra Dental College, Chennai (which carried out the basic treatment). Keeping in line with health improvement, we held an ENT and Ophthalmology Health Camp. Meanwhile, Dharma’s surgery also took place on the 29th of August. He seems to be recovering well.

Whether it’s co-operation from the residents of Ramavaram, or acknowledgment from the media (Times of India), our efforts are being reciprocated.

As for back stage work: Time to divulge the details-

We’re happy to inform you that the Sangam team is now growing beyond Chennai in terms of ground work of gathering and channeling resources. Clothes, medicines, monetary aid, and unassuming support from Sangam India (Delhi) have fuelled our cause with apt momentum.

Lawyers, bureaucrats, and red-tape keepers have kept us busy through the month, as we’re working on acquiring NGO status – hopefully by the end of September.

With the required aid and an aim to work towards, our plans for September involve : conducting a Health Camp for women, upgrading sanitation facilities and distribution of the aforementioned aid. To spread awareness and also to collect funds, we will hold a stall at our Cultural Fest, to be held on campus. Over the remainder of the year, we plan to get some help from the children of Ramavaram, where they would be mascots for Sangam India – this way we plan to appeal for sponsorships for them. Once sponsored, a monthly report of progress will be sent to the supporter of the respective child.

If this update has made you think of some ideas we could use, please send across your suggestions. For news, views and happy hues please refer to our blog at www.sangamindia.org

Thank you,

Rifa Khan
Sangam India.

To join our mailing list and get monthly updates into your inbox, please visit http://list.sangamindia.org.

We are setting up a mailing list on our website which will be issued on a regular basis. It will consist of news on things we have previously done as well as news on upcoming events. For those of you watching our project from far away, it will also contain up to date information on things we need and how you can help our cause.

I would like to invite all of our visitors to join the mailing list. You can go to our main website at http://www.sangamindia.org and submit your email address on the ‘Newsletter’ box to the right. You’ll have to confirm your email to make sure its right.

A word on privacy: we don’t share your email address with anybody, so don’t worry about getting spam. We promise!