Free Training Program in CAD

This article in the Hindu mentions about a two month free training being conducted by JSS Academy of Technical Education and sponsored by the Government of India's Department of Science and Technology:

JSS Academy of Technical Education – Science and Technology Entrepreneurs Park, will conduct a two-month free training programme on computer aided design software’s – Pro-E and Ansys.

For more details including a contact number, please read the article here.

Schools are cool with Radio and Blogging

Now, this comes as a sort of celebration for us at The Better India. Pallavi Singh writes in this article at the Mint about a policy being formulated to encourage children at school to use community radio and er, well, blog!

This is cool, we think, since it is introducing helpful technology to children in their early years. Excerpts from the article:

Blogging, the recommendations say, should be encouraged to support creative writing. “Blogs are powerful tools to support creative writing that can be published and shared not only with the teacher but also with peers and the world, alike. Spreadsheets, databases, concept maps, and hypermedia authoring tools (Web development tools) to encourage critical thinking could also be encouraged,’’ the draft compendium says.

It also suggests use of digital devices like robotics kits, digital microscopes, graphing calculators and global positioning system devices for science, math and social sciences curricula. To improve rural access, the draft recommendations also press for creation of localized content to be accessed on the web to help children “proactively explore and capture local realities’’.

However, some people have raised some misgivings about this policy too. Nothing is just one-sided now, is it.

Read the complete article to know more about the pros and cons of this policy.

Credit: Link provided by Vikas.

Teach for India

It is education once again appearing on The Better India.

Samanth Subramanian writes in this article at The Mint about the "Teach for India" campaign:

Around this time next year, 100 fresh college graduates will find themselves back in the classroom—but this time they’ll be standing in the front, teaching.

They may not want to be teachers, they may have no teaching degrees, and they may never teach again. But, for two years they’ll work in primary schools as part of the inaugural batch of the Teach For India, or TFI, campaign.

The initiative is funded wholly by the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation.

Read the complete article here.
Also See: All posts related to Education

Students and greener pastures

Our education system, so far, hasn't quite given the focus on environment and its sustainability. There are passing references, yes, but nothing that stirs a responsibility towards a better and cleaner earth.

However, the Center for Science and Environment (CSE) is hoping to change that perception. Anupam Bhagria writes in this article at the Indian Express about a new 'Green School Project':

Students of government schools will now be reviewing their school environment and biodiversity under the ‘Green School Project’. They will be maintaining a proper record and compile a report under the guidance of a school nodal officer, who will forward it to the Centre of Science and Environment (CSE), New Delhi.

On December 18, the top twenty schools securing more than 70 per cent marks will be awarded a “Green Certificate”, schools with 55 to 60 per cent will get a “Yellow Certificate”, schools 50 to 60 per cent will get an “Orange Certificate” and those with 35 to 50 per cent will get a “Red Certificate”.

And what do the teachers have to say to this?

Kusum Lata, Science teacher at the Government Model Senior Secondary School, Punjab Agricultural University, and school nodal officer for this project said, “The aim behind this workshop is to raise awareness among students about the environment and biodiversity. We will involve senior students of class IX and XI as well. Classes X and XII students will be kept out for their Board examinations. Students will be trained to keep a record of the various data and evaluate them accordingly. They can seek the help of teachers if needed.”

Another interesting factor is that the students will also be keeping a tab on how much energy their school consumes. This includes recording of water consumption and LPG consumption in the cafeterias. A great way to instill a sense of giving back to mother nature. And in this case, the students are bound to work for a greener grass on their side.

Read the complete article here.

Insurance - One for the Road

In Karnataka, and especially in Bangalore, roads are exceptionally susceptible to frequent damage and wear-n-tear. With the monsoons coming down, there is less hope about the roads in this city living till winter.

What can residents do to ensure that their roads are maintenance free?

This article in the Hindu talks about the first municipal road to be insured in the country. This road has made it to the Limca book of records for being the first insured road in India. Now, the policy for this road is up for renewal.

Excerpt:

The new policy covers damages, which are most likely to happen in the local conditions. What is significant now is that the 385-metre long road would be insured for a higher sum (Rs. 6 lakh) this time and Dr. Sindhur will not be sole person to bear the cost of the insurance policy.

Motivated by the initiative taken by the doctor, residents of Timmasagar Temple Main Road have now come forward to be a part of the endeavour to keep their road “safe.”

Some more excerpts from the article:

The road, which was in a state of neglect for years, was asphalted by the Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation at a cost of Rs. 10.5 lakh. It was then that the idea of getting the road insured struck Dr. Sindhur. After he followed up the matter with the then municipal commissioner P. Manivannan, a “no objection certificate” was issued by the corporation for getting the road insured. Consequently, the road was insured by Dr. Sindhur through The Oriental Insurance Company Ltd.

In fact, Dr. Sindhur has created a blog to create awareness about this road. You can read the blog here: http://insuredroad.blogspot.com/

Credit: Link provided by Deepak G D.

Charity restaurants of Mumbai

Alright, the restaurants talked about in this article are not quite as philanthropic as the title seems to suggest. Yet, it is a great business model where the poor benefit too. Those of you who might have never been to Mumbai, India's financial capital, there is a possibility that you are unaware of the restaurants in this city which feed the poor and needy, based on the donation or charity they receive on a daily basis.

The New York Times carries this article in its Mumbai Journal, written by Anand Giridharadas:

The world is filled with eating houses of every kind, from hamburger joints to three-star restaurants. There are places you drive through and places where you sit down. But the world may be unfamiliar with a Mumbai variation on the theme: the hunger cafe.

It takes a city like Mumbai, formerly Bombay, frenetic, transactional and compassionate, to erect eateries for the malnourished. They are not soup kitchens, for denizens of this city have little time to serve other people food. In a city that never stops selling stocks and shooting movies, they prefer drive-by benevolence.

In addition to describing the business cum charity model of these restaurants, donors and beneficiaries, the article also talks about the unique 'latent' sense of charity that we Indians possess. Essentially, the people who are hungry and in need of food sit outside these 'hunger cafes' waiting. Frequently, one or more cars drive by and deposit their 'tip' with the restaurant manager. Based on the amount of this tip, the manager invites a certain number of poor hungry souls waiting outside to a full meal.

Personally, I have seen many affluent business class people offering their money here - sometimes out of sympathy, sometimes as a dutiful charity and sometimes to appease one of their Gods. Whatever might be the reason, it is nice to see that hundreds of people go to sleep on a full stomach due to these restaurants and their respective donors.

Read the complete article here.

Teaching Mom a thing or two

In most cases worldwide, mothers are usually worried about their children's education and devote a lot of their time towards the schooling of the kids. However, in the slums of Bapu Dham in Chandigarh there has been a reversal of roles. Here, young girls in the age group of 9 to 15 have spawned a mission to educate their mothers; and this has now become a successful adult literacy program.

Supriya Bharadwaj writes this article in the Times of India. Excerpt:

"We knew there was an urgent need to educate the people here. We approached a local NGO, Yuvsatta for help. The result has been heart-warming," says 13-year-old Baby, one of the children in the mission.

The hard work has paid off. Now, Baby's mother Jai Kumari, 35, can not only sign her name but can also read names of medicines on labels — both in Hindi and English. "When my daughter began teaching me, I used to feel awkward. But she has made me proud of myself. And I love reading," she says.

What is all the more encouraging is the impact of this program:

For 15-year-old Ramavati, educating her father brought an unexpected dividend. He postponed plans to get her married and instead asked her to continue with her studies. "My father can now read signboards and names of streets," she says, beaming. "He says he could only become an auto-rickshaw driver as he was not educated that he should now do more." The programme has been replicated in colony number 5, another city slum.

Hats off to these young girls of Chandigarh for showing the nation how much can be achieved with the right focus and persistence!

Read the complete article here.

Spreading the idea of Sharing in a Novel Way

Sameera, a Bhopal based magazine, has initiated a novel way of nurturing the concept of sharing among people. They are decreasing their sales so that people consume less paper! Of course, this does not mean that they are looking to reducing their readership.

Ambreesh Mishra writes about Sameera in this article in India Today:

The Hindi monthly boasts of a modest circulation of 4,500 copies a month and discourages individual subscription, inviting groups to subscribe instead.

“If we cut down the use of paper, it saves trees,” says its 50-year-old editor Meera Singh. The magazine is printed on an environment-friendly handmade paper that is processed from discarded cloth and fabric bits.

And what are the savings they are looking at by encouraging group subscription instead of individual purchases?

“Each tonne of normal paper that is not used saves 17 trees and 7,000 gallons of water,” she adds. Literary editor Mamata Tiwari adds, “Hopefully, our message has been imbibed by the readers.”

Handmade paper, according to the article, is coarse and hence absorbs more ink. This problem has been addressed by finding the right kind of heat treatment for the paper.
The article also states that by having the hand made paper manufactured near to the place of consumption there are potential fuel savings of Rs 1800 per tonne!

And above all, I think in addition to these savings, it will nurture the concept of sharing among the readers. Great way to decrease our environment and increase camaraderie within the population!

Read the complete article here.

SOS is now SMS

There are over 220 million mobile phone users in India. India needs 8 million liters of blood a year. Any way to bring these two numbers to work together to help people?

Carmela Ferraro writes in this edition (pdf file) of the Guardian Weekly on 'How Text Messages are saving lives in India'.

Carmela talks about an organization called The Indian Blood Donors:

Indian Blood Donors, which operates throughout the country free of charge, links patients who need blood with those willing to donate it locally. So far 45,000 donors have registered.

It was the brainchild of a civil servant, Khushroo Poacha, 40, from Nagpur, Maharashtra, who works for Indian Railways. He explained: “In India, because there are shortages, especially for rare blood types, patients are often asked to find their own blood. This isn’t easy for anyone. But it’s especially hard for those people who come from villages, far away from main centres, and don’t know how to get around.

And how does the process work?

Using the bloodline is simple. When someone needs blood, they send a text message to 5676775 in a specific format . Within seconds, they will get a donor’s name, blood group and contact details. The process then triggers an SMS to the donor with the contact details of the patient, and the donor and the recipient organise the blood donation between themselves. If the donor for whatever reason is unable to help, the patient or their family continue sending SMS messages to other donors on the list.

You can download and read the complete article here (pdf file).

Credit: Link provided by Sunandini Basu.

Rainbow's Rainwater Club

Revathi Siva Kumar writes in this article of Citizen Matters, about how the residents of a colony in Bangalore have come together to deal with water scarcity in their area.

Rainbow Drive, an apartment complex of around 200 houses, was facing an impending acute crisis of water. All the borewells in this area were almost used up and there was no water connection provided by Bangalore's municipal authority, the BWSSB. The residents then decided to do something innovative on their own and deal with this crisis.

Excerpts:

The transformation began with the Rainwater Club (RWC) meeting people at the Rainbow Drive in March 2008. RWC is a group of dedicated individuals catalysing the rainwater harvesting movement in Bangalore. They work as solution providers for rainwater storage and supply in homes and layouts.

For each of the 20 houses at Rainbow Drive, custom rainwater harvesting solutions - involving rooftop harvesting, private recharge wells, collection into sumps, and rain barrels for utility water storage - have been implemented, depending on the preferences of owners.

Once Rainbow Drive began the process, the implementation, with the help of the Rainwater Club, took place at two levels. One was to tap storm water and run-off from parks, drains and other open spaces and direct the water into open wells to recharge groundwater. Secondly, was trying to get individual houses to implement these projects. They motivated 20 to 25 houses to execute such projects.

Read the complete article here to learn more about how the team of residents went about convincing others and then implemented the entire solution in a phased manner. Very inspiring indeed, and it clearly demonstrates the fact that a community, when it comes together, can do wonderful things to make everyones' lives better!

Credit: Tip provided by Faiq Gazdhar.

The Red Ribbon Express

The Red Ribbon Express, as the name suggests, is a train that has taken on the onus of spreading awareness on HIV and AIDS. This train comprises of 7 coaches, says this article in The Hindu.

Excerpt:

The seven-coach express will provide information to people about HIV/AIDS. The first three coaches will provide basic information about HIV infection, routes of transmission, prevalence of HIV/AIDS across States and districts, HIV/AIDS prevention and other relevant issues. Coach 4 has a 60-seat auditorium meant to train cohesive groups such as healthcare providers and elected representatives, while Coach 5 has counselling-cum-medical services.

According to the article, the train also carries four counsellors and two doctors. I think this is a great initiative a novel way of spreading the message to the interiors of Karnataka. The Red Ribbon Express is currently at Bangarpet in Karnataka and is expected to be travelling to Bangalore's Cantonment railway station tomorrow (July 24th) at 9 am. If you are in this part of the world, you could visit the station and know more about the train and the message it is spreading.

Read the complete article here.

Tribal Art and Computer Animation

Finally, we are beginning to see some convergence of two ends of the spectrum. The technology behind computer animation is now being introduced to help bring out the native artistic skills of tribals from various regions of the country.

Shruti Chakraborty writes in this article in the Mint, titled "Technology helping bring tribal art to life".

Excerpt:

Gond tribal artist Gariba Tekam had never even seen a computer till two weeks back. Now, he’s working with technology to bring his images to life.

As he paints a blue fox on a piece of paper, part of the storyboard for an animation film on a squirrel’s dream, Tekam says he is excited to help one of the many folk stories from his Patangarh village in Madhya Pradesh reach a wider audience.

The artist’s quantum leap into computer technology comes after two days of not-so-intensive training, part of the two-week animation workshop conducted by the Adivasi Arts Trust, or AAT, at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, or IGNCA.

As of now, the program has on board tribals from three regions of India - the Gonds from Madhya Pradesh, Santhals from Jharkhand and West Bengal, and Meiteis and Thadou Kukis from Manipur.

To know more about how the project is being implemented and the genesis of this wonderful idea, please read the complete article here.

Maternity Care Initiatives in Madhya Pradesh

Janani Suraksha and Janani Express are two major initiatives taken by the Madhya Pradesh government to provide better maternity care to pregnant women. Ambreesh Mishra writes in this article at the India Today, giving some startling facts:

According to official figures in 2004, almost three-fourths (74 per cent) of the total deliveries in the state took place outside medical institutions, in dangerous circumstances under the guidance of ill-trained midwives.

As a result, maternal mortality rate was 498 per lakh and infant mortality rate was 76 per thousand.

However, as is the trend with most of the stories at The Better India, hope was not lost.
With the initiation of Janani Suraksha and Janani Express, the maternal mortality rate has come down to 354 and the infant mortality rate has come down to 66, says the article. Of course, these numbers in isolation are no great reasons for celebration, but seeing that they come from a significantly higher number earlier, I think this is a reason for at least some partial cheer eh?

Some more excerpts:

Thanks to these government initiatives a pregnant woman, enrolled under Janani Suraksha which is run under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), doesn’t need to pay harried visits to unscrupulous nursing homes for her delivery.

Better healthcare is just a call away. Once she goes into labour, her relatives or an anganwadi worker call a helpline for an ambulance.

The call centre directs the nearest ambulance to reach her door and take her to a government hospital or a certified nursing home for safe institutional delivery. And for all this, the woman and her family do not have to pay anything.

Read the complete article here.

Kashmir's First Ever Railway Line

Chander Suta Dogra writes in the Outlook Magazine about the first railway line of the Kashmir Valley.

Covering a 60km stretch from Budgam to Anantnag, the line is now ready and is expected to be operational any time soon. This is the first time a railway line is being constructed within the Kashmir valley, and needless to say, there is a lot of excitement

Excerpts:

Welcome to Kashmir's newest passion. Forget the militants, forget the violence, forget even 'azaadi' for a brief moment.
Come evening, and all roads lead to wherever the bogies of Kashmir's first-ever railway train are parked for the day.

An interesting line in the article:

So enthusiastic are Kashmiris about the rail line that militants have refrained from attacking it directly.

Perhaps progress does bring with it a solution to other problems? I hope so.

Read the complete article here.

Narmada Panchayat Officials Contribute to Educate Orphans

Shubhlakshmi Shukla writes this article titled 'Narmada panchayat officials don role of orphans’ parent' in the Indian Express.

In this article, she states that over 100 officials working at the Narmada District Panchayat office have decided to contribute towards the education of 175 orphans in that area. This project is termed as Shanta Sukhai which translates to Self Satisfaction.

Excerpts:

From Monday onwards, all the orphans will be admitted to the district's 13 grant-in-aid schools. The district office will provide them with the stationary. At present, around Rs 1.75 lakh are collected by the district Panchayat officials.

District Development Officer (DDO) B C Chaudhary said: “Of the 175 children, mostly are in the age group of five to six years and a few are teenagers. One girl, Gita Gadhvi, will be admitted to the first-year BA course. We might also widen the project by providing financial help to the girls for their marriage after they complete their education.”

Read the complete article here.

An Eco-Sensitive Neighbourhood in Mumbai

Kiran Wadhwa reports on the "Urban Oasis in D lane" in this article at the Hindustan Times.
The article talks about how the residents of this neighbourhood have been striving for over 12 years to keep their vicinity clean and green.

Excerpts:

Children who help keep the lane clean get a chocolate as a reward. “I planted this tree when I was four,” says 14-year-old Kruti Shah proudly. “Every Sunday, all the neighbourhood children come down and either plant saplings, do vermiculture or just clean the area.”

Additional interesting thing about this neighbourhood is the way they manage their wet garbage. The garbage is put into a vermiculture pit and the subsequent fertilizer that is produced is used to nurture the various trees and plants in this area.
The 'D' Road is 600 metres long and located in Marine Drive.

Read the complete article here.

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On a day to day basis we have been reading the Indian newspapers and magazines. Almost all of them devote their prime space to negative stories. Stories of murder, arson, scandals and gossip. However, we found that hidden inside, in the deep annals of these publications are the happier stories. Stories, to use a cliched phrase, that kindle your heart and tell you that all is not lost.

The Better India is an attempt to bring out those happy stories, those unsung heroes and heroines, those small good deeds, and showcase them to the world. Over here, you will be able to read about the incremental progress being done by the industrious people of this country, the developments happening on the social and economic front. We hope that by showcasing these here, we might be able to inspire at least one amongst you, the readers, to do something that leaves an impact. Small or big. But, an impact.

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