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Chennai chapter updates by Pragya
On a sustained basis, AID Chennai has been focusing on:-
- Pre-primary, primary and middle-school education
- Children and women's health
- Employment Generation
- Technology Interventions
From AID model school in Vembakkam to children’s activity centres in Kanathur, AID Chennai has played a significant role in building a good learning model for the children.
Along with education, community health is also given due consideration. Health programs reach out to thousands of women and children through health melas and nutrition/health-related classes.
Specifically in the field of science education, AID Chennai is very active. Science booklets, videos, slides, flip charts, animations etc. are the various means used to teach the children effectively. They also come in handy to fight superstitions and false propaganda. AID has developed a Science Lab with 300 experiments at a total cost of just Rs. 5000. It will help even the poorest schools to get a lab facility. The most interesting part is that the lab is filled with fun experiments that spark a child’s innate curiosity about the world. 150 schools have been supplied with these labs and requisite training for the teachers. The idea is to slowly make this lab and the associated material a part of the science curriculum.
Besides that, AID Chennai has been active in campaign against the TRIPS Patent Act. It had also launched a campaign against the Government’s drive of evicting fishing communities from the coastline.
Tsunami Relief & Rehabilitation work has been particularly phenomenal and AID Chennai has contributed in numerous ways like immediate relief (providing food, clothes and other utilities), building shelters and children’s centres, providing fishing nets, trauma counselling and a lot more.
Medium-term relief statistics:-
| Counselling Street Theatre | 80 Villages | | Tsunami booklets | 20,000 | | Health Camps | 70 Camps | | Boat Repairs | 16 Boats | | Community Boats | 2 Boats | | Engine Repairs | 146 Engines | | Nets to all families | 15 villages | | Temporary Shelters | 245 shelters | | Children’s Activity Centres | 8 centres |
AID Chennai already has more than a hundred full-timers and a huge number of volunteers to support them. Pune chapter updates by Rishikesh
AID Pune chapter has a volunteer base of 30 volunteers. To support its initiative of exploring alternative sources of energy, AID Pune has collaborated with Vigyan Ashram for biogas power generation. AID has lent support to Manavya, an orphanage for HIV positive children. Some other projects undertaken by Pune chapter till date are supporting Asim Surode (human right activist) and providing medicines, blankets, and funds for earthquake affected victims through Sharadh.
Hyderabad chapter updates by Srihari
Hyderabad is the recent-most chapter in India, formed in the last quarter of 2005. Two volunteers - Vidya (Boston) and Srihari (San Diego) - returned from the US and started this chapter. In the beginning, they started training full-timers for teaching. Currently the program is running in five schools, soon to be extended to ten. AID library program based on the successful Tamil Nadu model has also been started. The chapter also helped in the publishing of the book 245 villages on the Narmada movement.
Mumbai chapter updates by Rushab
To spearhead the Tsunami relief and rehabilitation program, AID Mumbai chapter garnered support from across the country involving coordination of volunteers, funds, and material. Bhasha activists lent an active support at Mandala, by setting up a community kitchen and organizing health camps. Some volunteers purchased and distributed ration to affected slums in Laxmi Nagar. Progress and Issues Conference was held in Feb 2005. In March 2005, AID conducted a Right to Information workshop at TISS. AID Mumbai is supporting Parivartan Shikshan Sanstha in its effort to impart non-formal education to children.
Bangalore chapter updates by Prasanna
AID Bangalore has undertaken many innovative tasks. It started the food-for-work program and is instrumental in organic farming initiatives by studying latest techniques in this field. Joy of learning program is continuing with major focus on workshops. Night study sessions have also been initiated. Besides that, Bangalore chapter provided extensive support to the Tsunami Relief and Rehabilitation program.
Orissa chapter updates by Dhanada
AID is closely working with JITM to implement projects within the local community.
AID Rural Technology Center (ARTC) has been set up to research and experiment sustainable gardening practices that can be used in villages. Organic gardening is an important component of ARTC.
A Bio-Fuel project has been implemented in Badakumundra in the region of Keonjhar. The project team consisted of AID volunteers, a student group from Illinois U.S.A. called Engineers Without Borders, and JITM Students. The project’s aim is to provide a source of electricity to the remote village since it was not connected to the electricity grid. The electricity supply can then be used to merchandise rice hulling or spice grinding activities besides providing lighting to households in the village. Other facilities that were provided with this project include a passive solar dryer and also a diesel generator that has been converted to a bio-fuel generator.
The Pedal Powered Generator (PPG) is an example of JITM students’ final semester project that could one day provide a real benefit to the rural or urban poor of India. The PPG is a novel idea that uses human energy to pedal a conventional bicycle, and this kinetic energy is converted into electricity via an AC generator (or alternator). The alternator produces an alternating current (AC) that is converted into a direct current (DC) which can then be readily used to charge a standard 12V car battery.
AID Orissa, with the assistance of JITM students, is currently operating four libraries in the villages around JITM. The libraries are largely administrated by the village children.
Delhi chapter updates by Anuj
AID Delhi chapter comprises of part-timers most of them either students or IT professionals. The major focus area is education with various formal and non-formal teaching initiatives in place including night school for adults and teaching aids for visually challenged children. Regular health camps are also organized at various project sites.
IT support has been another area of activity wherein help has been extended to different partner NGOs. IT Team has also developed website for AID Delhi chapter.
Livelihood generation programs have been started at Parichay (an NGO supported by AID Delhi). These include handicraft items made by community children and masalas made by ladies in the community. The marketing for sale of these items is done largely by AID volunteers.
Delhi chapter has also participated in Indo-Pak Peace March and various campaigns - Right to affordable medicines, Anti-Coke campaign and ‘Say NO to crackers’ campaign.
AID Delhi has also been releasing regular newsletters and contributed to the November TMIA edition.
Besides that, AID Delhi helped in collection of relief material and funds for Tsunami Relief and Rehabilitation. Volunteers from Delhi also visited the Earthquake affected areas.
Water Cell came up with a study on Interlinking of rivers and Women Cell contributed by coming out with an eve-teasing survey.
Boston chapter updates by Ashwin
The presenter (Ashwin) is from AID MIT, which is a satellite chapter of AID Boston.
AID Boston is playing an active role in the campaign for the rights of Bhopal Gas tragedy victims.
It is also working on technology for rural areas under the program "Design that matters". Many undergraduate students are sent to work in other countries to use the technology in improving the lives of the people residing in rural areas.
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