Saathis and Jeevansaathis directly link volunteers to work and thinking on the ground in India. In the past year, AID has been fortunate to welcome several new members. We shall eagerly share their experiences in the years to come.

Prasanna Saligram, based in Karnataka, started his volunteer experience with AID-India. He went on to work with the People's Health Movement, a global network that promotes and strengthens people-centered approaches to health interventions and policy. He co-ordinated a campaign to oppose amendments introduced to the Indian Patents Act. Currently, he is working on a comprehensive health program in some blocks in Karnataka as well as a sustainable agriculture project in Magadi block near Bangalore.

C. Srinivasan is a dynamic young environmentalist from Vellore, Tamilnadu, who has transformed Vellore and inspired groups throughout India and beyond with Zero Waste Management (ZWM) schemes. He founded Exnora Green Cross in 1995 – the group has worked on restoration of green cover in the hills around Vellore while providing income generation opportunities to the communities living there.

Smitha Kalyani volunteered with AID Tamilnadu, coordinating educational and health programs throughout the state. After moving to Bangalore, she began to work on developing block-level programs in Sulagiri, a part of Tamilnadu bordering Karnataka. She has single-handedly built a cadre of volunteers and has initiated education and health programs in the area. She is also working on various programs at AID Bangalore.

Souparna Lahiri, a social activist, has worked with PUCL (People's Union for Civil Liberties), the Delhi Forum and many other organizations for the rights of street children, labor rights of the informal sector, etc. He plans to continue rights-based work with groups in the Northeast.

Ravishankar Arunachalam volunteered in Pittsburgh and Austin and in AID-wide roles before joining IIT Chennai as a professor.  He now works full time on education and technology issues with AID-India and helped to coordinate AID Tamil Nadu's Tsunami Relief and Rehabiltiation efforts.

And last, but definitely not least - Rachna Dhingra , our tireless campaigner in Bhopal, has had an eventful year. She has worked on dharnas and litigation and organized a March for Justice from Bhopal to Delhi to demand clean drinking water and other rights from the Indian government. In Delhi, she was one of 5 protesters who went on an indefinite hunger strike – this finally resulted in the Prime Minister meeting with the protesters and agreeing to four of their six demands. The struggle continues, and Rachna continues to be an integral part of it.
Sudha Nagavarapu, Minnesota

An appeal

We know how critical Saathis and Jeevansaathis are to AID, we also need to become aware of gap that exists between the funds we raise (13 K) for their livelihoods and the actual expenses (26 K) that are generated. Specifically, the gap consists of 13K. Volunteers have realized that we need to eliminate this gap for these individuals that bring us new projects and ideas, give us an actual representation of what life is like on the ground, and provide a major source of inspiration and enthusiasm. Dr. Mohan Bhagat puts it quite well: “A JS forms the inner core of the AID family and as such BELONGS to each one of us. Just as I take care of my eyes and ears I must take care of the eyes and ears of AID as they bring to us direct signals from the poorest and most helpless members of our larger FAMILY and help us determine how best we can endeavor to promote the Economics Of Permanence.”

Dr. Bhagat has issued a “Dime A Day” challenge to all those involved with AID: if we set aside a dime a day we will end up with $36.50. If each volunteer gives this amount to the Jeevansaathi Fund we will most definitely eliminate that large gap that looms over the material needs of our Jeevansaathis. Dr. Bhagat himself has pledged to provide $6000 to the Fund, $3000 of which has already been given. At the moment we have $4211 along with many pledges from volunteers. I believe that we can meet this goal, it is simply a matter of $36.50. Please contact your local AID chapter treasurer if you would like to donate for this Jeevansaathi fund.

Click here to donate to the AID Jeevansaathi fund

Mandeep Gill, Boston