This weekend was different... unusual... and a Beginning...
Bindiya works with ASK (The Association for Stimulating Knowhow)... You can go through their website for more info by clicking HERE, and allow me to continue what I am going to talk about...
I take photographs of people and I have always wanted to give it a meaning than clicking just like that... Bindiya gave me that opportunity by asking me to click pictures of their center Sankalp, in Moradabad which is working towards "Ensuring normal childhood to working children in brass industry of Moradabad".
The plan was made and then got delayed and delayed and delayed... I managed to interest some of my very close friends Gaurav, Priyanka and Kavita into the idea too and we spent sometime deliberating over what we want to do there and so on with inputs from Bindiya... Also met Dr. Aqueel Khan who leads the ASK team in doing various activities...
Finally landed in Muradabad on Friday night... and started working on Saturday till Monday... here is what all we experienced in the Sankalp Centre in Moradabad...
~ ASK - Sankalp is based out of Gali number 1, Rehmat Nagar and has 5 other satellite centres around the area... A Muslim dominated area with an average family size of about 5...
~ A total of about 500 children many of whom were earlier working somewhere or the other now attend school in one of these centres... The difference this effort brings to their lives is something that I cannot capture in words...
~ A warm and dedicated team of about 30 leads the initiative together with Arif and Kalpana heading the pack... More then anything they fight with a mind block... they do not have to prove anything to anyone except themselves and they do it over and over again...
~ Children have been working in places which are smalled then 20 sq ft. and full of fumes. Someone like us might not be able to stand in there for more then 10 minutes and they work the entire day there... We all can however do something or the other to make a difference, and I am keen on making some...
~ Sankalp happens to be a self sustainable model where they build up on their own resources internally and keep the motivation high... We all however can participate in the cause in one way or other... Sankalp even has a fully functional unit where all the related processes can be done. If someone who can help get them business, they would be able to make things themself in units which have been properly built to function...
~ It was heartening to see how dedicated and sensitive the entire team was towards the cause they are working for...
~ All the teachers are ladies there and from the community itself, making them more aware and independent...
~ The kids are great without a doubt, and we managed to meet a few who went ahead to do their class XI, XII and then graduation after studying at Sankalp... They are the people to look up...
~ Also understood the Brass industry in detail with help from Kalpana and Arif.... They are real rockstars I know... what they do is something that no normal person can do... Hats off to them...
In all, it was an experience that my words cannot express...
Meanwhile here are a few links again:
ASK website
Sankalp- True to their name...
Bindiya works with ASK (The Association for Stimulating Knowhow)... You can go through their website for more info by clicking HERE, and allow me to continue what I am going to talk about...
I take photographs of people and I have always wanted to give it a meaning than clicking just like that... Bindiya gave me that opportunity by asking me to click pictures of their center Sankalp, in Moradabad which is working towards "Ensuring normal childhood to working children in brass industry of Moradabad".
The plan was made and then got delayed and delayed and delayed... I managed to interest some of my very close friends Gaurav, Priyanka and Kavita into the idea too and we spent sometime deliberating over what we want to do there and so on with inputs from Bindiya... Also met Dr. Aqueel Khan who leads the ASK team in doing various activities...
Finally landed in Muradabad on Friday night... and started working on Saturday till Monday... here is what all we experienced in the Sankalp Centre in Moradabad...
~ ASK - Sankalp is based out of Gali number 1, Rehmat Nagar and has 5 other satellite centres around the area... A Muslim dominated area with an average family size of about 5...
~ A total of about 500 children many of whom were earlier working somewhere or the other now attend school in one of these centres... The difference this effort brings to their lives is something that I cannot capture in words...
~ A warm and dedicated team of about 30 leads the initiative together with Arif and Kalpana heading the pack... More then anything they fight with a mind block... they do not have to prove anything to anyone except themselves and they do it over and over again...
~ Children have been working in places which are smalled then 20 sq ft. and full of fumes. Someone like us might not be able to stand in there for more then 10 minutes and they work the entire day there... We all can however do something or the other to make a difference, and I am keen on making some...
~ Sankalp happens to be a self sustainable model where they build up on their own resources internally and keep the motivation high... We all however can participate in the cause in one way or other... Sankalp even has a fully functional unit where all the related processes can be done. If someone who can help get them business, they would be able to make things themself in units which have been properly built to function...
~ It was heartening to see how dedicated and sensitive the entire team was towards the cause they are working for...
~ All the teachers are ladies there and from the community itself, making them more aware and independent...
~ The kids are great without a doubt, and we managed to meet a few who went ahead to do their class XI, XII and then graduation after studying at Sankalp... They are the people to look up...
~ Also understood the Brass industry in detail with help from Kalpana and Arif.... They are real rockstars I know... what they do is something that no normal person can do... Hats off to them...
In all, it was an experience that my words cannot express...
Meanwhile here are a few links again:
ASK website
Sankalp- True to their name...
To is liye gaye they tum Moradabad!
ReplyDeletePhotos kahan dekhoon? ASK website pe?
# subbu...
ReplyDeletehaan bhai, this is why I went to Moradabad...
The pics are in the process, the work this time gets evaluated and used at a different level. So taking sometime in getting the best shots both for the online and print media...
hope to see some good work there!!!
Prashant 'n Priyanka,
ReplyDeleteThank you -
- for ur words of encouragement,
- for ur ability to take up the challenge that was posed before you without any returns,
- for the courage to move beyond comfort zone and explore the 'other world' that exists in Moradabad 'n many such places 'n the harsh realities it entails.
- for all this and more - Thank you for once seems like a small word!!
Cheers to u and a firmer Sankalp,
B =)
v nice...
ReplyDeletev nice
am glad:)
ReplyDeleteI intend to do something similar more details on one of my blogs..:)
This is my second visit to your site and I noticed that you travel a lot which is what I love to do as well. MAybe will like to know more about you... send in a 'hi' to priyank303@rediffmail.com and let's see....
ReplyDeleteGood narrative, by the way. This is what I should have started this message with.
It is great to meet you on your blog.
ReplyDelete# Roopa...
ReplyDeletethanks...
Nice cause and very beautiful pictures indeed. They touch the heart. Great work!!! I also would love to do something for these kids.
ReplyDelete# Nidhi...
ReplyDeletethanks...
There are many thing that one can do...
1. Talk to Ask and find out ways in which you can contribute
2. Sponser someone's education in sankalp... the process is simple and super transparent which makes is very nice to be a part of...
and I can let you know whenever I think of something that would need attention...