Beat the Heat: The little underprivileged students of the NGO Hope Foundation found solace from the sun under colourful umbrellas provided by the organisation, on their way to and from class on Monday afternoon. Picture by Pradip Sanyal

Sixteen-year-old Shafique Alam works in a tailoring shop in the Ekbalpore area. He lives in a room provided by his employers. He sends most of his Rs 400 monthly salary back home to Bihar for his family. He works at least 10 hours a day, and has been doing so for the past five years. Shafique wants to get an education, but doesn?t have the time or the money for it.

But the tall teenager spends an hour each day at the local children?s ?bank?. He?s the branch manager. There are six branches, where child labourers of the area deposit a few rupees a month and it is looked after by the youngsters themselves. Most of Shafique?s money is spent on medicines, because he often falls ill.

The bank has Rs 90,000 in it. Through the Save the Children-funded NGO Mayurbhanj Joint Citizen Centre, Shafique went to Delhi about a year ago to learn ?banking and accounting? from the NGO Butterflies, which runs a similar project. This is something he enjoys doing.

Shafique was one of 44 children from 11 city-based NGOs who, under the aegis of Save the Children and CRY, over two days came up with a manifesto of demands to present to political parties contesting the upcoming corporation elections. The meeting with Left Front chairman Biman Bose left them a little disappointed, but not enough to give up.

Their next scheduled meeting is with the Congress party. The children?s list of demands is simple, mostly bordering on the basic necessities of life. Like proper medical treatment, clean and adequate drinking water, more traffic lights, ration cards and birth certificates for all, adequate number of toilets, easier access to and help from police and local councillors...

?There?s a Blue Star water cooler in our slum. Everyone?s making use of it, but no one knows who put it there. That?s what happens before the elections. The politicians do things for us, talk to us, promise to give us whatever we need. But afterwards, we don?t see or hear anything from them. It?s back to square one,? says a dejected Shafique. He?s not a pessimist, just a realist. And he?s not the only one.

Sunita Sharma, 13, is a member of the NGO Diksha in Kalighat. She lives in a slum in the red light area, and has seen more trouble at her age than a child should have to. When the rains come, the taps in their area are submerged. So, drinking, cleaning and sewage water is mixed and disease is rife. ?And when we go to hospital, those who don?t have the money to pay for treatment are left on the floors. They are not even provided with beds. They are not treated properly and medicines are either outdated or adulterated. Even the poor should be treated properly,? she says.

For Sk Raja, 14, and Chandni, 15, from the NGO Right Track, it?s all about their basic rights. Chandni works as a domestic help, but she also goes to school, paying a portion of the fee herself. But not all her friends are as lucky. ?We need water and electricity and an education. Before the elections, the politicians promise us all this. But then they don?t do anything. It?s always all talk and no action,? says Raja.

But they haven?t given up just yet. These underprivileged youngsters are sure of one thing ? speaking in one voice will eventually bring results. Patience and persistence are the keys to unlock the apathy.

 

Children splash around at a swimming camp at Ocio (top). Kids at a doll-making workshop organised by Anandamela Club at Landmark (above). Pictures by Pradip Sanyal and Sanjoy Chattopadhyaya

Exam assistance

A resource centre and a library stocked with books on the subject of admissions and exams, free diagnostic tests, psychometric testing, training for admission tests here and abroad? All within 12,000 sq ft of space. Calcutta is home to IMS Learning Resources? second-largest centre in India. Launched last week, it has space for 5,000 students, with 3,000 already on the rolls.

Earlier, it provided training for CAT. Now, there?s help to take students through GRE, GMAT and even SAT exams. Additional services include free diagnostic tests for each of the exams, free use of the 1,000-sq-ft library and study room where inquiries can also be made, as well as Dhruv, the four-hour psychometric test to assess interest, aptitude and attitude, with counselling, for Rs 950. At the computer lab, students have access to the Internet, to take tests online.

Along with the centre in Salt Lake and Gariahat, the institute now has room for 10,000 students in Calcutta. The plan is to open another centre in Howrah in the next six months. ?Our commitment to Calcutta has gone up, because we want to capitalise on the intellectual potential here. The city is also a hub for the entire eastern region,? says managing director Kamlesh Sajnani.

The institute held a two-day seminar over the weekend, advising students on opportunities, communication skills, success, international education and more. More such programmes are in the offing.

 

Say no

How many of us know when Anti-tobacco Day is marked? It?s on May 31. Most of us probably know the ill-effects and harmful aspects of consuming tobacco. But how many have taken a step to spread awareness or say a ?no? to tobacco consumption?

It?s never too late. The student presidents of two schools ? Barkha Sharda of Ashok Hall and Rishabh Ruia of Don Bosco Park Circus ? came up with the idea of organising an anti-tobacco campaign. Joined by two other schools ? Mahadevi Birla and GD Birla ? the campaign aimed at spreading awareness amongst the general public and asking people not to consume tobacco, at least in public places.

The students were divided into four groups covering areas like Camac Street, Park Street, Minto Park and Rabindra Sarani. Some people were unaware of the increasing chances of oral cancer, fertility problems, heart diseases and lung cancer due to tobacco chewing.

While some were nonchalant about the issue, others stopped, listened, threw away their cigarettes and promised not to smoke anymore. This is how we tried to make a difference to society and to the environment. A small step taken has surely made a difference to a few lives.

Rashi Chandgothia, Mahadevi Birla,
& Neha Dokania, Ashok Hall School

 

Students of Nrityangan dance and music school perform at the Dhakuria Lakes at a programme on World Environment Day. Picture by Sanjoy Chattopadhyaya

Party time

The heat and humidity notwithstanding, Calcutta University held its annual fest, Campus 2005, on May 26 and 27. The budget of around Rs 60,000 was from the CU grant. Day One had footballer P.K. Banerjee as chief guest. The events kicked off with a Rabindrasangeet performance by Debaroti Som, followed by a prize distribution ceremony where students were awarded for the cultural programmes organised by the students? union through the year. The evening sparkled with rocking performances by Bangla band Lakkhichhara and the Hazra Law College band Nil. The play Gorur garir head light by CU students was on the final day. Next were baul singers from Birbhum. Bangla band Prohor took the stage in the evening, followed by Bhoomi.

Asif Salam,
2nd year, Asutosh College

 

Bhawanipur College had organised a Rock the Party competition on May 15, with remixes setting the tune for the evening. It was divided in two parts for the participants to showcase their talents. Renowned DJs of Calcutta were in the limelight. But the real rockers were the 25 participants in the contest, churning out foot-tapping hits. At the end of the show the contestants were given prizes for their efforts. DJ Harish also taught them the art of DJing.

Payal Srivastava,
Bhawanipur College

 

Music mania

The last week of April saw Calcutta take a leaf out of the Woodstock convention in a modest way, with approximately 80 bauls taking the stage, and in the process triggering off the first ever rural folk music convention in this part of Bengal. It was organised by Bramha, the brain child of Sanjay of Cactus fame and his wife Malabika.

The event was held on April 23 and 24, in Bansdroni. Organised primarily to popularise and support baul music and aid the struggling artistes, the concept finally materialised with a bang,with the participation of roughly 14,000 music lovers.

The programme began with Biswanath Das Baul from Bolpur taking the stage, followed by the likes of Ananda Das Baul, Uma Dasi and Durga Dasi from Bolpur, as well as Shiv Sundar Das Baul from Birbhum and ?Tatwa Samrat? Krishna Chandra Das from Malda. The ground was overflowing with spectators.

Then came the surprise act. Tuki from the band Krosswindz took the stage, jamming with Ananda Das Baul and other artistes. The crowd went wild, screaming for more.

The word had spread and Day Two began with a bang. People gathered well before sunset. The audience age varied from seven to 77. Local teenagers volunteered for crowd control, much to the relief of the organisers. The proceedings began with Karuna Debi from Midnapore, who also had a stall displaying her art ? pata chitra.

She sang about the destruction and the woes inflicted by the tsunami. Her act was matched by the younger bauls. Among those who rocked the stage were Raju Das, 14, from Bolpur, Kangal Khyapa, 7, from Joydev, who specialises in khol, Chottu Baul, 11, from Birbhum, and Sumanta Das Baul, 12, from Bolpur.

After inspiring performances ? seeing a boy four ft tall wearing saffron robes and holding the crowd captive with his melodious voice is awesome ? a friendly musical duel ensued between Krishna Chandra Das and Ananda Baul that brought out the best in both of them.

Then, Calcutta bands took the stage to jam with the bauls. Insomnia started the onslaught, as the bauls performed in a fully western set up ? keyboard, electric guitar, bass guitar and cello. With distortion leads, a keyboard that seemed to hit the crowd in waves, Insomnia ensured a roaring success.

Members of Cactus, Lakkhichhara, Orient Express and more stepped up to make music with the bauls. The party continued into the wee hours of the morning, almost till 3 am. Here?s hoping the event returns next year.

Shounak Ghosal,
1st year, Netaji Nagar Day College

 

Coming up

A tennis tournament for juniors will be held at Dakshin Kalikata Sansad Sports Complex, near Deshapriya Park. The DKS-BTA Mini Junior Tennis Tournament 2005 will be held from June 6 to 11. The categories are: boys singles under-10, boys singles under-12, girls singles under-10 and girls singles under-12.

The youth group Elaan will have a Speak Easy session on the legal aspects of child sexual abuse at Caffiene, on Elgin Road, on June 10, at 5 pm.