----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, January 02, 2006 9:52
AM
Subject: [Assam] Assam Trip-2
Dear Netters,
I spoke about the very fine things that the Rural Volunteer Center ( RVC)
is doing at Akajan. Ravindranath and his wife Sathyasree Goswami, who
live at Silapathar and lead their many efforts are making a measurable
difference for the many people whose lives have been ravaged by repeated
floods. Today I hope to tell you a little more about them and RVC.
Ravindra Nath , son of UP and Bengali parents, studied Appropriate
Technology
( and something else) at IIT-Delhi. He got involved with NGO work
under the noted social worker (?) Bunker Roy. He started at the NE at
Arunachal and later moved down to Akajan/Silapthar. That is all I know of
Ravi. Ravi's wife, Sathyasree is from Guwahati. The following about herself,is
in her own words:
"I am an Assamese born as the 6th daughter to Mr. P.N. Goswami and Ms.
Biva Goswami of Chenikuthi. educated partly in Cotton College i have been
working in Akajan from 1995 and took a break for two years to work with
drought affected people of Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh. Now I
volunteer for RVC and I have started a collective called
shakti ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
to work on holistic community health and right to health and health care,
where I work full time based in Akajan village."
I did not get to meet Sathyasree as she was with her ailing mother at
Guahati. But I had the privilege of staying overnight at RVC's guest-house.
Ravi and the other volunteers live there as well. Their little campus was like
an 'ashram', with all kinds of undertakings going on. They even have a
satellite dish
with a high-speed internet network, which they acquired with some wiles,
a necessity in today's world but a luxury beyond imagination in Assam and
particularly at a place like Akajan.
Guile and wiles in addition to a dedicated sense of service have been
essential for RVC's continued existence and success. What they face everyday
is not something for the faint of heart or for the occasional do-gooder like
ourselves.
Ravi recounted a number of anecdotes while he and a couple of his
associates took me around to show some of the many wonderful things they are
doing all over. I was awed by the obstacles they face and how they make little
dents, one at a time, to make a difference. They have spawned other volunteers
like themselves or have joined hands with others in different ways by sharing
their resources and experiences.
One such effort that I was highly impressed by was a road building
project organized by the Mising students' association--the name of which
eludes me --led by a young Mising, Pegu, whose first name I forget, who also
was a Cotton College Union Secy.--a powerful position as we well know. He and
John - another Mising, trained at B'lore as an MBA I think, were leading
over a thousand young volunteers who were building a road -- a lifeline for a
series of villages which was washed away, but did not get repaired/replaced by
the Govt or the GOs entrusted with the responsibility, with sheer hand
power-with nothing but hoes. They come from miles around and are required to
sleep over at poly-tents . They are fed by volunteers who prepare meals in the
harvested rice paddies, like the 'bhoj' prior to the 'meji' at Magh Bihu,
except it is not much of a feast. The logistics of feeding so many was
amazing. It was partially funded by a program called "Food for Work" I
believe. Ravi explained that the govt. did nothing for years. Ultimately the
people had to gear into action.
Attached herewith is one document describing RVC and its many programs. I
will send two more under separate mail.
I know I wrote a lot--and it always runs the risk of NOT being read. But
I hope some would take a little interest, and spread the word, the good news.
Because Assam can use many more of such efforts as RVC's. And they are gearing
up to train those leaders for just that. Let us hope we too can do a little to
give them the support they so richly deserve.
Best to all.
cm
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