WORLD TB DAY

Seva Kendra Calcutta celebrated World TB Day on March 24, 2013 by organizing two big rallies in the Tangra unit of municipal ward nos. 57 and 58. The rallies were organized to create awareness about Tuberculosis with the message that Tuberculosis is curable if it is treated in time. Around 500 people from different walks of life including women and children participated in these rallies.

Both the rallies began at 9.00 a.m. from two different starting points and converged at Seva Kendra Calcutta Slum Office at Meher Ali Lane. The first rally proceeded from T-shed of Kulia Tangra and moved through China Burial Ground, Focus Club, Ananda Loke, Slaughter House, D. C. Ray Road before reaching Meher Ali Lane. The second rally started from Muslim Camp Ground and made its way through Mazer, D.C. Ray Road, Lanedhar, Mothur Babu Lane, 2^nd lane Kulia Tangra, T-shed of Kulia Tangra and reached Meher Ali Lane.

Children were the most enthusiastic participants. They wore caps, held placards and carried two huge flex banners- one in the front and the other in the center of the rally. Each rally also had a group of actors who enacted a street play during the journey with the aim of creating awareness about Tuberculosis and sending out the message to the people that Tuberculosis is a curable disease if it is treated in time. There was also a group comprising of 5 to 6 members in both the rallies who contacted the families along the way advising them about the symptoms related to Tuberculosis. Each member was assigned the task of contacting atleast three families. These members were able to contact 36 families during this journey. The programme ended at 10:30 a.m.

Ruby Jubilee Seminar 2

Topic

    Right to Food / Work

Conducted by

Fr. Jyoti, Director of Udayani Social Action Forum

Mr. Saradindu Biswas, Right to food campaign -  Nation Coordinator

Venue and date

     Seva Kendra Calcutta, 28^th February  2013

Objectives of the training

     To generate awareness on Food security , right to food and work   

Participants details

     Participants 68 (students, professionals, social workers, volunteers and teachers,)

Topics covered

·                     Comparative study on food production and livelihood in Bengal

·                     Constitutional rights

·                      Food security

·                      Public Distribution Systems (PDS) and its functions

·                      Mass movement on food security in Bengal and Nation wide

·                      Case stories …

Ruby Jubilee Seminar 1: Tell Me Why?

Topic

Environmental Degradation

Conducted by

Dr. Haridas

Venue and Date

Seva Kendra Calcutta, 28^th January 2013

Objectives of the training

To create awareness on environmental degradation and its impact  

Participants details

72 Participants (Students, professionals, social workers, volunteers, Teachers,)

Topics covered

• ·        Environmental realities
• ·        “WATER” – the liquid gold
• ·        Water level fluctuation
• ·        Water pollutions and water borne diseases
• ·        Use of chemical fertilizer “poisoning of the food”
• ·        Deforestation
• ·        Plastics use – inviting a disaster

Training on Solar Lantern Assembling held from February 04 to February 13, 2013

1.    Objectives of the Training

·      To create awareness about clean energy and promote ‘renewable/solar energy’

·      To develop skills on solar technology for livelihood

2.    Activities conducted

Nine youths from Chetanalay (Social Service Centre of the Archdiocese  of Delhi) came to Seva Kendra Calcutta to learn the techniques of assembling solar lantern for 10 days from 4^th to 13^th February 2013.

Participants completed the training with great joy. They were all able to assemble 5 lantern each for their final test.

The process boosted their confidence to use this skill to earn their livelihood in this emerging field of using solar energy.

3.    Topics covered

a) Climate change (green house effect, impact on Earth and our life) cause, effect and    

    impact.

b) Natural resource identification (in relation with energy - Coal, Hydro, Wind and 

    Solar)

c) Solar Energy - Photovoltaic Basics

d) Basic Electricity and Electronics

e) Components of Solar Lantern

f)  Making/assembling Solar Lantern

h) Final assessment (practical test on assembling solar lantern)
j)  Marketing strategies / possibilities

Ruby Jubilee Activities

 Three Health Camps will be conducted in the ULUBERIA MUNICIPALITY area on:

21.02.2013    at         Nimdighi

22.02.2013    at         Parijat

23.02.2013    at         Bahirgangarampur

At all the camps, the people who come to the camp will get a free health check-up, if needed medicines will be prescribed and medicines will be distributed free of cost. The parents and guardians of children under 5 years of age will be motivated to get their children vaccinated against polio.

41^st Development Dynamics Course Concluded at SKC

Caritas India, the Social Development Wing of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India has concluded its 26 day long Development Dynamics Course on the 1st February at Seva Kendra Calcutta, from where it also operates for the Archdiocese. There were 43 participants from six countries in Asia. The dynamic was aimed at enhancing the knowledge of people engaged in social work in different Caritas organization in Asia and its partners. More than 1800 participants both from the Catholic Church as well as secular institutes have benefitted from the previous DDC programmes. 

As the priority of Caritas is community mobilization in order to empower people through right based approach leading to inclusive development, the Development Dynamics was oriented towards the skill development of the participants in social analysis and community mobilization.

Enhancement of knowledge level of the participants on concepts of development, poverty, thematic sectors in areas of health, education, disaster management, natural resource management and Management of Development Organisations including the Spirituality of Development  was the focus of the 26 days dynamics. 

“We look forward to empower people to partner with government of India in building the nation,” is how Mr. Lukose P. J. Quality Manager of Caritas India and the co-ordinator of the course described Caritas India’s mission. Mr. Lukose who holds triple Post Graduates and Doctorate in Sociology also said that Caritas is now conducting the course twice a year and its value is based on the major Social Teachings of the Catholic Church. The resources persons for the dynamic development were the Thematic team leaders of Caritas and professionals from the field.

That the quality of the programme speaks for itself is reflected through the words of one of the participants Sr. Smitha from Nepal, “The management process of the course by which all the participants were managing the programme in a democratic manner as a practical experience of the theory input is very effective. As social workers we are expected to have a wide range of knowledge. And so this dynamic course is helping us with its various inputs and the field experiences.”

Community College Academic Year Inaugurated

The Community College of the Seva Kendra Calcutta, the Social Service Centre of the Archdiocese of Calcutta had the formal inauguration of its academic year 2013-14 on 18^th January by Fr. Franklin Menezes, Director, Seva Kendra with a prayer service attended by the newly enrolled students and the staff. 

More than 30 students have enrolled for the different courses conducted at the Community College. The courses for which students have been admitted are registered for the Modular Employable Skills courses conducted by the Government of India. These courses provide alternate system of education, aimed at the empowerment of the disadvantaged and the underprivileged urban and the rural poor. 

The courses include training on Computer Fundamentals with Soft Skills for Baseline staff and Frontline Office Assistants, trade courses like Tally, DTP, Computer Hardware, Assistant Cook and Assistant Nurse. The trade courses are followed up by 2 months of Industrial training with the assistance of the industrial partners in the respective fields. Track records prove that being equipped with course and training from Community College, students find it easier to get jobs in the otherwise cut-throat job market.

As a part of the celebration of its Ruby Jubilee Year of Seva Kendra which began on 20^th December 2012, the Community College computer room has been revamped with a swanky look and the installation of 10 new computers, all done by benefactor, Mrs. Lovina Khan.

The courses are conducted for a nominal fee and some of the underprivileged are sponsored either by the parishes or by our benefactors.