Supaul: July 2012

Monday, 30 July 2012

What To Expect

What to Expect At The Location

Warm, friendly and inquisitive people
Approximately 70% of the population with an elementary education
Approximately 25% of the population with a High School Education
Approximately 5% of the population with a Higher Education

o A point to note, there is a big gap in the level of education as majority of the people drop out during elementary or post elementary education and those that carry on fortunately complete their High School education and some of them continue to Higher education

Less than 2% speak comprehensive English
Between 15-20% of the educated population would be good in reading and fair in writing English
Common mode of transport is an auto rickshaw, bullock cart, a farm tractor which doubles up as a mode of transport, a horse cart, bicycles and those that can afford a motorcycle and some, very few have Jeeps
Public transport is buses between towns and distant villages
98% of the land area is under irrigation and more than 99% of the population live in the villages
The people are predominantly farmers and you will find lands unto the horizon covered with yellow mustard, bright sunflower, beige wheat and light chocolate brown rice fields during harvest.
Stretches and stretches of green fields during sowing and planting
A recent increase in media penetration and government initiatives has seen the people being exposed to the television, Internet and media.
Insouciant people where time stands still and no one is in a hurry

Development Focus

The Volunteering In India Program is a project initiated to teach English and Life Skills to approximately 100,000 people between ages 6 and 40 in 10 diverse communities which are India’s most challenged and among the lowest in per capita income. Some barely sustaining on $1.00 a day.

The first of its kind program Centre is in Tribeniganj, Dist - Supaul, Bihar which is the 2nd largest state in terms of population and the lowest in terms of per capita income and literacy.

What is the Project?
5 Bihar Volunteer Program Centres

Each Program Centre’s Operational Break-Up:

5 – 6 Program Centre Camps

1 Program Centre Head

2 Program Managers

2 Program Centre Facilitators

7-10 Operational Staff

20-25 Volunteers

Each Program Centre Camp’s Operational Break-Up:

1 Camp Captain

2 Camp Facilitators

4-5 volunteers

The Program Centre Programs/Courses:

ESOL/EFL (Taught from Beginners right upto Advanced)

Life Skills (Non formal education through National Institute of Open Schooling)

1 Mission To turn a challenged community into a self sustained and self helped community through English as ESOL/EFL and Life Skills

5 Program Centres The number of Program centres to house and cater to the in-country needs, support and service of volunteers

25 Program Camps The number of operation centres of the mission from where informal and support education along with vocational skills are imparted to develop the communities able bodies

100 villages The number of villages Bihar volunteer has identified to be the recipients during the first phase of the program

400 Volunteers The number of volunteers required on an annual basis to help meet these program goals and initiatives. Volunteers with a commitment of 10 weeks at 250 Hours.

1,00,000 Hours The number of volunteers Hours on an annual basis to help meet these program goals and initiatives. Volunteers with a commitment of 10 weeks at 250 Hours.

100,000 People The Number of people the project wants to reach out to, to see measurable changes and results in their life after the project

What are the ESOL/EFL & Life Skills Objectives?

Access to knowledge, as most of the information available today is in English

Access to the most pages of any language on the World Wide Web, being English, estimated at over 1 billion pages and growing by the millions everyday

Access to books, the most published books are available in English

Access to the Media, only English language magazines and newspapers can be bought in every part of the world

Access to Science and Technology; English is the key to the world of science. In 1997, 95% of the articles in the Science Citation Index were written in English

Access to communicate with people; English is the common medium of communication all over the world- formal or informal

Access to travel more easily, signs and directions are all in English and the local language

Access to push ones career opportunities forward

And above all access to civic, economic and social development

Pass-it-on Library

The Pass-it-on concept is wonderful for two things; one it can help someone and the other that it is an intelligible way of recycling goods, services and knowledge or all –

Based on this and since we in urban settings have so much that can be used we can easily put it to use if there is a place and need for it and this way we provide for the betterment and development through a very social conscience.

So if you have anything that is worthy of value and can be used over again please do not hesitate to forward it to us at Bihar Parivartan Samaj to help us build centres for education and development through your generosity and benevolence -

It could be any item -

For example:

Text Books

Magazines

Novels

Journals

Trade Publications

CDs and DVDs

Educational Material

Books

Electronic Equipment

General Equipment

Etc…

We are in the process of continually updating and adding to our Library. The Pass-it-on Library is a collection of texts, magazines, novels, journals, trade publications or any educational material and books that you do not have any need for that goes to help the Bihar Parivartan Samaj students in educating and enlightening themselves with.

We are building a library completely with pass-it-on reading goods and will like to pass it on to another area or community after we have finished using them.

Sports is a way of Life - Lets share it with everybody!

Apart from the Above Educational Opportunities through Volunteering In India that people receive; we are keen towards promoting sports as a disciplinary activity.

Some of the events we have lined up -

Name of the Event	Annual Marathon
Date of the Event	3^rd week of November
Nature of the Event	11 Km Marathon covering 8 villages
Development Outcome	Sportsmanship and competitive culture, health and its benefits to stay fit and healthy First Prize – 10,000 / 5,000 Second Prize – 7,000 / 3000 Third Prize – 5,000 / 1500 2 consolation prizes – 1,000 / 500 Two categories, one a general category for all under 60 years of age and the second for senior citizens (for those above 60 years of age, for both Ladies and Gentleman category) Rest of the money in logistical requirements
Location of the Event	Latonah Village, Triveniganj, Dist Supaul, Bihar
Cost of the Event	Rs. 125,000/- (Rupees one hundred and twenty five thousand only)

Name of the Event	Inter Village Math Competition
Date of the Event	1^st week of December
Nature of the Event	Education
Development Outcome	Education with a focus on mathematics The math competition will have 8 categories – Grade 5 up to grade 12 Winner of each grade will get Rs. 5,000/- (rupees five thousand) each Rest of the money in logistical requirements
Location of the Event	Pipra, Dist Supaul, Bihar
Cost of the Event	Rs. 75,000/- (Rupees seventy five thousand only)

Name of the Event	Inter Village Science Competition
Date of the Event	3^rd week of December
Nature of the Event	Education
Development Outcome	Education with a focus on science The math competition will have 8 categories – Grade 5 up to grade 12 Winner of each grade will get Rs. 5,000/- (rupees five thousand) each Rest of the money in logistical requirements
Location of the Event	Jadiya, Dist Supaul, Bihar
Cost of the Event	Rs. 75,000/- (Rupees seventy five thousand only)

Name of the Event	Inter Village Cricket Competition
Date of the Event	1^st week – 3^rd week of January
Nature of the Event	Sports covering 16 villages
Development Outcome	Sportsmanship and competitive team culture, health and its benefits to stay fit and healthy First Prize – 20,000 Second Prize – 10,000 Third Prize – 5,000 2 consolation prizes – 2,000 Rest of the money in logistical requirements
Location of the Event	Jadiya, Pipra, Triveniganj, Supaul, Raniganj
Cost of the Event	Rs. 175,000/- (Rupees one hundred and seventy five thousand only)

Name of the Event	Inter Village Kabadi Competition
Date of the Event	1^st week – 3^rd week of February
Nature of the Event	Sports covering 16 villages
Development Outcome	Sportsmanship and competitive culture, health and its benefits to stay fit and healthy First Prize – 10,000 / 5,000 Second Prize – 7,000 / 3000 Third Prize – 5,000 / 1500 2 consolation prizes – 1,000 / 500 Two categories, one general category for boys and the second a general category for girls. Rest of the money in logistical requirements
Location of the Event	Jadiya, Dist Supaul, Bihar
Cost of the Event	Rs. 100,000/- (Rupees one hundred thousand only)

Name of the Event	Inter Village Football Competition
Date of the Event	1^st week – 3^rd week of March
Nature of the Event	Sports covering 16 villages
Development Outcome	Sportsmanship and competitive team culture, health and its benefits to stay fit and healthy First Prize – 20,000 Second Prize – 10,000 Third Prize – 5,000 2 consolation prizes – 2,000 Rest of the money in logistical requirements
Location of the Event	Jadiya, Pipra, Triveniganj, Supaul, Raniganj
Cost of the Event	Rs. 100,000/- (Rupees one hundred thousand only)

Name of the Event	Inter Village Table Tennis Competition
Date of the Event	2^nd week – 3^rd week of April
Nature of the Event	Sports covering 16 villages
Development Outcome	Sportsmanship and competitive team culture, health and its benefits to stay fit and healthy First Prize – 10,000 Second Prize – 5,000 Third Prize – 3,000 2 consolation prizes – 1500 Rest of the money in logistical requirements
Location of the Event	Jadiya, Pipra, Triveniganj, Supaul, Raniganj
Cost of the Event	Rs. 100,000/- (Rupees one hundred thousand only)

Name of the Event	Inter Village Badminton Competition
Date of the Event	2^nd week – 4^th week of August
Nature of the Event	Sports covering 16 villages
Development Outcome	Sportsmanship and competitive team culture, health and its benefits to stay fit and healthy First Prize – 10,000 Second Prize – 5,000 Third Prize – 3,000 2 consolation prizes – 1500 Rest of the money in logistical requirements
Location of the Event	Jadiya, Pipra, Triveniganj, Supaul, Raniganj
Cost of the Event	Rs. 100,000/- (Rupees one hundred thousand only)

Name of the Event	Inter Village March Past Competition
Date of the Event	15^th August
Nature of the Event	Nationalism covering 16 villages
Development Outcome	Nationalism and Patriotism
Location of the Event	Triveniganj, Supaul, Raniganj
Cost of the Event	Rs. 100,000/- (Rupees one hundred thousand only)

Name of the Event	Inter Village Kushti Competition
Date of the Event	2^nd week September – 2^nd week October
Nature of the Event	Sports covering 16 villages
Development Outcome	Sportsmanship and competitive team culture, health and its benefits to stay fit and healthy First Prize – 20,000 Second Prize – 10,000 Third Prize – 5,000 2 consolation prizes – 2,000 Rest of the money in logistical requirements
Location of the Event	Jadiya, Pipra, Triveniganj, Supaul, Raniganj
Cost of the Event	Rs. 100,000/- (Rupees one hundred thousand only)

Name of the Event	Inter Village Track & Field Olympic Competition
Date of the Event	2^nd week – 4^th week October
Nature of the Event	Sports covering 16 villages
Development Outcome	Sportsmanship individual and competitive team culture, health and its benefits to stay fit and healthy Disciplines for both girls and boys – Track – 100, 200, 400, 1000, 1500 meters Relay – 100, 200 meters High Jump, long jump and triple jump Shot Put, Discuss Rest of the money in logistical requirements
Location of the Event	Triveniganj, Supaul, Raniganj
Cost of the Event	Rs. 800,000/- (Rupees one hundred thousand only)

Sponsorship is invited from various quarters though we are in an ongoing process of making appeals to distinguished donors to help us in this cause to help meet the event and project implementation costs. We make this appeal as you would consider it only but benevolent to come forward in any little way and pledge to donate $50 or $100 if you are internationally based and INR1500 or INR3000 if you are nationally based towards this cause. You are welcome to pledge more and can mail your cheques to the address mentioned below payable to ‘St Jude’s Charitable Society’ a registered society under the registration of the societies of India Act XXI of 1860 / S-55254 of 2006.

About Tribeniganj

Tribeniganj is a quaint town in the District of Supaul. It is about 25 KMs from Supaul and is connected to other towns by state highways and link roads. State Highway 76 passes through Tribeniganj and carries on to the North Eastern States of West Begal, Assam, Nagaland, Meghalaya among others.

Tribeniganj has 27 Panchayats (Counties) and 64 Revenue Villages. Tribeniganj is counted as a major agricultural market of the Kosi zone. Tribeniganj falls under the Kosi Flood Belt but is the furthest of the regions in the belt. Tribeniganj is never as affected as the regions closer to the Kosi River.

It is also among four subdivisions in Supaul with a Population totalling - 2,47,459 (Male - 1,29,444, Female - 1,18,015)

The Weather is the same as any tropical region and the temperature variations are the same as Delhi. The Summers are hot but since it is country you have a lot of respite due to the vegetation. Temperatures in the summer time vary between 35 and 40 and is the hottest during June. After the summer comes the rainy season or the 'Monsoons' and this period between July/August till Late September is wet and soggy and a little humid too. The weather most pleasant is Autumn, Winter and Spring that follow after between November and April.

Electricity is available for about 16 hours a day at the minimum and can sometimes be around the whole day; and is distributed at various periods during the day.

Telephony is well developed and the density of mobile users is high. This enables internet facility and BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited) a government enterprise has its office and regional office here. Internet speeds up to 4 Mbps is available on their fixed lines.

Transport is pretty decent. Tribeniganj is well connected to all towns between 20 and 200 miles. The frequency of transport is high and you can get transport from 5AM to 10PM everyday.

Tribeniganj has a well serviced Referral Hospital that has an emergency, outdoor and indoor facility. The hospital is open 24 hours and is about 1 Mile away from the city centre.

Dress Code Of The Local People

Dress Code Of The Local People in Tribeniganj

Men usually wear a shirt and a pair of trousers but most would wear a shirt and a sarong (locally called a Lungi)

Sandals or slippers as footwear depending on the season

Women usually wear a Sari and the younger girls a Salwar Kameez

Sandals or slippers as footwear depending on the season

The more educated men folk would be dressed western in a shirt, a pair of trousers and a pair of shoes

Kitchen Garden at Latonah Mission

Red Pumpkin of just pumpkin / this one's about 5 days old.

Red Pumpkin about 2 days old

Flower shedding off to show of a round 1 day old bulbous

This one was hiding behind the leaves and shying away !!!

This is the other big one...

This chap's a hybrid and is growing long versus round

Bitter gourd or Karela plants in bloom

Bottle gourd or louki or white pumpkin / this is about 7 days old

The same chap again.

Bottle gourd creepers all over the fields..

A little closer up.

Here's one / it was hiding under the levaes.

This is the bamboo beet north of the vegetable fields, the boys are getting a water pump sorted for watering the fields to get it ready for the paddy seeds nursery.