Legal rights workshop in Tekanpur, Sindhupalchok district

Initial work for one stitching centre has been established.  Process for selecting the participants for vocational training is on the way. The training program for the women on vegetable is in planning stage and will be implemented during the next rainy season starting in July.

Process of Interaction in community outreach program:

Outreach Program staff have interaction with the community during the community assessment visits and meetings in the target villages. The staff have interactions with the community leaders, school teachers, structured women groups, social workers and local institutions like VDC office, village resource centre, health post, local police post etc. To facilitate the interaction process, we have hired community mobilizers in each VDC since 1^st January 2016. These mobilizers help the women groups in their respective areas to organize their monthly meetings, plan to participate in skill training and involve in different income generating activities. The mobilizers are trained on how to interact with the women groups and to support them in empowerment training activities. We also emphasize to promote local resources and production whilst discussing with them.

Participants at girls trafficking awareness session at AMURT field office, Karitok, Sindhupalchok district.

Beneficiaries profile

Most of the families in our target areas are low income families. Their children have receiving benefit from education support program from AMURT. About 85 % families are the victims of the mega earthquake of April and May 2015. Most of them are staying in temporary shelters with difficulties. Most of them have lost their job opportunities. The introduction of hands on skill training to start small scale business has helped them to plan and implement some small business activities. There are some women groups and they are functional. They could be effective in implementing grassroots community level programs and also small business activities.

Women are trained in food processing of pickles and potato chips they are now selling in the local market.

Level of Participation by the stakeholders:

During the interaction program with the focus group, the women discuss about change and improvement in their life situation. They also identify the needs which included skill training such as food processing, tailoring, soap making, candle making, vegetable cultivation and marketing of the products. Moreover, they asked AMURT to help them to acquire information on legal education, human trafficking, gender based violence and also other useful skill training. AMURT responded to their needs and helped them to organize the training on awareness program and food processing training and basic equipment to one group as requested.

Advanced tailoring workshops in full swing near Kalika Primary school

“When I went undercover in New York City as a homeless man, no one noticed me. I felt what it was like to be a homeless man. People would just past by me and look at me in disgrace. Only one lady was kind enough to give me some food. It was an experience I’ll never forget. So many times we forget how blessed we are. We should not take that for granted. And if we can help someone in need, we should. That’s why after I was done, I walked around and gave food and $100 to every homeless person I saw. They cried and were so grateful. Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

Richard Gere

Sometimes service goes unnoticed when it is continuous, relentless, day in and day out. Those who really serve don’t make so much news. The food distribution for the homeless in Los Angeles is now happening almost every day. Dada Muktatmananda and his team under the banner of AMURT – Ananda Marga Universal Relief Team is there always on call. To get the latest news I go on their facebook page which is also featured on the front page of Crimson Dawn right below. I find inspiring pictures and quotes not only of the service they do. It is important to raise the consciousness about homelessness. Any person that has the experience to be homeless even for a short time knows that it might happen to anybody, wealthy or not, educated or uneducated. Just a day it happens and it changes the perspective from which you see the world.

I read under the most recent images: “Another Sunday morning w/ our friends ‪#‎skidrow‬ ‪#‎mamadfeedsthehomess‬. Thank you to all our volunteers”.

“A long line of hungry people getting a little well deserved relief.”

I wonder what Dada is thinking. Where is his mind?

A drunken’s night

Fasting in the late moonless night,
the summer day simmered through
the light in to night roofs,
the golden coins all trammeled in to
dark trunks;
I am heading to the mountain like a drunk,
who found his way;
I will sit on the rough grass,
and hear a bird sing,
like a wind of my own heart.
I will think until love overtakes thinking,
much faster than any idea of paradise.
And as the city went tiny like a jewel
shinning down the ravine,
I offer again myself to you!
This counting entrances me,
like singing,
from this fingers instrument;
Where has time gone?

This is the latest poem I find on his personal facebook page. I look for more:

I was found

And you set out
looking for things,
searching for completing
yourself..
The habit you have built
to never yield until it is found,
nothing else could be felt;
Till your deepest need,
go haywire,
burn you like fire,
your inner thirst filling with mirages
in your head;
You could touch insanity with your finger,
from these states you find yourself in,
and in the height of confusion,
you have no illusion you will ever find that
teacher,
on this earth or elsewhere;
But then, he finds you!

And I forget about my little petty things.