ICT Training

We organised an intensive two day inhouse workshop on Information and Communication Technology at FST on the 26th and 27th February 2010.

Gayatri Buragohain of Feminist Approach to Technology (FAT) conducted the training. Her enthusiasm and eagenerness was infectious as she walked us through the different uses of computers , both online and offline in optimising our work.  We tried our hand at setting up Google Calendars and using Google Documents. W

We introspected about our current website and agreed that it needed a makeover really fast.  We learnt a little about content management systems and how to resize photographs and upload on blogs…. but I guess it will take a lot of practice before we become experts at it.

Till then we shall just keep on trying, as I am now….

Karsang Takar – Sadiya

It was with much excitement that I boarded the early morning Jan Shatabdi train on Saturday, the 30th Jan 2010. I was going to fabled Sadiya…. definitely hitting the road less travelled….
From Jorhat, along with Dr Jayanta Madhab, our Chairperson, we drove to Tinsukia. Early next morning we drove to the end of the AT Road reaching Saikhowaghat. On the advice of local people we “followed the leeks” testing our driver’s skills to the limit till we reached the Dholla Ghat, just in time to catch the morning ferry across the very blue waters of the river.

I was quite wide eyed and amazed to see how the single and double boats at the ferry carried buses, trucks and other heavy and light vehicles and passengers across. Not being used to this mode of travel we had tense moments as we boarded the ferry, although the local people seemed quite were unperturbed and deftly drove on and off the wooden planks and strips.

There was yet another stretch of 7-8 kms of very sandy char and shallow rivers and flimsy bridges to traverse before we reached Gumti Bil from where we got on to the potholed black top road to Chapakhowa. We overshot our destination and reached the Arunachal Pradesh border check gate before retracing our way back to the St Thomas School at Shantipur 4 village. We were met by Fr Abhay and Fr Thomas, Fr Mathai and Fr Felix, and found that our visit had coincided with their celebration of Don Bosco’s birthday and a special feast that day.

After freshening up we walked across to Karsang Takar (Rising Star) Centre located next door where we were greeted by Mr. Rajen Perme, Director, and the participants of their Lekop Silmel – a bi annual week long energizing programme and get together of past and present students and staff of Karsang Takars. After a sumptuous lunch of local cusine prepared by Indira Perme, wife of Rajen Perme in their traditional Mising home, we rejoined the Silmel.

Over almost 2 hours, the Takars shared their experiences. It was quite impressive to listen to the young boys and girls, who had joined the program as school dropouts, speaking with such self confidence , reflecting their positive attitudes and understanding of local issues. Some of them have gone back to school and completed various phases of their schooling. Some have gone on to join ICARD as field staff and supervisors whereby they actively mentor and support newer trainees.

In the evening, Dr Madhab and I were shown around the premises and taken for a short walk around the village. We visited the Gaon Bura and briefly chatted about the local situation – agriculture was the main occupation of the mostly Mising, Nepali and Tai Ahom people living in the area and some amount of multi cropping was being practiced. They acknowledged the qualitative change in their lives from the presence and programmes of the ICARD and the school in their midst. However communication and connectivity with the mainland of Assam is still a major problem. They spoke of a nearby area called Amarpur, which is still very underdeveloped, with no black topped roads in the area and little infrastructure and health and education facilities.

Reassembling in their hall again we had more formal interactions with the youths. Dr Madhab addressed the group and shared information about Joint Liability Groups (JLG), recommending the formation of JLGs and accessing of micro finance for initiating small sustainable livelihood activities for economic empowerment. He spoke at length about RGVNs efforts to promote Systemic Rice Intensification SRI, with support from SDTT, offering to arrange for training in SRI through the RGVN network.

I spoke about FST, sharing its vision of enabling north east India, and said the purpose of this visit was to come and see this exemplary model of youth development of ICARD, which is already being replicated by other groups like Pajhra and Sampari.

The Takars then presented a vibrant cultural programme to celebrate Don Bosco’s anniversary that showcased their creative and cultural talents as they danced, sang and enacted a powerful street play. We were quite dazzled by their abilities and appreciated ICARD efforts for encouraging use of traditional cultural practices to talk of social issues.

On Monday, the 1st Feb, after breakfast at Rajen Perme’s house we were taken for a brief visit to the nearby villages of New Tarani Gaon and Shantipur. We first saw the grounds of the soon-to-commence Non Formal Vocational Training Centre to be set up by DBYES nearby. This was a new initiative and would be offering training in carpentry and woodwork, motor repair, driving, sewing and tailoring.

At Tarani Gaon, we dropped in to the home of Gayatri (I CARD field supervisor) and met her parents. spending some time in their typical Mising house, which is built on stilts, with the traditional ‘5’ steps leading up to it. The house is basically a large long room made of cane and bamboo, with bamboo flooring. There is a hearth in the middle and the males tend to sit on the left side of the house, while the women folk and the kitchen equipment use the right side. They spend much of their time sitting around the hearth. Gayatri’s father spoke about the role played by ICARD in providing relief in times of distress such as malaria epidemics etc. Her mother is an ASHA worker and spoke about her work in maternal care etc. From the conversation with them it appeared that the NREGA and NRHM schemes are being implemented in letter and spirit in the area, with men getting their due wages and days of employment. We saw a number of NREGA project roads along the way and also found some unexpectedly good stretches of village road built and being built with the PMGSY and CM schemes.

As we bid our good byes to the warm and hospitable Karsang Takar team and St Thomas School staff we saluted the spirit and dedication of all of the people involved in working for the social development and building of precious human capital and resources of the indigenous communities in this remote and distant area.