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PAHAL

CSR Quarterly

Issue 2

FY 16-17

pg. 1

Content

‘Lakshman Rekha’

Page No. 2-3

Pond Pays…

Page No. 4-5

Mobile Eye Surgical Unit

Page No. 6-7

Harnessing Water

Page No. 8-9

Mt. Kanamo

Page No. 10

Mastering the Machine

Page No. 11-12

Green Therapy

Page No. 13

Combating Dengue

Page No. 14

Indigenous Peoples

Page No. 15

Branching Out

Page No. 16

Jyoti Fellowship

Page No. 17

Community Football

Page No. 18

Hockey Initiative

Page No. 19

Battle for Awareness

Page No. 20-21

Volunteering for Community Service

Page No. 22

pg. 2

Drawing a ‘Lakshman Rekha’ between disease and wellness

“I’ve never been to a cinema hall,” replies 22-year-old Lakshman when asked about his

latest recent movie in the theatre. The reticent

youth from Sokhandih village loves to play and

watch cricket, and football. Eldest among three

brothers, Lakshman discontinued his studies after

class 10. He started helping his father in tilling the

family’s 2-acre farmland near the foothills of Dalma

range that surrounds his native village. He would

keep busy during the paddy cultivation season and

preferred hanging around with friends and

watching sports on TV at his neighbour’s place in

the limited free time he was left with.

Earlier this year, Sokhandih was among one of those villages visited by TSRDS team to

mobilise the local farmers for Animal Health Worker (PARAVET) training, which is conducted

at Green College, Kolabira. The team members also got to interact with Lakshman, who

appeared keen to enrol for the 14-day training. Lakshman’s seriousness was rooted to a

nightmarish experience that he had in childhood. Something he could never forget—out of

35 goats his farming family had, 25 succumbed to a disease. That was in 2006!

After the training, Lakshman informed all the 55

households in Sokhandih that now he was there

in the village for animal health care

management and can even immunise

ruminants. Aside from the first aid kit he

purchased from Green College, he also invested

a few hundred rupees in buying vaccines for

goats and oxen.

pg. 3

To capacitate farmers, Tata Steel Rural Development Society has partnered with Welthungerhilfe,

an international development organisation. The collaboration resulted in Green College at Kolabira,

in Seraikela-Kharsawan district of Jharkhand. Operational since December 2015, Green College has

been established to train farmers, based out of the company’s areas of operation, on agriculture and

allied sectors.

Apart from paravet (animal health workers) training, regular sessions on lac cultivation, its

processing and marketing; fishery; System of Rice Intensification (SRI) method of paddy cultivation

are also organised at the College.

In the first three months after training, Lakshman organised three camps in nearby villages

and administered vaccines to ruminants and hens. He also treated minor ailments and

infections affecting animals.

Though he has faced some hiccups in

refrigerating the vaccines and storing them,

he is still to get a refrigerator. “I manage it by

borrowing ice from the neighbours. I fill up

the ice box to maintain the vaccine vial for

5-6 hours during vaccination camps."

However, this summer, he had to discard

some of the vaccine vials after running short

of ice. “I hope not to face the same problem

in winters.”

Talking about his experience as a trained

Animal Health Worker (Paravet),

Lakshman says, “We do not have

veterinary doctors within a range of

15-20 km. With the training at Green

College, I can take care of the livestock in

Sokhandih and nearby villages, and also

earn money.” Lakshman has invested in

a pair of pigs. “They will grow in six

months and fetch a good price that

would be utilized in owning the

much-needed refrigerator,” he smiles.

pg. 4

Pond Pays…

4.58 acres, it’s the piece of land that Jai Singh Murmu (50) has always banked upon. But, the

family inherited farmland has not always been kind to this farmer of East Singhbhum’s

Sungdi village. In 2007,

the land did not support

enough crop yields, and

Murmu miserably failed

to garner money for the

treatment of his ailing

wife. Result: she died.

It’s 2016, and Murmu still

relies on the same 4.58

acres. Today, the land

never disappoints him

and gives much more

than what he expects!

Wondering about the

turnaround? The answer to it lies `into’ a pond excavated slightly over a year ago on

Murmu’s land, following the intervention of Tata Steel Rural

Development Society (TSRDS)

Measuring 200 X 100 sq. ft., the pond is used

by Murmu for raising fish, which is proving

much profitable than his generations-old

venture of paddy cultivation. “The pond has

addressed my financial concerns quite well,”

shares Murmu. A long pause follows, probably

for some mental maths, and he throws up

figures to back his claim, “It was a mere

investment of Rs. 2,000 over a year ago, and I

have already made Rs. 50,000 from it in

a year.”

It may sound nothing less than hitting a jackpot, but Murmu is just highlighting the

profitable margins pisciculture is known for.

pg. 5

Tata Steel Rural Development Society works to bring large areas of land under irrigation by

developing new water harvesting structures and renovating the non-functional irrigation systems.

TSRDS has partnered with village level organisations, i.e. ‘samitis’ for pond deepening, village

infrastructure development and water management. So far, TSRDS has allocated watershed

projects to its village level organisations in the Kolhan region of Jharkhand, i.e. East Singhbhum,

West Singhbhum and Seraikela Kharsawan districts. In the last three FYs, more than 600 ponds

have been constructed through the village level organisations.

Murmu’s recent earnings out of the land get reflected in his lifestyle. A gleaming motorbike

awaits him at his doorstep. Cold water from a

refrigerator greets him after a tiring day. “Both

(fridge and bike) are barely two months old,”

giggles the class-12 dropout, whose daughter is

pursuing MA and son BA.

“Spawn and some fish medicines were bought

for Rs 2,000. Fingerlings and small-sized fish

that I got from spawn were sold for Rs. 50,000

in phases,” explains Murmu, adding in the

same breath, “There’s still at least 3 quintals of

fish in the pond. It would fetch close to Rs. 40,000.”

Wait, Murmu’s pond economics is yet not over. Earlier left to the mercy of the rain gods for

paddy cultivation, Murmu is getting more `out’ of the pond. Thanks to creeper vegies and

arhar he now grows along the banks of the water body. He recently sold a lot of bottle

gourds and arhar for Rs. 16,000.

Some quick movements of his fingers and

Murmu gets virtually lost, again for some

calculations that are going in his mind. He

resumes the conversation, this time smilingly,

“So, all put together, it would come to over Rs

1 lakh.” Interestingly, this income has come

from only 10 per cent share of Murmu’s total

land—the share given to the pond—and is

much more than his annual paddy benefits.

“When rains didn’t play truant, I used to have

an annual income of Rs. 70,000 through paddy,” he adds.

Paddy still covers majority of his land. Earlier, it was cultivated traditionally, but now he

follows SRI for the same. With a pond at his disposal now, he no longer has to worry about

irrigating the paddy filed. Nearby farmers, which Murmu put to five, too, use his pond for

irrigating their fields.

pg. 6

Inauguration of Mobile Eye Surgical Unit

~A unique initiative for state-of-art cataract surgery in remote areas~

Mobile Eye Surgical Unit (MESU), a

medico-engineering marvel and

‘one-of-its-kind in Asia’ operation theatre on

wheels, has now arrived in Jharkhand. A

collaborative venture between Sankara

Nethralaya and IIT Madras—MESU has been

rolled out in this eastern state, with support

from Tata Trusts and Tata Steel.

MESU’s first eye camp in Jharkhand has started

from Seldauri, Chaibasa. The camp began on Sep 11, 2016.

On July 31, 2016, Shri Raghubar Das, Hon’ble Chief Minister, Jharkhand inaugurated MESU

during a function at Tata Main Hospital (TMH), Jamshedpur. Padma Bhushan Dr. S. S.

Badrinath, Founder of Sankara Nethralaya Academy, Mr. Sunil Bhaskaran, VP (Corporate

Services), Tata Steel, senior representatives from Sankara Nethralaya, IIT Madras and TMH

were present on the occasion.

Inaugurating the MESU, Shri

Raghubar Das, Hon’ble CM,

Jharkhand said, “It will be a

boon for the poor people,

seeking eye care services, in

remote areas of Jharkhand.

This will become a pioneer in

eye care treatment in the

region. I am thankful to

Sankara Nethralaya, IIT

Madras and Tata Trusts for

this noble initiative.”

Talking about MESU, Dr. S. S. Badrinath, Founder of Sankara Nethralaya Academy, said, "It

takes the most advanced cataract removal process right to the doorsteps of economically

and socially backward people living in the remotest of areas."

pg. 7

MESU: At a Glance

Equipped with the state-of-the-art eye care facilities

MESU is the only project where the Government of India has allowed ophthalmic surgeries in

camp mode

Jamshedpur will be the base for Jharkhand’s MESU facilities, catering primarily to rural

patients in remote locations

MESU takes the most advanced cataract removal process deploying suture-less,

phaco-emulsification methodology which is on par with the cataract surgery performed at

most advanced eye hospitals

Equipped with the state-of-the-art eye care facilities, MESU is the only project where Govt.

of India has allowed ophthalmic surgeries in camp mode.

MESU’s launch in Jharkhand will unarguably give a fillip to Tata Steel’s on-going eye care

interventions being carried out in some of the poorest and tribal-dominated areas. The steel

city Jamshedpur will be the base of Jharkhand’s MESU, which will primarily cater to rural

patients in remote locations.

MESU takes the most advanced cataract

removal process deploying suture-less,

phaco-emulsification methodology which

is on par with the cataract surgery

performed at most advanced eye

hospitals. With MESU, eye surgeries will

be performed right at the hamlet where

the patient lives. The

post-operative examination after a week

is also carried out right at the patient’s doorstep.

pg. 8

Harnessing Water to Irrigate Parched Land

One Natural Water Source : Two Check dams : Canals (Length~1,000 Metres) 70 Acres of Land Irrigated : 100 Farmers : Paddy Yield 108 Tonnes

Increasingly erratic rainfall is resulting in lack of adequate cultivation, loss of crops and

livelihood for farmers. Large patches of land lie barren due to lack of irrigation facility.

Farms in Noamundi also face an acute shortage of water, which, if countered, can yield rich

harvests. Surrounded by lush green hills, Noamundi receives above-average rainfall that

needs to be harnessed for irrigation.

Realising this Tata Steel Rural

Development Society (TSRDS)

constructed two check dams —one

each in the villages of Daladiri and

Kolahundla—in FY16. Water is further

channelized through canals, irrigating

nearly 70 acres of land in these two

villages. Water running through the

canals comes all the way from a

natural source located atop one of the verdant hills.

Consistent supply of water has enabled farmers like Luknath and Saluka to take the initiative

of growing paddy, at the onset of summer. Paddy, conventionally, is sown during monsoons.

Over the last two seasons, nearly 108 tonnes of paddy has been harvested in the four

villages—a significant benefit from the canals. Aside from paddy, seasonal vegetables are

also grown and utilised for domestic consumption.

pg. 9

In FY16, around 30 farmers were engaged in vegetable cultivation and there was an

incremental income of Rs 10,000 (average) per farmer. On an average, every farmer had

grown vegetables in 10 decimal of land. About 100 farmers were engaged in kharif paddy, of

which 15 farmers adopted SRI system of paddy cultivation. In FY16, the MSP (Minimum

Support Price) by Government was Rs. 14 per kg of paddy. So, on average, the incremental

income per farmer was around Rs. 21,000.

Paddy is cultivated in the rainy season. Due to uneven terrain, this

farm would be flooded during rains. Two years ago, we could not

even think of growing paddy here during summers. This canal has

ensured a constant supply of water that irrigates my farmland. It

enabled me to sow paddy even during March.

Luknath Munda, Daladari Village, Deojhar Panchayat, Joda

Due to this canal, irrigation has been possible. It has helped in paddy

cultivation in summer. We could not have thought of a different

approach, had we not been supported by TSRDS to visit Agriculture

Research Centre at Plandu, near Ranchi, and PRADAN’s intervention

in Khunti.

Saluka Munda, Daladari Village, Deojhar Panchayat, Joda

pg. 10

Kalinganagar Youth Scale Mt. Kanamo

It was a lifetime experience for five youth of Kalinganagar who went on a 15-day expedition

to Mt Kanamo in the Spiti Valley of Himachal Pradesh, on August 7, 2016. They were part of

a 33-member team, including people from different countries, which scaled the 19,500 ft Mt

Kanamo under the leadership of Ms Bachendri Pal, Chief, Tata Steel Adventure

Foundation (TSAF).

The youth, consisting of three boys and two

girls, were selected for the expedition on the

basis of their performances in the outdoor

leadership camps organised in Jharkhand

and Uttarkashi. Two of them had also

attended a basic mountaineering course at

Darjeeling, organised by Himalayan

Mountaineering Institute, Darjeeling.

Telling his experience, Dumbi Khuntia, one of the

five youth, said, “The journey from the base camp

to the summit will be a memory I will cherish for

the rest of my life. When one of my team

members fell down and decided to quit, I

motivated her, and urged her not to quit, and

finally she made it to the summit.”

Adding to this, another youth Nirmal

Kumar Mohanta, said, “Only a few in my

village could understand where I had

been to and how adventurous was my

trip. I was lucky to be selected for the

expedition, otherwise, a boy from a

small village could reach there (Mt

Kanamo) only in dreams. I enjoyed

seeing apple orchards on the way. For me, it was a dream which I lived.”

pg. 11

Mastering the Machine

Watching Tanuja working with a

piece of fabric on an industrial

sewing machine makes stitching

look so easy. Tanuja trains young

girls at the Industrial Sewing

Machine Training Centre,

Berhampur, run jointly by Tata

Steel Skill Development Society

(TSSDS) and Shahi Exports

Private Limited.

A native of Jharakani village in

Sundergarh district, Tanuja did a

one month Industrial Sewing

Machine Operator (ISMO) course

at Tangarpali, in 2010. As she

completed the course, a job offer from a Kerala-based leading garment manufacturer came

her way.

For someone who had not

ventured out of the district,

Tanuja had to persuade her

parents to let her go to Kerala.

After a lot of hesitation, her

father allowed her to accept

the job. She moved to Kerala

and worked in Cochin for two

years. “I would have

continued further. But my

father was seriously ill and I’d

to return. His kidneys had

stopped working,” recalls

Tanuja. Not able to arrange

for the money required for his kidney treatment, Tanuja’s father eventually succumbed to

the ailment, leaving behind three young siblings and his wife.

pg. 12

Pressure was building on Tanuja to take care of her family. After remaining jobless for nearly

a year, she applied for a position with Shahi Exports. She got the much-need job in the form

of Industrial Sewing Machine Trainer. Her first posting was at Bhubaneswar. Later, she also

got deputed at training centres in Kalahandi and Koraput districts, run by Shahi Exports.

Posted at the Berhampur centre for almost a year now, Tanuja has trained scores of young

girls. “In the last three years, I have trained nearly 300 girls,” says Tanuja. Her confidence

and calm demeanour has a rub-off on her pupils—young girls from Ganjam, Puri and other

parts of Odisha. They pick up the threads calmly and gradually master the machine.

Tanuja takes

pride in the fact

that she has got

an opportunity

to train young

girls from

rural areas.

She is also

pursuing higher

secondary (Plus

2) from National

Open School.

“Due to financial

reasons and my

father’s death, I

could not study

beyond class 10. Now, I’m pursuing higher secondary in Arts.” Asked if she would go for

graduation, Tanuja smiles and nods in affirmation.

Tata Steel Skill Development Society (TSSDS) in partnership with Shahi Exports offers

Industrial Sewing Machine Operator (ISMO) course at Berhampur in Odisha. Designed

exclusively for girls from poor families, all the trainees after successful completion of

training are gainfully employed by Shahi Exports at its Bengaluru-based garment

manufacturing facility. For girls from humble backgrounds, the course offers an

opportunity to stand on own. Over the last one year, more than 100 girls have been

trained and gainfully employed through training at the Berhampur centre.

pg. 13

‘Green Therapy’

With an aim to promote the proven age-old medicinal practices, Tata Steel organised a

workshop on tribal medicinal practices `Green Therapy’ at Katepurty Auditorium, on

Aug 9, 2016.

About 300 people, including

local residents, students,

experts on traditional

medicines and employees of

Tata Steel, participated in the

workshop. On the occasion,

chief guest Mr Parmanand

Patel, an expert on tribal

languages from

Bhubaneswar, said, “Tribal

people know many things and skills. We need to learn from them. People have now started

consuming food grains like raagi and baajra—staples for tribals, or indigenous people.”

Food grains which had become outdated or symbol of poor are now becoming necessities of

rich and well-off people. So, we are going back to them (indigenous people) even after

making so much progress in different sectors. They have rich knowledge of nature. They

know the use of plants and their medicinal values. We should learn from them.”

Following the talks by resource persons and guests, some villagers were invited to the talk

about medicinal values

of different plants. Mr

Sanjib Kumar Das,

Assistant Professor

of Gopabandhu

Ayurvedic Medical

College and Hospital

shared findings of

scientific research

on various

medicinal plants.

pg. 14

Combating Dengue

Following the outbreak of dengue in Barbil,

an adjacent town of Joda, in

mid-June, there was an alarming situation in

the area. Initially, about 100 positive cases

were reported but in a week's time, the

number rose to more than 500.

To deal with the situation, Dr N. Thirumala

Naik, Collector, Keonjhar conducted a review

meeting at Joda. It was decided that the

government in collaboration with Tata Steel and other civil societies would initiative a

massive dengue prevention drive

A total of 47 teams were formed for the 14 wards of Joda Municipality for carrying out tasks

related to reduction of sources, creation of awareness about dengue, dissemination of do's

and don'ts for preventing dengue and taking corrective measures on the spot.

Officials of TSRDS in association with staff of Joda Municipality began an awareness

campaign against dengue

through public announcements,

rallies, distribution of leaflets,

banners and staging of street

plays. In this way, hundreds of

residents were covered. A total

of 40 shows of street plays were

staged at different parts of Joda

and Barbil.

Participation of the locals,

especially youths, played an

important role in the campaign against dengue. Fogging and spraying of larvacides was also

done in the 14 wards of Joda. A team of National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme,

New Delhi, praised Tata Steel’s fight against dengue.

pg. 15

International Day of World's Indigenous Peoples Observed

Tata Steel observed the International Day

of the World’s Indigenous Peoples at

different locations in Odisha and

Jharkhand, on 9th August 2016. More

than 3,000 people participated in the

programmes held to observe the

international event.

This year’s International Day of the

World’s Indigenous Peoples was devoted

to the right to education. The right of

Indigenous people to education is

protected by the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, according to which indigenous

peoples have the right to establish and control their educational systems and institutions providing

education in their own languages, in a manner appropriate to their cultural methods of teaching and

learning.

Keeping the theme of the year in view, the day was observed on the campus of Sukinda

Government College

in Kalinganagar.

A large number of students

from tribal communities

study in the college and

they actively participated in

the celebration.

In Sukinda, a workshop on

tribal medicinal practices

was held. In Joda, Tata

Steel celebrated the day at

Central Playground in

association with Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Mahasabha, an organisation of tribal people.

Likewise, celebrations marked the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, in

Noamundi’s Kadajamba village, where Tata Steel held various programmes. For the first time, Tata

Steel celebrated the event at a central location in the village acknowledging the `Akhara’ concept of

tribal community.

pg. 16

Branching Out for a Cause

Sharda Devi may be a mother of three, but the

45-year-old woman in Ramgarh’s Basantpur hamlet has

also to look after thousands of her `little ones’. From

taking care of their feed to the daily sunlight dose,

Sharda ensures they grow well and `branch out’ for a

green cause!

Sharda has been raising saplings for over last eight years

through Parvati Mahila Samiti (PMS), a

self-help group constituted by Tata Steel Rural

Development Society (TSRDS). “Generating an income

for village women and promoting greenery, this activity

is serving a dual purpose,” shares Sharda,

president, PMS.

Saplings raised by the 12-member SHG are procured by departments of Tata Steel, majorly for

conducting plantation drives, both in West Bokaro and outside. Ever since PMS branched out to the

sapling business from their regular venture of soap making, orders have been coming to them

regularly. “Every year through TSRDS we get our orders. The flow has been regular since we started

in 2007. As per the latest order received from Tata Steel, we are raising as many as 8,000 saplings,”

adds Sharda, not allowing her sari pallu drop from the

head during the entire conversation.

For every lot of 8,000 saplings, PMS generates an income

of nearly Rs. 35,000. Inter loaning by the SHG also

contribute to the members’ income. Both Sharda and her

husband, a labourer, are school

drop-outs. Sharda left her studies in class 9th, her

husband slightly later, in 10th.

Ask what changes she has witnessed out of the nursery, of course, other than the expansion of green

cover, Sharda replies, “It has empowered me to help my husband in meeting the family expenses…in

supporting my children education, something we couldn’t pursue owing to financial constraints.”

While one son of Sharda is married and settled now, the other is a 12th grader at an English-medium

private school. Sharda’s daughter is in class 11th.

Neatly arranged in rows, the 8,000 `tiny ones’ sit inside small packets, which are almost half-filled

with a mixture of mud and manure. Sharda ensures a right mix of mud and cow dung is used for

raising saplings. To lower the input costs and maximize the profit margins, SHG members attempt to

raise such seedlings that can be readily availed from forested areas. “We go for plants like jungle

jalebi (sweet tamarind), neem, ber, karanja. This way, we evade spending on procuring seedlings

from the market,” reasons Sharda.

pg. 17

Tabs, Solar Lamps, Bag-cum-Writing Desk… all at Jyoti Fellowship

Tata Steel felicitated 464 economically weak, meritorious SC/ST students at its Jyoti Fellowship Award Ceremony organised at JRD Tata Sports Complex, on Sep 8, 2016. An amount of over Rs. 21 lakh towards Fellowship was distributed among the students, enrolled in classes 7-12 at schools in East Singhbhum and Seraikela Kharsawan districts of Jharkhand.

Other than the scholarship, top seven performers of Jyoti Fellowship Test—all 7th graders—walked

away with a computer tablet loaded with NCERT study material. Moreover, a bag that doubles up as

a study table, and a solar LED lamp were also given away to all 145 students of class 7 who qualified

for the scholarship support.

Chief guest Ms. Santosh Ranjan, Chief, Projects Utilities, Tata Steel, encouraged the students to work

wholeheartedly for retaining the scholarship throughout their schooling. “You should take pride in

getting this scholarship and must make an all-out effort to fulfill your education dreams.” Ms. Urmila

Ekka, Hony. Secretary, Tribal Cultural Society, was also present on the occasion, along with staff

members.

“I know what all it takes for

my father to send me to a

private school,” shared

Vishnu Kumar Paswan, son of

a driver. “I am happy that this

scholarship will ease the

financial pressure on him,”

added Vishnu, a class 7

student of RMS School,

Jamshedpur.

Expressing similar sentiments, Payes Marshal, a class 10 student of St. Mary’s English High School,

Bistupur, said, “The scholarship is a great relief for my father who is a farmer.”

pg. 18

Penalty Shoot-out Wins at Community Football Tourney

After setting the `ball rolling’ for

nearly two months, Tata Group

Community Football Tournament

2016 drew to a close at Nandup

Grounds, near Jamshedpur, on Sep

9, 2016. Chakulia and Simuldanga

teams clinched the victory in the

Under-15 and Open categories,

respectively.

Chakulia registered a 4-3 win against

Simuldanga in Under-15 category,

whereas Simuldanga recorded a 2-0 victory against Manjhari in Open category. Both the teams had a

penalty shoot-out win.

As players battled it out for lifting the cup, ecstatic shouts and cheers by football enthusiasts,

especially youth, turned the atmosphere electrifying at Nandup Ground.

Congratulating all the players for putting up their best show, Chief Guest Mrs. Menaka Sardar, MLA,

Potka, and Guest of Honour Mr. Dashmath Hansdah, Paragna (traditional leader) felicitated the

winning teams. Mrs. Menaka lauded the efforts of Tata Steel for organising the tournament with

other Tata group companies. She also appreciated the move to propagate awareness regarding drug

abuse and alcohol menace through the community-level sporting forum.

This year’s tourney made all the players vow to stand united against menace of drug and

alcohol addiction.

The fifth edition of the tournament—a joint effort of

Tata Steel, Tata Motors, Tinplate and Tata Power

operating in Jharkhand—drew over 24,000 players

from over 1,500 teams that clashed in Under-15 and

Open categories’ matches.

This year, the tournament was played in 48 areas

across five districts of Jharkhand, covering all the

blocks and Panchayats of East Singhbhum, West

Singhbhum, Seraikela-Kharsawan and the mining

locations of Bokaro and Dhanbad.

pg. 19

Tata Steel and Hockey Australia launch hockey initiative

Tata Steel in association with Hockey Australia launched a grassroots hockey development

programme, ‘Hooking2Hockey’, in Odisha’s Sundargarh, which has earned the sobriquet of `the

nursery of hockey talent in India’.

A series of workshops were conducted by a three-member team (Mr James Liggins, Mr Tom Winter

and Mr. Oran Aziz) of Hockey Australia, the governing body of the stick game in Australia, from July

5-8, 2016, in 10 schools of Kutra and Rajgangpur blocks.

The initiative, coordinated by Tata Steel Rural Development Society (TSRDS), Gomardih unit, is aimed to attract youngsters towards hockey and teach them basics of the game in a fun filled but professional atmosphere to help them grow up as good players.

As many as 300 students in the age group of 7-10 years —15 boys and 15 girls from each of the 10 schools—participated in the workshops.

All the students were given individual sports kit comprising of hockey stick, ball, shin-guard, T-shirt, gumshield, etc.

More workshops will be conducted in the coming months to cover approximately 200 more students.

pg. 20

Battle for Awareness

Charity begins at home, and Madhu Kumari (17) of Dhanbad’s Bans Kapuria village exemplifies it. Sensitized about the negative impacts of entering wedlock early, at RISHTA meetings she started to attend in May 2014, it was expected of Madhu to spread the word in the village. However, before stepping out, she chose to start off from her own family. She stood against her own parents and rescued her elder sister Rekha, then just 16, from getting married to a guy double her age. Waging her first ‘battle for awareness’ against her parents in 2014, Madhu, then a RISHTA volunteer, relentlessly continued with her sensitization drive. In the same year, she managed to save two more girls of her village—Neelam Kumari and Indu Kumari—from becoming child brides. Rekha, Neelam and Indu, all are now pursing graduation and want to stand on their feet before tying the knot.

Breaking through the deeply entrenched traditional mindsets—that believed in unburdening of daughters by marrying them early—Madhu, now a mentor with Project RISHTA, has come a long way. Making her and others’ parents realize the true worth of daughters, Madhu is all set to take admission in BA I. “When I first resisted their move, they, especially my father reacted very strongly. He shouted at me at top of his lungs,” she recalls. My mother did not

react so intensely, but she stopped talking to me, adds Madhu, who loves to teach poor children of her village.

pg. 21

Strained relations between Madhu and her parents continued for over two weeks before the husband-wife duo decided to hear the RISHTA girl. Madhu knew facing her parents would be quite difficult, but she was confident of her RISHTA learning. “Step by step I tried to change their mindset. I cited real life incidents to help them understand the perils of early marriage and discontinuing studies.”

Madhu followed the same methodology to make Neelam’s and Indu’s uneducated parents realize how oblivious they were to the biological complications tagged with early marriage. According to her, a pictorial representation on what grave threats early marriage can pose for young girls went a long way in changing the mindset of the three families. “Lack of education, low awareness and orthodox thinking

were clouding the parents’ vision. But when they actually got to know the real story, they gave up, and I won,” smiles Madhu.

Project RISHTA is a TSRDS-led consortium project being implemented in partnership with 7

NGO partners, i.e. Parivar Kalyan Sansthan (Tata Motors), Krishi Gram Vikas Kendra,

Alternative for India Development, Society for Participatory Action and Reflection, Society for

Legal Action and Development, Family Planning Association of India and Tagore Society for

Rural Development.

The project aims to enable adolescents make informed decisions regarding their lives, including

sexual and reproductive health.

pg. 22

Volunteering for Community Service

Tata Steel encourages its employees to volunteer for community initiatives. During Tata Volunteering Weeks held under the Group-level Tata Engage initiative, in FY 15-16, nearly 18,000 employees volunteered for a host of community activities – accounting for 26,000 hours. Taking employee volunteerism forward with a focus on more qualitative improvement, various Joint Departmental Committees (JDCs) and Departments have started adopting schools, villages, etc. A total of 6 JDCs / Departments have adopted either a primary school or a village. On a monthly basis, they carry out activities circling around the overall development of students as well as village community. Primary schools in Hariyakocha, Barudih, Bahardari, Chimti as well as Centre for Hearing Impaired Children have already witnessed a host of volunteering activities like health check-up camp, birthday celebration, awareness session on hygiene and washing hands with soap, teaching students, etc.

pg. 23

content and curation : asit | bhesaja | rishi