Urban Initiative

Generation after the other our lands got divided.
In search of employment
we sought the only way and came to the cities.
Did trivial jobs and labor work and earned our daily bread.
What do we ask for at the most?
Primary amenities, basic services
and respectful place in the society.
Would you provide us with those?

Background:

Gujarat tops in pace of urbanization – Gujarat is set to break all its previous records of urbanization. Gujarat’s urban population is now 42.6 per cent, or 2.57 crore, of the state’s total, according to the 2011 census figures. It is estimated to grow by 44.46% by 2021. The latest National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO) report, ‘Migration in India’, has found Gujarat to have the highest rate of urbanization among all other states in the country. The report significantly suggests that fast pace of urbanization in Gujarat is mainly due to intra-state migration with large sections of rural people migrating to urban areas within the state instead of going out. 90.6% of Gujarat’s rural migrants refuse to go outside the state, finding the state a better place to live in, which is the main reason for the rapid pace of urbanization. The last estimate, based on a population census for the year 1991, nevertheless indicates that 40 per cent of households lived in slums and chawls. Realizing this Jeevantirth started UI in biggest slum of Ahmadavad, RamaPir No Tekro at Vadaj in 2009-10. There are about 35,000 families in the area and many families are “Rag pickers Families”. About seven thousand women are doing this work from the area. Still long way to go, but following activities are being carried out throughout the year.

Role:

Gujarat is the leading state in the race of urbanization in the whole of India. According to 2011 census data the urban population of Gujarat was 42.2 percent which is about 2.57 crores and it is estimated to grow to 44.46 percent by 2021. Factors like increasing population, decreasing cultivable land and lack of natural resources have forced many villagers to migrate to the cities in search of employment. Most of them dwell in slums or makeshift huts. Even if this struggling community is provided with basic services like electricity, water, roads and sanitation, they would still be devoid of quality education, clean and health conducive environment, cultural and life enhancing activities, citizenship training and opportunities for scope of development.

In regard to this, Jeevantirth began working with the largest slum of Ahmedabad, RamapirNo Tekro and its surrounding regions like Ganeshnagar, Balolnagar, Ranip-Nirnaynagar in 2009-2010. With the help of dedicated volunteers, local support and well-wishers of Jeevantirth we have been able to understand their issues deeply and work with them accordingly. We heartily invite you to be a part of various activities going on at Jeevantirth.

1. Computer Classes: About 200 beneficiaries including Students, Youths, Anganwadi Workers.
2. Sewing Classes: 70 to 80 Girls from the area learn Cutting, Blouse Making, Sewing, Dress Making etc. in four batches of three months period.
3. Women’s Saving Group: 100 women save Rs. 100 per month regularly. They were given 100 Kg. of Wheat on easy installments, recovery was 100%. Exposure tours are also organized for them.
4. Bal Sanskar Kendras: About 200 children of lower and upper primary are regularly coming in eight Non-Formal Education Centres. In addition to coaching they take part in various festivals and learn many life skills. Games, Songs, Small Plays, Tours etc. bring out their potentials.
5. 24 Hours Reading Room: Looking to the requirement of slum children of 10th and 12th classes during exam, we provide this facility and results are quite encouraging. We also provided tea and snakes to them along with Guides, Model Papers, Practice Books and Coaching to facility.
6. Information and Guidance Centre: To avail benefits of various Government schemes like Old Age Pension, Widow Pension, PDS facilities, Scholarships, Govt. Loan, Handicap Support etc. support is given to slum dwellers.
7. Partnering with other NGOs: We are partnering and supporting other NGOs to serve the people better. Ashirwad Trust brings Mobile Dispensary twice the week. Aadarsh Ahmadabad helps us very often in our programs. We collaborate with Manav Sadhana on many occasions.
8. Medical Camps: About 250 to 275 patients benefited from Free Eye Camp and distribution of Specks at subsidized rates of Rs. 20. Two ENT camps were organized with the help of Dr. Anil Patel of Yavatmal, Maharashtra.
9. Notebooks, Cloths, Food, Toys etc. distribution: With the help of “Goonj” and other philanthropic organizations and well-wishers notebooks, cloths, food, sleepers, toys etc. are being distributed to the students and other slum dwellers.

In addition to the above mentioned activities we have started “School on Wheels” in other nearby seven to eight slums. Each slum is visited twice a week with Educational Team with teaching learning materials.

About “Bal Sanskar Kendras” and “School on Wheels”:

“RamaPir No Tekro” – Vadaj is the biggest slum of Ahamadabad where 35 thousand families are struggling to survive; most of them work as Rag-pickers. About 95% School going children of the area study in Municipal Schools. Big student-teacher ratio, lack of awareness on the part of parents, apathetic attitude of the teachers for the children of the unprivileged class, irregularity in attending schools, lack of teaching-learning materials etc. are some of the reasons for their poor performance in the education. More then 50% children of class 5th do not read or write properly. In the beginning, Jeevantirth started just one “Bal Sanskar Kendra” in the area now we are running ten such centres in the area. In addition to that Jeevantirth is also running “School on Wheels” which caters children of nine nearby slums. Thus we are directly and regularly covering about 500 children of the most vulnerable sections of the society. Our target is to reach 1,000 such children in near future.