Social Work Volunteer Opportunities

Technology means different things to different people. The phone in our hands, the TV we watch, the computer we use to work. Introduction of every innovation has added to convenience and ease of living.

Technology has also helped us connect with our friends and loved ones halfway across the world. Reaching out to them is only a matter of switching on the webcam and a chat window.

But can these inventions have applications in the rural world? How about using videoconferencing to provide health care to villages? Or using Skype to teach algebra, chemistry and Newton’s laws? Or an SMS that informs a farmer about the availability of power supply? These are unique solutions key to the organisation we’re going to talk about. 

In remote corners of India where advanced medical care is a far off reality, E Health Point Services is introducing a program that allows patients to video chat with doctors. They run the necessary tests to arrive at accurate diagnoses. They also provide clean drinking water to help reduce the chances of water-borne diseases. These services help villagers avoid extra costs of travelling to health care facilities and save on medical expenses. Health Point Services has successfully conducted more than 10,000 diagnostic investigations, 22,000 medical consultations, 28,000 filled prescriptions, and provides more than 50,000 people daily with safe drinking water. The company has also created job opportunities across villages. It has also successfully managed to record a positive cash flow, proving the sustainability of E Health Point’s pay-and-use business model.

However, healthcare isn’t the only field in which technology has been applied to help better lives. Now a SIM card installed at a pumping station helps farmers check availability of power supply. This unique service has been launched by Realtech Systems.

Earlier, farmers would walk miles to operate their irrigation pumps only to be at the mercy of unreliable power supply. Realtech’s device equipped with a SIM card has helped solve this problem. When a farmer makes a missed call to a SIM fitted in a Realtech device, it responds by sending an SMS to that farmer’s mobile stating whether power supply is available or not at that point of time. If power supply is available, on second missed call motor is turned ON and farmer is informed about the action via SMS including time of start.Third missed call switches the motor OFF and sends an SMS to the farmer’s mobile phone confirming the task.

SMS is sent to the farmer in text (local language) and picture format as majority farmers don’t understand English or are illiterate. This unique system is the brainchild of 
Mr. T. Kumar, founder of Realtech Systems. Coming from a rural background himself, he understood the everyday challenges that a farmer faces.

When technology started out, it was intended to serve a human need, to make living easier. These are companies that have used it for a social cause, companies that offer benefits to people who truly need it and deliver a solution to a difficult situation. An example of technology having a social face. How would you use technology to affect or better the lives of others? You could start by sharing this story. The power is already yours. It’s all a matter of using it. The right place to start would be www.jaagore.com

The PMO’s (Prime Minister Office) first tweet, uploaded recently was: “‘You make all of us proud’ – PM tells young brave hearts at Bravery Award function.”

Think back to your wonder years. Most of us worried about inanities like homework, assignments, games and the latest toys. It was a blissful period when you didn’t have responsibilities. To be young meant being care-free. Bravery meant dressing up in superhero costumes or pulling a prank on the neighbours. But there are some young ones who defy these notions of childhood. The ones who deserve the PM’s comment above.

To be brave requires one to have a burning passion to do the unthinkable. At just 11 years of age, Om Prakash did just that. He literally jumped into a burning van to save several of his friends and children from his school. On September 4, 2010, Om Prakash was going to school with other students in a Maruti van. When the van caught fire due to a short circuit, the driver immediately fled but Om Prakash didn’t. Instead of panicking, he took a bold step and broke open the van door and pulled out the others, caring little about the flames spreading towards his face, back and arms. He saved eight children, winning him the Sanjay Chopra Award.

This isn’t the only account of brave acts by our young citizens. There’s more. When you look at 13 year old Mittal Patadiya’s picture, she hardly comes off as someone who could even hurt a fly, let alone tackle a person more than twice her size. But when disaster struck, the Thakkarbapanagar-resident donned a super hero avatar and fought off 3 assailants who attacked her family. The three robbers stabbed the girl in the neck, causing her 351 stitches.

Today, she is known as ‘Jhansi Ki Rani’ by neighbours and her only regret is that is the fact that one of the assailants managed to escape.

At a tender age, these children took a stand and did things that most adults wouldn’t even dare attempt. Their stories aren’t just mere examples of one off brave acts but a reminder that bringing change is all about getting out of one’s comfort zone. When we go beyond ourselves, our environment changes and then neither age matters nor any kind of excuse. So now bravery is not just about saving someone’s life but to step out from one’s usual way of living to doing things that initiate a wave of change in society. What does bravery mean to you? Perhaps a step towards inspiring others to see things from a different perspective and get them to be the change makers? Start by sharing the amazing stories at www.jaagore.com. It’s your chance to think different.

It’s a busy day for most people today. As each couple frantically makes time to meet their significant other and state their love, here are a few people that are redefining the expression of love. Quite simply they are transforming the world as we speak, just with affection and passion in their hearts. 

While most people of his caliber end up in science labs, Arvind Gupta took his love for science and learning to the children of India. Many claim that he’s the dream teacher we all yearn for. His teachings have reached over 3000 schools and each time he doesn’t fail to captivate the young minds.

What’s unique about his approach is that he uses only everyday garbage as the building blocks of these experiments.

“All teaching aids we use are handmade. It‘s important for children to see that you don‘t need fancy materials. Science can also help you look critically at materials that are often considered trash, there is a lot of learning in that itself”, Arvind says.

Talk about learning and here’s another person who’s making groundbreaking changes in education. Shukla Bose founded Parikrma Humanity Foundation, which brings hope to India's slums. How does she do it? She looks past the daunting statistics, population and focuses on treating each child as an individual.

It all started on a rooftop in a slum, where the first class was held. 6 years on, they have 4 schools, 1 Junior college and 1100 students coming from 28 slums and 42 orphanages. 

“Our dream is simple.” Shukla adds. “..to send each of these kids to school, get them prepared to live, to be educated and also to live peacefully and contently in this chaotic/ globalised world.

Love can be expressed in many forms. It can be shown in a science experiment to wide eyed children in a class or through an initiative that ensures that each child gets a proper education and upbringing. These people remind us that there is no end to showing it, flaunting it and doing something about it. On Valentine’s Day, you could be spending on your significant other but don’t forget there are hundreds of young ones who could use a part of your affection.

Do it here:

http://bit.ly/xZvRLN

http://bit.ly/zRMh99

http://bit.ly/zeZust

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Spread the love!

There are many ways to go about promoting a social service message. However, one man took the road less travelled and drove his point in, quite literally.  Gaurav Gaur, a young lecturer drives his vibrantly coloured, slogan-bearing car, distributes free contraceptives and literature. He has single-handedly undertaken the project 'Junoon: the passion to fight AIDS'.

Gaurav’s motto is definitely this - 'a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step' and he has now managed to cover four city colleges with plans to visit more in the days to come. Gaurav Gaur had been invited to attend Queen Elizabeth II’s reception at Buckingham Palace in London as an acknowledgement of his works.

Flip through your memory to the days you were in school. Remember how you burnt the midnight oil during exams? Most of us would sigh a breath of relief and say goodbye to our textbooks forever – wishing they’d never come back.

It never occurred to us that someone else might need them or these books could be recycled. In most cases, they were sold away to the raddiwala. Invariably, through this process, not only did each of us contribute to wastage but also caused environmental degradation. For the simple reason that these books were responsible for the felling of millions of trees. Imagine the damage every year.  

Fortunately, there is now an environmentally friendly alternative. It’s called Textbuk.in 

Co-founded by Sameer Tulpule, this innovative service allows students to rent textbooks with the added convenience of having them delivered and picked up from their homes.  What’s more, through the service, students can save a considerable amount of money and contribute to a greener planet. For every student that signs up for this service, a sapling is planted.

Textbuk.in is India’s First Online Textbook Rental service. It reminds the future generation about the need of the hour and how they can actively help recycle and turn India into a greener place. In the process they also save money.  The service model is similar to that of a library except it is available online and students need not go anywhere to get the books.

Sameer says, “We have 900 customers and growing by each day. The delivery statistics is also impressive and till date this initiative has delivered over 3500 books and the Textbuk.in hopes to close current semester with about 5000 books which would amount to saving close to 15000 trees being felled to make these books. We have already planted close to 350 saplings along with their out partners and by 2015 they wish to plant 3 Million trees through this initiative alone.”

The Textbook Rental service has an ambitious aim and is driving the younger generation to appreciate and help conserve the environment. It’s a one-of-a-kind initiative that fuels the hope of a better future. What it needs is your support and perhaps a click towards sharing this blog to your friends. Think you can do better? Then visit www.jaagore.com and inspire over 600,000 Indians to look at the bright side simply by submitting positive content.  

Rock music has always been associated with a lot of negative stereotypes. However, a group is now making a conscious effort to offer this form of entertainment to the youth minus its ills.

LiveJam had humble beginnings in a small town in Kerala and has come a long way since 2005. While it has been obvious that many musicians indulged in substance abuse, LiveJam attempts to do the opposite.

Their objective is to empower the youth to believe in these key messages.  

•    NO to Drugs & YES to Life. 

•    NO to Chains & YES to Freedom.

LiveJam is a non-profit organisation that is strumming out hope for those who are struggling with drug/alcohol abuse and those struggling from the aftermath of broken homes – a plight many youngsters face today. They tie music to a message of social reform through personal transformation. Their weapons are contemporary music, arts, media and entertainment.

Among LiveJam’s many activities, the BreakFree Tour and U180 are the most significant.

BreakFree Tour as the name suggests is focused on the theme of freedom. The annual tour takes place at 10-20 locations where the team engages the youth with music and also talks about freedom: freedom from drugs, alcohol, insecurity, identity issues and other similar issues that plague the young today.

U180 stands for ‘you’ turning 180 degrees according to LiveJam. An attempt at transforming individuals through testimonials of people who have struggled with issues but are now making a difference in other people’s lives. The monthly concert also provides an opportunity for upcoming bands in the city to showcase their skills. All in all an educative yet electrifying experience. 

Today LiveJam stands as a successful organisation that is helping hundreds of young people find purpose and gain strength inspite of their weaknesses. LiveJam has toured college campuses in Delhi, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Kolkata, Trivandrum, Cochin and Ooty over the last four seasons, with a wide array of music programs, and still continues to spread the message of hope to the NOW generation.

The youth hold the key to the future of the country. Their choices become the reality of tomorrow. Here’s a group that is attempting to make an impact, altering the perspective of the youth and influencing them with music. A successful one at that. Can you influence the youth or your fellow citizens positively? It’s time we started asking ourselves. Start with a visit to www.jaagore.com or read more about this organisation at http://bit.ly/zaqNHh. A small act that could inspire thousands. 

We’ve been talking about change for quite some time now and how one act can inspire many others, alter perspectives and ultimately assure a better future for the country.

But what does change really mean? And what causes it? It is a question we all must ask ourselves.

Take a walk in the area where you live or work. What do you see? Potholes, poor garbage management and sanitation and dilapidated public spaces. Add crime and poverty to this mix and we are talking about serious issues of governance. These are problems that have existed for long and have continued to spread.

Before looking for solutions, would it not be more prudent to look where the accountabilities lie? Politicians? Government? People? Most of us tend to respond with the easiest way out, “There is no fix for these problems anywhere on the horizon”.

Pause to think what role YOU, as an individual, would have in this large scheme of things? A very important one. A role that can change the future and this can be accomplished with something well within your grasp – the power to vote. Imagine a billion Indians voting for the government they want. Now that’s a cause worth fighting for. 

With the election season kicking off, let’s remind ourselves that we live in a democracy where the power of our vote can determine the future. Many of us underestimate this power. Perhaps it’s time we look at around for a healthy dose of inspiration.

One man who is changing perspectives and encouraging people to take charge is Anoop Khanna. The chemist shop owner from Noida has the solution, for real.

Voting for a political party lies at the heart of a democracy. After all, our votes decide our future. But what can you do when people give in to apathy? Anoop Khanna came up with a unique solution. He offered discounts on medicines to people who had voted. Discounts would be available for as long as the voting mark remained on the finger. This contributed to the rise of voters in his community. A simple action inspired a change of perception. It doesn't stop there; Mr. Khanna has employed quirky solutions for a whole host of causes ranging from antiplastic bag drives to sparking the No Fuel Day in Noida.

Anoop Khanna's philosophy is simple. The community we live in provides us with our livelihood; it's only fair to contribute to its well being. We should give back to society in the best way we can. That's his Soch. How can you incorporate this thinking into your business or at your workplace? Can you offer incentives?

Or at a very basic level, can you simply cast a vote and earn what’s rightfully yours?  Good governance.

It’s time to take matters in our own hands. Register to Vote on http://www.jaagore.com/vote/ and complete the electoral registration form. A quick and easy way to take part in the change. 

Like any young aspirant, a well planned life was on Maggie Doyne’s mind too. She'd been an ambitious and driven student -- the editor of her school yearbook, a varsity athlete, and the class treasurer. But due to the increasing pressure of choosing a college, she decided that she should take some time off. Most people her age would be content with a vacation around the world, but not Maggie.

She embarked on an expedition which led her to India. During her visit to North East India, she met countless young Nepalese refugees who had fled the country after the recent Maoist uprising and civil war. One teenage girl had escaped Nepal six or seven years earlier, and hadn't returned since. So she and Maggie decided to take a trip together - back to Nepal, to look for the girl's family. They sought details about her dispersed family and where many of her relatives had ended up.

She was mesmerized by Nepal's natural beauty, as well as the sense of community and optimism in its people, but she was also deeply affected by the orphans she met in the villages. She believed she could educate these children and provide them with a loving home.

So Maggie did. And she realized she could help rather than waiting for these kids to flee to India, or, worse, get stuck at the border and find themselves victims of human trafficking or domestic servitude.

That was when Maggie put her life savings - $5000 she'd earned from babysitting in high school - into Nepal. She managed to buy a piece of property in Surkhet, Nepal, but soon realized she'd need more funds. So she flew back to New Jersey and worked. She babysat, dog sat, house-sat, held garage sales, bake sales, and anything else she could possibly do to raise more money. Local papers eventually picked up Maggie's story, and soon checks from admirers started pouring in. In five months, Maggie raised close to $60,000.

At 22, she and her team in Surkhet were able to continue the construction and finish Maggie's home. Today at 24, Maggie has formal custody of 40 Nepalese children, all of whom originally came to her with no family, no money, and no education. Many were abused. She has provides all of them with basic medical care and food, and she has taught them to read and write. Her NGO is known as Kopila Valley Children's Project.

"A lot of people think I grew up in a teepee or belong to some crazy family or I was raised in a hut in Africa," she said. "But I just tell them I'm a regular girl from Jersey."

A regular girl made a life choice that has brought hope to underprivileged children. A regular life plan wasn’t her goal.

It only took a change in perspective and that’s why this story is a Soch Badlo story. What will be your contribution? Come, see, get inspired, submit, and share more of such stories @ www.jaagore.com

Imagine an HIV+ person cooking and serving you food in your home. We bet most would not be open to the idea no matter how aware they are of the disease. People are conditioned to think and react in a certain way towards HIV+ people. Even in our urban centres, where people know how the disease is contracted, there is prejudice involved.

However, a small idli shop in Usilampatti in southern Tamil Nadu, a place known for female infanticide, has become the toast of the nation. At daybreak, people begin to crowd around the bustling marketplace to buy idlis and dosas from a woman who is HIV+.

Vijayarani's customers are aware of her condition, but have no problem patronising her. Vijayarani and her co-worker Sumathy, 40, who is also HIV+, together run this enterprise, earning up to Rs. 500 per day. The duo serve people a reminder of how inherent prejudices can be overcome in a socially backward town like Usilampatti.

It was only three years ago that Vijayarani's world fell apart. She and her six-year-old son were diagnosed as HIV+. Though initially devastated, she found solace when she heard about the Vaigai network of people living with HIV/AIDS. These women do not hide the fact that they are carriers of the deadly virus; instead claim that society has come to accept them.

"People have come to realise that mere physical contact with a HIV+ person does not spread the disease," Vijayarani points out. She admitted her son in school after informing the authorities of his condition. Now the nine-year-old is a student in the fifth standard and he ranks among the top 10 in his class.

P Annathai, who had been instrumental in spreading awareness about the shop, said, "I told my family and friends that we should help them and not shun them."

Dr E S Thangapandian, programme manager of the government-run district AIDS Prevention and Control Unit said, "Theirs is an example for many to follow".

This isn’t a sad story or a call for sympathy but a story of triumph in adversity, a clear example of changing perspectives and how one act can inspire many to look at things differently. One woman did not let her condition stop her from leading a normal life. If a humble villager has the power to alter mindsets, you with your resources can do wonders. Just imagine a world made of people who look at the brighter side, a world full of positive people. It’s achievable. Take a small step towards realising this dream by visiting www.jaagore.com. The most positive destination on the web.

Need more inspiration? Here are a few stories of triumph.

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http://bit.ly/zZ15sM

http://bit.ly/wsbKF6

Markets at an all time low

Crisis halfway across the world

Tragedy hits your hometown

A new scandal becomes the trending topic on social media

It’s safe to say that people are all too familiar with news. Be it in the papers or on our screens, it shows you the same picture. One cannot deny the reality and one definitely cannot deny that there is very little respite in the negative updates that show on our screens or papers.

This can have several outcomes. Many express their opinions furiously in retaliation on various platforms, while others shrug it off and move on with their life. Neither is constructive nor helping the country on a macro scale.

This blog is a reminder that there is hope in this state of turmoil.  News from around the country that we found hope in. A sign of a positive India. 

An Eco-Cab. A Novel Approach.

A folk singer and a civil services aspirant, both rickshaw pullers, have started a dial-a-rickshaw service. This facility in Punjab is transforming the lives of those earning a living out of it. It also promises to take care of a whole lot of critical issues like traffic congestion, air pollution, parking, and road safety. 3,000-odd green vehicles have been rolled out under the dial-a-rickshaw project and financed by State Bank of Patiala. What’s more, these people will double up as tourist guides. A programme to train them in etiquette, behavioural skills and expertise that are required to be a tourist guide is on the anvil.

Thanks to this unique service about 4,000 eco-cabs in Fazilka, Patiala, Amritsar and a few other districts in Punjab are just a call away. In Fazilka, a team of young IIT graduates have got this concept rolling and have hired a tea vendor to act as a “customer care executive” handling close to 50 calls a day on phone from custo­mers seeking rickshaws. To help the rickshaw puller lead a better life, a tie-up for heavily discounted medicine at chemist shops has also been arranged to lessen the cost of treatment.

And to add a feather to the whole concept, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States is studying the eco project. With an aim at helping civic bodies offset the traditional car-centric development patterns. The project has been titled “Future of Urban Mobility.”

This is just one instance out of the many good things happening around the country. Unfortunately, mainstream media fails to cover these exceptional stories. In our busy lives, we’ve become strangely addicted to negativity. Sensationalist news headlines are not helpful, they appeal to our lurid side. Positive News is different; it aims to inform but also to find solutions to the problems we face.

You too can help thousands discover the bright side of news. All you need to do is submit positive news on www.jaagore.com. It’s a simple act that can help the country look at the glass half full. After all, who doesn’t like good news!?