Varsity trains local girls to be self-reliant

Guwahati, (C.M. Paul) – University departments in northeast India have ventured into job-oriented training program for educated unemployed youth of its neighbourhood. Into the second year, the Swabalamban program this year has 40 per cent girl students registering for skills training once considered boys only domain.

During the ten day course students learn electrical house wiring, as well as build and install an electricity inverter.

Swabalamban inaugural function, 23 November 2015

“Last year when we started the program we had over 100 applicants for ten seats, all boys. But this year we have four girls enlisting in the program,” says convener of the project Swabalamban (Self-reliance) and Head, Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE) department Dr Sunandan Baruah.

Swabalamban 2015 which started off on 23rd November at Assam Don Bosco University, Azara campus is an inter departmental program to train educated unemployed youth in the neighbourhood. It aims at skilling youth in just ten days in a trade so that they begin earning their livelihood.

Some of the students and faculty at Swabalamban inaugural function.

While the Social Work department of the university mobilized students by disseminating information to the villagers, selecting the trainees, and following up on the post training activities, the ECE department trains students on assembling simple inverters, as well as their installation and maintenance, the EEE department trains students on electrical house wiring.

The faculty, staff and students are involved at all levels of mobilization, training and placement of unemployed youths of the area.
Theory and practical sessions are held in the Machine Lab of Electrical and Electronics Engineering department.

During the first four days, students learn house wiring followed by another four days of electrical inverter making, to be concluded with two days learning electrical inverter installation.

“This time too, we had an overwhelming response from the youth,” says MSW Department Assistant professor Mr Victor Nazary.

“The project Swabalamban,” Mr Nazary says, “is answering to the urgent need of youths in the Azara Gaon Panchayat where they are facing crises in securing suitable livelihood options.”

ADBU Administrator and student representative at the inaugural.

Traditionally the community is dependent on fishing in the neighbouring Deepor Beel (fresh water lake bird sanctuary) for subsistence. The communities’ youths today are unable to sustain livelihood on fishing due to lower returns and changing ecological conditions.

The free training program conducted in collaboration with Azara Gaon Panchayat in one of university’s 39 labs at Azara campus from 23rd November to 3rd December is sponsored by a US based Non Resident Indian NGO called http://www.oakokho.com.

OAKOKHO is an initiative started in 2013 by few Assamese folks from USA to make Assamese language, art and culture available and popular over the internet. The group also encourages and inspires talents from Assam and North East region in different fields of creative works ranging from literature to photography, web development to science and technology.
Speaking at the inaugural, Director, ADBU School of Technology Prof Manoranjan Kalita, highlighted the meaning of the word “SWABALAMBAN” and its relevance to the program.

ADBU Registrar addressing the Swabalamban students and faculty.

While giving an overview of the training program Prof. Kalita mentioned the importance of self employment toward a self reliant livelihood. He also briefed trainees on how ADBU family is eager to help youth in the neighboring villages of Azara for the overall development of the area.

“I am immensely pleased to have such an event in the university,“ said ADBU Pro Vice-Chancellor Fr Joseph Nellanatt encouraging the participants “to take the maximum advantage of the opportunity.”

He further explained “the training is not actually free as the participants will have to pay by being present on time and attending all the sessions diligently.”

He assured the youth saying, “ADBU will be organizing many such training programs in the future.”
Photo caption: Student trainees pose with department heads.

Intl Student Volunteer Exchange Programme Inaugurated

The Volunteers

Azara (Jacob Islary) — The Vice Chancellor of Assam Don Bosco University (ADBU) Dr Stephen Mavely inaugurated the International Student Volunteer Exchange Programme – 2014 organised jointly by the ADBU Department of Social Work, and University College Dublin Volunteer Overseas (UCDVO), Ireland, 15 June.

Present at the function were Azara Panchayath President, Mr. Probin Medhi, Headman of Keotpara and Hirapara Villages Mr Sarat Das, and a large gathering of members of the academic and administrative departments of ADBU, Anganwadi Workers, ASHA workers, youth and children from the villagers of Keotpara, Hirapara and Hatkhwapara.

The one month long program has 11 Volunteers from ADBU with faculty coordinator from Social Work Department Mr. Jacob Islary and 7 volunteers from UCDVO led by Manager UCDVO Ms. Caroline.

The Irish Volunteers

The Exchange Programme envisages promoting understanding of multilateral issues at the global level, enhancing the competencies of the participants, and building skills and ability to work in close collaborative social, economic, political, environmental and development concerns in the context of rapid globalization.

The programme includes academic engagements and field practices.

The Programme envisages to channel the skills, energy and enthusiasm of university students into projects which enhance the development of marginalised and underprivileged communities.

It also creates space and opportunity for university students from ADBU and UCDVO to share learning and experience in the areas of participatory community development and social outreach.

The program further enhances intercultural awareness between students and communities for the purpose of increasing global solidarity and interconnectedness.

Above all, it promotes attitude of appreciation for other cultures, practices, and traditions.

The stakeholders of the volunteer program

During this period of placement the volunteers will engage in home/field visits in villages around Deepor Beel and development of Micro Level Plans (MLP) on sustainable livelihoods for fisher folk communities in around the Deepor Beel, undergo workshops on development practices and carry out carry out awareness campaigns on health, hygiene and cleanliness, domestic violence, alcoholism and education to mention a few.

Speaking on the inauguration programme Fr. Stephen Mavely exalted the spirit of the volunteerism among the participants and asked them to ‘make the best use of time so that the experience becomes meaningful and beneficial for both the participants and the community people.’

Mr. Probin Medhi the Panchayat President of Azara while speaking to the gathering assured his full support and said that he along with his team members are ready to support and facilitate in whatever way possible to make the exchange programme successful. He further recalled the activities and services of Department of Social Work, Assam Don Bosco University in and around Azara locality and praised it as ‘noble and liberating.’

The inauguration began with a prayer song sung by Ms. Priyanka Das a student of Don Bosco evening school and ended with a vote of thanks by Ms. Caroline Manager UCDVO.

Varsity students coach high school kids free

GUWAHATI — What started off as outreach programme by some students of Assam Don Bosco University (ADBU) seven months ago, as evening coaching classes for 10 high school students from Azara Gaon village, to day the project has more than 130 students spread out from classes 7 to 10.

Christened SWASTYAYAN (commitment), the project, started by ADBU’s School of Social Sciences, Department of Social Work, was initiated to extend support and motivation among the children of communities in Azara Gaon Panchayat.

“It mainly aimed at providing them with tutorials in subjects like Mathematics, Science, Social Sciences and English, besides taking care of their growth and developmental needs as adolescents in a climate of rapidly changing and often hostile environment,” says project coordinator Mr Victor Nazary of MSW department.

He adds, “Apart from academic inputs, the neighbourhood students were taken through a series of sessions on goal setting, time management, life-skill development, spoken English tutorials, recreation, games and sports that were intended to enthuse and enhance their overall personality and self-esteem.”

Various competitions in recitation, poetry, acting, singing, dancing, and drawing were conducted to identify the students’ talents so that their skills could be further honed.

Social activist Ms Asha Bora from Guwahati

The outstanding element of the programme has been the whole-hearted involvement of ADBU student communities of both Schools of Technology and Social Sciences.

Though it has been initiated and successfully run by the students of the Social Work Department, over a hundred students from the School of Technology participated as volunteers to teach, motivate, encourage and inspire the children from the neighbourhood.

Home-visits carried out in the communities, by the students of social work, have revealed peoples’ appreciation, gratitude and goodwill towards the programme, volunteers and the University.

Skit by tuition kids

The Swastyayan team conducted the Annual Day Programme, 26^th November 2013,  to acknowledge and appreciate the dedication and efforts of the volunteers, on the one hand, and to gesture to the children and their parents that they’ll need to continue the good work with seriousness and dedication while preparing for their examinations in the coming days.

A pet project of ADBU Vice Chancellor Fr. (Dr.) Stephan Mavely, it all started last February with four MSW students, namely, Ms. Esalanmidaka Lyngdoh, Ms. Stephanie Nongkynrih, Ms. Habadei Kharsati and Ms. Veronica Nriame, facilitated by their Fieldwork Supervisor, Mr. Narzary.

After an exploratory study to access the perception of ADBU students and faculty in undertaking a social commitment programme in the community the organizers initially got 30 participants to volunteer.

ADBU Volunteer reads certificate

An ADBU team consisting of MSW Director Dr. Riju Sharma, Project Coordinator Mr. Narzary, and four student volunteers visited community elders, Para Secretaries and the Sarkari Gaonburha, Mr. Sarat Chandra Das and discussed the proposed intervention and invited their views on it.

The student volunteers proceeded on a door to door survey in four localities of Azara Panchayat to collect names and details of class 9 and 10 students willing to join the free tutorial.

In keeping up with its commitment to eradicate social evil of high school dropouts in the neighbourhood, ADBU extended its state-of-the-art classrooms for the tutorial.

While several personality development sessions, recreational programmes and competitions were conducted to bolster the students’ growth and development, the volunteers had motivational and tutorial skilling sessions.

Recent home visits conducted reveal that the children, parents and community people are “highly satisfied by the service provided by the university through Swastyayan.”

ADBU students distribute snacks for all

Some of the parents suggested that “if the students could be taught English well, they could do well in other subjects too.”

Besides opening up the tutorial to accommodate more students in January, ADBU plans to hold a crash-course for HSLCE Candidates as immediate preparation for public exams.

Community Out Door Event Cum Children’s Day

AZARA, (Tomy msfs) – The first semester students of the Assam Don Bosco University (ADBU) School of Social Sciences organized a community event cum children’s day programme for the tuition children, Saturday 16 November.  The entire department of Social Work both first and third semester students collaborated in the event.

One of the students John Pochi from Nagaland commented about the rationale behind organizing the event said, “Community organization is primarily aimed at helping people within a local community to identify social needs, to consider most effective ways of meeting them, to set about doing so, in so far as, their available resources permit.”

His colleague, quickly added, “It is both a process and a method i.e. systemic, ordered and conscious way of action for change directed towards long term and short term objectives involving the community system.”

Skills in conducting community organization is one of the important requirement and part of social work training.

“Co-curricular activities is one of the basic elements of education. It helps children to develop their personality. Participation in sports and games brings about physical development, mental agility and happiness in the child. Children also look for opportunities and forums to showcase their talents,” said Miss. Namita Ekka, 1st semester MSW student and one of the organisers of the event.

Mr. Augustine Dung Dung, 3^rd semester MSW student and one of the speaker of the day shared the philosophy behind the exercise saying, “Failure is a stepping stone to success.  Learning from our mistakes and failures, we should surge ahead in studies, competitions and life”.

“The games were conducted in a smooth and cordial atmosphere,” said faculty member Mr Jacob Islary who accompanied the students.

Some 120 students from the neighbourhood participated in the events.

Fr. Francis Fernandes, the controller of the examination at ADBU gave away the prices.

At the end of the programme the students were treated with refreshments.

First rain causes flood, relief

Water logging in front of Don Bosco University

Azara, 3^rd Oct. (Joji T. John) — Outskirts of Guwahati town near the airport area received its first heavy shower on Thursday ending the long dry spell coupled with dusty storms in the area.

“The spell of rain is a big relief. It of course caused a bit water logging here and there, but relieved us of the dust. Hopefully, the rain will continue in our area,” said Pinki Saikia, a student of Don Bosco University (DBU), Azara campus.

For Viketo from Nagaland, a student of Masters in Educational Leadership at DBU, “the shower, which lasted for about half an hour, also brought down the temperature in the area and cleared the dusty atmosphere of the entire area which was engulfed in thick dust since last Sunday.”

The weather bulletin issued by the Regional Meteorological Center (RMC) predicted “rain and thundershower would occur in Guwahati and its neighborhood on Thursday and would last over the weekend.

The RMC had also warned on Wednesday that “thunder squalls with wind speed exceeding 50 kms per hour may occur at one or two places in Kamrup district and neigbouring north Garo Hills district of Meghalaya during the next 48 hours.

Tobacco menace in public place

AZARA, (Guwahati), 19 August — The passive smoker in the public place is equally affected as the active smoker, say US researchers. In the study on the hazards of smoking in public place a report of the Surgeon General of the US Health Department and Human Services 2004 has come up with an alarming data which says “smoking causes an estimated 90% of all lung cancer deaths in men and 80% of all lung cancer deaths in women.The Indian Tobacco Control Act 2003 (Section 4) prohibits (penalizes) public consumption of tobacco products.

“It is a habit that we cannot quit,it makes me feel relaxed when I am stress” say group of students who were smoking at the nearby shop selling tobacco at the university gate.

The community people are of the opinion that “the tobacco act regulation must be strictly implemented.” Others are of the view that “in between their working hours consumption of tobacco is like a refreshment for us “

Around 14% of Indian adults smoke cigarette and beedis (hand-rolled cigarettes), but nearly 26% use smokeless tobacco including chewing tobacco, according to the Government of India and World Health Organisation Global Adult Tobacco Survey of 2009.

Children are as young as 12 when first exposed to gutkha and pan masala …not knowing that tobacco consumption causes lung, throat and mouth cancer. Though a large population of Indian suffered from these diseases but the Government  did not take serious action to ban the tobacco producing company. As a result we see different type of tobacco products coming out day by day at a very cheaper rate in which everybody can afford to buy them.

Graduates give free tuition to IX & X students

AZARA, (Guwahati), 19 August — A group of university students spend time to teach younger brothers and sisters of class 9 and 10 from the neighbourhood. The one hour evening tuition class project is called Swastyayan…a commitment’ (meaning a noble service preformed for fighting out evils).

While Engineering students and teachers of Don Bosco College of Engineering and Technology teach Maths and Science, both students and teacher of Master in Computer Application and Don Bosco Institute of Social Sciences take subjects like Social Studies and English as well as spoken English and personality development.

“A little help given in their studies will help them perform better in school and obtain better results and ensure a better future”, said Mr. Victor Narzary Professor of Department of Social Work.

Head of the Department Dr Riju Sharma explains the concept saying, “The Assam Don Bosco University feels that it is our responsibility to reach out to those students who are less privileged and in dire need of educational assistance. With different programmes like soft skills training, coaching class and personality development it will enable the students to go out to their community and get involve more effectively with people around them.”

“I like the tuition classes because it is free of cost and we are able to learn our lessons through different activities,” says 14 year old class X student Sanjeev Das winner of the singing competition.

“Unlike other tuition centres, here we are able to learn and show our talent and gain confidence out of it,” says class X student Mousmi Das who was the topper at dancing talent contest.

“It was a good experience, I’m very much happy that I could be a part and help someone by contributing my knowledge to the students,” says B.Tech student Mr. Suraj Kumar who is an active volunteer.