Pehal- An AID Delhi Initiative

Christmas is associated with a feeling of warmth and love which reaches out to the ones we care for. It is all about sharing and feeling the joy of giving.

The best part was the role played by SANTA! (Swastik). He did a marvellous job of making the children laugh and literally spread the joy! After the toffee distribution by Santa, snacks were distributed amongst the children who ate them with great relish.
Then it was time for a game!

All in all, it was a wonderful day celebrated with the true essence of Christmas.


MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

Health Camp

On 12th December, a Health check camp was held at Pehal, which involved a thorough check up of all the 45 kids studying at Pehal. A health record of each child has been set up, that bears his/her Height, Weight, and Diagnosis. An eminent doctor, Dr. Vikram, did a detailed checkup of all the kids. The following was observed:
1) All most of the children suffers from Protein Energy Malnutrition and one of the major symptoms includes potbellies and flaky hair.
2) Around 15 children were diagnosed with Anaemia.
3) Most of the children have worms and medicines would be given for the same.
4) 1 child was diagnosed with double squint and will require proper ophthalmic treatment
5) 1 child was diagnosed with ear problem and will be given ear drops for the same.
6) Few children have vitamin deficiencies and would require Vitamin Supplements.
7) 3 children were diagnosed with Rickets
- A detail analysis will be done by the doctor again next week and as per the requirements medicines will be given to the children.
- It was observed that most of the children are malnourished and thus a nutrition program was worked out which will be implemented from the next week onwards.
- Nutrition Program will be managed by Preeti and Vipra. They both will consult the doctor and will come up with a weekly chart of food items to be distributed
One of the major observation was that the kids have not been vaccinated ever and thus we plan to get them vaccinated in a near by hospital.
Also, we plan to distribute sweaters to the children as they lack proper clothing so please ask your Friends and relatives to please donate warm clothes for the same.
We plan to have a similar health check up again in April. Lets all work towards eradicating the current problems by then.
I would suggest we also make their parents aware about health and hygiene ( Child development team can take up this along with Community Connect Volunteers).
 
Cheers!!
 
Prachi

Hey, I crib about almost everything that i dislike. Perhaps 3-4 years into corporate life, you just live to crib about every godamn thing that goesn't go as per your expectations. My idea of a perfect weekend is to catch up with friends, go outdoors, have fun and party hard. But at the end of it all, I had still been cribbing about the pathetic state of our income distribution system and social infrastructure. Yes, that's one of the things i have always cribbed about while sitting in my a/c car and listening to the best of Rolling Stones or Kailash Kher. I would just pass a comment on a kid, begging at the roadside, for money or food, but wouldn't dare to do anything concrete for them. No matter how much of money I give to any noble cause or how much of my time I give to an orphanage, but I couldn't dare to be a change myself i.e. to get my hands into dirt to clean it up.

Heard about Pehal from somewhere and felt as if it would be another of those NGOs which are money making machines, rather than a facilitator of social infrastructure and change to the society. Reached the so-called "DT City Centre" (I always thought that DT City Centre was in Gurgaon) at 10.10 AM and didn't know what to do. Started calling up all those people who always complain that I never talk and am always busy for them, and then Prachi called up and talked about the construction building opposite to the Mall.

Woahhhh .... that was a not-so goodlooking sight!! Traffic Police guys (just outside the building) asked me where i am going, and my reply was "Sirji, yeh construction building mein jaana hai!". The guy said, "yahan parking nahi hai; kahin aur karo". My reaction to him was "FO, I'm taking it into that construction plethora; None of your business, Sir".
Anyway, I was in there - the site for my first experience with Project Pehal. There she was ... Prachi ... ummm ... Why would a girl like her be standing in the mid of debris, waiting for people to pour in for the session? And the moment she started talking, I could easily judge the passion for the cause and the project in her voice. Oooops, the girl had just so much to say and that too so quickly - probably a zillion things going in her mind in a fraction of a second. And the first thought was - Is she a fakester who is just running a money-making business?? we will come to that later... ;-)

So Prachi and I reached a secluded room where around 30+ kids had assembled with an expectation that they can be a part of our formal education system. She started telling me about the initiative and how we plan to help these kids with proper education and a sense to live a dignified life. Fair enough, let's wait for the others to join in...

Then came a couple of more volunteers - Swasthik, Nikita ... ummm these are all the names i can remember for now! :-(
We started making arrangements for the health camp - getting our ammunition ready!! You know the funniest part about the morning - Mariam would pronounce her name as Mairam, and Ashradul would say it in such a way that you would hear it anything but Ashradul ... "Ashu, dost ... inke liye kuch tuo karna banta hi hai" ... ;-) Bas yahich tha woh moment when I could associate myself with the cause!

The health camp went quite well with basic profiles of the kids created by us and observations made by a nice looking Dr. couple! And they had a very cute baby ... touchwood!! Toh all in all sab mast tha, but i failed to understand how anyone can determine the age of kids by asking them to open their mouth. :-) Yaar, Swasthik ... yeh hamare saath inn medical waalon ne dhoka kiya hai ... aisa koi funda nahi hota! Sorry, couldn't resist talkin about it ... ;-)

On a serious note, the health camp made us aware of where we stand and what all we need to do for the kids, so that they can live a life with clothes on their body and dignity in their mind. We need to work for the infrastructure, their personal hygiene, nutritional requirements and everything that a respectable life commands from the society. Trust me ... they need a life better than this! As humans, they deserve a life better
than this.

Oooops, I missed an important part of the morning ... Story telling session"Cindrella" and guess what - Nobody knows the actual story of Cindrella ... ;-)

Well, I think the morning made me think about the value that I can add to the team and the initiative. Miles to go before I sleep ... Trust me, that's true for all of us if we need to convert this into success!

Take care,
Ashish

Colors at Pehal

Whenever i would see a child or a handicapped person on the streets asking for money, i felt a pang of pain. Sometimes i donated to a cause, sometimes gave money to beggars and sometimes just felt helpless.Gradually, i realised they don't need my money or my pity, what they really needed was support and opportunities so that they could lead their lives in a more dignified manner.

Thus, this strong urge led me to join AID, where i met so many like minded people who helped and guided me throughout, to enable/empower me achieve this dream.

After working for AID Aashayein for nearly 9 months, i decided to start a new project for people who are devoid of the basic necessities of life. After a series of discussions and site visits and with the help and support of our Aashayein team we started, Project Pehal.

Project Pehal started on Children's day ie. 14th November, and caters to children of construction workers, who are mainly Bengali migrants. These children usually spent their day playing with mud, running around and at times getting into socially unacceptable activities. The main aim is to introduce them to education along with making them realise their potential.

Getting this project in place was not an easy task and initially we met with a lot of reluctance from the workers. They feared they would have to spend money for enrolling their children with us and suspected our intentions. But, thankfully, Deboshree, A Pehal volunteer, who happens to know Bengali , struck the right chord with them and convinced them that it was for the benefit of their own children, that would educate them and none of their expenses was required.

A well qualified teacher has been employed to provide them with primary education whereas our volunteers conduct the skill building classes.

It is just the beginning, as the name suggests, its our first step. However, i am confident and hopeful that with the dedicated efforts of the Aashayein team and guidance of AID NCR, Project Pehal will cross many new milestones in future.