PRAVAH JAIPUR NEWSLETTER APRIL, MAY AND JUNE 2010
EXTENSIVE JOURNEY
Café Mohalla
The start for Café Mohalla’s second season took place on 15th May after a break due to the examination period. In this welcoming meeting the participants got a glimpse on what happened in the May Open Workshop on Comics, Theatre and Filmmaking. This was realized through a film and a slideshow about the workshop. This meeting was very fruitful in the sense that the idea on Water Conservation Campaign was presented by one of the volunteers. This was a kick off for intensive period of action around the topic.
In the second Café Mohalla’s meeting in June the topic dealt was sexual harassment. We also got to see and try some self-defense techniques in the aftermath of self-defense workshop. In the same gathering we also had the pleasure to hear the inspiring thoughts of Asharf Patel, the founder of Pravah, as she visited the event.
One more chance to be present in interesting discussions and enjoy the good company of Pravah-oriented people was on June 26th, as the last Café Mohalla of June 2010 took place. We had an interesting session led by Meenakshi about evaluating our own values. We learned about the importance on understanding the values through which we operate and make our daily decisions. In addition this Café Mohalla had an exotic flavor due to the Finnish dish perunasaalatti that was served, and due to the energizer where the participants had the chance to learn some Finnish.. Paa, olkapaa, peppu, polvet, varpaat…
Resource library
16 new books and 4 films are added in the library
INTENSIVE JOURNEY
CVU team
The past three months have been full of action for the CVU team. In April the team finished the screening of the first film with the theme Water Conservation. This film awoke positive reactions in the community people. Some of them initiated to accept suggestions given in the film considering water conservation. Also the production for second CVU film started in April with the theme Road safety. CVU team had meetings in the communities, and our partner Muskaan also gave out its contribution to the film.
Road safety theme was chosen as a topic because the theme touches everyone. A considerable amount of accidents happen in Jaipur, and CVU team wanted to spread awareness about how to prevent them and how to act I case of an accident. This film was prepared to prevent the accidents. Short after finishing the second film it was time to start planning the third one. The themes that people in bastis have suggested for this film are education, sanitation and environment.
CVU team has also taken a new step in to a new field by preparing two radio-programs on Water Conservation and on Right to Information. These were done in cooperation with One World South Asia. The team would like to thank Kavita Srivasdava from Pucl and Dr. Awadh Prasad from Vinoba Bhave Gyan Mandir for their assistance in producing these programs.
KHULLA MANCH
Water Conservation Campaign (24th – 31st May)
Currently there is one problem tangible to everyone living in Jaipur area – water scarcity. In one of the Cafe Mohalla meetings, one volunteer came up with the idea of starting an action project on water conservation. Everybody thought that it is a great idea, because each one of the group could very easily relate to it. The group felt that it is their place to do something about the problem. So they did!
This energetic campaign was realized through performing street plays and giving out booklets, which consists of information on the topic in the form of comics. Besides informing others on the matter of water conservation and its importance, the volunteers participating in the campaign had the possibility to get deeper understanding on the phenomena. The whole process started with orientation on the topic during one week.
Pravah volunteers managed to reach a considerable amount of people, approximately 700 persons, and they reported that the response from the public was mainly very positive. This campaign is yet another example on how it is possible to contribute on important matters and learn new things through methods that are enjoyable and fun for everyone.
The Water Conservation Campaign (along one of the volunteers Mohita Khilwani):
Campaign started with meetings held everyday for a week. The first week’s orientation consisted also of a visit to “Vinobha Ashram” with the purpose to learn about rain water harvesting. One of the major stereotypes that the team members had regarding this method was that it is really complicated, but in fact the techniques were extremely simple and easy to implement.
The group of volunteers chose comics and theatre as tools for spreading awareness. The group was assisted in the preparation of the play by the very talented "ASIF SHER ALI KHAN" popularly known as Asif Bhai. Some members of the group put their creative strokes forward and designed some comics which were then distributed amongst the various sects of society. The places were the campaign was realized were:
- 28th may: Bapu Nagar.
- 29th may: Central Park and Nehru Park
- 30th May: Jaldhara and Gaurav Towers
To read more about the campaign and Mohita’s thoughts, visit www.pravahjaipur.blogspot.com
Self-defense workshop
PJI is all about giving young people the possibility take action in matters important to them. Banwari, one of the volunteers suggested that he could organize a workshop around self-defense-theme. The idea was born when he realized that many girls in India
There were 11 participants in the workshop, from which 9 were girls. Banwari, who himself has a black belt in Taekwondo taught the participants basic techniques of karate, self-defense, pressure points and defense mechanisms. Workshop was a success: the participants reported feeling empowered, and considered the methods learned very useful. Positive feedback was also given on the discipline and time-management of the workshop. When it comes to the negative feedback some participants stated that the workshop was a bit too short.
Banwari himself thinks that all in all the workshop went very well. There were some moments, however, when he felt that things are not going as planned. In the beginning of the workshop there was some confusion around the roles between the instructor, Banwari, and the participants. These problems were solved after discussing with participants about the matter. Now afterwards Banwari concludes that solving these problems taught him a lot. Now he understands how important it is to communicate and share things with others.
Now there are plans to start a new workshop around the same theme. Also in collaboration with Rajasthan University of Continued Education, there will be organized a series of self-defense workshop for the girls living in the hostels.
Annual Events
Open capacity building workshop (4th-8th may 2010)
Comics, Theatre & Film making
In May Jawahar Kala Kendra was sparkling with positive vibes. This special atmosphere originated from enthusiastic young people eager to learn new skills. It was time for the open workshop organized by the Pravah Jaipur Initiative & Jawahar Kala Kendra in collaboration with World Comics India, Drishti Media Collective, Muskaan & Pahal Samajik Karya evam Shodh Sansthan.
This 5 day capacity building workshop focused on using creative arts as a communication method. The workshop was meant to help the 36 young people participating learn the skills of theatre (specifically Theatre of the Oppressed), Grassroot comics and Film Making to communicate on social issues. In the process the participants also developed their self confidence, communication and teamwork skills.
One of the participants, Ojasi Mehta, describes the workshop as follows:
“I loved it [comics workshop] because anyone can make it with very few things – a black sketch pen and 2 A4 size papers. Well… we learnt so much in 4 days – to make cartoons, give special effects, give a title to comics and so on… But with learning we had lots of fun… Theatre learners learnt small skills of theatre and I could see on Finale how they took out the hidden actor in themselves. Though everyone complained that five days is a very short period to learn such art but they still make something out of it. Same with the film making students – 5 days is a very small period … but as they told us they enjoyed the time, got familiar with camera and… they learnt “How to think…” because their trainer Akshay Bhaiya would ask them to “think..” and disappear for several minutes …”.
The feedback from the workshop was very positive. After attending the workshop one of the volunteers Yashawant co facilitated a comics workshop with World Comics India in Pali. Afterwards Yashawant together with Kriti Sharma made good use of their skills by organizing a comics workshop on water conservation for 15 school children in Dosa. These five days certainly gave fresh ideas on how to promote various important themes with the help of creative methods!
Learning and fun moments:
- The Community Producers took exam on their technical learning and presented short films made by them individually
- Jimmi from Drishti organized an editing workshop for CVU team in the month of May
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