ANNUAL REPORT JULY 2011 – JUNE 2012
‘Incredible! India’ that’s how the Tourist India is being portrayed “Campaign clean India” is being launched to give India a fresh look and boost tourism Spiritual India, Heritage India, Natures Best are varying aspects being advertised. The downside however remains of the basic truths of India. Poverty is evident by increasing numbers below the poverty line; also malnutrition and poor health are still major problems. The world is reeling backwards in a depression and India is caught in the web too. Rampant corruption, negligent political will, poor accountability plunge the country into crisis after crisis. But the spirit of India, the largest Democracy in the world, is still alive. The Reach Out Trust continues in its efforts to improve the quality of life of the Tribals in Talasari West, Maharashtra in fields of Education, Health, Women’s empowerment and better environment.
Education: In June 2011 the Pushpa Vidhyalaya school enrolled its first Preschool children of an EnglishMediumSchool. In this village of Dhangadpada family members are keen on English as a medium of Instruction, as they say the children will have a better future. It is heartwarming to see the children learning the English alphabet, poetries, singingetc. and at the same time speaking Marathi. We have done an assessment of 24 children attending regularly, in Language skills, Math Cognitive skills and Art. 21 children scored A grade (65% and above). We have provided teaching aids and games to develop their language and social skills.
The Marathi classes of std 6th and 7th remain with us in 2011-2012. About twenty children of the 7th class have been transferred to another school inthe vicinity They did well in the entrance exam. In June 2012 our K.G students are now in Std I and we are enrolling new kinder garden (KG) children. The last batch of 7th Std students will complete their year in April 2013
We have Learned to make a living but not a LIFE We have conquered the outer space
But not the Inner Space We have cleaned the air but polluted the Soul
.
In March 2012 the patrons of our school, Dr. Barbara & Wolfgang Sietz visited the school. The children put up a beautiful cultural program, with even the tiny tots joined in the dances and songs. Decorative and floral plants decked the
outdoor stage. A community lunch with the children and parents was next on the program. We are still striving to get the official Government sanction for the school. We are told it is in process. Fr. Andrew our Trustee takes a keen interest in our activities, especially the school, and attended a teachers meeting in the school. The school fence and roof and water supply need maintenance, and we have friends and Organisations whose timely assistance is of great help. We are proud to say that our first ex-student, Seema Vanga, has reached and passed Std XII. She has presently joined further education in nursing. Other students will be completing school soon and have ambitions to join the Police force, the Army, Motor Mechanic and other such fields. We had a lively discussion with parents and ex-students. Everyone was in favour of English school. The hostel children were happy with the food and stay in the school. Our teachers Urmila, Ashwin, and Anil all do a good job. Santosh keeps an eye on school maintenance.
Technical Education: In the last year we had 2 batches of Tailoring students with more
than 30 youths getting trained. Welding students were16 in number. We also had 3
computer batches, of Basic and Tally courses each with 12-15 students. A youth
training session in Leadership Qualities was conducted by Sr. Marie and Mrs. E. Acharya in June 2012. We have started 2 new youth groups.
We have a new staff member Arvind Sakat. He is an MSW from Ahmednagar district.
He and Sunil Correia have been working towards enrolling students in Electrician,
Driving & Motor Mechanics, Masonry and Dairy courses. Four (4) 4 students were sent to the RamaKrishna Mission for Technical courses. For the girls, Jyoti has been enlisting them for a comprehensive Computer courses, English Conversation, and Montessori course in the community college in the vicinity. Youth groups are also being formed, and are being assisted in savings, and obtaining documents and certificates for further education. We have also teamed up with an Industrial unit in Umargaon who have promised to employ our youth. The director Mr. Nair gave a talk to our students about the garment industry. Our tailoring students can now avail of fixed jobs in the fashion world. We have a new course for electricians starting in July in our center. We are also conducting an English course (Rosetta Stone) for computer students.
We have conquered the atom but not our prejudice We write more but Learn less
Women Empowerment: About fifty (50) Self Help Groups are functioning. Most of them have regular savings and are taken internal loans for health, house constructions and family occasions. Some of the women have Income
Generating Schemes in tailoring units, small shops and selling their small scale farm produce in local outlets. Some groups have to be strengthened, as internal conflicts have prevented them from growing. Regular monthly meetings and melas (Fairs) are being conducted. In December a fair was held in our school compound in Dhangadpada. Eighty-five (85) women attended. Awareness sessions were being conducted in health and income generation.
Coordination with the Kosbad Agriculture Institute is paving the way for more training and forming small scale farmer groups. Literacy and adult education and exposure programs have been conducted. An assessment was done in 20 SHGs that attend meetings regularly. The score had marks for verbal and written literacy, health education, and environmental knowledge. 70% of women had scored 50% and above. 80% of these 180 women were in saving schemes. Use of toilets constructed was recorded in 100 families.
Health: Jyoti is our Health Supervisor and makes regular home visits, gives health education dispenses simple medicines and keeps records. She works together with the Government health activist (ASHA) many of whom are from our SHGs. Alternaid,
Germany assists us in the medical program. Dr. Tragler does regular school health check-ups. Growth is monitored of school children and under five years of age. Majority of the children are under weight. Nutrition and Vitamin supplementation for the school children and hostel children keeps them healthy.
Pregnant women are given iron and calcium vitamins. Patients are being referred to the GovernmentCenter for more serious problem. Jyoti has also learned to take Blood
Pressure and has referred patients with high Blood Pressure. Records of birth, death, causes of death and weights of under five and school children is being kept. There is still morbidity from infectious diseases and majority of deaths are in the age group of late fifties and early sixties. Life expectancy is still low. Government and private interventions have reduced child mortality. Alcoholism, poor nutrition lack of preventive care, all contribute to poor the health condition.
We plan more and accomplish less We have high tech media but do we
Listen more Laugh more Love more Live more
Environment Improvement and TrustLand:
The well work in Dhangadpada still continues. The hard rock has to be blasted several times and we still have to reach water depth. Our solar systems have been a frustrating experience with very poor maintenance back up for water pumps. They have been given for a repair. In the meantime we installed a submersible electric pump in the well on the Trust land.
Our Dairy experience has not been profitable. We have had 3 new calves and 4
buffaloes are pregnant. However we have good organic manure for our land.
We had a very good chikoo crop. We hope for a better yield of mangoes and coconuts next year.
Future Plans: We hope to take into watershed management and other Government schemes for these disadvantaged tribals. Our endeavours continue to brighten the future of the Warli tribals into the villages of Talasari, Thane District.
Floral Tribute:
We give thanks to all our well wishers and donors for their interest and donations to our Project, without whose support these projects would not have been succeeded.
Our appreciation and gratitude goes to our family members and friends.
Special thanks to:
Drs. Wolfgang & Barbara Sietz (Germany), Dr. Christa Merkes Frei (Australia),
Mrs. Regine Proebsting & Gaby and Willem Lefeber & team (Germany),
Ms. Sabine Leschner and Altrernaid Stiftung fuer Menschen (Germany),
S. N. Iyer Q. C. & Irene Iyer Charity Trust (Mumbai, India),
We are also thankful for the timely assistance of Sophia Polytechnic & Kherwadi Association, Mumbai, for our technical requirements.
We are very grateful to our Trustee Dr. Christa Merkes Frei who does the German translation every year. We also appreciate the assistance of Mr. Rajgopal and Mrs. Effie Acharya, Sr. Marie Noronha and Fr. Andrew. Our special thanks to Mrs. Hannelore Huethmayr, and members of Helfende Hand (Austria). Bouquets also to the generous contribution of Dr. Helga Lohmann (Germany) and Herr Fritz Fuhrer Salzburg, Anton Zauner,Families Tragler and Missionskreis Pettenbach,Austria for their kind assistance. A special bouquet to members of the Round Table Organisation f
TRUSTEES:
- Mr. Joseph Keve, MSW, Chairman. Reach Out Trust
- Mr. Adolf Tragler, MSW, Secretary Reach Out Trust, Director SRS Bandra Mumbai
- Sr. Marie Noronha, M.ED, Education Specialist
- Fr. Andrew Rodrigues, Director Social Action, Vasai
- Mr. Dayanand Ambolkar, MSW
- Dr. Mrs. Ancilla Tragler, MD, Coordinator Reach Out Trust, CommunityHealthConsultantPediatricianHolyFamilyHospital Bandra
- Mrs. Anandini Thakoor, Social Activist
- Dr. Christa Merkes Frei, Ex- Language Director, Max Mueller Bhavan, Mumbai
- Dr. Irene Iyer, Social Activist, S.N. Iyer O.C & Dr Irene Iyer Trust
Donations for THE following SERVICES will be appreciated for the following:
1 / Tailoring Vocational Courses / Rs.50,000/ / € 730/- / 6 months2 / School Teacher’s Salary / Rs.60,000/ / € 867/- / Per Year
3 / Income Generation Project(Small Scale) like Poultry / Rs.10,000/ / € 146/- / Per Unit
4 / Children’s Uniform. / Rs. 500/- / € 7.50/- / Per Each Child
5 / Warli Art Promotion / Rs. 500/- / € 7.50/- / For 2 small paintings
FOR Foreign Contributions:
Our Bank Name: / Indian Overseas BankAddress: / 36th Road, Radhasoami Apts, TPS III
Bandra(W), Mumbai – 400 050, India
Account No. / SB 012801000012770
Swift Code No.
CONTACT:
REACH OUT TRUST
10, Samatadeep Bldg, Gr. Floor
25th Road, Bandra (W),
Mumbai -400 050, India
Tel/Fax No:0091-22-26455850
Email:
Web Site : / IOB AIN BB 128
Kontact: / Sparkonto:
Hannelore Huethmayr / Helfende Hand BOMBAY - Indien
Möhrergraben 3 / Account No: 20479
A – 4643, Pettenbach, Austria / Blz (bank – code) 34427
Account No: 20479
Email: RAIFFEISEN BANK, A-4643
Reach Out Trust - Aruna,
Dolarpada Post Girgaum
Talasari Dist. Thane – 401 606
PhoneNo: 02521 696508 / Raiffeisen bank,
Austria
Dr. Ancilla Tragler, Coordinator
E-mail: lz (bank- code) 34427