With every field visit, I realize that the greatest opportunities for improving life in poor rural communities are in the hands and hearts of the rural youth. If the strengths of rural youth are tapped, harnessed, and enhanced, wonders in rural infrastructure, social tensions, and plain happiness can manifest into present and future generations. Here are some images and contemplations:
A young boy from Lineguda gets creative with left over house wiring materials.
A young boy from Lineguda gets creative with left over house wiring materials.
Padme Dewa, from REDCO, teaching the Purna Guma youth how to install insulators.
This is Hira on the right looking at Padme Dewa's sketches. Hira has extraordinary strengths in making things happen, IF he really wants them to happen. He was the one that led the brick-making efforts, while everyone else (mostly the oldsters) wanted GV to buy from the outside. Thanks to Hira's leadership, Purna Guma's youth self-help group fund has gone up by Rs. 7000. GV bought the bricks for the powerhouse from the youth.
Here is Hira again, one of the 3 three that had been on the poles, installing cables on a day that turned out to pour.
Despite the rain, Hira and the others did not want to stop until the line was finished.
My last time in Purna Guma, a couple of days ago, has me in waves about Hira. The last time we visited was Padme Dewa's last day in the village for a while and Pobitro Dada's (the guy building the turbine assembly in town) first day. P. Dada has been wanting to go to PG for the longest time. He has become passionate about the project. Finally we took him. ....However, the visit was a bit sour. When we drove into PG that day, Hira and the rest had been installing more
poles.
The same day was the closing ceremony of the famous Rath Yatra festival. Someone joked that they had never attended but this year Gram Vikas would take us to Karlapat to attend the festival. Hira said we'll be ready. You take us. I took it as a joke. As we were leaving the village, I saw that Hira was waiting for us, all bathed and dressed to go to the festival. GV has a policy of not using its vehicles for anything other than work. I also did not want to start any prohibited habit...although I am guilty of taking women and children in our vehicle if they need to visit the hospital and if our vehicle is going to B.Patna regardless. In the case of taking village boys to attend the Karlapat Rath Yatra, Hira put me on the spot. He went to the point of saying, "If you don't take us, don't expect anymore work from us." While this was supposed to be a special visit for Padme Dewa and Pobitro Dada, Hira's ultimatum chased away the warm and fuzy feelings. In the end, I tried to explain that I did not have the authority to use the vehicle for pleasure and that our guests had not had lunch when it was already 4p. (Not having meals on time is a recipe for malaria.) We did not take them...and I left Hira quite disappointed. It is Hira's stuborness that I have admired in the project, as well as the element that put me on the spot. I want to approach it with love and openess. ...Unfortunately, I cannot return to Purna Guma for another few days....I am wondering whether I should go hang out with him first, feel out his mood and attitude about continuing with micro hydro. Or should i simply ignore the his disappointment. I feel that my taking villagers every now and then in the vehicle set the scene for the Hira incident. Likewise, my reaction to Hira's changed mood will set the scene for the next "situation".
Rashmi-- in the orange, Hira's friend, and a respected school teacher--has been the lead youth in helping to organize and mobilize the community to implement Purna Guma without GV staff. As I left the village last time, I mentioned the Hira incident. He said, "Don't worry so much."
poles.
The same day was the closing ceremony of the famous Rath Yatra festival. Someone joked that they had never attended but this year Gram Vikas would take us to Karlapat to attend the festival. Hira said we'll be ready. You take us. I took it as a joke. As we were leaving the village, I saw that Hira was waiting for us, all bathed and dressed to go to the festival. GV has a policy of not using its vehicles for anything other than work. I also did not want to start any prohibited habit...although I am guilty of taking women and children in our vehicle if they need to visit the hospital and if our vehicle is going to B.Patna regardless. In the case of taking village boys to attend the Karlapat Rath Yatra, Hira put me on the spot. He went to the point of saying, "If you don't take us, don't expect anymore work from us." While this was supposed to be a special visit for Padme Dewa and Pobitro Dada, Hira's ultimatum chased away the warm and fuzy feelings. In the end, I tried to explain that I did not have the authority to use the vehicle for pleasure and that our guests had not had lunch when it was already 4p. (Not having meals on time is a recipe for malaria.) We did not take them...and I left Hira quite disappointed. It is Hira's stuborness that I have admired in the project, as well as the element that put me on the spot. I want to approach it with love and openess. ...Unfortunately, I cannot return to Purna Guma for another few days....I am wondering whether I should go hang out with him first, feel out his mood and attitude about continuing with micro hydro. Or should i simply ignore the his disappointment. I feel that my taking villagers every now and then in the vehicle set the scene for the Hira incident. Likewise, my reaction to Hira's changed mood will set the scene for the next "situation".
Rashmi-- in the orange, Hira's friend, and a respected school teacher--has been the lead youth in helping to organize and mobilize the community to implement Purna Guma without GV staff. As I left the village last time, I mentioned the Hira incident. He said, "Don't worry so much."
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