COMMENT
All for harmony
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BILKEES I. LATIF writes of an organisation that works in the slums of Mumbai to foster the creed of non-violence.
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AP
Inculcating non-violence and communal harmony in the people.
SADLY, violence in our country continues unabated. Therefore, the Society for Human and Environmental Development (SHED) is undertaking large scale action in major slums and ghettos of Mumbai towards peace, non-violence and communal harmony, in the hope that it will have a positive effect and lead people away from violence. We need urgent intervention if the violence is to stop.
"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind," said Mahatma Gandhi but much of what he taught is being forgotten. Hatred, killing and revenge are being advocated instead.
After the recent tragic events, while listening to brilliant discussions by concerned citizens on television, I feel that those who can try to stem the tide of hatred and wanton killing must do so. We must get to the grassroots to counter the negative influences of vested interests who ensnare the most vulnerable among the young, especially where seeds of anger and violence have been sown and nurtured.
We desperately need to touch the conscience of the people and forge an active involvement for the cause of non-violence.
For years, society has been working to create understanding and national integration in Gandhian ways so that many have outgrown the bitterness created by the riots of 1992-93 and people of all communities live and work together in harmony.
But again there is a fear of a revival of the carnage and betrayal of the right to live with dignity. Fear creates negative reactions and must be replaced by positive action and truth.
When I first went to Dharavi in 1982, a local dada tried to stop a Ward Officer from entering the slum. He picked up a cat, twisted its neck and threw it at the officer's feet saying, "That's what happens when you come here uninvited." Children were being lured out of school with money to brew illicit liquor. I had a meeting with about 90 dadas to discuss the future of their youth. They agreed there was a need for education and vocational training to keep their youth away from criminal activity. So we established SHED and started work.
We now have a network of youth, women and children who have been with us for two decades and our involvement now extends to areas that cover 15,00,000 people. For the last few years, SHED has interacted with 112 youth groups in Dharavi and also established 10 groups in Jogeshwari, 10 mahila mandals in Dharavi and in many other slums.
In the last three years, the Dharavi youth groups highlight social needs through their mandals during Ganesh Chaturthi. Two years ago, the theme was population control; last year, it was communal harmony. This year, it was again communal harmony and/or AIDS prevention. These youngsters have also been helping us in our project for AIDS prevention throughout the slum.
The women and adolescent girls and Mahila Mandals also get actively involved in a variety of such causes. Now the Tata Institute of Social Sciences and the National Service Scheme have requested that their students be placed with SHED as part of their training. We feel there should be special interaction on peace and non-violence through discussions, street plays and competitions in the Dharavi and Jogeshwari schools with prizes for the best ones. The people involved are deeply committed — most of them belong to the slums and care enough to try and make non-violence a reality there.
For this, there is Squadron Leader K. Mohan Rao, our CEO, R. Tawde and a team of over 60 fine people. Dr. Virdi, another dedicated member of the team, runs our vast health project with over 450 TB patients from Dharavi alone and special health education for adolescents. In Dharavi, we also have Dr. G.H. Khan who first worked for years for deaddiction among the youth. Deeply involved with our rehabilitation efforts in 1992-93, he then undertook regular counselling sessions for the traumatised youth and teenagers.
In charge of our Dharavi centre is Miriam, a Tamilian who grew up in Dharavi and understands the ethos of the people there. She has been involved in starting the mahila mandals, counselling families and victims of violence.
There was intense and continued interaction with the victims during the riots, which created a special bond. We have special classes for Education in Values, coaching for potential school dropouts and Balwadis providing pre-school education and daily nourishment for kids.
SHED is the parent body for the Jan Shikshan Sanstha, which has several branches for vocational training. More than 70,000 girls, women and young men have been given training in a wide range of skills for income generation. The courses include awareness training in ethics, values, understanding and civic sense.
As part of our capacity building and for training NGOs in our population control programme is our Regional Training and Resource Development Centre (RTRDC) set-up with the help and involvement of the Population Foundation of India.
SHED can be contacted at 022-26660948 and 26665782.
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