Can we help? If u would like to contribute some books we are going to take up a collection and send up a few packages! Contact us if u have some books to donate! ☺
Posted by Pop Up Shop For The Homeless and Those in Need - Ballarat on Thursday, 24 September 2015
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Running Education centers for beggars and migrant unorganized labourers
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Opening and running eight education centres for children of migrated construction labours and beggar children/ adolescents (teens) during student life 15-16 years ago.
At that time, I was establishing education centres at different places in Kanpur. As I was alone, I used to teach at every centre twice in a week and attended two centres every day. Thus, I could manage six centres in one week. For few days of week college finished off at 3 o’clock and some other days at 4 o’clock. The day when college finished at 3, I used to go centres which were far away and the day when it finished at 4, I preferred to go centres which were bit near.
I got very small monthly amount from home as student hence I had to cover a distance of 6 to 9 kilometre daily on foot to reach different centres.
Some professors from IIT Kanpur, IIT Madras, IIT Bombay, HBTI Kanpur gave away Blackboard, chalk, copy, pencil, books and emotional support to start these centres. Basis of this support was my personal relation with them.
While running these centres I gathered innumerable experiences and enhanced my understanding towards ground reality. I am grateful to supportive professors and will be obliged forever.
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An Education centre for Beggar Children/Teenagers at CTI Crossing, Govind Nagar, Kanpur :
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There is a place in Kanpur known as CTI crossing and it is adjacent to Govind Nagar. A big and stinking sewer-nullah (sluit) flows and local people call it ‘Ganda Nala’.
And on the bank of this nullah many families of beggar-children/teenagers used to live in hut-like structures made up of thrown away poly bags and torn clothes joined together and fixed on old spoiled bamboo sticks.
Stench of that sewer nullah, which we cannot bear even for one minute while moving on the road parallel to the nullah, had a round the clock lively relation with those families.
During rains, level of sewer increased and flowed through their so called huts.
Except few starting days, I had to search out these children and teens while begging and then I took them to the education centre holding their finger.
An SDO of UP Electricity Board had donated his portico for teaching for two hours, during which he used to keep his car out.
He also helped for copy, pencil, chalk and blackboard.
Sometimes children and teen used to pose strange conditions such as if you would not eat in our hut we would not study.
So, sometimes I had to eat on the bank of sewer nullah whatever they cooked and ate.
These children/ teens did not know how to read or write and it took many days to teach them how to write first letter of Hindi alphabet but in physical labour, making food and reading people’s psychology they were very dexterous .
Their talks and practical understanding surprised me numerous times and taught me so much. This relationship continues for only for one or two years but these memories are still afresh in my mind/ are still lively in the corner of my mind.
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7 education centres for displaced Bilaspuriyan Construction Labours’ children/ Teens and bagger children/teens :
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These centres were established and ran at Awadhpuri, Lakhanpur, Kalyaanpur, Vikasnagar, Naubasta and Barra.
Characteristics of these centres were same as sewer-nullah centres, there were only a few differences which I am going to state in following lines.
I no need to go far away to search these kids/ teens because these children usually found playing in their huts or near about areas.
Their parents met almost every day, hence sometimes they also came to study.
Place of study was hut of any of them, which changed after few days. These centres never continued for more than few months because after accomplishment of construction work of colonies they had to leave the place.
So, every time after few months, these centres displaced 2 to 3 kilometres.
I never showed false dream to children/ teens for study, never tempted them, never tempted them for sweets etc. I did not want them to suffer from any frustration or indulge in some impractical dreams. I knew these children/teens would face bitter reality
hence I had no right to hurt their understanding of life showing them false dreams.
As I was not showing any dream, not posing any lie and never tempted them so every time when I go to teach them first I used to walk 2 to 3 kilometre to find them and fetching them to the place for study and had to face their moods.
I have candidly stated to children/ teens and their guardians that study was not going to change their status. Only thing is that there will be less possibility of being cheated and perhaps this study may be useful for a few.
Today, when I remember this time, I find out, if I have not done during my student life, today I cannot be socially integrated, socially honest, sensitive and could not move ahead towards fundamental understanding of the society.
Regards
Vivek U Glendenning ‘Nomad’ . |
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| Green Left Weekly Activist Calendar | ||
| October 23, 2013 | ||
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| Conference: Stand up! Fight back! Ideas to challenge Abbott's agenda |
Saturday, November 2. Plenary & workshop topics: Workers, refugees, the environment: In the firing line but fighting back * What kind of feminism are we fighting for? * Beyond market solutions: Fighting for environmental justice * Towards a socialist Australia * No justice, No peace: Uniting to fight racism.Click for detailed agenda. 10am-5pm. Maritime Union of Australia Hall, 46-54 Ireland Street, North Melbourne (5 minute walk from North Melbourne Station). Full day: $15/$8 (Includes morning & afternoon tea); half day: $7/$4 (includes morning or afternoon tea) . Lunch available. Organised by Socialist Alliance. For more info ph 9639 8622.
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This is the regular Melbourne activist calendar compiled by Green Left Weekly. Emailed to subscribers each Wednesday fortnight, it is a one-stop listing of the main left and progressive events in Melbourne and Geelong.
Since it began in early 1991, Green Left Weekly has offered an indispensable alternative to the lies of the big-business media and has helped build the various movements for social change. To subscribe toGreen Left Weekly, visit our secure online website for rates and payment or call our national hotline on 1800 634 206.
You can also contact us at the Resistance Centre, 5th floor, 407 Swanston St, City; ph 9639 8622. In Geelong we are at the Activist Centre, Trades Hall, 127 Myers St (opening hours: Mon 2-4:30pm, Fri 10am-4:30pm); ph 5222 6900.
New email address? Not already receiving this calendar regularly? Want to subscribe someone else? Let us know at Greenleft Melbourne.
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Wednesday, October 23
Public meeting: Action on air pollution in the Inner West. 21,000 trucks travel inner West streets every day, through Yarraville, Seddon, Footscray, and Kingsville. Diesel trains are also prevalent & set to increase. Find out what diesel pollution means for your health and what we can do to clean up our air. Speakers: 1. Merryn Redenbach (Doctors for the Environment); Richard Di Natale (Greens senator & public health specialist); Samantha McArthur (Maribyrnong Truck Action Group); Colleen Hartland (Greens MP). 6:30pm. Acqua E Vino bar-restaurant, upstairs, 18a Ballarat St, Yarraville.
Friday, October 25
Memorial meeting for Doug Lorimer. Commemorating the life of a longtime socialist who died earlier this year. 6:30pm (for 7pm start). Upstairs, Bar Centrale, 162 Lygon St, Carlton.
Fundraiser: Rock for Refugees. This will be a very special night of music, dancing, sharing stories and most of all information about how you can get involved with grassroots refugee struggles. Featuring: New dub city; Flybz; Birdz. 7:30pm. Bar 303, 303 High St, Northcote. $8/$10 (solidarity). This is a fundraiser for RISE (Refugees, Survivors and Ex-Detainees).
Saturday, October 26
Rally: Defend the Fertility Control Clinic. The anti-abortionists '40 Days for Life' continues until November 3, and the Fertility Control Clinic is its chief Melbourne target. October 26 is also the anti-abortion zealots' monthly 'Rosary Parade'. In September, the prospect of a large defence scared them away. 9:30 am. 118 Wellington Parade, East Melbourne.
Sunday, October 27
Planning meeting: Stop the theft of public housing. Planning meeting and workshop for the November 9 'Stop the theft of public housing' street meeting at the State Library.1-4pm. Jika Jika Community Centre, cnr Plant & Union Sts, Northcote.
Monday, October 28
Planning meeting: Stop the East-West Tunnel: Recruiting other groups to the campaign.6pm. Elderly Citizenship Centre, Eddy Court, Collingwood. (Melway ref: 2C, 10H) Adjacent to Collingwood Station. Sponsored by VITAL (Victorian Integrated Transport Alliance). Please RSVP to Freda Watkin, Secretary, Yarra Campaign for Action on Transport (YCAT) on 0422 650 936 or emailFreda.
Tuesday, October 29
Conscience on Collins: 'I have a dream . . .' In honour of the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s famous speech, Collins Street Baptist Church and Urban Seed have invited the speakers to share their dream for this city and society: Adam Bandt (Greens federal MP); Jessie Taylor (barrister & refugee advocate); Bob Maguire (‘Larrikin priest’ & social activist). $5/$10 (in support of Urban Seed).6pm. Baptist Church, 174 Collins St , City.
Public meeting: Australia & the nuclear umbrella: absurd, immoral & reckless. Speaker: Richard Tanter (Nautilus Institute for Security and Sustainability). Dyason House, 124 Jolimont Rd, East Melbourne. 6pm. For more information visit AIIN.
Wednesday, October 30
Rally: Abbott get your hands off our education and student unions. Student action against Abbott and Pyne’s ‘inquiry’ into higher education. We will assemble at Parliament House and then march to the Liberal Party HQ on Exhibition St. Stand up and fight back for your right to a fair and equal tertiary education. 12:30pm. Parliament, Spring St, City.
Friday, November 1
Film screening: Fallout. Documentary that explores the iconic filming of Nevil Shute's novel On The Beach in Melbourne in the late 1950s. Shute’s novel depicts the last huddle of humanity preparing to die as a cloud of nuclear fallout drifts towards Australia. 6:30pm. Cinema Nova, 380 Lygon St, Carlton. Presented by ICAN (International Campaign Against Nuclear Weapons). For more info visit ICAN.
Saturday, November 2
Conference: Stand up! Fight back! Ideas to challenge Abbott's agenda. Plenary & workshop topics on: Workers, refugees, the environment: In the firing line but fighting back * What kind of feminism are we fighting for? * Beyond market solutions: Fighting for environmental justice * Towards a socialist Australia * No justice, No peace: Uniting to fight racism. Click for detailed agenda. 10am-5pm. Maritime Union of Australia Hall, 46-54 Ireland St, North Melbourne (5-minute walk from North Melbourne Station). Full day: $15/$8 (includes morning & afternoon tea); half day: $7/$4 (includes morning or afternoon tea) . Lunch available. Organised by Socialist Alliance. For more info ph 9639 8622.
Sunday, November 3
Film screening: Mary Meets Mohammad. Tasmania’s first detention centre opens and local knitting club member Mary, a staunchly Christian pensioner, is not welcoming of the 400 male asylum seekers mostly from Afghanistan. Mohammad is a 26 year old Muslim asylum seeker detained inside the centre and an unlikely friendship develops between Mary and Mohammad after her knitting club donates woollen beanies to the asylum seekers. Mary finds many of her prior beliefs are challenged as her relationship with Mohammad deepens. 6:30pm. Premiere + filmmaker Q & A. (Then sessions twice day from November 7-13.) Kino Cinema, 45 Collins St, City. To book ph 9650 2100 or visit Mary meets Mohammad.
Wednesday, November 6
Public meeting: Workers power and international action. AAWL co-ordinator Pier Moro reports on his recent visit to India and the struggles of car workers at Maruti Suzuki. 6pm. Evatt Room, Trades Hall. Organised by Australia Asia Worker Links.
Thursday, November 7
Rally: Defend women's birthing rights. In defence of women's right to choose where and how to give birth — a core reproductive right. In Australia and around the world, women are denied this choice: women who assert this right and midwives who support them are threatened and punished with severe legal penalties. 10am. Women's Hospital, cnr Grattan St & Flemington Rd, Parkville. Organised by Campaign for Women's Reproductive Rights.
Saturday, November 9
Street meeting: Stop the theft of public housing. Both major parties want to privatise public housing, that is part of the National Affordable Housing Agreement of 2009 to which all states have signed up. But Australia has a housing crisis and public housing is a large part of the solution to that. The privatisation madness must stop. 1pm. Gather underneath statue of St Joan in front of the State Library, Swanston St.
Protest: No coal port for Victoria, no port expansion for Hastings. Brown coal export ports have been proposed for Hastings, the Ninety Mile Beach and Corner Inlet. Gippsland communities concerned with the same threat will attend this action. It is supported by Quit Coal. 2pm. Fred Smith Reserve, Hastings foreshore. For more info visit WPPC
Public meeting: Trade unionist refugee activist strategy meeting. The aim of this meeting is to discuss how to build more effective networks between unionists and refugee activists in order to build greater support for the refugee campaign. Speakers: Kevin Bracken (MUA Victorian branch secretary); Jeannie Rea (NTEU national president). 1pm. ANF house, 540 Elizabeth St, City. Organised by Refugee Action Collective.
Tuesday, November 12
Public meeting: 17,300 nuclear weapons. Screening Maralinga Pieces, Genie in a bottle: Unleashedand The War Game. Speakers: Dimity Hawkins, Tim Wright (International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons) and Gisela Gardener. 7pm. Longplay Bar and Cinema, 318 St Georges Rd, North Fitzroy. Hosted by the ACE Collective.
Sunday, November 17
Rally: National day of climate action. 11am. Treasury Place, City. Organised by GetUp. For more info visit GetUp.
Monday, November 18
Rally: Canberra convergence to demand a fair go for refugees & asylum seekers. It's time to tell our parliamentarians to stop violating human rights and adopt compassionate policies that protect asylum seekers. Parliament House, Canberra. To join the bus from Melbourne, emailtrconcepts@netspace.net.au or ph 0409 252 673. Organised by Refugee Action Network.
Friday, November 22
Rod Quantock: Forty-five and counting. A walk down Memory Tollway (Rod remembers when it was a Lane) as Australia’s most seriously funny comedian reveals the things that have made him laugh for the last 45 years and sets a course for the next 45. Doors open 7pm (for 7:30pm start). To book visitTicketek.
Saturday, November 23
Rally: Equal marriage rights now. 1pm. State Library, 328 Swanston St, City.
Tuesday, November 26
Public meeting: Muckaty & radioactive waste. Screening Muckaty Voices and Into Eternity.Speaker: Dave Sweeney (Australian Conservation Foundation). 7pm. Longplay Bar and Cinema, 318 St Georges Rd, North Fitzroy. Hosted by the ACE Collective.
Friday, December 13-Sunday, December 15
Conference: How to make a revolution. Ideas for socialist youth. For young people across Australia and the world, these are difficult times. The newly elected Coalition led by the bigot Tony Abbott is rolling out a wave of cuts and attacks against young people, students, the LGBTIQ community, women, indigenous people, workers and refugees, while around the world governments and the ruling elite attempt to hold onto power against a rising tide of furious and marginalised young people.This is a conference to help young people who are ready and willing to challenge the system to develop a political understanding of the oppressive system we live under and a clear analysis of how to change it. Brisbane Activist Centre, 74b Wickham Street, Fortitude Valley. Organ ised by Resistance & Socialist Alliance. For more info ph 9639 8622.
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Thursday, October 31
Warragul Public meeting: CSG information night. Speakers include: Mark Ogge (Australia Institute). 7pm. Warragul Community House, 138 Normanby St, Warragul. For more info ph Cathy or Judy on 5623 6032.
Saturday, November 9
Benalla Public meeting: Stop the boats, burn the boats or welcome the boats? Speakers: Julian Burnside & Pamela Curr (Asylum Seeker Resource Centre). This public forum will discuss the current political and social implications of seeking asylum in Australia and ways in which we might respond to the need for safe refuge in Australia. 6pm. FCJ College, Wedge St, Benalla.
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Beyond Zero Emissions Melbourne branch. We meet on the third Monday of every month at Level 2, Kindness House, 288 Brunswick St, Fitzroy. For more info email Chitra Perez or ph 0401 087 085.
Friends of the Earth's Anti-Nuclear & Clean Energy (ACE) collective. Meets every second Tuesday. FoE office, 312 Smith St, Collingwood. For meeting times & more info email Zin.
Indigenous Social Justice Association. The Indigenous Social Justice Association was established in January 2005 campaigns to permanently stop Aboriginal deaths in custody. During 2013, ISJA will meet the first Thursday of every month. For more info visit ISJA.
Melbourne Feminist Action Group. It's time to put women's rights back on the public agenda. We've started an open organising group and everyone's invited, from already existing women's rights groups and activist organisations, to women and men who may never have been involved in feminist action in their lives but just want to do something. For more info ph 0438 869 790 or email us.
Quit Coal: No New Coal Power for Victoria. A Melbourne-based collective which campaigns against expansion of the coal industry in Victoria. We believe this is important because building new coal infrastructure locks in decades of dirty, old technology, when we should be moving towards clean, renewable energy. Quit Coal meets each Wednesday at 6pm, at FOE, 312 Smith St, Collingwood. For more info visit Quit Coal or email us.
Refugee Action Collective. Established in 2000, RAC is a democratic, grassroots activist collective, representing a broad cross section of the community. It aims to mobilise opposition to Australia's inhuman refugee policies. For more info ph 0413 377 978 or visit RAC.
Victorian Climate Action Calendar. For a comprehensive list of climate action events in our state. To subscribe to the calendar email Monique Decortis. Weekly updates are e-mailed out and online updates are available at VCAC. To add an event to the calendar, please download the Event Template from the website. Feel free to forward the VCAC to other interested people.
Workers Solidarity Network. WSN believes that we, as workers, have the power to improve our working conditions and bring about positive social change. WSN believes that the only way to bring about a fairer share of resources in our society in by forming active unions and community organisations to fight for it. For more info visit WSN.
Yarra Campaign for Action on Transport: Stop the East-West Link – Support Doncaster Rail. For all information on the campaign against the East-West Tunnel (pickets, meetings, info) visit YCAT.
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| Links: 'Socialism for the 21st century' |
Links is an online journal which seeks to provide a forum for open and constructive dialogue between active socialists from different political traditions. It seeks to bring together those in the international left who are opposed to neoliberal economic and social policies, and reject the bureaucratic model of 'socialism' that arose in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. Inspired by the unfolding socialist revolution in Venezuela, Links is a journal for 'Socialism of the 21st Century' and the discussions and debates flowing from that powerful example of socialist renewal.
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| Socialist Alliance: Broad, non-sectarian, activist |
Socialist Alliance is a proud supporter of the Green Left Weekly project and contributes a regular column. Socialist Alliance is a broad, non-sectarian socialist party, dedicated to bringing together all those who want to resist the capitalist assault on our planet and its people and fight for a socialist society that puts people's needs before business profits. Anyone who agrees with the general approach of our policies is welcome to join and organisations are invited to affiliate. For more information visit Socialist Alliance or join us on Facebook.
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| Moreland Socialists |
Moreland Socialists is open to anyone (even if you live outside the area) who wants to work constructively to support Socialist Alliance councillor Sue Bolton and use her position to build up a stronger activist left presence in Moreland. In general, we meet monthly and alternate between Coburg and Fawkner.
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