ENVIRONMENT
Words like ‘Global Warming, Climate Change, Desertification’ all run a chill down our spine. These are no longer textbook words. We see the effects of these phenomena all around us today. We did not pay heed to Severn Suzuki in 1992 and we still do not pay heed to Greta Thunberg, Avani Avasthee and the like today, which begs the question; What kind of planet are we leaving behind for our children?
That is why we need to work on the UN Sustainable Development Goal 13: Climate Action
We have taken up a few Program Actions as listed below:
Mangrove Plantation in the Sunderbans: At SI South Kolkata we decided to do our bit to halt the terrible impact of cyclones on the coastline along the Bay of Bengal. We decided to plant the sturdiest of mangrove varieties that grow in the salty waters along the bay: the baine or the Indian mangrove. Why mangroves? All trees give us oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide. Now, the mangrove can absorb four to five times more carbon than any other tree. They thus provide a carbon sink. Their entangled root systems create a suitable habitat for tropical and sub-tropical biodiversity and most importantly, mangroves, once they are 10 metres high, can reduce the strength and fury of cyclonic waves by 60%. The Tsunami in 2004 devastated entire villages except for the areas where mangroves had been grown.
Plant trees: In the city of Kolkata, along roads and in school compounds, in women’s centres and villages SI South Kolkata has planted fruit trees like the mango, guava, jamun, coconut, shady medicinal ones like the neem and so on have been planted through the years.
Stop the Use of Plastic: Every year a couple of drives are initiated to motivate people to use cloth bags and stop using plastic.
WOMEN EMPOWERMENT
In keeping with the Vision & Mission Statement of SI and SIGBI, SI South Kolkata focuses on city slum women as well as rural marginalized women to enable them with vocational skills, livelihood options and soft skills training to empower them to work at better positions, augment their income and live more prosperous lives. The underprivileged women of today can aim to have a voice in the society of the future, leading to the formation of peaceful, gender-equal communities.
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EDUCATION
Education is the single most important pillar required for building a community or a nation. UN SDG 4 focuses on Quality Education to reduce inequalities SDG 10, provide women with decent work and economic growth, SDG 8 and build strong institutions where peace and justice prevail, SDG 16.
To that end SISK has been running a couple of educational projects.
Sikshakiran Scholarships
SI South Kolkata through their Sikshakiran project extends financial assistance to students from the marginalized section of the society. SISK is indebted to four generous sponsors. Their contribution will go a long way in helping the beneficiaries realise their dreams. The assistance partly covers the private tuition fees and to some extent expenses incurred on admission and books.
Free Primary School
SI South Kolkata decided to support FPS which is run by retired educator, Ms. Bhabarani Bose with her small team of two teachers and a helper. The school runs before hours in the morning in a room of a government school, for the use of which Ms. Bose has received special permission from the government.
Bose personally counsels the parents of her neighbourhood and ensures that they send their children to her school, where they are lovingly taught and given some nutritious breakfast before they head back home. As the older children graduate to mainstream school, Bose gets in more toddlers whom she starts teaching.
SISK supports FPS by sponsoring part of the teachers’ salary, the children’s tiffin expenses and repairing the school room whenever required. On Saturdays, a special feast is prepared by an SISK member for the kids. Two or three members visit the school to teach the children recitation, songs, craft work and art.