Two Interesting Initiaitives

SASU, Malkajgiri
Sarma is a young man with many fine ideas. He is one of those who are perpetually trying to use his knowledge and experience to make better people out of others. He is a trainer, coach and trains young college undergraduates, corporates and such. I met him a while ago and we talked about this and that. Yesterday he asked me to visit his training institute SASU at Malkajgiri and interact with his students.

These 13 students are part of a group who have joined a 40 day course. They have passed their Intermediate and have secured admission in Engineering colleges. Sarma says that only 19% students pass in their 1st and 2nd year in Engineering colleges based on a study he had done. He has devised this 40 day program to keep the students focussed on the job to do, and how to do better. Apart from teaching them communication skills, techniques to fare better at academics and various interactions with several people, Sarma also provides them constant support even after the course is completed.

Interacting with 13 students was wonderful. They are so full of ideals and innocence and really want to do great things which I am really confident they will achieve. Their inspirations range from Swami Vivekananda to Abdul Kalam, their dreams of inventions that will change the world, of public service, of creative art. They are so convinced about their thoughts that all the world has to do is protect that and not feed them with doubt and fear. It was a fine interaction and one I will cherish. Here's wishing everyone of them, including Sarma, who are all on a journey that needs all the support they can get.

'Spreading Light'-100 Days Book Lectures, Rhapsody, Srinagar Colony
Another initiative I have seen is 'Spreading Light' - started at Rhapsody, the food court in Srinagar colony. A part of the food court has been converted into a room where they have planned an ambitious series of 100 talks in 100 days, one per every day, by various people. Each talk lasting for one hour (4 p.m. to 5 p.m. every day) would be about any book that influenced the speaker greatly in their lives. A week has gone by I think, and it is slowly picking up steam. I hope to be able to speak about a book as well, if I get a chance.

There is another initiative on similar lines called 'Share a Dream' where one person can share a dream each day. This is at 5 p.m. onwards

The initiative is organised by an NGO, Life-Health Reinforcement Group that has been working in this area since 1999, which was started by a group of social scientists and medical doctors to seek answers about hunger and making a difference loally. It is also into two other initiatives. One is an experimental idea called 'Andari Illu' or 'Open House' that addresses hunger locally. They have a house (in an area I forget the name of) where one can walk in and cook food and eat. The ingredients will be available as will be the utensils, one only has to go and cook and eat at no cost. If you google 'Hyderabad's Open House serves Hungry People' you can see a video. For those who wish to get more information please call their coordinator Ms. Vijayalakshmi on 92467 52528.

Rhapsody is in a place where there are many people, especially students, who otherwise merely while away their time in idle talk and smoking and stuff like that. This is fine stuff to expose them to because all they have to do, anyone has to do, is merely walk in and attend and interact.

I am amazed at both initiatives. Both aiming high, very positive stuff and seeking a positive change. There is an energy to both places that one could feel that overpowers all negative stuff. Both initiatives look at making small changes in their area of control so the ideas can grow big - step by step. And both have such wonderful intentions that I wish them all success.