Category: Kolkata
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Turnstone Global
Dr. Kanchan Gaba, current secretary of Turnstone Global lost her vision at a very early age due to Glaucoma. Since then, she has been a student of Calcutta Blind School. During her school days, in the early 80s, she was a student member of The National Association of the Blind. Later, she pursued a Doctorate…
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Sabuj Sangha
The Sunderbans are known for its tiger reserves and unique beauty. But what’s also rampant in the area is poverty – no good roads or clean, drinking water, and poor food supplies forcing residents to eat weed grown in the village ponds. We parked the car a kilometer or so before a bridge that connects…
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How it began at Sabuj Sangha
Siba Sankar, the founder of Subuj Sangha, was born and brought up in the Sunderbans. Living in a joint family, sharing and giving to people around him comes naturally to him. After his graduation in Zoology from City College in Calcutta, he moved back to his village and started to teach in the nearby school.…
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Sarada Ramkrishna (Sishu O Mahila) Sevashram
To reach the village of Morjada, one has to pass through fields of banyan, coconut and hibiscus trees, which seem to give the area a red coat. But hidden behind this beautiful scenery are villages filled with murky water, poor roads, and no electricity. “Girls from this village suffer a lot. I myself did. Tarini…
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How it began at Sarada Ramkrishna (Sishu O Mahila) Sevashram
The Late Tarani Chakraborthy, who was the founder and secretary of Sarada Ramakrishna Sevashram, was once upon a time the only educated woman in her village Morjada in South 24 Paraganas district, Kolkata. She belongs to a Bengali Brahmin family and her father used to work at the village temple. The early 60s was a…
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Society for the Visually Handicapped
by Rohini Vemuganti Imon was sitting by the window, his mother standing behind him, looking on as I approached SVH. He suddenly started laughing and waving when he saw his special educator, who was with me. Imon is a 6-year-old kid who suffers from Cerebral Palsy. He also has low vision. His mother is a…
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Giving primary school children a strong foundation
Located in the distance of 20 kms from where I stayed in central Kolkata, the drive to Towards Future at Dum Dum Park was definitely an experience. A complete contrast to the concrete forest of central Kolkata, this place is rich in greenery, and is well-decorated with street art and ancient buildings. My car halted…
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How it began at Towards Future
Supriya Roy, the founder of Towards Future, was actively involved in social service since 1995. Having served as a program manager and even the chief executive officer in various social impact organizations, she says, “This experience and exposure has made me what I am today, and helps me do what I want to do –…
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This organisation charges patients just Rs. 60 (Rs. 20 in urban areas) for a consultation, diagnosis and a week-long supply of medicine
My day at RHCF commenced with a visit to their center on Jyotish Roy Road in Kolkata, which is one of three urban centres that they run. This particular centre is situated on the edge of a slum, whose inhabitants cannot afford to pay for doctor’s appointments nor medicines. This center was set up in…
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This NGO rehabilitates mentally ill women back into society
I arrived at Paripurnata Half-Way Home by auto rickshaw, my first taste of the Indian monsoon season as there had been heavy rainfall the night before. I was greeted by the organisation’s Honorary Secretary, Mr. Prabir Basu, who then went on to share with me details of their operations as well as the daily routine…
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How it began at Paripurnata Half-Way Home
The main force behind Paripunata Half-Way Home is Dr. Joyce Siromoni. A medical graduate (1954) from Christian Medical College, Vellore and D.(Obst.) RCOG from London (1960), Dr. Siromoni has worked in various hospitals in the U.K. and India. She has also been involved in various community health programmes including care of leprosy patients. In 1967…