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Tales from the Island of Serendip
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8,956 posts in this topic

We'll be sending additional resources to pay for an internet connection, and to establish a bank account. The internet connection will enable them to connect with a wider world for the first time; while the bank account will give Roshni genuine independence, which has now become a critical step. I do find it ironic that both the banks and the Indian Government demand exorbitant fees before granting official charitable status to such groups. By their standards these fees are astronomical, and it must prove to be a real barrier to progress. More news soon.

 

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His name was Luke. He was the only son of one of our charity's vulnerable clients, and he was a light bringer.

 

A few months ago, he moved to Berlin, where he set up a new business with some friends. The future seemed very bright, so to celebrate, he and his friends went to a nearby club. They stayed until the early hours. When they got up to leave, Luke was the first of the group through the door. As he stepped out, he was confronted by a stranger wielding a gun. The stranger shot him in the stomach at point blank range. Luke died there on the street in the arms of his friends.

 

Luke had helped and inspired people all over the world - mourners came from as far afield as Japan and Mauritius.They stood shoulder to shoulder in the aisles. More people stood outside than could fit within. I have never seen a church so crowded.

 

His parents are a retired couple. He was their only son. His friends started a fundraiser, 'Justice for Luke', to help his parents travel back and forth to Berlin for the trial, which is at last nearing its end. This they hope will give them closure. But after the trial, what purpose then? I have feared for them.

 

Two weeks ago, I told them about Roshni, Luke's mother sat silently through my slideshow, watching it three times.

 

Of Roshni, his mother said, 'that's the sort of thing Luke would have done'.

 

Now his parents want to donate the remaining funds from 'Justice for Luke' to help Roshni.

 

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'The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.'

[John 1:5]

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'They rehearsed in Roshni's room for a whole month ...last two days they rehearsed till midnight...Impact was mixed...We are planning for the follow up at earliest...'

 

'Roshni has planned to organize two events - one in November and another in February.

 

'1st one for giving values to the distressed women and the 2nd one to involve community with them. '

 

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Rajabazar slum is situated in the 28 no ward of Kolkata Municipal Corporation(KMC) and an overpopulated as well as neglected slum of the southern periphery of KMC, Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Prime problem of the area is living space and basic amenities. However, they have access to electricity but limited water, no drainage system and missing other facilities required to survive in a metropolitan city. Their major economic activities include working in the tannery, petty trading (including drugs), handicrafts as well as flesh trading and smuggling arms. However, pirated shoe, designer bag and hand embroidery production also plays key role in generating income for the poor families living in that area. Each family share a 8 ft by 10 ft room dividing it to two parts - upper and lower to give it a two stories feeling for the dwellers. They share everything and have no private space not only for adolescent boys or girls but also for the adults. Importantly, literacy rates are well below the average of Kolkata and education above the higher secondary schools is a luxury for the pupils.

 

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Here, like in most parts of economically backward region of India, women are the most discriminated, even though they form about 50% of the over 39,000 population. Majority of the slum dwellers were Muslims and their so called religious leaders of the Mosques consider women and girls as the weaker part of their community.

 

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Women do not have any voice in the family or in the community and neither can they inherit any property or own space anywhere in the slum. They are just used as a commodity and sometimes they were sold by their family members. They do however have to take care of many responsibilities, such as preparing meals, looking after the home, raising children, fetching water, and working in the small factories to earn their own meal, work which remains unvalued by the dominating patriarchal society. This means that many issues specifically affecting women and children, including access to water, healthcare and education, are not deemed important by the community decision makers: the men.

 

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In this context mainly with the support of Ms. Sahina Javed, 28, an unmarried woman residing with her family of 3 brothers and parents in the Rajabajar slum Roshni grew up. She has lived all her life in Rajabajar area and has this to say: “Right from when I was born, men have always been the only ones to take decisions in the family and community. If a man has only female daughters, he has to immediately look for another wife that can bear him a male child. If not he even deserted his family members and settle elsewhere.” According to her female members of the family consider wife battering, sexual harassment are the legal rights of the men. Female members of the family denied good quality education and early marriage is a common phenomenon for them. Even she faced the same when she was only 16. She was taken to Pakistan by her father to one of their relatives house and almost settled her marriage. However, due to her presence of mind she escaped the situation but still struggles everyday for empathy in her own house.

 

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In the community women are considered as the child bearer or male child bearer machine. Further analysis of the situation with the core group of Roshni revealed that factors reinforcing these inequalities are quite complex and layered. Firstly, as because women are not organized they could not speak with one voice and be heard. Awareness and skills to take on their issues as part of the community is lacking. There is no common platform that propels their concerns and promotes their rights as members of the community. This is continuously compounded by the strong mesh of local beliefs and cultural systems that promote ignorance and wide spread misconceptions about roles women can or cannot play in the community. For example, it is considered a taboo for a woman to be seen near the place where major community decisions are taken. The men believe that they will lose their rights, well being and properties once a female participates in decision making, as they believe it is mentioned in their religious scriptures. This critical situation and misconception over the years had come to be respected and instituted by the patriarchal elites and this had perpetually widened the vicious cycle of poverty, promoted low self- esteem, aggravated ignorance, promoted illiteracy and powerlessness and increased fear and resignation to fate among the women.

 

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