LOKMITRA : A FOOTPRINT IN A PATH ================================ LokMitra Dhedhuki, Post Ajmer District : Vinchiya Rajkot 360 055 Gujarat Details of work : ----------------- >From the point of view of programs, Lokmitra has been active in the following: 1. Programs for Education : --------------------------- a. Schools. b. Classes for children in the age group of 5-15 years. c. Night classes for illiterate girls in the age group of 10-17 years. 2. Programs for Environmental Stability : ----------------------------------------- a. Enclosure for the SukhBhadar water accumulation area. b. Construction/Development of watersheds. c. Village Forests. d. Activities to grow more trees and grass on barren lands e. Activities to store water. 3. Programs for Employment : ---------------------------- a. Help for setting up a mini oil-mill. b. Loan/Help to purchase cows. c. (Can't figure this out) d. Distribution of saplings. 4. Programs for Awareness and Unity in people : ----------------------------------------------- a. Insprirational talks for villagers and youth. b. Encouragement for youth unity. c. Getting more involved and helpful in village matters. 5. Health Programs : -------------------- a. First aid centers. b. Help in innoculation/immunisation programs. c. Construction of toilets. 6. Relief Work : ---------------- a. Nutritive food supply. b. Availability of drinking water. ==================================================================== Introduction : -------------- Studied a little - left the village, studied a little more - left the small town, studied a lot - left the country. The meetings of the educated people of our country are not on the topic of 'Bharat' but on 'India' and they are conducted in the western world. This brain drain of India is leading to very heavy losses in the real villages of India. The wealth of the villagers is also being lost in the same process. Large industries, localised finances and an economic policy unfavourable to the villages are depleting these villages. On the other hand, in this world of science, our country is still shackled by the superstitions, false beliefs, caste system, addictions etc. The capiltalistic attitudes along with the democratic system in the political field and struggle for political power are being dreaded. The cultural front appears to be completely vanishing. In this situation, it looks like Gandhiji's views and suggested paths are realistic and ideal for the upliftment of not only India but the entire world at large. Efforts for the upliftment of India through its villages will be better if done in this way. Efforts at various such places will prove to be footprints on the road to the betterment of the entire human race. LokMitra has the hope of being one such footprint and having decided to put in our best, we - a group of friends started this organisation in 1988 in Dhedhuki. State and People : ------------------ Although Panchal is not fully recogonised as a region by itself due to its inclusion in the 4 districts of Saurashtra, it still has a uniqueness from a cultural point of view. Historical descriptions of Panchal. Geogaphically, Panchal has Bhadar, SukhBhadar, Machhu (Beti) and both the Bhogavo rivers. Dedhuki is a very small village in the southern part of Panchal where the SukhBhadar rivers also flows. It has a population of about 950. People have small tracts of land and water is scarce. No one has to sleep with am empty stomach but that does not mean that there is plenty. Very few people are educated. People are hard-working and loving but they are not used to working and moving ahead together. Working Style : --------------- Lokmitra works in a slightly different fashion. We like : 1. Jobs that can be easily defined 2. Involvement and work of the the people who will benefit 3. Work that will help the people come and work togther 4. Active involvement of people in implementation of programs 5. Unification of people to carry the work forward. Work done in this way is right and Lokmitra will try to always work in this fashion. Our aim is to help people and work. We are not driven by reaching set deadlines. We do not work to impress our wellwishers. We are not interested in just putting up a big organisation. Work in the near future : ------------------------- Having worked for so many years in Dhedhukli and undertood it, we feel that that work in the future should be focussed on the following fields : 1. Education : a. Child education. Establish about 10 schools as per the need in the nearby villages. b. Make primary education easily available to all. c. Programs for children who are unable to attend school. d. Programs and financial help for children who wish to study further but are hindered by lack of funds. e. Programs to understand people, develop a force of people and increase their awareness. 2. Environmental Balance : a. Work involving storage of water. b. Improvment of quality of land. c. Planting of trees and development of grasslands. 3. Health : a. Health centers. b. Awareness and education about health. 4. Economic Development : a. Agriculture. b. Agriculture based small scale industries. c. Other village industries. Now we shall proceed on this way. Our progress will depend on the following : 1. Demand from people for programs. 2. Involvement of people in programs. 3. Availability of workers/helpers. 4. Obtaining financial and other resources.