Rejuvenate India Movement

The genesis of Rejuvenate India Movement (RIM) was in the USA in November 1999, by Non-Resident Indians inspired by Dr. Parameswara Rao, a scientist t Read moreurned developmental worker who has been working in rural India since the 1960’s after his return from the USA. RIM started its activities in India in March 2000 and was then led by Dr. H. Sudarshan, a Padmashree and a Right Livelihood Award Winner who continues to be in the Governing Body of the organisation after handing over the leadership to Mr A L Rangarajan, an active developmental worker in the field of education. RIM currently works on the following initiatives: · Samaj Shilpi (Grass roots Community Facilitator) · Menstrual Hygiene Education and Management · Post-10th Scholarships for girls and Career Counseling in schools · School Libraries a) 'Samaj Shilpi (Grass roots Community Facilitator)' is RIM's flagship program and is founded upon the belief that in every community there exist at least a handful of people who have the motivation and voluntarily give their time to change their lives for the better. These village volunteers are called Samaj Shilpis. RIM identifies and trains these Samaj Shilpis on the various schemes and programs and how to assist the villagers to access the same. All Samaj Shilpis are digitally literate and aware of the online application processes needed for many government schemes. The villagers contact the Samaj Shilpi who gives further information on the schemes the specific beneficiary is eligible for and assists the beneficiary in applying for the same.   b)The School Library is an initiative to strengthen school libraries in government schools as a measure to improve reading skills of the students. This an activity-based library program that assesses the reading levels of children and guides them to read books at their skill levels and helps improve their reading comprehension and fluency at a pace that they are comfortable with. RIM uses a methodology called the GROWBY reading methodology, designed by the Hippocampus reading Foundation. http;//hippocampus.in/html/home.html. In this methodology, books are graded and color coded. Students are then assessed for their reading and comprehension levels. This helps students select books based on their reading levels and slowly progress to higher reading levels. A period is allocated for use of the library and students from different classes use the library as per their time-table. c) Post-10th Scholarships for Girls: We sponsor post-10th education for rural girls coming from extremely poor families. This ensures that girls are not left behind because of lack of family resources and allowed to pursue higher education. The post-matric scholarship initiative, identifies girls who are keen on pursuing vocational courses or higher studies, but are at a risk of dropping out due to financial constraints. Girls are identified with the support of school teachers, Anganwadi workers, SHG members and village Panchayat members. This is followed by home visits. Preference is given for orphanage girls, single parent and children living in critical situation. The scholarship amount meets part of the estimated expenditure. Community facilitators also work with families of these girls to link them with social security benefits , schemes and other scholarship programs to cover the remaining requirements. Home visits are done to follow up on the progress of students. d) Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) is fundamental to the dignity of women and girls and must become an integral part of basic public health services to which every woman and girl has a right. MHM also cuts across many vulnerabilities and sectors. Unlike many other efforts in MHM that are focused on supply of clean absorbents of the disposable kind, RIM focuses on providing women and girls with education so that they can make an informed choice to manage it using a sustainable option. We try to create an environment where girls and women where there is no fear,shame or hesitation in discussing menstruation. We train women in making their own cloth pads and helped set up reusable cloth pad making units in rural areas.