Antevasin

This is not my first attempt to write a blog post, or make a portfolio. Every single time I fail so miserably that the I have more than 20 portfolio/blog templates in my drive killing space. Very simple, this is an attempt to tell people how good and inspirational the people I meet are, how important they are and how much I value for the value they leave in me. Starting from Teachers to Parent to Friends to Colleagues to Vendors to Strangers to this endless list of change makers.

It was in the year 2013 I found there was an acceleration in the way things worked till then, the only thing I did differently was to use what I always had. One year working with an NGO and in college I could see myself surrounded by a lot of people who wanted to make a positive change in the way things worked. Only thing I was sure at those times, was things were changing. as soon as things changed there were a lot of opportunities, chances and events which took the years by storm. I could recollect n such events, n such evenings, where I’ve just stood like that, and I could only thank the universe to let me be with these people.

I came across the word Antevasin, few weeks ago in the movie, “Eat,Love and Pray”, it means someone who lives by the border. It was fascinating, so was everything. It was a calculated risk to move away from Cochin after college, I longer wanted to bind me anywhere, at this time. I just wanted to pass by places, meet people, and I ended up here in Nashik. Different place, but same love and passionate people. It’s a social innovation lab, tailor made, Ideal. I’m palnning to move to Dharmshala after this for another fellowship, I don’t know how long and even now only thing I’m sure of is to travel, meet new people, new places.

I’ll try to pen down here the inspiration and awesomeness people leave me with in pursuit of my attempt to live by the border.

What is the need to belong?

There are numerous ways to be a part of the society, contribute to its growth, culture building and help in getting to its peak. Off late, we see that all of us are curious for that tag of “urbanized”, but when this happen on one side of the city there is another side still poached in darkness. Yes it’s a fact, the people living in shelter homes, refugee camps, families in slums, not all in a position they made into, but the society had to sacrifice them for some others unperturbed lifestyle. The chai-walla, the panipuri-walla, the cobbler, the fisherman and the roadside vendor, their families their dreams, all drawn with the same ink and blood.

While there are a number of factors working hard to pull them off from this situation, there are another numerous factors pulling them back to more hardship, or these factors prefer them breathing the same air. For these numerous reasons of social, economic and cultural discrepancy end up being subject to exploitation, abusive and victims of corruption. They are always well used by the other part, as domestic servants, vote banks and as other-job people.

Zooming out, we can see all these problems appear not because they choose it; but because they are not able make the distinctions with the choices. It’s a branch of illiteracy, where the choice to stay blind is very easy to make. Thus end up in all kinds of vulnerable and exploitable positions. It is here, the youth can take ownership over!

Why youth?!  It is a matter of inspiration, as someone rightly said, “To teach is great, but to inspire is divine”. Belong foundation, is a network of dedicated volunteers who are committed to bring aid to this cause, by setting aside a part of their time to come down to remote ailing villages in the city and fight along with the biggest threat to society, the Negligence and Illiteracy. By inspiring it’s most influential and promising generation, the kids. We live in this certificate centric world where we all are categorized for certificates and honors. Belong Foundation, with the help of their volunteer base; predominantly from the college going community help them with after school support and assistance all around the year to ensure they don’t end up elsewhere.

Not in a short span, but this action will definitely have an impact in shaping their careers or at least their choice when it comes to the big question, “Where should I Belong?”! End of the day, it would be that one small conversation that might have inspired that little kid who could have ended up as another driver or Rikshawalla to someone equally contributing the society to reach that same peak. Summing up, “There is no reason for you to choose not to Belong”.

I Belong, It’s your turn!

What am I trying to do today?

This is not very ordinary what I’m trying to do today, in fact this has been one dream that had been conceived more than two years back and I had to sit down on this. Everyone, whoever it is has to go through a learning curve before finding their own identity and true mission entrusted upon. Here, I am trying to read through the SA1 topics of classes 1 to 10 and coming up with a relatively similar pattern for easy understanding.

I do not know If it will be easy, or simplified or even tougher, but it should question a lot of status quo. The way things are taught now, has to be changed and that is the only thought I’m sure about now.

I thought writing down what I need to do right now, would make more sense because I always had the feeling I take the plate full, be it in the table or with works. I will keep doing to, worst possible outcome would be failure, which is fine! I like things which are fine!

Okay so here I am, and these are the things I need to do ASAP, I need to come up with a 40 minute package with games, simulations, video calls, videos relevant for Classes 1 to 10 before the 24th for iteration, I need to follow it up with new contents once in two weeks till March. So that’s almost it!

I also need to make game development documents for close to 322 educational concepts and talk with possible educational institutions who can sign the MoU for part of its development.

I also will have to complete the online course before the deadline(19/12/2016).

Lemme get these done, right now as it feels a little less heavier. Things sorted out and roaring for improvement.