From understanding autism to empowering women, here are the top five stories you shouldn’t miss
Rajkumari Devi aka Kissan Chachi is encouraging women in her village to take up farming and lead an independent life. Then there are educators working for students with special needs. Here are the top five stories this week that our readers loved.
Inclusive education to reach out to children with special needs
A developmental disorder, autism is characterised by poor social interaction and unusual or repetitive behaviour. The first exclusive school for autism-affected youth, called Open Door, was established in 1994. In the late 1990s, there were 15 such schools across the country according to a report published by the Rehabilitation Council of India.
By the turn of the century, a number of organisations as well as schools began opening up across the country, like Asha, Ashiana, Communication DEALL, Development Centre for Exceptional Children, Priyanj, and We Can. At present, there are more than 40 organisations, special schools, parent support groups, and speech as well as behavioral therapy centres to help people affected with autism. Read more about them here.
IIT Madras' students develop robot to put an end to manual scavenging
Manual scavenging was abolished in 1993, and the ban was again reinforced in 2013. Yet, it continues. In fact, according to a 2018 report by the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK), one person loses their life every five days while cleaning sewers and septic tanks across the country.
To put an end to the manual scavenging menace, state governments are also considering to deploy mechanised systems to clean sewage. However, the Delhi government recently introduced 200 mechanised systems to clean sewage, but each comes with a high price tag of Rs 40 lakh.
Besides the government, students at IIT Madras have developed a feasible solution named Sepoy Septic Tank Robot. The robot is equipped with high-velocity cutters to cut through the thick sludge in septic tanks and clear drains and is priced between Rs 10 lakh to Rs 30 lakh. Read more about the robot here.
Encouraging women in rural Bihar to live independently
Women in rural India have often been relegated to a confined life, living as dependants, first on their father and then their husband.
This, however, was unacceptable for 58-year-old Rajkumari Devi. Hailing from Muzaffarpur, Bihar, Kissan Chachi, as she is fondly known, Rajkumari has been a role model for over 300 women, encouraging them to take up farming to become independent. She now also helps women farmers by helping them grow vegetables, fruits, and grains.
A family split left Rajkumari and her husband with little means to take care of the family. That’s when Rajkumari took matters in her own hands and went on to learn farming at Dr Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University. She grew fruits and vegetables and used the produce to make homemade pickles, jellies, and, jams. Now, Rajkumari has 23 varieties of jams and pickles, which are also sold in metros like Mumbai and Delhi. Read her inspiring story here.
Seeding live food gardens in unused spaces in Mumbai
As vegetables, grains, and fruits are liberally doused with chemicals and fertilisers, there is an increased effort to move towards organic food. To address this growing concern and need to eat healthy, and help citizens consume healthy food, Linesh Narayan Pillai (46) co-founded Urban Green Fate (UGF) Farms in 2017.
The Mumbai-based startup converts unused spaces into live food gardens – which are built in a way that they do no structural damage to buildings.
Over the years, the team has planted over 10,000 kg of micro-greens. It has also educated 4,000 people about the importance of growing food in their home and going organic, and has conducted over 150 activities across multiple locations in Delhi and Mumbai. Read how you can go organic too here.
Instilling the importance of saving the environment among students
Founded by friends Ajay Kumar and Abhishek Chanchal, Teach For Green is a not-for-profit organisation that spreads awareness about green energy, waste management, water conservation and similar sustainable practices among the students.
Teach For Green has signed MoUs with over 10 government schools in Delhi and 30 in Uttarakhand where they have conducted over 45 workshops.
In these workshops, students are taught about waste management practices and how to reduce their dependence on plastic bags by choosing green alternatives like paper and cloth bags. The organisation teaches students to upcycle used plastic bottles and other plastic products from their house to make various items such as pen stands, lamps, and other decorative items.
Following their workshops, as per the organisation’s survey, the plastic waste generated from each home came down from 450 gm to 220 gm. The impact was seen in all the 1,200 homes of students who attended the workshops. Read about the organisation’s other efforts here.