From a socially conscious art initiative to kids recycling plastic waste, the top Social Stories of the week
This week, SocialStory marked one year of the lockdown by writing about people, who have made a difference in the lives of various communities.
is a Mumbai-based artist who combines art with social awareness. Prashant Gade from Madhya Pradesh makes a difference in the lives of disabled people by designing prosthetic arms for free through his Inali Foundation. The children living in an urban slum of Faridabad have taken the lead in environment conservation by recycling plastic waste into eco bricks.
In the run-up to the first anniversary of the nationwide lockdown on March 25, SocialStory wrote about the inspiring efforts of these individuals and others in the last year.
Here are the top Social Stories of the week:
Mumbai-based artist spreading social awareness in slums and villages
Mumbai-based artist Rouble Nagi draws inspiration for her work from the “aam janta” (ordinary people). She wants her art to be accessible and socially relevant.
So, a decade ago, she started the
, not only to showcase her art, but also to serve the masses, especially the underprivileged. The foundation has been working in slums and villages across India to address issues such as education, women empowerment, and employment. It also hosts regular workshops on sanitation and hygiene.Ten inspiring teachers who ensured learning continued for marginalised children
When the lockdown was implemented, several educational institutions started conducting online classes for their students. As many low-income households bought their first smartphones in 2020, children in these families got access to virtual learning. However, many others still could not afford smartphones. A number of individuals and NGO ensured that such children did not fall behind in their education.
SocialStory listed the efforts of some teachers and individuals, who went out of their way to educate marginalised children.
Prashant Gade designs free prosthetic arms for the poor
More than 500,000 people lose their limbs every year across the world; of them, close to 40,000 are in India. Prashant Gade found that 85 percent of such individuals in India were living without a solution simply because it was beyond their means.
After several trials, errors, and hardships, Prashant, who hails from Madhya Pradesh, founded the
. It provides free prosthetic arms with advanced sensory technology to the poor.How indigenous tribes of India have been conserving water for centuries
According to a March 2021 UNICEF report, more than 1.42 billion people, including 450 million children, are living in areas of high or extremely high water vulnerability. Of them, 20 million children are in India.
Potable water is predicted to become one of the rarest natural resources in our lifetimes. Therefore, conserving water should be a priority. Traditional water conservation techniques have existed in India for centuries. SocialStory identified some indigenous techniques and innovations across the country that help conserve water.
A community of children recycling plastic into eco bricks to build benches in their slum
Autopin, an urban slum near Faridabad, is plagued by several issues. With garbage strewn everywhere, the stench from the drains makes the area almost unliveable. The children of Autopin decided to bring about a change, so they initiated a plastic recycling programme.
The children collect the plastic waste generated in their respective households and also ask neighbours to separate plastic from other waste. The plastic waste collected every month is converted into eco bricks, which are used to make benches.
Edited by Lena Saha