The city lends a helping hand when you need it most. And this stretches to just about every entity in the city. There are counselling centres for alcohol and drug addicts, helplines for runaway children, battered women and even harassed husbands. They lend a patient ear to every socio-economic group and offer solutions to all the problems needling you. These could range from career counselling, unhappy relationships, substance abuse, corruption, unresponsive administration and so on. Some helplines like Sahai are exemplary in their service towards people with suicidal tendencies. Infosys Foundation and the Azim Premji Foundation are doing their bit to help out too. As part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), several companies regularly conduct programmes of social relevance and give back to society in their own way. Several foreign universities like Cornell, St Louis, Princeton, Berkeley, Bill Gates Foundation and Ford Foundation are supporting several NGOs in the city. For Ashraya, a residential school for children of migrant labourers, funding come from Cornell University whereas Concern for Working Children which works to eradicate child labour is supported by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
The variety
Bengaluru has a whole spectrum of voluntary groups funded by philanthropic individuals and corporate for social upliftment. The areas of work are as vast as life itself and range from environment, women, children, senior citizens, civic upkeep, animal welfare, HIV/Aids, cancer, consumer rights, arts & crafts, street children, human rights, substance and alcohol abuse among others. It is estimated that the city has more than 700 slums and squatter settlements, containing over one million people, all characterised by poor housing, over crowding and a lack of basic services. Many voluntary groups are trying the disadvantaged through a range of services. Some NGOs have self-help groups that act as a platform for discussion, taking initiatives and participating in community development. Take for example the Karnataka Rajya Vijnana Parishat. This government-sponsored NGO promotes and inculcates scientific temper among children and the youth through exhibitions, seminars and workshops. Another NGO Mythri not only trains young people and women but also provides opportunities to obtain loans for setting up their own businesses.
Mythri trains young people and women in baking, laundry, housekeeping, customer relations, communication or home nursing and also assists them in finding jobs.
Prof NS Ramaswamy, founder director of IIMB and head of Cartman, an NGO, runs a vet clinic that renders free service to stray animals, organises demos on solar devices and rainwater harvesting and brings out newsletters and journals on a host of social and environment issues. He also conducts HRD programmes for civic utility services like Bescom, BBMP and BMTC so they are courteous and responsive at work. The Indian Heritage Academy celebrates life itself by conducting various programmes on music, dance, yoga, meditation, painting, senior citizens, religion, social festival, lectures on public affairs and philosophy.
Bosco has contact points wherever street youth are found in large numbers – bus stands, markets, railway stations, parking lots, small hotels and slums. The idea is to reach out to street and working children and integrate them into society’s mainstream.
You can help too
Most voluntary groups are always in need of donations and volunteers. Some have specific requirements like food, clothing, shelter and so on. It’s best to enquire with the groups and see where you can do your bit. Take Sampark for example. They are seeking highly independent and self-motivated individuals to research subjects like livelihoods analysis, gender and development, environment, micro-credit, and contribute to the organisation’s requirements like fundraising and publicity. NGOs will tell you that the work is often difficult, sometimes even frustrating, but ultimately rewarding. Everybody contributes, and everybody grows. This just about sums up the experience in any city NGO. You only need to have the money, time or passion to accomplish this.
Reigning in NGOs
Karnataka has finally decided to throw a lasso at non-governmental organisations and other voluntary groups which receive funds from government and external agencies. As majority of these NGOs and trusts are not accountable for the funds they receive and use, the government has decided that it is high time a regulatory mechanism is put in place. The government will soon bring out a legislation to control the NGOs. What is more alarming is that bureaucrats (both serving and retired) are associating themselves with NGOs. Government sources contend that these bureaucrats, who are adept in the art of sourcing funds, use the NGO tag to hide their personal financial details. A majority of the bureaucrats or their family members are directors or members of some NGO or the other, according to government sources. Even politicians are either starting voluntary organisations or becoming members. In Bangalore urban district alone, there are about 50,000 voluntary organisations which receive crores of rupees every year. The sectors in which NGOs show great interest are education, rural development, social justice, forest and environment, health care and labour.
SOME HELPLINES
* Bosco’s Internet-based database allows families to register details of their missing child on the following sites: http://www.missingchildsearch.net, http://www.homelink.in.
* Women and children can take the help of the women’s helpline (Vanita Sahaya Vani – 1091, 2294 3225) or children’s helpline (Makkala Sahaya Vani – 1098) houses in the compound of the police commissioner’s office on Infantry Road
* The Elders Helpline (1090) is done in partnership with police officials, legal and security experts, volunteers and members of Nightingales Elders Enrichment Centre and other NGOs.
PS: You can only dial the toll-free helplines from a landline number, not a cellphone. Which is a pity.