All Photographs By: Simon Williams
RACHNA (CONSTRUCTION)
Ekta Parishad strongly believes in Constructive Engagement which allows building self-reliance in its true sense.
Since 1978, nearly 25,000 grassroots leaders have been trained who are active in villages across the various States of India. It is one of the most popular and iconic interventions of Ekta Parishad. These Youth Camps, meant for leadership training, are also known as nursery of Social Activists. In general, a 3-day residential camp of 100 persons from the villages is organized which allows them to realize their own positive energies to change the society.
Youth Camps towards generating Grassroots Leadership from the Villages
Started in the Early 1980s in Chambal Valley, it received tremendous responses from the youth and local people. Shramdan camps are where a community agrees to work together through its labor contribution on a project, such as de-silting the village pond, clearing a water channel, construction of small check dams for water conservation, plantation of trees, etc. These actions provide long term benefits to the community. This type of initiative is quite common in relief and rehabilitation programs and the participants are likely to get a meal from grains donated to/by Ekta Parishad or other lead organization in place of wages.
Organizing Shramdan Camps