Bengaluru February 04: Samartha Bharata, an NGO promoting social voluntarism, organised a unique 9-day residential camp Social Transformation Empowerment Program (STEP) in which 67 youth participated. Eminent personalities like Dr Deviprasad Shetty, Swami Paramananda, Mukul Kanitkar, Dr MK Shridhar, Ravikumar Iyer and many others participated as resource persons.
STEP Camp Report – January 2016
Social Transformation Empowerment Program (STEP) is an initiative of SamarthaBharata, to promote social activism in society.
In November 2015, Samartha Bharata conceptualized the Social Transformation Empowerment Program (STEP). STEP focuses on empowering and connecting College Students and Professionals to various Social organizations which are already into different facets of social transforming initiatives.
STEP is divided into two phases. Phase-I is a weeklong orientation camp to enable volunteers to understand the Lifecycle of Social Transformation initiatives, and to interact personally with leading Social activists and their activities. Phase-II is a Sixmonth long execution activity where social volunteers pursue and work in a social project of his/her choice under the guidance of a Social Activist or NGO, and expects volunteers to submit a Social Impact report on his/her social transformation initiative by the end of Phase-II.
STEP conducted its firstOrientation camp from January 23rd to 31st, 2016 in Dayananda Sagar Academy of Technology and Management (DSATM), Kanakapura Road campus(near Art of Living Ashram), Bangalore. The STEP camp was formally inaugurated on 120th birthday of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose by Swamini Pramananda of Purna Vidya, and presided by Prof. Lakshmikanth, Principal, DSATM.
A typical day in the camp starts with a wake-up call at 5:45am, Yoga session from 6:15am- 7:15am, Chintana from 7:15am-7:35am, Presentations, Discussions, Workshops, Field Trips, Games and Interactions spread over 6 sessions from 9:00am – 8:30pm, and ended with an informal entertainment program from 9:00pm – 10:00pm.
This STEP camp had 67 participants (35 College boys, 24 College girls, 8 Professionals) from 11 Colleges (NMIT, BMS, MIT, Vemana IT, Jain University, PESIT, Vivekananda, DSI, Bangalore University), 3 Corporates (Bhoruka, HCL, Zemomm), and 3 NGOs (UsiriGaagiHasiru, BloodWithYouForEver, Yooth For Seva YFS). This camp was planned and organized by a dedicated team of 10 full-time volunteers and 12 part-time volunteers.
This STEP camp focused on the session topics from 8 social segments (Education, Health, Rural, Urban, Policy, Media, Environment, NGO enablement), covered 32 sessions by 28 eminent speakers. The topics covered, sector specific issues, motivational and ideological concepts. Some of the sessions include:
– ‘Social Work – Meaning, necessity and philosophical perview on social work’ by SwaminiPramananda(desiple of Swami Dayananda saraswathi), PurnaVidya. ‘Methodical approach to Social Transformation’ by Vishnu Swaminathan, Ashoka
Foundation
– ‘Social Re-Engineering’ – concept and meaning by Dr. Chitra, Arohi Research Foundation
– ‘Education system and the way Ahead’ by Prof. MK Sridhar, Ex. Chairman, Knowledge
Commission, Karnataka
– ‘Social Re-Engineering starts from within’ by Sri. Raghuram, SVYASA
– ‘Social challenges and opportunities in Health Sector’ by Dr. Devishetty, CEO Narayana
Hrudhayalaya Hospitals
– ‘Life and Message of Swami Vidyaranya and Swami Vivekananda’ by DrArathiSubramaniam
– ‘Awareness on Social and National security’ by Lft.Gen PD Kamanth (Rtd)
– ‘Village Development – a vision and mission for life’ by Shri Popat Rao,Hiware Bazar, Maharastra
– ‘A development vision – Building India’s Human and Social Capital’ by Dr. Balasubramaniam, Vivekananda Youth Foundation
– ‘India Genius’ by Ma. Ravikumar Iyer, HSS Pracharak
– ‘Rise and establishment of New Israel’ by Sri. Santhosh, BJP National Joint Organizing Secretary
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This STEP camp conducted field visits to 8 social organizations including:
– AbhalaAshrama – Women Empowerment
– Manonandhana – Mentally Challenged Children
– AnadhaShishuNivas – Child Care
– Rashtotthana Blood Bank&Thalesemia Center – Health Care
– Vanashri-Natural Farming-Doddamarulavadi- Agriculture
– Sidhi Samadhi Yoga Samsthanam – Rehabilitation of Jail & Disabled, Organic Farming
– Art of Living – Spiritual Center
– People Tree Hospital – First Aid Training
This STEP camp conducted a ‘SocialVolunteer-NGOs’ meet with 15 NGOs (Narayana
Hrudayalaya, Forward Foundation, KrishiPrayogParivar, BharatiyaSikshana Mandal, Youth For
Seva, SAKSHAM, Arohi Research Foundation, FINS, Disha, KSS, Abhyudaya, Swadeshi Jagaran
Munch, SVYASA etc..), presenting 35 social projects, and assisted the Camp participants in
selecting 15 social projects to work as part of STEP Phase-II. The Phase-II projects include:
– Rural Energy sustainability development
– Education Policy – Data Analysis
– Rethinking of the Rape debate in India
– Survey of Roof-top Solar PV and Solar Energy Audit
– App development for Organic Produce Marketing – KrishiPrayogParivar
– YFS – App development
– Portability of Pond water
– Conducting Medical Camps – Narayana Hrudyalaya
– Ground water analysis and Lake Restoration
– Survey and analysis of Green patches in and around Bangalore – Aranya Climate
Changes Services
– Serving mentally challenged children – SAKSHAM
This STEP camp concluded on 31st Jan, 2016, with the participants sharing their experiences about the camp, and performing Bharath Matha poojan. Prof. CPS Prakash, Principal of DSI presided, and Shri Mukundji addressed the gathering on the Valedictory function.
About Samartha Bharata:
Samartha Bharata is a social platform encouraging and empowering Social Volunteering and Social Activism in the Society.In August 2014, a first of its kind program was conducted where 3800 social volunteers participated in a two day camp in Palace Grounds, Bangalore,and discussed over 50+ current social activities in Karnataka, which enabled 72 social volunteers to become full-time social activists.SamarthaBharata also initiated Vivek Band, a goodness initiative in January 2015 to campaign and motivate the cause of ‘BeGood, DoGood’ especially among youth.
www.samarthabharata.org
