From the Diaries of Initiative for Enlightenment & Development (IFED)

I had the opportunity to know about this Trust through a Facebook page and a friend who knew the members a few months ago. Since then I have been associated with this organisation as an outside supporting member as well. I appreciate the excellent work being done by IFED in the poor areas of Kashmir, on the outskirts of Srinagar mostly. On my visit to Kashmir in July 2017, I got the opportunity to meet the members and be part of a free medical camp conducted by them in the Tribal area of Dignibal.

Here are some glimpses from their diary. In their own words.

Initiative for Enlightenment & Development is a Charitable Trust Registered under Indian Trust Act; 1882.It was setup in order to tackle the problems of poverty in Jammu & Kashmir. Initiative for enlightenment & Development is committed to the welfare of people from the most underprivileged strata of society without distinction caste, Creed or Color.IED emphasis on assisting the children & youth, who are the citizens of tomorrow and the disabled who need support to help them join mainstream society. The learning experience is mutual our volunteers gain perspective and the experience to mould themselves into tomorrow’s leaders.

                  “There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.” 

Member of Initiative for Enlightenment & Development inspecting the feet of a poor girl.

On 16^th of Oct, 2017 the members of Initiative for Enlightenment & Development carry out a survey in the remote area of Dignibal Ganderbal. Dignibal is the village of district Ganderbal situated 12 Km’s away from main area. The purpose of the survey was to get the overall developmental work being carried out in the area. The survey was conducted by means of interacting with all the age group and sex of the village. The survey conducted by IFED throws light on different problems faced by the inhabitants of the village. They lack the facility of Health, Sanitation, Water, Jobs, transportation and Child Care. There is no transportation, health, Job facilities available for the citizens of the area. The area has been left out by everyone; even the Government agencies do not fulfill the basic requirement of the area. In general it was observed that no such initiative to improve the sanitation, health or drinking water facilities has been taken. It would take a person almost 6 hrs in a day to purchase a small packet of Biscuit or Tablet because of no market available in the area Many villagers stated that the youth of the village has no employment opportunity in the area. On the whole the children’s were seen doing the labor work mainly of the age group of 08 to 12 yrs which is an alarming situation. No vocational training centre (Like Tailoring) has been set up for the women /Girls. Widows, orphans have been ignored as well as not any scheme has been implemented in the area.

  

Children doing labor work 

Door To Door Campaign (Medicinal Relief)

On 23rd of Jan, 2017 the volunteers of Initiative for Enlightenment & Development carry out program of providing medicinal relief (including Vaseline, Glycerin) to the people of Dignibal Ganderbal. The weather in the month of January mainly remains wet and it was snow all around and the team of IED walked 12 Km’s by foot to reach the village.

Members walking on foot to reach the village

On reaching the village, the Volunteers visited every single home of the village and provided the medicinal relief to the people. The people of the village are affected by the cold season mainly the children and women are affected as their hands became very rough and itchy

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Members visiting the homes of villagers

 

Checking the Rough Hands of Children

In winters it is very difficult for them to work and earn livelihood for themselves. The intense cold and snow are so harsh that they do not come out of their tents and houses. Our team decided to distribute medicine with (& Glycerin, Vaseline), to give some relief to the Inhabitants.

Providing medicines to Villagers

Mr. Showket Ahmad Khatana: a person with Burnt Leg

During our home to home delivery of medicines we happen to meet one of the young men of the village namely Mr. Showket Ahmad Khatana S/O: Mr. Mohammad Ibrahim Khatana who is 32 years old.  Month earlier an accident happened to him in which he got his leg burnt (from calf to Knee role).When we asked his father about his medication he said, “I was not able to take him to hospital due to bad weather condition, and I got myself injured my right arm got fractured and there is nobody to look after. When we checked the leg of the young man we were stunned.

Burnt Leg of Mr. Showket Ahmad Khatana

As the situation of his leg was very critical we decided to bring him to the hospital, but to his luck Kashmir received the heaviest Snowfall of 25 years during this month and we ourselves were helpless and couldn’t do anything for two days. We approached the Public Health Center Shuhama for the ambulance, initially they gave us the permission to take the Sumo halfway and bring down the patient on Stretcher mid way, but after following them continuously for two days they denied us the Ambulance and told that they couldn’t take the risk of driving ambulance on the slippery hilly road to Dignibal. We were left with no option but to contact the General Physician working in one of the Government Hospital in Kashmir and related all the narrative and showed him the video of the person. He was really moved by watching the video and Pictures of the Injured person and praised all our efforts in proving the some medication to the young man. After   having a deep thought he suggested us to give him the First aid and provided us all the medicines. Due to inclement weather and harsh conditions the team IFED went to Dignibal again to provide the first aid to the young man. It took us almost 2 and half hours to reach the house of injured person.

  

Members of IFED walking on foot to Provide Medication & Dressing to the Burnt Person

After reaching the home of the injured person we tried to provide him the medication in a best possible manner so that the wound get healed up as soon as possible. As we followed the instructions of the Doctor we provided the dressing to him and inspected the wound minutely so that it doesn’t get infected. We provided him the medication in best possible manner and gave him anti infective drugs as well.

 

Dressing up the wound of the Burnt Person

HOMELESS PEOPLE OF VILLAGE

During our second visit we happened to visit few homes of the villagers. But we were astonished to see the houses of the people, and the conditions were so pathetic. In this chilly weather, where the temperature is below (-6 ^oC), the natives mainly women and orphans need to survive without roofs over their head. They are living in small huts made of stray. And we felt that lot of work needs to be done for them especially for the welfare of Women and children. With this initiative of Initiative for Enlightenment & Development a lot needs to be done for the people of the area.

             

                    Members of IFED inspecting the Tents& Sheds of People of the Village

Escorting Burnt Patient to Clinic for Checkup

As the condition of the Burnt Leg of Mr. Showket Ahmad Khatana was not right so, we decided to accompany him to Doctor’s Clinic. We hired a cab and reached Main Dignibal Village. With the help of his mother and other family member Showket Ahmad managed to reach there as it was difficult to walk through dilapidated way covered with snow. As we escorted him to doctor’s clinic and the doctor made a checkup of is wound, he suggested making dressings after every alternate days and he also prescribed some antibiotics & other medicines. After the checkup we purchased some vegetables for the family as they were running out of the stock.

Escorting Mr. Showket Ahmad Khatana (Burnt Person) to Doctor’s Clinic

Visit to Burnt Person’s Home Mr. Showket Ahmad Khatana for Checkup

As Mr. Showket’s injury was critical and Doctor has advised him the dressings after every 2 to 3 days. During that period in Kashmir  the weather remains mainly wet and it was snowing heavily in the upper regions so it was not possible for us to bring him down to Doctor’s clinic again, so our team decided to visit his home and provide him dressings. We as a team brought the first aid medicines and went to his home for the treatment. We manage to check the wound and there was some slight improvement from the previous one and we dressed his wound again.

 

 Socio Economic Survey of Baba Daryadin Area Ganderbal

IFED Team’s main motive is welfare of the people of all sects and from every part of Kashmir. We strive to help the people in need and make suitable arrangements for their living. To get the facts and figures of the poor people our team decided to do a small survey in one of the area of the Ganderbal i.e., Baba Daryadin. It is one of the villages which are located in the hills and the people living here don’t have Medical and Transport Facilities. We met some people of the area and gathered some vital information. The survey conducted gave us some picture about the living habitat and the problems they faced, and our team has decided to include the village in the developmental projects going to start in the later stage.

 

Carrying out the Survey in Baba Daryadin Ganderbal

BE PATIENT WITH PATIENTS WHO ARE NOT PATIENT

As it was necessary to check the wound of the Burnt Person Mr. Showket Ahmad Khatana, so our team again visited his home for the dressing purpose on 18^th Feb 2017, and made a checkup and necessary medication was given to him. The condition of his wound is improving day by day and he is feeling much better than before.

Socio Economic Survey of SanghReshri Khimber Srinagar Area

As carrying out the survey program is the main objective of any organization working for the welfare of the poorest of poor and needy people, we at IFED has privilege to visit few villages of District Srinagar namely, Khimber, Sang Reshi etc. The survey conducted was carried through meeting several people living there and asking different questions regarding their habitat and environment.

 

Team of IFED Interacting with people in SanghReshi Area of Srinagar

IFED’S Poor Families Rehabilitation Program

 

The Team of IFED visited few very poor homes of Villages Wayil and Kondbal Manasbal. The condition of the families living there are so bad that they don’t have bathroom for four houses living together at one place. They live in sheds made of steel sheets. They hardly have any source of income and rely on their house hold expenditure on Begging only. Now with these conditions of these families we intend to help them out and make their living a bit easier rather than comfort for them. Our program of Rehabilitation focuses on those basic requirements of people to be fulfilled so that they do not sleep empty belly.

 

Common Bathroom for Four Families of Wayil Bala

This diary is till February 2017 only since that is the time I got to know about them and this was the profile they sent then. Post that the organisation has done more excellent work. They have improvised since and have big plans like making a toilet for people of Dignibal, who do not have a toilet and bathe in the open. Many don't bathe for this reason, even though there are clear streams.

You can check their activities and reach out to them for providing support on their Facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/ifedganderbal/