Rukmini’s dance troupe beamed the divine messages of Kali, Durga and Devi, electrifying an audience that had arrived all the way from the suburbs of the city to enjoy the experience.
“This was a mesmerizing evening,” said an 80-year-old woman, whose face glowed with happiness. “I loved the emotional experience of dancing with Rukmini Vijaykumar in my heart.”
The show was widely covered in many TV channels and the Bangalore Mirror, helping to spread SIB’s message of women’s empowerment and education.
]]>SIB also sponsored Pooja Mansukhani. As a child, she played barefoot in the narrow lanes of her hometown, hoping to don a real jersey someday. But being financially challenged, she had to set her dream aside and support her family. Today, at 33, she is a logistics superviser and takes care of her family singlehandedly.
Silicans Football Academy featured SI’s logo on their jerseys at the tournament.
]]>SIB charted a special, illuminating course on its 21st Charter Anniversary at the Bangalore Room, with India’s Fit India Ambassador, Wanita Ashok, giving SIB wonderful lessons on how to stay Healthy and well as Happy.
Wanita Ashok, who has a long list of awards to her credit, including the Naada Kempegowda Award and Karnataka Rathnashri Award, gave SIB women lessons on staying happy and healthy throughout life. What is her secret?
“Persistence is the twin sister of excellence. One is a matter of quality the other, a matter of time,” she said. Never ever give up. Always dip into yourself and push yourself to reach the skies, she added.
The Charter Day celebration marked a special chapter in SIB’s own evolution towards optimising its goals and activities.
]]>A film titled ‘Traded’, directed by Simran Arora and Harshit Bawa, highlighted the trauma as well as plight of female survivors from Kadiri, Andhra Pradesh and how the horrors of their trafficked lives have found some solutions.
Four women activists who have been battling for the women were honoured by SIB:
Rovina, a Senior Specialist at Vihaan, who fights human trafficking and modern-day slavery. She has been a dedicated advocate for 30 years and takes up issues of gender justice, child protection and capacity building. She has worked to support vulnerable groups, shape policies and strengthen systems for a just society. Rovina leads the Gender Sensitisation and People-friendly Police Project, improving police interaction with women and children. Her work in training law enforcement and developing key manuals has made a lasting impact.
Sherlin Anthony, a Senior Specialist in Programme Intervention at Vihaan, leads the South Zone to ensure rescue, rehabilitation and reintegration of trafficked survivors. Through 13 years, she has played a crucial role in strengthening aftercare services, training teams and shaping policies for victim protection. She is a Resource person for Karnataka’s Police Academy, contributes to key state-level committees on anti-trafficking and child rights. She makes efforts to transform lives and systems for a safer, more just society.
Sister Susheela Rayappa, founder of Jnana Mandira Children’s Home, Halasuru, in 2008, works under the Society of St John Paul II. A high school teacher of 34 years, she is also a diploma holder in adult and family counselling. She has changed the lives of many children and young women, bringing them closer to financial independence, reclaiming self-respect and reaching out for the stars to achieve their dream lives.
Pallabi Ghosh, a tireless worker for rescuing and rehabilitating survivors, is also supporting law enforcement in raids and answering countless distress calls everyday. She has built an army of 75,000 to combat trafficking. Her journey began when she was 14 years and saw the anguish of a father searching for his missing daughter. It sparked a lifelong mission, leading to the establishment of the Impact and Dialogue Foundation, a beacon of hope in the fight against modern slavery.
The evening was a special one, documenting lives and solutions.
]]>The glittering function of the ‘11th Corporate Social Responsibility Summit and CSR Times Awards 2024’ was organised by CSR TIMES (a periodical on corporate social responsibility) along with the Goa CSR Authority, on August 22. There were 92 awardees among 20,000 entries.
Dignitaries at the ceremonial handover included Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant and Sadanand Shet Tanavade (Member of Rajya Sabha), Subhash Phal Dessai (State Minister for Social Welfare) among other business leaders and CSR professionals.
The Fistful of Grains (FOG) project, which was seeded by SIB in 2012, more than a decade ago, has spread its branches to benefit hundreds across India, as it was adopted as a NASI national project.
SIB distributes reusable bags to elite schools and asks students to fill them with nutritious foodgrains. After a month, SIB collects the bags and donates the grains to orphanages, remand homes or schools for the underprivileged.
The thrust is to link donors with deserving donees.
It was designed, firstly, to provide balanced, nutritious meals to underprivileged children and secondly, to instill compassion, generosity and a sense of social responsibility among privileged children. It has also helped to give employment to women making jute bags.
The following services have been rendered by FOG:
- The grains collected focus on nutritional support, including essential carbohydrates, proteins and vitamins. It aims to address malnutrition, stunting and wasting, developing immunity, reducing illnesses and enabling children to attend school regularly.
- The thrust on food provides enhanced cognitive development for success and economic well-being.
- The scheme promotes social equity and inclusion, ensuring that children from disadvantaged backgrounds get equal access to nutritious food.
- It gives support for families, alleviating some financial burden, so that they can redirect their limited resources to healthcare and education, improving the overall quality of life for the entire family.
- It ensures long-term economic, social and community benefits. Well-nourished children are more likely to become productive and contributing adults, breaking the cycle of poverty and improving social cohesion.
- FOG also teaches privileged children to empathise, sensitise and become emotionally intelligent. It fosters personality development and conflict resolution, as the students become more supportive, cooperative and resolve conflicts with understanding, instead of aggression. It also helps to bust their own stress, anxiety and depression.
The project addresses the following SDGs:
SDG 1: No poverty; SDG 2: Zero hunger; SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being; SDG 8: Decent .Work and Economic Growth, SGD 10: Reduced Inequality, SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, SDG 17: Partnership
He explained the genesis of colour therapy and how it works with the natural rhythms of the body, mind, and spirit to restore balance and harmony. He demonstrated healing for some who had chronic pain and stiffness and created a protocol for the patients. He drew the patients into gentle conversations, building up the morale of caregivers, giving them hope and appreciating their efforts to keep the inmates calm and happy.
SIB distributed three sets of sketch pens, biscuits and juice packets.
The members witnessed the profound positive impact of the sessions that made the patients calm and less irritable. “This was a miraculous experience. We thank you for introducing us to colour therapy and its benefits,” said one member.
]]>The team wanted to convert a barren area into a fertile, flourishing centre. Each SIB member planted a sapling, put up name boards and promised to visit regularly for maintenance.
Botanist Dr Pratibha and SIB’s counsellors discussed various eco-friendly and sustainable living concepts and conducted quizzes to generate active interest in environment-friendly living, reducing our footprint by recycling and reusing.
]]>She was referring to a self-defence workshop conducted by SIB and Rotary Midtown, with trainers from the Karnataka Martial Arts Federation, on May 25, for 40 students and teachers of Shrushti Degree College. It was the second workshop in a series following a December 2023 session.
“The instructors were exceptional, making the techniques accessible to everyone and their dedication truly inspired us,” added another student.
The girls were mostly first-generation college learners from rural areas, who needed to feel empowered to travel and stay alone in the city. The programme was a great chance to help them emerge out of their shells. They were made to exercise and practise, building up their confidence to address challenges.
]]>SIB collected three tonnes, or 3,000 kilograms of foodgrains to feed 30,000 mouths.
Partnering with ‘Lets do some good’ and ‘Social Creds & Gift of time’ in 2022 (Sept to Dec) and 2023 (Nov-Dec), SIB distributed eco-friendly jute bags to 10 elite schools and apartments. The donees were encouraged to fill the bags, each of which could hold 1.5 kilogrammes, sealed with a drawstring or Velcro.
SIB collected the packed bags and donated them to eight underprivileged organisations. As one tonne of grains can make 10,000 meals, SIB has helped to feed 30,000 mouths!
About 10 underprivileged women were employed to stitch about 3,000 eco-friendly jute bags.
SIB members also visited the schools with partners to give some talks about nutrition, eco-friendly materials, livelihoods, social service and SIB’s brand activities. SIB distributed 3,000 certificates for the children.
SIB thus scaled up its ongoing Fistful of Grains project, which was adopted by NASI’s 18 clubs in 2021. The project helped SIB to tackle eight SDGs: 1 (No poverty); 2 (Zero Hunger); 3 (Good Health and Well-Being); 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth); 10 (Reduced inequalities); 12 (Responsible consumption and production); 13 (Climate Action) and 17 (Partnership for the goals).
In the heat and noise of the bustling city, the sturdy building of the Doddanekundi Higher Secondary Government School has been a beacon for many underprivileged children through the years, even if it is not in very good condition today. SIB adopted the school for many welfare activities. Here are a few:
Workshop on menstrual hygiene
October 25
· Vidya, a subject matter expert from Women of the World (WOW), gave a talk on menstrual hygiene and distributed sanitary kits to 167 students.
· Many more were distributed at Nekkundi Primary school.
· SIB handed over 24 sets of sports T-shirts and shorts for girls, who had already specified their requirements.
· A smartboard was donated to the 8th grade in collaboration with Yuva Foundation.
Workshop for Medicinal Plants (September 9)
· The ‘Eco Guardians Club’ of 20 students, set up by SIB, kickstarted its first project.
· A workshop on medicinal plants for 8th and 9th standard students was conducted by SIB member Dr Prathibha Vinay, a renowned palynologist. She spoke about the benefits of herbs for primary health care.
· About 50 medicinal plants were donated, which will be nurtured by the Eco Guardians Club.
World Environment Day (June 5)
· SIB commemorated World Environment Day (June 5) on the 10th. It screened a Kannada documentary, ‘Gandhada Gudi’, to 8th grade students, in which the famous film actor, Puneet Rajkumar, talked about preserving flora and fauna and avoiding plastic pollution.
· It was followed by a quiz that had an award of a solar lantern for the topper.
· Meanwhile, 9th and 10th grade students were tuned into informative talks on Medicinal Plants, Waste segregation and Management.
· SIB gave Grade 10 students 900 notebooks – six sets of 100-page notebooks each.
· SIB also launched the ‘SI Eco Guardians Club’ for students.
Science Museum (August 30)
SIB funded an educational science trip and lunch for middle-school girls to the Visveswaraya Science Museum.
Fellowships (July 10)
SIB paid Rs 28,500 as pre-university college admission fees for the daughter of a maid. She completed her 10th grade with flying colours and wants to study further in order to take her family out of the poverty circle.
Softboards (March 3)
About 18 softboards were donated by a member. Immediately, the boards sang of the children’s presentations.