Nanhi Chhaan Stall at CII ARM – March 30th, 2010

Annual Regional Meeting & Conference with a theme ‘Tomorrow’s North: Green & Educated North’ was held on March 30, 2010 at Hotel Lalit, Barakhamba Road, New Delhi. Mr. Kapil Sibal, Union Minister for Human Resource Development inaugurated the conference.

Nanhi Chhaan Foundation is a CSR partner of CII and 104 corporate entities have adopted the Nanhi Chhaan-CII policy guidelines for Gender Equality and Ecological Conservation. A stall was set-up for distribution of saplings by Nanhi Chhaan Foundation which was inaugurated by Mr. Kapil Sibal before the conference. Saplings were distributed from the stall to all attending the conference.

The speakers appreciated the initiative taken by Nanhi Chhaan for Nurturing & Empowering the girl child and women in general along with planting & nurturing of the trees. Prof. Gunter Pauli, Founder, Zero Emissions Research & Initiatives (ZERI) and Member, Club of Rome also spoke on the need of ecological balance and innovation at the conference.

Mr. Kalmadi also addressed the Conference and informed that the games are trying to be ecologically conscious by building green stadiums and also looking at other measures of tree plantation etc. Nanhi Chhaan will also try to participate in these efforts.

Fortis, Vasant Kunj

Fortis, Vasant Kunj

Central Park, CP

Vasant Valley School, Vasant Kunj

NDTV-Nanhi Chhaan – Greenathon Campaign

Greenathon-2 was held this year at various cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkatta, Chennai etc.   The campaign was run continuously for 24 hrs. from 7 PM on 6th March to 7 PM on 7th March.  and was beamed live on all the NDTV channels.  The objectives of the program run this year by NDTV are:

Central Park, CP

• Green India by planting as many trees as possible.
• Adopt the most backward of villages where no electricification has been done under TERI’s ‘Lighting a Billion Lives’ programme and provide them with Solar Powered Lanterns.

Nanhi Chhaan Partnered with NDTV for this program in Delhi.  The program was inaugurated from Central Park by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Delhi, Mrs. Shiela Dikshit.  She spoke on the occasion and signed on the pledge wall created for this purpose.  Many other VIPs present on the occasion also did the same.

Cultural program in the form of a ballet presented by Shiamak Davar group of alternatively capacitated persons, Music band etc. were also organized and were covered live by NDTV.

On 7th March the program at the Central Park continued with live performances on the stage, signatures by VIPs and general public along with messages and paintings on the Pledge Walls.  Prominent people like Mr. Kalmadi, Chairman Common Wealth Games Organising Committee, 3 National Hockey players including the Captain, Prominent donors to Greenathon and other VIPs visited the site and pledged their support.  All these visitors were given saplings (7500) from the Nanhi Chhaan sapling distribution kiosks.

Simulteneously the sapling distribution kiosks along with a signature wall were inaugurated and operated from Vasant Valley School(1400) and Fortis Hospital(1000), Vasant Kunj.  Many prominent personalities visited the 2 locations, signed on the pledge wall and received saplings. The sapling distribution from these 2 locations continued for a week.

During the tenure of the above program Nanhi Chhaan distributed about 10, 000 saplings along with the Nanhi Chhaan Greenathon pamphlets describing the objectives of the campaign.

Greenathon campaign received donation of Rs. 3.9 Crore with a commitment to adopt 158 villages all over the country for undertaking Greenathon objectives there.

About 7000 people also participated in signing their messages on the pledge wall at 3 locations.

Mr. Harpal Singh, Chairman Impact Group and Nanhi Chhaan foundation whilst highlighting the importance of promoting social change said, “It is of utmost importance for everyone to contribute to the development of society and to bring social change. Nanhi Chhaan foundation is committed to the twin causes of girl child protection and environment preservation and will continue to encourage all sections of society to become proactive partners in this endeavour”. Mr. Harpal Singh expressed absolute delight at the success achieved by the Foundation in high lighting these grave challenges and thanked all those who had made this possible. He particularly appreciated the untiring efforts of Bibi Harsimrat Badal

In addition, ACET announced a scholarship scheme worth Rs. 2.90 lacs for two girls every year under the umbrella of Nanhi Chhann foundation. The scholarships will be introduced starting next academic year with a panel of two members, a member each from the college and Nanhi Chhaan foundation, to identify deserving students.

Inspiringly, Mr. Amit Sharma, Managing Director, ACET announced the adoption of the Nanhi Chhaan programme by the college. Mr. Sharma expressed pleasure in being able to contribute to the noble causes of girl child protection and environment protection. Addressing his students Mr. Sharma underlined the significance of the issue and emphasized the role of the youth in social change. The event ended with a pledge by the students at ACET to adopt the Nanhi Chhaan principles which can be a trendsetter and as a ray of hope for future participation of youth for social change.

Mr. Harpal Singh addressing a gathering of around 400 person including school children, DAV College Girls and village folk at the Government school premises said, “ It is not only important to be aware and to understand the grave implication of not protecting our girls and defiling the environment but it is also equally important to take proactive action as well. Nanhi Chhaan foundation is a step in that direction. Since its inception the Foundation is committed to bringing about positive change in society, and the adoption of the village Qila Jiwan Singh is an example that we hope will be followed by many other villages across the country.”

Dr. Kamra, Principal, DAV College elaborately spoke of the adoption exercise and the work that will be done. She highlighted some important social issues that the Girls’ college was doing on a sustaining basis. The District Commissioner also acknowledged the importance of the issue and committed his office’s contribution and support in this village initiative. Mr. K. S Pannu expressing his deep concern said that he viewed the problem of girl child protection and environment abuse as a serious one and, as in the past, will provide all the support from the Government. The Sarpanch of the village added by agreeing on the issues as a grass root reality and acknowledged such programmes as a welcome seed to change.

The Nanhi Chhaan foundation has also donated sewing machines to set up a vocational centre at the local Gurdwara. The foundation has also announced scholarships for 25 children for meeting a part of their education expenses. The training on these sewing machines and cookery classes will be undertaken by girls of DAV College. Two newly born girl children along with newly wed brides were felicitated during the event.

The occasion concluded by a village langar and felicitation at the village Sarpanch’s house whose involvement is central to such programmes being the grass root interface and convener. Nanhi Chhaan foundation has vowed to duplicate the model in other villages as well. Similar private- public participation can be instrumental for the much desired social change.

PRESS:

The Nanhi Chhaan Foundation was set up to address these objectives as part of its vision and mission. In an inspiringly new approach the Foundation seeks to make a positive impact for protecting the girl child and for preserving trees through the positive power of faith. The initiative cuts across all segments of society and faiths and invokes citizens to urgently act to raise awareness and to actively participate in corrective actions. In a symbolic gesture families who visit their respective places of religious worship receive plant saplings as religious offerings whenever a girl enters their family either as a new born or as a bahu(bride). Both – little girls and saplings – are nature’s ‘greatest givers’ and by receiving saplings from places of religious worship we hope citizens will imbibe the message of their preservation with divine reverence.
The distribution and ritualistic planting of these saplings in homes, schools, factories, institutions, parks and the like will be used as occasions to spread awareness, raise debate and propel citizens to recognize the horrors of female infanticide, female feticide and the destruction of forest cover. Most importantly citizens need to recognize that natures two great givers, mothers(when girls grow up) and trees are facing unprecedented destruction and the continuation of such harm will seriously threaten human life itself.

That Nanhi Chhaan has touched an inspirational cord is evident from the response it has evoked in a short time since its launch on 27th August last year. From the Shri Harmandir Sahib and Shri Damdama Sahib Gurudwaras, Sacred Heart Cathedral, Delhi. Bangla Sahib Gurdwara, Delhi  and Govind Devji Temple, Jaipur and from schools and colleges over 6,50,000 saplings have already been distributed to date. Similar launches are soon proposed from many places of Religious worship including the Dargah at Ajmer Sharif, and from temples in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi. The response is emotive and there is every sense that in it we have the makings of a national movement. It seems that faith is delivering where rationality and logic have delivered less than adequate success.

In line with our intention to maintain a strong pace of action, we are planning several initiatives in the coming months – first of which, is the formal adoption of Nanhi Chhaan by India’s largest paramilitary force, C.R.P.F on the 18th of December. The programme was inaugurated in the presence of the Hon’ble Home Minister, Mr. P. Chidambaram and D.G – C.R.P.F, Mr. A. S. Gill along with their top brass. The venue of the event was the C.G.O Complex, Lodi Road grounds. It was a gathering of 1000+ jawans and their families  with a special emphasis on newly born Girls and ‘bahus’ who were handed over saplings by the Chief Guest and other dignitaries. New bank accounts were opened by P.N.B under their Nanhi Chhaan scheme with a deposit of Rs 250 by C.W.W.A (CRPF Womens Welfare Association) and Rs 20 by PNB, these pass-books were distributed from the dais.

Nanhi Chhaan movement needs the support of Industry, NGO’s, civil society institutions and government as it seeks to address its critical issues on the social agenda.

PRESS: