Enhancing Life Skills, Hafiznagar Slum area of Bamunimaidan, Guwahati

On 20th May 2013, FLO North East Chapter organised a programme titled “Enhancing Life skills ” in association with leading NGO UTSAH ( Universal team for Social action and Help ) in Hafiznagar Slum area of Bamunimaidan, Guwahati.Utsah has been involved in Child Protection Rights and is focussed specially in slum areas.

UTSAH’s initiative helped the slum being declared by the Police as 100% crime free. UTSAH organized awareness programmes for the slum dwellers and created opportunities for their livelihood and wellbeing.

The programme was inaugurated by Miquel Das Queah, Founder Chairperson of UTSAH. He introduced FLO and talked about the common goals of FLO & UTSAH. He also highlighted on the objectives of the programme – which was to help them to make paper bags and earn their livelihood.

FLO NE Chapter Chairperson Monisha Baruwa thanked UTSAH for giving FLO the opportunity and also explained on how the programme would help them in creating livelihood opportunities for themselves as also contributing their bit to the society by promoting the use of paper bags and reducing the use of plastic bags.

Rita Chhawchharia, FLO NE Member imparted training to the slum dwellers on making paper carry bags from old newspapers and magazines. Other FLO members who had earlier taken the training from Rita also put in their efforts by guiding and interacting with the participants.

There was a lot of excitement and enthusiasm among the participants and they were taught to make different sizes of paper bags required as per market demand. They were also given inputs on the rates to buy old discarded newspapers and magazines and also at what rate to sell them. FLO members volunteered to donate their old newspaper stocks instead of selling them.

Vote of thanks was proposed by Smita Agarwal.