Price Of Prestige
May 1, 2014
Q: What is the inspiration behind Samarth?
Shalini: I started in 2010 and Samarth got registered in 2016. My personal tragedy made me realise that life is not what was living rather it’s harsh and very uncertain. Life wakes you, shakes you and propels you to search for strength within.
Q: Can you share your journey?
Shalini: I had a happy life and suddenly my husband passed away. My son was just four months old and my daughter was seven. The very day I lost my husband, my in-laws threw me out of the house with my kids. I lost everything in a day, my emotional anchor, my house, people whom I considered friends drifted away. Strangers supported me. It was a major transition for me and I decided not to sulk rather do something with life and society at large. With my two years old son and nine year old daughter, I began Samarth.
Q: What were the key areas that you initially started with?
Shalini: I started working with slum children, creating awareness on social issues, educating them. We did a radio talk show also with the slum kids. I got a good response and then in 2016, Samarth was registered. I have worked on various issues. Till now, we have distributed thousands of blankets to people sleeping outside hospitals or under fly overs. Dry ration and other utilities were provided to the flood affected families.
Shalini Jain is the founder of Samarth, an NGO that works with kids, Senior Citizens and Women. Through “Amritvarshini”, she has launched a cancer awareness drive.
Q: You started with kids and now you have more than 250 senior citizens under your care? Was this a planned move?
Shalini: No, it was not planned. During Covid, I was helping people with food, bedding, and medicines. In this process, I realised several senior citizens living alone, with their kids who have settled abroad or far away. They were helpless and helplessness led to abuse. They were afraid of traffic accidents, unable to go to hospital or manage Covid. Youngsters can order everything online, but not all elders are tech savvy. It was a suffering for them and a complete neglect. I contacted the local police station (New Rajinder Nagar) and asked for the data of senior citizens of the area to connect with them. I even met the senior citizens cell to gather the data. I met DCP Central who was very supportive.
Q: During Covid, all was shut down. So how did you reach the elders?
Shalini: Police stations have a list and numbers of all the senior citizens, and it is their duty to check on them regularly. But nothing moved on the ground level. Half of the numbers I got from the local police station were non-functional. Hence, only a few could be contacted. I started putting messages in various groups sharing my intention to help the elders. Some volunteers contacted me. In 2021, with a small group of volunteers, we organised a ‘Meet and Greet’ inviting all the elders to join. It was a huge success. Initially, it was only for the elders who live alone, but many came. They even got themselves registered with Samarth.
Q: What specific initiatives have been introduced for senior citizens?
Shalini: Security is a huge concern for every elder, so a workshop was organised along with Delhi Police on this topic. We had many participants. We got their senior citizen cards made. I launched a programme- “Time Fusion” where the youth as volunteers were connected with the elders.
Q: Can you elaborate on the “Time Fusion” initiative?
Shalini: Through this initiative, youngsters were sensitised towards the senior citizens and joined as volunteers. We gave them certificates too. The youth had to meet the senior citizens once a week, talk to them or take them out for lunch. Currently, more than 250 senior citizens from Patel Nagar, New and Old Rajinder Nagar are registered with Samarth…and they call us for day-to-day issues like no water supply or sewage. It is difficult for an elder to manage alone. A Dandiya Dance night was organised for the elders and to my surprise, people on a wheel-chair, too danced. Through Samarth, diversity and inclusiveness are being celebrated. I have requested our MLA, to please give us a space for these activities. The community centre in New Rajinder Nagar is lying vacant, so a room can be assigned for the elders to spend time there for activities like reading or meet ups.
Q: You have launched “Amritvarshini”, what is it about?
Shalini: Through this programme, we are working on two key areas. One is the Cancer Awareness Drive among school kids. The second one is getting the screening done through various tests like Pap Smear and Mammography. We have a detailed programme about oral, breast and cervical cancer. The third phase involves vaccination…that too is in the pipeline. The vaccination is a costly affair, so we are trying for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Funds. Till now, Samarth is self funded.
Q: Any challenges that you faced?
Shalini: Yes. Once I got more than 20 calls concerning a blind girl being entangled in wires at the Andh Kanya Vidyalaya in New Rajinder Nagar. She was crying throughout since she was visually impaired and could not free herself. The caretaker kept on sleeping and residents were banging on the door. I complained about this to the local Police Station and CWC demanding the CCTV footage of the entire incident. I was informed by the School authorities that she was trying to run away and in that process, she got caught in wires. Her mother confined me that her daughter being completely vision impaired can’t climb alone to the second floor. The investigating officer of the police station went to the school for an enquiry…but I started getting threatening calls from the school, asking me to stop pursuing this matter further. Currently as a member of the M-Block RWA, we have filed a complaint against them for an illegal construction, but till date there is no fruitful outcome.
