Writing: A city girl’s guide to roughing it out

Story: A city girl’s guide to roughing it out | Publication: Vogue India | Publishing Date: June 2018.

To see the published story, click here.

A city girl’s guide to roughing it out

Namrata Tanna | June 5, 2018

What to pack when you’re taking the road less travelled

Image: Tejal Patni

As a quintessential city girl who has lived most of her life in bustling Mumbai, I often take certain urban comforts for granted. However, over the years, my work in the social sector has taken me far outside my comfort zone, requiring me to travel to the most remote rural parts of the country in search of unique stories and inspiring development work, where naturally, fewer material comforts exist. I am also someone who enjoys offbeat travel, which often lands me in places that lack seemingly basic amenities.

Straddling the urban and the rural, I now consider myself to be somewhat of an expert on packing for the trips that require you to ‘rough it out’. I believe that I have cracked the code to making extensive, and sometimes difficult travels a wee bit more comfortable. And thus, I decided to let you in on some of my secrets to help you out for the next time you end up travelling to a remote location.

PACKING ESSENTIALS

Being an obsessively organised person, I want to give an award (or a hug, at the very least) to the person who invented packing cubes. A set of six cubes does the trick; organising your personal items neatly into different cubes for clean clothes, dirty clothes, toiletries, delicates, shoes, and miscellanea.

I purchased Longchamp’s large foldable canvas bag a long time ago, and it comes handy every time I travel. I always stow it into my suitcase, because somehow, I end up with more luggage than I started out with at the end of most trips. The canvas bag is lightweight and tiny when it’s folded, but it opens up to be large enough to take care of that last minute extra weight.

With the amount of walking I usually end up doing when I travel, a pair of comfortable slip-on sneakers is an essential part of my packing. I find sneakers with laces cumbersome, so the slip-ons win my vote—I think they make for the perfect travel shoes.

IN MY CARRY-ON LUGGAGE

I find it extremely difficult to sleep while travelling, Whether it is a somewhat comfortable flight, a long train ride or a bumpy car ride, some of the things in my carry on that help me get a little shut-eye include a comfortable neck pillow, an eye mask, and headphones. A smart stole that dresses up your outfits can also double up as a shawl to keep you warm.

IN MY TOILETRIES CASE

In terms of personal care products that help you look and feel better, I always carry a small bottle of dry shampoo for a quick hair fix, an easy-to-stash quick dry towel and coconut oil—for pretty much everything, including moisturising and removing makeup. And if you’re anywhere near as clumsy as I am, the Tide To Go pen is a magic wand for stains and spills.

IN MY PURSE

To combat mosquitos, a tiny bottle of Goodknight Fabric Roll-On—a non-chemical mosquito repellent that you roll onto your clothes—does the trick sparing your skin from that lingering smell that most mosquito repellents have, as well as any harmful chemicals.

For me, the hardest part of travelling rough (and I am sure the women reading this will agree) is tackling dirty and unhygienic bathrooms. The one product that has actually changed my life is the disposable, eco-friendly and innovative Pee Buddy, which lets you stand, do your business, and quickly (and hygienically) move on. Gone are the days of balancing precariously over a dirty toilet, desperately trying not to touch anything, while getting an uncomfortably painful thigh workout.

GADGETS AND ELECTRONICS

Anyone who knows me knows my crazy coffee obsession—most people know not to talk to me before my morning cuppa. While travelling to rural parts, the thing I miss the most is a good cup of coffee to get me started for the day. Enter the portable Minipresso machine, which is tiny enough to fit into a carry on and allows you to have your Nespresso shot wherever you go.

When it comes to electronics, I pack all the chargers for my various devices (like everybody else), but the one thing I won’t leave home without is a universal adapter when I’m travelling internationally. Power banks are essential for those who are obsessed with viewing the world through their Instagram cameras (and let’s face it, most of us are).

My Kindle goes with me when I travel too,so that I don’t add weight to my luggage with heavy books. Music lovers can look to the small but powerful UE Wonderboom speaker—it is waterproof, has great sound quality, and pairs with other Wonderbooms to give you a surround sound-like experience.

MONEY-WISE

I’ve recently discovered that using a forex card for international travel is far easier than carrying just cash. However, a mix of both is always a good idea, for small purchases and emergencies. Another superb find is the Splitwise app, which works well when travelling with friends. It takes away the hassle of calculating who owes whom how much money at the end of the trip—it does all the calculations of shared expenses for you, leaving each person with a final figure that they owe to others.

These tips and tricks are sure to make your travels somewhat smoother. However, while they cater to smaller material joys and comforts, the greatest joy of travel comes from experiencing what the world has to offer. The only piece of advice I would give is to travel and experience the world with an open mind and enjoy each aspect of the journey.

Writing: Your complete guide to Ho Chi Minh City

Story: Ho Chi Minh City – Where to stay, where to shop, what to do | Publication: Vogue India | Publishing Date: February 2018.

To see the published story, click here.

Ho Chi Minh City: Where to stay, where to shop, what to do

Namrata Tanna | February 28, 2018

Your complete guide

The ancient city of Saigon, now known as Ho Chi Minh City (or HCMC), is a city of many dichotomies. Straddling the old and the new, this bustling Vietnamese commercial centre is a blend of history, culture, art, architecture, street food and nightlife that will ensure you get very little sleep.

A perfect blend of East and West, HCMC seamlessly balances modern skyscrapers with heritage architecture, fine-dining with narrow alleyways bursting with street food, incredible luxury, and service with throwaway prices. Frequent flight connections and an efficient, inexpensive e-visa facility make HCMC the perfect last-minute holiday destination.

Getting around

The first thing one has to learn in HCMC is how to cross the road. With over eight million bikes zipping through the city streets, this is a daunting proposition for most. While hopping on the back of a bike might seem scary at first, it is a fast, convenient and cheap option to navigate through HCMC’s busy streets.

Grab is the Uber of Asia—it allows you to conveniently book scooter or regular taxis through its app. If you’re not feeling adventurous enough to bike through the city, opting for a metered taxi will ensure you don’t get taken for a ride, price-wise.

BEST HOTELS IN HO CHI MINH CITY

The Reverie Saigon

Image: Instagram.com/thereveriesaigon

A part of the Leading Hotels of the World, The Reverie Saigon is an uber luxurious five-star hotel oozing opulence in the heart of the city with stunning views of the Saigon River. Combining old world charm with modern amenities, The Reverie Saigon is walking distance from tourist landmarks like the Saigon Opera House, Independence Palace, and the Vietnam History Museum.
22-36 Nguyen Hue Blvd, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1. Tel: +842838236688; Thereveriesaigon.com

Hotel Des Artes Saigon

A boutique five-star property, Hotel Des Artes Saigon is part of the Accor Hotels Group. Opened in 2015, its modern and elegant design, impeccable service and convenient location make it a natural choice for those looking for a luxurious, stylish and comfortable hotel. Art lovers will enjoy their extensive art and sculpture collection, and sunset drinks at their rooftop bar on the 23rd floor is a must to take in the expansive views of the city.
76 78 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai St, District 3. Tel: +84 28/39898888; Hoteldesartssaigon.com

Norfolk Mansion Luxury Serviced Apartments

Located in District 1, Norfolk Mansion has 126 fully furnished luxury serviced one- to four-bedroom apartments. Ideal for families or long-term visitors to the city, Norfolk Mansion is walking distance from the city centre. Spacious rooms equipped with all the modern amenities and the hotel staff’s friendly service makes guests feel at home.
17-19-21 Ly Tu Trong, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1. Tel: +84-28 3822 6111; Norfolkmansion.com.vn

The Common Room Project

The Common Room Project is a boutique 48-bed luxury hostel located in District 5, away from the chaos of Downtown Saigon. TCRP is a charming and eclectic space that offers beautifully designed dormitory and private room options, with the comfort and cleanliness of a five-star property. It attracts travellers seeking unique spaces with access to social experiences and in that vein, hosts weekly community pop-up dinners and cooking classes for its guests.
80/8 Nguyen Trai, District 5. Tel: +84 901399819; Thecommonroomproject.net

WHAT TO DO IN HO CHI MINH CITY 

War Remnants Museum

History buffs looking to gain an insight into the Vietnam War and the first Indochina War with the French Colonialists will want to spend an afternoon at The War Remnants Museum. The museum showcases military vehicles and various weapons used during the wars, and graphic photographs depict the aftereffects of the disastrous chemical weapon, Agent Orange, used by the Americans on the unsuspecting Vietnamese population.
Warremnantsmuseum.com

Cu Chi Tunnels

A visit to HCMC cannot be complete without a trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels. The Viet Cong used this extensive network of underground tunnels spreading over 250km during the Vietnam War to hide from the American military that relied heavily on aerial bombing. A half-day trip will include transfers, entry tickets and a guided tour.
Cuchitunnels.vn

Independence Palace, Saigon Notre Dame, Central Post Office, Opera House

Walking through HCMC’s District 1 is a pleasure in itself. Take in the modern skyscrapers juxtaposed with traditional pagodas and colonial architecture. Spend some time at the Independence Palace (also known as the Reunification Palace), the Ho Chi Minh Museum, the Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral (designed by Gustav Eiffel of Eiffel Tower fame!), and the Central Post Office that makes you feel you’ve stepped back in time.

Giac Lam Pagoda

Image: Instagram.com/Guachakangaroo

The Giac Lam Pagoda is also known as the 10,000 Buddhas Pagoda. The oldest Buddhist pagoda in HCMC, it was built in 1744, exudes a sense of calmness and is set in a vast, green grounds—a rarity in such a busy city.
Chuagiaclam.org

BEST PLACES TO EAT IN HCMC

Saigon is every foodie’s paradise, with more fine dining, casual and street food options than you could dream about. Good food is available in every nook and cranny—whether you choose to treat yourself to HCMC’s best restaurants or grab a stool at your street corner restaurant.

FINE DINING

Xu Restaurant and Lounge

For 10 years now, the posh Xu Restaurant and Lounge has been serving excellent traditional and modern Vietnamese food. Their tasting menus are what you should go for if you want to indulge in a fancy four- to six-course meal with dishes from every part of Vietnam.
71-75 Hai Ba Trung, District; info@xusaigon.com

EON51

Skybars are extremely popular in HCMC, with many rooftop bars making the most of the views of the Saigon River and the stunning cityscape. EON51 stands out due to its location on the 51st floor of the soaring 68-storey Bitexco Financial Tower, which has unrivalled views of the city. Diners have the option of having a coffee at Café EON, a meal at the EON51 restaurant, or drinks at the EON Heli Bar on the 52nd floor.
Eon51.com

CASUAL DINING

Quan An Ngon

Quan An Ngon brings street food from across the country into a restaurant setting. Set in a heritage colonial style bungalow, with stalls serving regional delicacies lining the garden periphery, this open-air restaurant is a hit with travellers and locals alike for both its ambiance and it’s freshly cooked, delicious food.
Quananngon.com.vn

Com Nieu Saigon

Com Nieu Saigon serves up mouth-watering Vietnamese dishes at reasonable prices. While the menu is not extensive, the food is authentic and tasty. Don’t miss out on their specialty—the clay pot rice or Com Nieu!
Comnieusaigon.com.vn

Street Food tours

Image: Instagram.com/backofthebiketours

HCMC’s street food markets can be explored in many different ways—walk your way through the markets, or if you’re more adventurous, sign up for a half day guided tour on the back of a scooter. Zip through markets narrow lanes with a local, tasting the local pho (noodle soup), bahn mi (spicy chicken baguette), caphe sua da (Vietnamese coffee) served by street vendors only the locals would know.
Backofthebiketours.com

 CAFÉ CULTURE

Image: Instagram.com/dank_ollins

French colonialists might have introduced coffee to Vietnam, but the Vietnamese sure have made it their own over the years. Vietnamese coffee—caphe sua da—roughly translates to iced milk coffee and is served with variations of condensed milk, eggs, and yogurt. While it might sound odd, this robust drip black coffee served over ice and condensed milk is likely to become addictive by the end of your trip.

Apartment 42 Nguyen Hue

Image: Instagram.com/camscalimag

First time visitors are sure to walk right past Apartment 42 Nguyen Hue on Saigon’s Walking Street. Once an abandoned apartment block, this nine-storey building now is an eclectic mix of cafés, bars, boutiques, salons, bookstores, co-working spaces, and more. One could easily spend a few hours taking in the local culture at Apartment 42 Nguyen Hue, sampling the shopping, eating, and drinking options and interacting with locals, while taking in the spectacular views of the city and river beyond from one of their charming balconies.

The Workshop

Hidden on the second floor of an old building in District 1, The Workshop has an amazing selection of coffees and coffee making apparatus, to suit every type of coffee drinker.
27 Ngo Duc Ke, (top floor, just off Dong Khoi), District1. Facebook.com/the.workshop.coffee

SHOPPING IN HO CHI MINH CITY

Those looking to hit the malls will be spoilt for choice with the centrally located Vincom Centre, Takashimaya Vietnam, Parkson Plaza and Diamond Plaza shopping centres. However, shopping in Saigon is all about its markets.

Ben Thanh Market

A cultural, visual and gastronomic treat at any time of day, the bustling Ben Thanh Market is a goldmine for clothes, gifts, handicrafts, designer knockoffs, vegetables, spices, sweets, and of course local food at hawker stalls inside the market. The largest marketplace in central HCMC, it is also one of the oldest Saigon landmarks, offering up an authentically Vietnamese experience.

Take back the uniquely Vietnamese weasel/squirrel coffee or if you’re looking to splurge, the high-end kopi luwak for your coffee crazy friends and family.
The intersection of Le Loi, Ham Nghi, Tran Hung Dao Avenues and Le Lai Street. Tel: +84 0835210004

An Dong Market

Image: Instagram.com/blueblue.pier13

An indoor textile and handicrafts market in District 5, the An Dong Market is popular with both tourists and locals. At An Dong Market you can find an extensive range of lacquer work and woodwork furniture on the top floor; clothes, handbags, and jewellery on the first floor and food stalls in the basement.
B63 Cong Truong An Dong, Ward 9, District 5. Tel: +84 838354773

NIGHTLIFE AT HO CHI MINH CITY

Backpacker Street

Bui Vien Street is known as the Backpacker Street and is bursting at its seams with inexpensive bars, restaurants, and cafes catered to tourists. As you walk through the narrow streets, soak in the local atmosphere, meet fellow travellers and make new friends over inexpensive 333 beers.

Broma

Image: Instagram.com/broma.not.a.bar

One of the most popular rooftop bars in HCMC, Broma is the place to go for a night of dancing. Broma often has live gigs and DJs and is a great place to take in the views, have a few drinks and people watch.
41 Nguyễn Huệ, Bến Nghé, Quận 1. Tel: +84 2838236838

Layla’s

This recently opened bar is atop a narrow stairway and can easily be missed. However, once you are up there, the modern interiors, fantastic cocktails and tapas menu is sure to make you want to stay for the evening.
Second Floor, 63 Đông Du, Quận 1. Tel: +84 2838272279

Sax n Art Jazz Club

Surprisingly, jazz bars are very popular with Vietnamese locals. This one in particular features live contemporary jazz bands that blend local instruments into their performances, rendering a strain of jazz unique to the city. A visit to Sax n Art is a must for music lovers.

28 Lê Lợi, Bến Nghé, Quận 1. Tel: +84 2838228472

Writing: Co-working is the new ‘9 to 5’

Story: Sharing Ideas, Space and Vibes, ‘Co-Working’ Is the New ‘9 to 5’| Publication: The Better India | Publishing Date: December 2017.

To see the published story, click here.

Across the world, co-working spaces (or shared office space) are on the rise, with freelancers, startups and small and medium businesses flocking to for their amenities, prices, and flexibility and networking opportunities.

While the concept of co-working isn’t new, the buzz around it and the incredible growth it has seen the world over reflects a transformation in what people want out of their workplace.

As people lead increasingly isolated lives thanks to more people opting for nuclear families and the disproportionate amount of time we spend on our smartphones, inspiring spaces where people can connect, collaborate and be productive are the need of the hour. Rapid urbanization, increased traffic and travel times also mean that the demand for cost-effective workspaces close to home has risen.

Co-working is revolutionizing the way we work and has in recent years taken India by storm.

Photo Courtesy – Awfis

While the leasing of shared spaces is approximately 1.5 mnsqft across the country this year, a recent CBRE report predicted that leases are estimated to touch ten mnsqft by 2020.

Another study by JLL estimates that the market size for India’s co-working segment is approximately in the range of 12-16 million, of which 5 million will be concentrated in Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad and Pune.

Additionally, India’s co-working market is expected to receive as much as $400mn in funding by 2018.

The co-working model is simple – office spaces are rented out to individuals or teams, based on desks usage and time spent. Co-working spaces provide both flexible desk options (like hot-desking, dedicated desks and customizable team rooms) as well as flexible time options (hourly, daily, or monthly packages) to choose from.

Basic amenities such as workstations, high-speed wifi, coffee, and meeting room usage are provided and range from Rs 3000 to Rs 10,000 per desk per month, based on the convenience of location and the amenities provided.

Garima Juneja, Founder of Coworking India Magazine, which launched last year as a response to the booming growth of the segment, shares, “The cost and convenience factors play a big role. You get to pay less and worry less about maintaining an office. The youth of today is no longer afraid of sharing their life with others. It lets you save money by sharing resources and also increases your chances of growing your business via the co-working community.”

Today, India has approximately 350 co-working space operators running over 800 co-working spaces.

 Photo Courtesy – Awfis

While 85% of these spaces are in Tier 1 cities like Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru, the remaining 15% are based in Tier 2 cities.

Mr Amit Ramani, Founder and CEO of Awfis Space Solutions, believes there are several factors that make a co-working space successful.

“It is about enabling a good working experience for the professional of today by taking care of the location, convenience and flexibility. One of the other significant benefits of shared offices is cost saving. Companies can save between 10% to 25% in Tier 1 cities by choosing a shared space over a conventional office,” he shares.

Such is the excitement about India’s growing co-working market that global leader WeWork entered India earlier this year with a 1.4 lakh sqft space in Bengaluru and an impressive 1.9 lakh sqft space – that is, a 16-storey building – in Mumbai’s posh Bandra Kurla Complex.

Juggy Marwaha, India Lead of WeWork, shares his views in the JLL report on how he sees the co-working space developing.

Photo Courtesy: Ministry of New

 

“The trend is moving towards creating beautiful, well designed and functional spaces that encourage collaboration and create a sense of community. There will be a paradigm shift in the way companies will operate in the future, and some of the best innovations will be an outcome of such true community collaboration,” he says.

When we think about beautiful, well-designed collaborative spaces, we cannot miss out on mentioning South Mumbai’s uber chic Ministry of New, founded by Marlies Bloemendaal and Natascha Chadha, who were looking to create a ‘professional oasis’ away from the city’s chaos where new ideas could be nurtured.

A boutique, high-end co-working space with an international design vibe, Ministry of New hosts a broad cross-section of professionals working in industries ranging from crypto-currency and astronomy to crystal design and feature films and has created an eclectic and passionate community.

“Ministry of New was not started as a ‘desk rental space’ but as a community of like-minded creatives wanting to work on their own projects as well as share new ideas. This ethos still runs through our brand’s DNA. It’s what’s given us a genuine voice versus an empty real estate offer,” shares Chadha.

The affordability, flexibility and negligible capital expenditure make co-working spaces a natural choice for freelancers, startups and creative professionals.

Photo Courtesy – Awfis

However, in recent times, mid and large-sized corporates and traditional businesses have also started seeing the benefits of working out of spaces.

A recent survey said that there is a 71% boost in creativity and a 62% increase in work quality of people who use co-working spaces.

Coworking spaces seem to have a universal appeal – for consumers (corporates, startups, freelancers) the cost savings, flexible options, ‘cool’ vibe, and networking and growth potential make it an attractive option.

For providers (developers, investors), the pricing, flexibility, higher rates of occupancy, and usage of underutilized real estate make it a worthy proposition.

There is no doubt that the co-working segment is set for huge growth in the years to come. As we look around us, we see the concept of the shared economy seeping into almost every aspect of our lives.

Home sharing (Airbnb) and car sharing (Uber, Ola) are already big successes, but shared economy concepts and values are extending further through the food industry, pet industry, co-housing projects, and many others.

‘Collaborative consumption’ is not just a buzzword, but is also a lifestyle that the youth of today actively seek.

(Written by Namrata Tanna) 

 

Writing: Meet Mumbai’s Waste Warriors

Story: Meet The ‘Waste Warriors’, Who Are Helping Mumbai Become a Cleaner City| Publication: The Better India | Publishing Date: July 2016.

To see the published story, click here. 

The recent endeavour by the BMC to tackle the issue of garbage segregation has forced Mumbaikars to change their lifelong habits and apathy towards household waste. Large building societies now have to take on the task of educating their residents on concepts like waste segregation, composting, and recycling, as the BMC has ceased to collect waste from societies that have an area of 20,000 sq meters or more, or those that generate more than 100 kg of waste per day.

According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)’s latest Environment Status Report (ESR), Mumbai is responsible for 9400 tonnes of trash being sent daily to the dumping grounds, so this decision has been a long time coming.

The good news is that if Mumbai does take this move towards a cleaner city seriously, we can reduce the amount of garbage transported to landfills by 93%

Landfill. Source: Pixabay

While much has been written on the impact the BMC’s waste management initiative can and has had so far, not much has been said about the impact of this initiative on the lives of the city’s garbage collectors. Today, we follow the trash trail and take a look at the lives of our waste warriors – the heroes that keep our city clean.

28-year-old Anuj Kumar Valmiki is from Bilgaam village near Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh. Due to the lack of employment options apart from agriculture, and almost no family land to call their own, Anuj along with his four brothers and father came to Mumbai when he was 16 years old. Since then, Anuj has worked as a garbage collector in a Cuffe Parade building society that has 90 apartments. Each day, Anuj and 25-year-old Arjun Ramiel, (also from Uttar Pradesh) sweep the building common areas and collect garbage twice a day from each apartment for a salary of ₹ 6500 each.

Money is always tight, they say, but with no education or skills, garbage collection is a means to make money so they can provide for their wives and children in the village.

Anuj and Arjun. Courtesy: Namrata Tanna

“Our work has increased now, with the building management and the government insisting the wet and dry garbage is segregated. Residents do segregate their waste now, but we still need to check each garbage bag. This is very time consuming and requires more effort, but we still get paid the same salary,” complains Arjun. It is difficult to make ends meet, but alternative job opportunities for the likes of Arjun and Anuj are scarce.

The waste is segregated by putting wet garbage in green containers and dry garbage in blue containers. At the edge of the building society that has six other buildings, where Arjun and Anuj dispose the garbage into separately marked containers. “Our work is menial, but somebody has to do it. At least we know we are making a difference – we are helping to keep our city clean,” Anuj says with a smile, as he finishes his work for the day.

42-year-old Kanta Waghmare sits amongst the garbage, picking and sorting through it slowly. Kanta is a BMC waste collector and has lived in Shivajinagar (near the Deonar dumping grounds, Mumbai’s oldest and largest landfill) all her life.

She works with the Stree Mukti Sangathan, an organisation that forms women’s groups and runs a program for waste pickers in collaboration with the BMC. The sangathan organises the waste pickers into waste cooperatives of 10-15 women and ensures that the women get daily employment as well as a reasonable price for the waste they collect, sort and sell.

Kanta Lahane from Aurangabad, who moved to Mumbai 15 years ago, seeking better prospects, joins her. Both Kanta’s are a part of the women’s waste cooperative and are assigned to a different part of the city ward or municipality each day. This way, each woman in the collective gets a chance to sort and collect garbage at each collection point.

The sangathan deals only in dry waste as it is recyclable and can be sold for the right price. The two women spend the day further segregating plastic from paper, tin from glass, cardboard from metal, putting them into separate trash bags so that it can be sold easily. A separate BMC truck collects the wet garbage that is then sent for composting.

“We spend the whole day sorting through other people’s garbage. It is a laborious task, but we have no other way of making money. We have families to feed. I don’t mind the work – I earn my living with honest labour, but this new rule of segregating garbage has increased our work,” says Kanta Lahane.

Kanta Waghmare and Kanta Lahane. Courtesy: Namrata Tanna

“The insects and smell don’t bother us anymore. Our bodies have gotten used to it. Sometimes we fall sick or get hurt with the broken glass pieces, and have to spend our hard earned money on medication and doctors,” says Kanta Waghmare who recently cut her foot on a piece of glass. It took her three weeks to recover from the injury, and four young boys to support, only one of which is old enough to earn, this was a huge setback for her.

At the end of the day, the sangathan’s van comes to collect the garbage bags and the two women, to take them to the closest dumping grounds at Badhwar Park. Each women’s cooperative has to pay ₹ 100 to the Sangathan to use the van to transport the trash bags to the dumping ground. The women of the cooperative share the expense.

At the dumping ground, this recyclable waste is further sorted and then weighed. The women sell the waste and are paid per kilogram of garbage, with each item priced differently. On a good day, they earn ₹ 500 per day, but on average their income is closer to ₹ 300-350 on a given day.  Today, both women earn ₹ 400 each.

“The Government wants a Swachh Bharat. We have cleaned Mumbai for years, but we want their support. We have to sell the waste to earn from that and that gives us no stability. We wish they would think of giving us a fixed income,” says Kanta Lahane.

“What keeps us going are the blessings we receive from everyone. So many people come and tell us that we’re doing a good job – that makes us happy.”

Kanta Waghmare. Courtesy: Namrata Tanna

A staggering 73% of garbage sent to dumping grounds in Mumbai comprises of wet waste such as food, vegetable and fruit waste, says the ESR report. The simple task of household waste segregation can lead to a monumental decrease in the amount of waste sent to garbage dumps, lessen the load on the waste pickers, keep our cities cleaner and the environment pollution free.

As our waste warriors, Anuj, Arjun, and the Kanta’s, labour to keep our city clean, we too can pitch in by educating those around us and taking small steps toward a cleaner and greener India.

(Written by Namrata Tanna) 

 

Writing: Memoirs from Mokhada (Part 3)

Story: Memoirs From Mokhada: My Transformational Journey Into Rural India – Part 3 | Publication: The Huffington Post | Publishing Date: July 2016.

Read the complete series here: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

A week-long immersion into rural Maharashtra with a grassroots NGO after a particularly difficult personal challenge proved to be a transformational journey for me. This three-part series showcases the challenges, successes, strategies and innovation of a unique organization that is trying to bring a holistic change to the villages of Mokhada and Jawhar talukas (districts)–much as I’m trying to do in my personal life. Read part 1 of my journey here and part 2 here.

Day 5

Today’s visit is to document the integrated development model that Aroehan, the NGO I’m working with, has successfully implemented in the village of Amle. Over a five-year period, Aroehan, with CSR funding from Siemens India, worked with the inhabitants of this remote village on education, health awareness, access to water for drinking and irrigation, leveraging of government schemes, and improving agricultural practices so as to create local livelihoods and stem migration.

Amle is completely cut off — the only way to access the village is by wading through river water, which is neck-deep in the monsoons and knee-high otherwise.

Amle is unique in that it is completely cut off — the only way to access the village is by wading through river water, which is neck-deep in the monsoons and knee-high otherwise. For years, no government support has reached Amle despite several promises by local government bodies. This had made the villagers untrusting and suspicious of anyone who says they want to help. A large part of Aroehan’s work focuses on building the trust of the villagers, which obviously took longer than usual in Amle given its history.

The first intervention was to install a solar-powered drinking water filtration system so that the villagers would have access to clean drinking water, thereby reducing deaths by water-borne diseases — a pressing problem in Amle.

Another focus was on the creation of village-level committees (samitis) for education, health, water and livelihoods. These committees are taught to liaise and advocate with the relevant government bodies to ensure that they have access to the schemes and grants they are entitled to.

In 2014, with the help of Aroehan, the villagers advocated with government bodies to build them a bridge for better access to the village. Over the years, the inhabitants of Amle have become more confident and aware, and know what they want for their future. They also now know how to work the government machinery to get the benefits they are entitled to, be it in education, health or agriculture.

Great strides have been made through the agriculture intervention. The solar panels generate enough electricity to power the drinking water filter as well as to lift water from the river to irrigate the farmers’ lands. Thus far, these farmers had resorted to taking up construction or road-building jobs in large towns or cities for a minimum daily wage of ₹160-180, barely enough to make ends meet; they only managed to do the traditional cropping of rice and ragi in the monsoon season. Agriculture was entirely rain-fed and was for subsistence purposes alone.

For me, this week in the villages was meant to be an immersion, a challenge and a refuge…

Today, the farmers not only have water to irrigate their lands in the summer but also have relevant training on vegetable cultivation, group farming techniques, and an understanding of what vegetables to grow, their crop cycles and how to go about selling them in the vegetable markets for the best price.

Income levels have risen significantly for these farmers, as has their standard of living. Of the 55 families, only two now migrate for jobs. All the children of the village — boys and girls — go to school and many of them are now pursuing higher education. Malnutrition is almost non-existent as awareness about health and health services is high.

Over the years the Amle villagers’ dependence on Aroehan to show them the way has reduced, with the NGO slowly phasing out its interventions having empowered this village on every level. It is heartening to see the confidence of these villagers that understand their rights and know how to get what they are entitled to. It is equally heartening to see an organization whose approach is to truly empower a community to make independent, well thought out decisions and take charge of their own destiny.

Day 6

My last day with Aroehan proves to be one of long conversations with the staff as well as time for some quiet reflection on the days passed.

As I drive back from Jawhar to the city, a fear of returning to reality from this relative calmness grips me. Tears well up…

Shraddha and her team speak to me at length about the strategy of Aroehan and how it has evolved over the past 10 years. They speak of the challenges they faced and how they tweaked their solutions to fit the problem better — be it in the area of health where they once followed a group awareness method only to switch to an individual focus approach, or in livelihoods, where they better understood the link between rainwater harvesting and agriculture and then created a combined strategy that enabled both (rather than addressing these areas separately).

Each area of work has evolved and become more nuanced but the core idea remains the same. “Aroehan” means to rise or grow, to find solutions from the bottom up, to empower communities to find their own voice — and that undoubtedly remains the strength of this organization.

For me, this week in the villages was meant to be an immersion, a challenge and a refuge — an immersion into what I love doing (working with grassroots communities, photography and filmmaking); a personal challenge as to whether I could live in unfamiliar, harsh and the most basic of conditions; and a refuge so I could create some space for myself and my thoughts to help put the pieces of my life back together after the breakdown of existence as I knew it.

As I drive back from Jawhar to the city, a fear of returning to reality from this relative calmness grips me. Tears well up, and I realize I haven’t cried at all in this past week. For a moment I wonder if I can or want to go back. I then recall the people I have met in this past week — the women of Khoz, the farmers of Amle, the strong and courageous women of Aroehan.

It dawns on me that strength comes from facing life’s challenges, not from running away from them — and that’s exactly what I plan to do.

—

Aroehan was created as a project of the Nirmala Niketan Institute of Social Work in Mumbai, to address the issue of malnutrition in the Mokhada district in 2006. Having done an assessment of the needs of the community, the project realized the importance of an integrated approach to development and has over the past ten years worked on bringing education, health, governance and sustainable livelihood opportunities to farmers across Mokhada and Jawhar districts.

Namrata Tanna is a former television journalist who switched over to the social sector to use her journalism skills to create social impact. She has worked with several Mumbai-based non-profits through the initiative co-founded by her — Creatives against Poverty –and currently works with Concern India Foundation.

Writing: Memoirs from Mokhada (Part 2)

Story: Memoirs From Mokhada: My Transformational Journey Into Rural India – Part 2 | Publication: The Huffington Post | Publishing Date: July 2016.Read the complete series here: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3A week-long immersion into rural Maharashtra with a grassroots NGO after a particularly difficult personal challenge proved to be a transformational journey for me. This three-part series showcases the challenges, successes, strategies and innovation of a unique organization that is trying to bring a holistic change to the villages of Mokhada and Jawhar talukas (districts)–much as I’m trying to do in my personal life. Read part 1 of my journey here.

Day 3

Today, I made my way to the village of Chas, where Aroehan, the NGO I was volunteering with, faced a unique challenge–the men were just not interested in working towards the development of the village.

It was the women who took the initiative to bring water into the village.

In these parts, the procurement of water for household purposes is solely the responsibility of women. The women of Chas spent most of their day filling 3-4 matkas (pots) that were used sparingly through the day. In the summer months, the river invariably dried up, which meant they had to go even further to find water.

It is the silent strength of such women that is slowly turning the wheels of change in these villages.

The group of women before me tells me about how last year, six or seven women convinced the rest of the village’s 60-odd women to contribute their labour, and work with Aroehan to construct a rainwater harvesting bund that would ensure that the water supply lasts through the year.

Seeing the efforts of the women and the benefits it could bring their village, the men joined in as well. After three months of backbreaking work, the river bund was finally ready.

The women tell us how their lives have become easier as they spend less time searching for water for their families. They tell us how they’ve changed since they decided to take charge – they are more confident and can speak up for what they want. Now that they see the quantity of water that still remains as the summer months approach, they dream of using it to water their fields where they can learn to grow vegetables and sell them for a profit in the market as they’ve seen in the other villages Aroehan has worked with.

I am struck by the courage, confidence and determination of these women. I see this in so many of the women here–in Madhvi who is working with Aroehan into the eighth month of her pregnancy, in Madhuri and Vaishali who take their toddlers with them as they continue to conduct their village interventions, in Shraddha as she tirelessly works to motivate her team and keep the work going to create lasting change in the lives of so many villagers.

It is the silent strength of such women that is slowly turning the wheels of change in these villages.

Day 4

I’ve eased into a comfortable routine at Shraddha’s house in Jawhar. The house is always buzzing with people but in the quiet early mornings, sunrise can be seen from the bed, with coffee and bucket baths to follow. Soon enough, the Aroehan staff pours into the house, making plans for the day and setting off in different directions, to different villages.

Seeing the efforts of the women and the benefits it could bring their village, the men joined in as well.

Shirasgaon, one of Aroehan’s first interventions, is a village that has benefitted from health and education interventions over the years. The hour-long drive on bumpy, narrow and unpaved roads makes you wonder how resources ever reach places like these.

The meeting today is on the construction site of a bund on the river bank where all the villagers are donating their labour. This bund is being built by Aroehan to harness the water supply and bring the water to their fields for irrigation purposes.

Another bund, a few metres away from the construction site, was been built a few years ago by the government but is in a state of complete disrepair and the villagers say it stores less than 2 feet of water! It seems that the government builds bunds without the provision of vents that would allow the soil eroding from the surrounding hills to pass through it. Soon enough, the soil starts collecting below and with no one to clean it out, the water level lessens with each passing year until the bund is defunct. Dozens of such ill-conceived bunds have been constructed through the region.

At Aroehan a team of engineers from IIT Mumbai are consulted every time a rainwater harvesting structure is to be installed. Keeping in mind geographical and community needs, a solution is designed to fit the identified problem.

Our discussions waver between idealism and practicality, disillusionment and inspiration, confusion and moments of clarity-much like my own life these days.

The inhabitants of Shirasgaon are excited to finally have a functional bund close to their village and share that they already have plans to expand their vegetable cultivation so that they can profit from it.

The village is a united one and you can see that their thinking has grown since their association with Aroehan. They talk of how health was once a low priority–infant and maternal mortality rates were high because of malnutrition and children were always falling sick. Today, the malnutrition numbers have reduced significantly. A woman tells us about how educating her daughters was never a priority. Today, thanks to increased awareness, she believes girls must be educated so that they can at least have practical knowledge such as being able to read bus numbers. This might seem like a small shift to us, but is a huge change in mindsets for communities like these.

The dynamics of villages like Shirasgaon are complex and require complex but well thought of solutions. Over endless cups of sweet milky tea we talk of the current challenges and possible solutions for a better future. Our discussions waver between idealism and practicality, disillusionment and inspiration, confusion and moments of clarity-much like my own life these days.

—

Aroehan was created as a project of the Nirmala Niketan Institute of Social Work in Mumbai, to address the issue of malnutrition in the Mokhada district in 2006. Having done an assessment of the needs of the community, the project realized the importance of an integrated approach to development and has over the past ten years worked on bringing education, health, governance and sustainable livelihood opportunities to farmers across Mokhada and Jawhar districts.

Namrata Tanna is a former television journalist who switched over to the social sector to use her journalism skills to create social impact. She has worked with several Mumbai-based non-profits through the initiative co-founded by her–Creatives against Poverty–and currently works with Concern India Foundation.

Writing: Memoirs from Mokhada (Part 1)

Story: Memoirs From Mokhada: My Transformational Journey Into Rural India – Part 1 | Publication: The Huffington Post | Publishing Date: July 2016.

Read the complete series here: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

A week-long immersion into rural Maharashtra with a grassroots NGO after a particularly difficult personal challenge proved to be a transformational journey for me. This three-part series showcases the challenges, successes, strategies and innovation of a unique organization that is trying to bring a holistic change to the villages of Mokhada and Jawhar talukas (districts)–much as I’m trying to do in my personal life.

Day 1

Driving away from Mumbai I feel a weight lifting off my shoulders. As we leave the bustling city behind and drive into a greener, quieter and simpler India, (simpler in many ways–but complex in others) the stress of the past few days and months slowly seems to be fading away. I breathe in the fresh air and take in the quintessential village sights outside my window–women wearing saris and weary faces carrying stacks of firewood on their heads and walking for miles; sweat-drenched men in dhotis and turbans working on road building projects; naked children eating ice cream from the local kulfi vendor with big sloppy smiles; an assortment of farm animals running across the village with abandon.

A month ago I had a different life, and now I am stepping out of a comfort zone created out of years of fear and denial.

Life has been surreal lately. A month ago I had a different life, and now I am stepping out of a comfort zone created out of years of fear and denial. On some days I feel liberated and brave and on others the fear creeps in and I want to lie in a ball in a corner and wish everything away.

The village setting I have chosen pushes me out of my comfort in so many ways–here I live in a simpler way without basic amenities like hot water, western toilets, mobile coverage and television.

But the villages and villagers are beautiful. I wake up to the sound of birds and breathe in fresh country air. I plan to spend the next week speaking to villagers about their lives, and changes they have undergone since their association with the NGO I am volunteering with–

Aroehan. Can there be anything better?

Day 2

The day begins with sunshine streaming in through the curtain-less window and the sound of birds interspersed with the sounds of the sleepy town of Jwahar waking up. As I wake, a feeling of excitement pervades my being as I ready for the day ahead.

We visit a group of seven farmers in the village of Khoz. In 2010 when Aroehan began their livelihood generation intervention, these seven villagers were the first to take a leap of faith and begin vegetable cultivation (apart from their traditional crops of rice and ragi) with Aroehan.

[A] feeling I haven’t felt in a long time surfaces, so new that I think I’d almost forgotten what it was to feel it–I’m inspired!

Entrusting their future to the organization they began in earnest with the cultivation of okra on a small part of their lands as an experiment. Today the land they once thought to be useless and burdensome is yielding them great profits, and affording them a better standard of living. Their children now go to school, their homes are made of stronger materials, they don’t have to earn meagre incomes through backbreaking daily wage jobs in large faraway cities. Instead, they have savings in the bank, and confidence in their own agricultural decisions. Today there are 35 such farmers in Khoz that earn a living by making productive use of their land.

The farmers’ stories and the natural beauty of the village filled me with happiness and hope but I couldn’t help but wonder about the incredible contradictions that exist across our vast country.

A small village like Khoz had a perennial water source right next to it for over 35 years. However, the inhabitants of the village never could use the water to till their lands until Aroehan showed them how to five years ago. How does a government that works on isolated solutions expect development to take place? Why are there such glaring gaps in our system? What is the future of India if we address issues piece meal?

This, and many such organizations across the country work tirelessly to create sustainable solutions for development problems. But imagine the possible impact if we shift our thinking and address the larger problems.

As I think of the possibilities of such change, a feeling I haven’t felt in a long time surfaces, so new that I think I’d almost forgotten what it was to feel it–I’m inspired!

—

Aroehan was created as a project of the Nirmala Niketan Institute of Social Work in Mumbai, to address the issue of malnutrition in the Mokhada district in 2006. Having done an assessment of the needs of the community, the project realized the importance of an integrated approach to development and has over the past ten years worked on bringing education, health, governance and sustainable livelihood opportunities to farmers across Mokhada and Jawhar districts.

Namrata Tanna is a former television journalist who switched over to the social sector to use her journalism skills to create social impact. She has worked with several Mumbai-based non-profits through the initiative co-founded by her–Creatives against Poverty–and currently works with Concern India Foundation.

 

 

Writing: The Story of Sangati

Story: The Story of Sangati | Publication: IL&FS Education

IL&FS Education is the social infrastructure subsidiary of IL&FS India. Their objective is to make learning an experience-led, interactive, insight-based and stimulating journey. The Story of Sangati was featured in their newsletter.

The Sangati program was developed by the Avehi-Abacus Project in 1991 to transform learning environments in the municipal schools of Mumbai. Today, it is implemented in 905 state-run municipal schools.

This is their story…