More than Scrap Value

The grey building of Government High School,Sector 24,buzzes with activity during the evenings,when Zulfikar Khan teaches children from the slums of Chandigarh to act,dance,sing and study. The funds are generated by selling junk collected from across Chandigarh. The activity that has been on since 2006 also helps build a network. “I have personally gone to people,asking them for raddi. We discuss our work and also invite them for our performances. In the process,we build a network of well-wishers who are involved with fulfilling the cause,” says Khan,who also asks friends to contribute clothes,books,food items and promote the cause by spreading a word. “Over 1,000 people are involved with 49 children to support. More is less in our case,” smiles Khan.

Old newspapers have now become a revenue generator that helps sustain projects on children’s education,theatre and animal welfare. For instance,Project Sahyog,the initiative of People For Animals,Chandigarh,which was launched this week,strives to involve the community in conserving the environment through initiatives such as recycling of newspapers and increasing the use of bags made from newspapers and envelopes. “We will be collecting waste paper,including old newspapers from residences and the corporate sector. This will be recycled and used to make paper bags and envelopes,which will be distributed free of cost,” says Payal Sodhi of PFA,who is using this platform to involve the community in issues related to conservation of the environment,child education,empowerment and animal welfare.

Sodhi has taken help from students of Chandigarh College of Architecture and College of Art,to design practical,yet artistic carts,which will be used to collect newspapers and other junk. She is looking forward to the collaboration between PFA,Piya Sharma Charitable Trust (PSCT) and Piya Sharma Foundation (PSF),that has been working for the upliftment of women and children of weaker sections for 12 years. “It’s a collective effort,we have a long way to go,” says Sharma.

Earlier this year,members of The Mask Theatre garnered funds for the Katha Manchan theatre festival by selling raddi collected from 35 houses in the city. “This festival is of the people,by the people and for the people. We did not reserve seats,look for sponsorships,send invites or invite a chief guest. The idea is to make the festival self-sufficient by involving more people and pass information through word-of-mouth,” says Vijay,a member of the group,adding that they sell old newspapers in the open market,as they do not have time to make envelopes or packets. In 2009,during the festival,the group had handed empty envelopes to those who were attending the play,asking them to make a contribution as per their wish. Lyricist Munna Dhiman,who is also part of the group,recalls that initially they contacted friends,who then passed on the word. “We put our request on Facebook,asking people to give us raddi that can help us pay the rent for the venue and prevent us from going into losses. We had more than 70 people supporting us. We have already started doing the rounds for next year,” he adds.