NCYS distribute flood relief at Badarpur on behalf of Barefoot College, Tilonia

July 25: “Netaji Chatra Yuba Sangstha (NCYS)” a voluntary organisation working under the able guidance of its founder and present General Secretary Dilu Das played a prominent role during the recent devastating flood in Silchar. Since 22 June, 2022, NCYS has been undertaking relief works at various parts of the district. They have been rendering immense service to the flood affected people.

On 24 July, NCYS distributed a variety of essential commodities at Badarpur in Karimganj district of Asssam and Algapur in Hailakandi district among the flood victims under the patronage of Barefoot College, Tilonia in Rajasthan. Around 350 families who were submerged during the recent flood were handed over relief materials during the day.

Since its inception, the long term objective of the Barefoot College, Tilonia in Rajasthan has been to work with marginalized, exploited, and impoverished rural poor, living on less than $1 a day, and lift them over the poverty line with dignity and self-respect. The Barefoot College is one of the few places in India where Mahatma Gandhi’s spirit of service and thoughts on sustainability, are still alive and respected. The Barefoot College has struggled to train village women, in areas that have traditionally been dominated by men. Since 1972, more than 6,525 unassuming housewives, mothers & grandmothers, midwives, farmers, daily wage labourers and small shopkeepers, who represent the profile of rural women from poor agricultural communities, have been trained into various professions.

Dilu Das, General Secretary of “Netaji Chatra Yuba Sangstha (NCYS)” said, “For standing besides the flood affected people of Barak Valley, I express my heartfelt gratitude to the founder of Barefoot College, Tilonia, Sanjit Roy (Bunkar). Due to the financial help extended by Barefoot, we were able to provide relief to large number of marginalised people, especially women, who suffered a lot during the recent devastating flood in Barak Valley.”

During the distribution of the relief materials at Badarpur, & Algapur, many panchayat representatives, local NGO’s came forward to lend a helping hand to “Netaji Chatra Yuba Sangstha (NCYS)”. On behalf of NCYS, its President in-charge Mahuya Bhowmicj, General Secretary Dilu Das, Organisational Secretary Bapi Acharjee, Social Service Secretary Anup Deb, Treasurer Nani Gopal Deb, Joynal Laskar, Dilip Nunia, Keshab Das, Anamika Paul, Puja Das, Dr Punal Roy, Mehbub Ahmed, Salka Deb Barman, Dipayan Das among others were present during the distribution of the relief materials.

This is not the 1st time that Barefoot College, Tilonia has stood besides Barak valley during crisis. In 2020, Barefoot College in collaboration with NCYS gave solar light system to 100 families at Narayanpur Rail Basti in Lakhipur constituency of Cachar district in Assam. At present, a solar project due to their contribution is also going on at Bhuban Pahar. In this connection, 6 women from Cachar went to Rajasthan and came back after taking solar engineering training.