Interns Share Their Journeys


Following here are field notes written by interns.
 
 
INTERN: VIKAS SHARMA is a Delhi-based engineer working with MNC. He is a blogger who was an intern with Flying Birds of India during his final year of college in 2012.
 
My Discovery of Jamia Nagar…!!
 
 
DATE: 15th May 2012
 
I had been in contact over the phone and through e-mails with Aseem Usman sir for over a week in hope to see him in person. What follows explains why….Aseem sir is the founder of the Aseem Asha Foundation and the subsidiary organisation Flying Birds of India Flying Birds works in popularising and propagating the local issues of marginalised communities through the production and dissemination of short documentary films..to be specific.. in the field of capacity building of youth belonging to disadvantaged communities. Now, for someone like me who is so passionate about documentary making and who is in search for a platform to vent out that passion and be with people at the grass root level, Flying Birds seemed to be a glimmer of hope. So in hope of a rendezvous with him, i had been making efforts for the set of roughly seven days at the end of which I found myself lost and completely clueless in the maze called Jamia Nagar, the place I had been called at by him.
 
 
Jamia Nagar, Johri Farm was evidently one of the most developed ( explained later in what sense) Muslim neighborhood I have ever been to. Having seen essentially Muslim ghettos like Seelampur in East Delhi, Bara Hindu Rao in Old Delhi, I could not believe what I got to see there. Posh residential buildings, though cluttered (typical of every Muslim place), lined one after the other. Each building I was looking at either had the exterior done in the most contemporary manner or was in the course of construction, possibly reconstruction in order to be not left behind in the spree of renovation in the locality. To my surprise, every building had a ground floor parking with fair number of semi-luxury cars stashed into it, not to mention the air conditioners, at least couple of them, fitted in the windows of every building. It seemed to be the Indian counterpart of a Pakistani locality of the same class, with the Urdu address plates, (I had a tough time dealing with them later), all-Urdu election campaign posters, skull cap wearing folks and myriad of things at large which had a subliminal impact on me.
 
 
But to my dismay, I realized later that it was a lopsided development when I came across a hawker selling water!!The way the plush Muslim neighborhood surprised me initially, it was hard for me to concede the fact that water scarcity was an issue in an area like this, as told to me later by Aseem sir, and so was the abysmal condition of the roads. What didn’t surprise me was the help and support extended to me by the locals to find Aseem sir’s address in the locality where finding an address can be a big pain for a fledgling visitor like me. The locals (READ my helpful Muslim folks..)came to my rescue. Though their reading-out to me all ‘Urdu-written’ address plates at my request proved futile yet I was happy the way help was extended to me. After bothering them for around 45 minutes or so I met this young Muslim man who not only offered me his cell phone to contact Aseem sir, after I was left with no balance in my cell, but also gave me lift on his bike to the only Shia mosque of the place, the landmark I was told to wait at by sir only to find him coming a moment later to take me his place. The discovery of Jamia Nagar surely left an indelible mark on my psyche. It feels completely apt to say…First impression is the Last Impression…!!
 
 
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Vikas Sharma with Yusra Fatima during a Community Film Shoot
 
 
INTERN: JEMIMAH BASUMATARY from KAMLA NEHRU COLLEGE OF DELHI UNIVERSITY. She is a final year student of BA in Sociology (Hons) who has done remarkable work with the Flying Birds of India.

DATE: 2ND JULY 2013
It was Tuesday and 2ndof July, I have been trying to get an internship in an NGO for the past few days but I was not lucky enough to get in. On the 1ST of July I was lucky enough AA Foundation asked me to come over for an interview. ASEEM ASHA FOUNDATION is a non-governmental organization established in 2007 in NEW DELHI, INDIA. It is engaged in teaching the use of new media tool and technologies. It was founded by ASEEM ASHA USMAN.
 
 
I woke up early in the morning and realized that it was the day for my interview. When I realized I was really scared because this was my first interview. But I tried to stay calm and was a bit successful in it. By 10am I was ready and came out of the house and took Rickshaw till Metro. I was supposed to reach the NGO by 11am, but then I realized it is going to take much time and I’ll be late. I was scared thinking how ASEEM sir will react as I will be late. So I informed sir because I did not want him to wait for me, I was very relaxed when he replied, ‘not an issue, feel comfortable’ and I finally reached KALKAJI METRO station. I had some more distance to cover so I took an auto. I was new to the place so I gave the address to the auto driver and asked him to take me there. Again the same problem, bargaining with the auto driver, he was not willing to go by the meter, he has already fixed his price and since I did not know the way I had to agree with him. On my way I saw JAMIA University, its campus was really wide. I only had a glance from the auto, but I could see that it was really beautiful. Finally we reached the place but I could not see any office nearby, so I called sir and then sir himself came out to show me the way.
 
 
I was nervous because it was my first time meeting him, but I realized he was very cool and friendly. I had to walk a long way as I got down in the wrong stop, and ASEEM sir was too kind to come and show me the way. On the way I could see the area was surrounded by tall buildings and had small lane that is big enough for a small car to pass through. But as we went more inside the lanes got more smaller and by the time I reached the AA FOUNDATION the lane was big enough only for two bikes at a time. Finally I was in the center, ASEEM ASHA Foundation. The door was opened to us by a young boy in his teens. The room was very small with a bed, two book shelves, a table with two computer, cooler of medium size and a few chairs. The wall of the room was decorated with colorful drawings and pictures and most of the work looks like it was done by young kids. There were greetings for DIWALI, CHRISTMAS, and picture of BUDDHA. Also there were some pictures taken with some famous people during the “TAGORE PEACE CAMPAIGN”. Tagore peace campaign is the campaign organized by the organization where they distribute a souvenir made of RABINDRANATH TAGORE’s image by a boy name Akbar. From the drawings and the pictures of the wall we can see how active and lively they are. In the far corner there was a board with the symbol of AA Foundation.
 
 
Inside the room there were three boys of the same age. Two of them were studying and the third, who opened the door for us, was teaching. The names of the boys were MUSHTAQ, INAMUL and RABI. MUSTAQH finished his 12 and was seeking admission for BA in JAMIA and DU. He was also the assistant of ASEEM sir. INAMUL too was a class 12 passed student, RABI is from IRAN and is here to learn HINDI. I was offered a glass of water and then we started off discussing about MUSTAQH’s admission procedure in DU. ASEEM sir said that it was MUSTAQH desire to study in north campus but unluckily his percentage did not meet up the cut off percentage. But his seat was confirmed in JAMIA UNIVERSITY, which is just around the corner and is one of the best university of INDIA. But MUSTAQH’s wish was to study in DU north campus so he was not very happy. Sir also asked for my opinion and I totally agree with sir as JAMIA is a very good University.
 
 
Sir then asked about myself, what was my percentage in class 12, what do I do now and why did I join this association. I told sir about myself and my studies and how I too belonged to a small community of ASSAM and this small community have not seen much development yet and they don’t get good education because there is no one to guide them and so they cannot understand the importance of education in this age. Sir also asked me what type of project I would like to do but being very new in all this I did not know what to say and sir was being very helpful to me for which I shall ever be grateful to him. Sir then gave me ideas on what types of projects are to be done in an internship program. In the mean-time sir briefed me about his work and research, most of which were done in the Muslim community, and about his work with UNESCO. His research were mostly based on the women of Muslim community of all ages. His survey was mostly done in SEELAMPUR AND OKHLA. Later sir gave me MEDIA STORIES to read. From there I got to know that FLYING BIRDS OF INDIA is also a part of AA Foundation, founded in 2006. FLYING BIRDS OF INDIA mostly dealt with the younger generation, children whose family could not afford their children to study technical instruments, were taught how to handle computers, camera, and how to make a video and many more.
 
 
Since it was my first day and I did not know what more to do so I decided to leave, and asked sir’s permission and he was ok with it. Sir offered to come with me till I get an auto and also because he wished to show me another way out, the way which we came in was too far. That time I came to know that the majority people living in that area were Muslim and that the Muslim people prefer living in large groups.I took an auto from the way and came to the metro station and so finally my 1st day ended…………
 
DATE: 3 JULY 2013
It was the second day in AA Foundation. I started from home at around three and then went by metro till Kalkaji mandir metro. From there I had to take an auto, but the auto bhaiya was not willing to go by meter but after a long persuasion he agreed to go. I was scared that I will forget the way, but luckily I managed to reach the center without getting lost.
 
 
When I reach there I saw that the environment was totally different from the first time. The room was crowded with kids ranging from different ages, with their books open. Inside there were four kids below the age of 10 and three girls who were in their teens and Mushtaq was teaching them. The look in their face was very bright and they were enjoying what they were doing. They gave me a seat as I entered and Mushtaq introduced me to the new kids. As Mushtaq introduced me I could see their smiling and friendly face, seeing which I felt so happy and comfortable. I asked their names and in which standard they are studying, everyone replied back to me in their sweet and smiling way. The name of the girls present there were ADIBA, MUSKAN and FARHANA studying in 9, 10, and 11 standard respectively. MOHAMAD, ZAID, AMAN, SHAAD were below 10 years and were in their primary school. After introducing themselves the kids continued with their works. Everyone there was studying different subject, some English others Hindi, Mathematics and more and Mushtaq was trying to handle everyone in all possible ways. Seeing all this I even tried to help the smaller kids with their spellings, after checking out with them for some time I asked Mushtaq to give me something to read, so he took out some research material for me to read. In the mean-time Aseem sir too came in the room and greeted me. He then introduced me to the kids again and asked me to give a small speech of how I came to Delhi and why I was interested in working there. I was really nervous because I am not used to giving speeches, but then I gathered my courage and started speaking. I told them that I too belonged to a small community of Assam and that I would also like to work for the development of my community, for which I would be needing knowledge and skills and that I would like to learn all these from now onwards. I don’t know how it went but I was really impressed with myself. Sir then translated whatever I said in Hindi to the kids. Then I thought to myself if i should have spoken in Hindi, but it was already done and I could not change it. In the mean-time two other boys entered the room. Sir introduced me to them, they were the volunteers of the AA Foundation. Akbar is a trained and skilled embroider. And he is the one who embroiders the souvenir for the TAGORE PEACE CAMPAIGN.
 
 
After introducing Akbar, Aseem sir gave me a chart which they were asked to make on the first day of their research training program of UNESCO. In the chart it was given the basic ideas on how to approach a research program, types of questioners, the time needed to perform the task and many more. I noted it down and then Sir told me about EAR and told me that he will give me to read it but could not give right away because the book was not binded and the pages were not in order. Sir told me that he will give it to me after binding it. I then glanced through the pages and saw it has many different techniques and questioners.
 
 
After giving me the book sir started teaching the girls, he corrected their English notes and also the other notes which they were studying. The children then studied for some more time and was ready to leave, sir asked me if I wanted to ask them few questions before leaving but I said no because I did not know what to ask and told sir I will do some other day. And so sir let them go. After this I tried to go through the book which sir gave me, glancing through it I found that the book was quite interesting, it was all about how to approach a field work, what type of record one should keep, types of questions one could ask and many more. While I was glancing through the book, sir was talking with Ashok and his friend, he asked them how his family were and how was his life. They also discussed about Inamul that how he was not interested in studies. He is actually a bright student but he did not take his studies seriously and after a lot of pressure from sir he passed his 12. I then asked permission from sir to return home as it was already late. Sir asked Mushtaq to drop me till I get auto and take Ashok and his friend to visit his home, also he asked Mushtaq to bind the book on the way. So we came out of the house, and on the way I asked Mushtaq about his admission, there I came to know that he was interested in giving UPSC exams later. After walking for a while I got an auto and there I said bye to Mushtaq and his friends and left for home………..
 
DATE: 17 JULY 2013
The workshop that was being held in Najafgarh had finally ended and so it was again time for me to come to AA FOUNDATION. I felt like it’s been ages that I had not been there, and this can be clearly seen when I forgot the way, but somehow I could recalled it and reached safely. By the time I reached it was already 11:30, and as it was during the school hours, there were not much students in the center. There was only two boys in the room. Whenever I come to the center Mushtaq is always present, but that day he was not there. Later on I came to know that as his classes have started he went to attend his classes, I was very happy for him. The two boys present there were reading books.
 
 
Aseem sir discussed with me about the workshop that was held in Najafgarh, from his words and expression it was obvious that he was satisfied with his work and is again looking forward to do such work again. The workshop that was being held in Najafgarh of Dharampura was conducted in association with APNE APP WOMEN WORLD WIDE. It is a non-governmental organizationwhich help the women of red-light area. This workshop was conducted in order to help the children of those backward areas learn about the technologies around them and also to discuss about their daily problem and help them out. While we were discussing about the workshop I suddenly remembered the discussion that I had with Kiran, while returning from the workshop on the first day.
 
 
Kiran was a former student of Aseem sir and now she is also an assistant of sir. While we were talking she told me a lot about the AA FOUNDATION and how Aseem sir helped her to pursue her carrier. She also said she was not the only one who was helped by Aseem sir. She currently has a job and she is very happy with it. Kiran mentioned that the AA FOUNDATION are attached to ideas and teaching of RABINDRANATH TAGORE, and that day I got the chance to ask sir about it. Aseem sir said that during the starting time of his carrier he worked with Jatin Das, and working with him gave him the chance to learn more about RABINDRANATH TAGORE. Jatin Das is a well-known painter, and chairmen of JD center of art. Aseem sir helped Jatin Das in archiving documentaries and short films for film festivals, in content writings for film catalogue, raising fund for the events and many more. The films which were collected were mostly based on Tagore. Seeing and hearing all this he was again more interested to learn about him. Aseem sir also talked about how Rabindranath Tagore worked with the Shantal tribe. He talked about the art of the Shantal, made in a piece of cloth or stole. In the stole the pictures of their daily activities are drawn. These shawl are also the medium of telling the story of that society. Sir showed me one such type of stole which was gifted to him during those days, and it was extraordinary. The drawing was made in a white piece of cloth, the drawing was of the life of a rural people.
 
 
Later the two boys present there wanted to show some of the pictures of theirs which they clicked recently when they went for a trip. They showed the pictures to sir communicating in a very friendly manner. The pictures were beautiful and lively, and the boys were very excited while showing it to sir and sir too respond in a very positive way. The boys then got ready to leave and it was also time for me to leave, so I took leave from sir and headed on my way. As I could not find any auto nearby I had to walk a long way. On the way I meet Mushtaq who was returning from college, at first I did not recognized him but he did and greeted me. When I asked how his day was at college, his reply was that he is enjoying it and attending all his classes, he was very happy. We then said bye and parted our ways.
 
DATE: 24 JULY 2013
As our classes have started I could not come early, I came to the center after attending all my classes. By the time I reached there it was already 3:30pm. Mushtaq opened the door for me, other than Mushtaq there was no one inside. It was time for Muskan’s batch to come but they have not reached yet. After offering me a seat Mushtaq continued with his work. When I asked him what he was doing, he replied, “I am editing the videos that was made during the Najafgarh workshop”. When I asked him how long is it going to take to complete it, he said as there were lots of editing to do so it will take long. He also gave me a glimpse of how the editing was being done.
 
 
In the mean-time the students started coming in groups and took their own seats and they were very eager to start their work. Sir too came and greeted us and sat along with the children. He asked Mustaq to stop his work as he now have to teach the junior children. By the time the junior children were settled down the elders of the group had already started with their doubts. Aseem sir sat infront of them teaching and ever-ready to clear their doubts. The girls too were very eager to learn, sir teach them economics, English and other subjects which he can. In between the girls also share their problems with sir. Problem faced in school, at home, on the way and any type of problem, Aseem sir tries to help them out by explaining them in a beautiful manner or finding a solution for their problem. Among the girls present there, Muskan seems to be the brightest and communicates the most. The others girls seems to be quiet and speaks out only when they have doubts and can’t understand.
 
 
Some-time later I realized that everyone was busy and I was the only one doing nothing. I than offered to help Mushtaq in teaching the younger children and he willingly agreed. There was a boy from class-6 his name was Shad, he was doing mathematics and was doing well. Aman and Anu was from class-1, they looked very tired and sleepy but was still trying hard to study. I tried to help them in their studies Aman was very cooperative but on the other hand Anu was very shy and did not want to learn from me as he did not know me.But slowly after trying hard even he started speaking up. He started showing me his work and asked me to correct it for him, seeing that I was very happy. Shad is very bright student but at the same time he was very mischievous and always try to waste his time when you don’t look at him.When he entered the center that day Aseem sir asked him if he had food, he said that he did not have food for the whole day. Sir was surprised and asked his friend if it was true but his friend said that they had food in the canteen. Hearing this everyone laughed out. Sahd was in class-3 when he first joined this center, but with his hard work and the helping hand of Aseem sir he was promoted to class-6 due to his excellent performance. This was a very great achievement for the center and Aseem sir. Aman is a 7 year old boy studying in class-1. He comes to the center along with his sister Muskan who was in the same group. Since their house is not far away he come by foot. He studies in a nearby English medium school and comes to the center to take tuition. His father is a tailor. He is a very smart and happy kid.
 
 
It already was almost an hour and I did not realize how the time flew. The children were getting ready to leave as they have to reach home before it is dark. And as they left even I was ready to leave, since I had a long way to go. Mushtaq again sat back to continue his work in editing which he left 1 hour ago.
 
DATE 26 JULY 2013
On that day I talked to Aseem sir on how he started his NGO. I was glad that even in his busy time he took out some time to talk about it. Aseem sir told me that he first came to Seelampur through UNESCO.Aseem sir was trained by UNESCO and later started doing a project for the same organization in association with another grass root ngo. While he was training with the UNESCO he was sent to work in Seelampur for a project with GENDER RESOURCE CENTER, which was funded by SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT, NEW DELHI. He started his work there with a project. After completing his project he planned to leave the place as his work was done. But the local people were very much impressed with his work and so they stopped him. They like his unique way of working and wanted him to stay there and guide the children of the community. They wanted him to work in their community and help it develop.He agreed to help them and so he started to work there. He did not have his own office and no funding but the local people were very helpful and helped him a lot. They gave him a place to start his office. With the help of the local people and his students of the earlier project he cleaned up a place and opened a learning center. KALPANA CHAWLA MEDIA RESOURCE CENTER was also the result of his hard work. In this learning center the students were taught computer skills, media skills, English and their school subjects.
 
 
The beginning of his work was not smooth but with his determination and the help of the local people it went on smoothly in the later time. His NGO was then registered in two to three months. The main activities in his center was teaching the students all about the modern technology , media related stuffs, to make small documentary films use cameras and capture their daily lives. Seeing all this the local people wanted him to start a full-time coaching center and start a business. But ASEEM sir’s aim was not to start a business but to help the poor and needy. So he rejected the idea of starting a business. As the NGO had no funding it was difficult for Aseem sir to run it from his small income.Seeing this a family member of the owner of the local organization in Seelampur gave him a room for his computer class, he did not have to pay rent for the house but in return he had to teach the children of the owner without any fee. He had 20-30 students in one batch. But it was difficult for him to run the NGO because he did not have any funds and few people came forward to help him. He had to negotiate a lot in order to run that NGO but it was becoming more difficult for him and also the center was too far away from his home. He had to travel for almost one and half hour to reach the center every day and the expenses were too much. He tried very hard to continue his work there, he did not want to leave his students as they were close to him and he wanted to teach them a lot and make their future better. But he could not hold on for longer and so he finally decided close the center in Seelampur for time being.
 
 
He has already opened a small center in his home itself but he is always looking out and waiting for the day when he will go back and work in seelampur. At present his students from seelampur come to his center in Okhla and volunteer him, also they are in small way continuing the work in seelampur by teaching the new children.
 
DATE: 30 JULY 2013
That day too I left for AA FOUNDATION after attending all my classes and as I reached the center it was time for the tuition. Just like few days before Mustaq was busy editing the videos and when the students stared coming he kept aside his work in order to attend them. Today the children present were much more less in number compared to the last time I saw. Aseem sir then came and greeted us, when he saw less children were present that day he inquired about it and the girls replied that some of the other girls who were not present were busy with their mother’s at home. While sir was asking about the girls, few girls came knocking at the door. When the door was opened there were three young girls standing in the door. They introduced themselves and said that they came here because some of their friends informed them about this center. So they came looking for it with the hope that sir might help them in their studies. When sir asked them in which subject they wanted his help, they said that they wanted help in physics and chemistry. Sir told them that he could teach them chemistry but not physics as he has not been in touch with that subject for a very long time.
 
 
Aseem sir then talked about the problems of the society which the young girls are still facing. The girls cannot attend the tuition every day and not only tuition they are not allowed to go out of the house and explore the world outside. After their mother all the house hold responsibilities is upon the eldest daughter of the family. Keeping a helper in the home is too costly for them. Getting a free time for themselves and learning something new is some-where near to impossible for them. When their mother is out of the house the girls are the one who are takes care of it and also entertain the guest of the family. Some of the families try to support and give time but it is not always possible. Also when the girls step out of the house the people of the society looks down at them, this is also one of the reason why the girls do not step out of the house.
 
 
That day there was a new girl in the center and her name was Yusra Fatima. She lives just next door and have been attending this tuition for almost a year now. She lives with her family member she was very shy when I first spoke to her. She was sitting with her book open, she wanted sir to listen her reading but sir was busy teaching the elder girls and she was waiting for her chance. Seeing this sir asked me to listen to her reading and help her. She came too me and started reading. Sir was very happy that I could helped him and wanted me to come at the same time so that I could help him in teaching the junior children. As the children present there are from different classes it is difficult for sir and Mustaq to attend them at the same time.Yusra Fatima was reading with full concentration, at the same time the boys of class one, Anu and Aman too were busy doing mathematics with the help of Mustaq. After she completed reading the chapter I helped her in doing some of the exercises related to the chapter. While the tuition was going on, there were many noises coming from the street. People discussing among themselves while moving along, sellers crying out loudly to sell their stuffs, bike honking, noises from cycling and many more. At times all these noises from outside made it difficult to concentrate, but at same time I was glad seeing that the children were working very hard at the midst of these noises. A girl named Ruksaar was sitting in the corner near the entrance, she was very shy and quiet. She was learning the names of the week in English. She is in class 2. When sir asked her note-book to check what she has been doing, she looked scared as it was already late and she still could not remember the name of the weeks. Sir asked her to learn it again. Since it was already the time to leave, she was asked to come prepared the next day. The children were starting to leave,Mustaq again went back to his work of editing and I too left for home.
 
 
DATE: 31 JULY 2013
It was 31st of July, the last day of the month and also my last day in the center of AA FOUNDATION. I reached the center and the children were already there for their lessons. Same as the other days everyone was busy doing their works with full concentration. I looked around and saw that everyone was not present. Muskan and her brother Aman were also absent. From the time I came to the center I noticed that Muskan and her brother were the most regular students. As Ramzan is going on it must be a very busy month for the children, eagerly waiting for the big day to come. The younger children looked very tired, from spending the whole day in school. But still they tried very hard to give their full attention in what they were being taught. Yusra Fatima was also absent today and I wondered what happened to her that stopped her from attending the tuition. Fatima is a very sweet girl and I like when she is around, I did not realize that I was getting very close with the children of the center. They too liked talking to me and asked question, seeing them opening up with me made me very happy. At the same time I was also sad because it was the last day of my work. Some of the girls had to go early as they had work at home. So after completing some of the topics Sir let them go, but Shad and Anu were asked to continue with their work. While some of the girls were leaving Yusra Fatima entered the center. I was very happy to see her, she came late because she hurt her knee and could not walk properly. She came alone as her house was just next door. She then took her seat, Mustaq selected a topic for her and she started working on it. I helped her when needed and she did whatever she could on her own.
 
 
As it was the last day for me I wanted to take a few pictures of the children. They were all very excited especially Shad as he was asking everyone to be ready. I clicked pictures of everyone present there and they were very happy. As there was only few children Mustaq was editing the videos. After staying for some more time I thanked sir for all his help and said goodbye. I helped Yusra Fatima till her home as she could not walk properly. I bid her goodbye and walked on my way. On my way back I noticed that the way I always took for the AA FOUNDATION was almost empty, and the people who were there were mostly man. No women were seen walking around in the road or no young girls were seen wandering around with their friends. All these shows how difficult it is for women to move out in the society. Wandering about all this I made my way towards home.
 
Jemimah with Community Girls
 

Jemimah with Kiran Rai

Jemimah at Najafgarh's Mixed-
Media Storytelling Workshop
 
 

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