Chargheri Trip 4 dated 25-07-2009, Part 2 of 2:
[The relevant picture or video is followed by the description]
...continued from part 1
13_rice_bags@dist_pt
The rice bags are stacked at distribution point, ready to be served to the people queuing up
The rice bags are stacked at distribution point, ready to be served to the people queuing up
14_books_for_good_students
The local volunteers request us to explore providing books & school dresses to the better students, as the village school is re-opening. This will need further discussion. Is it a primary need under the prevailing conditions? How many students are in a position to attend school within next few months?
17_other_group_and_routing_people
This video shows the distribution point just ahead of the start of distribution. The other corporate group to arrive on the same day is seen here with our group, merging their distribution of food material into our card based issue system.
In the 2nd part of this video, the routing of queue and after distribution point is also indicated.
The card we used
This picture shows the format of the card we used (the script is in Bangla). Notice the dates indicated, which we tick during the check process. The card number (unique) and name are identifiers used during distribution. As this week’s distribution was for 2 weeks, we were ticking off 2 consecutive dates (25th July & 1st August).
18_Kaustuv_explaining_card_check
Kaustuv briefs the group on the check system for the cards ahead of the issue
19_implementing_dist_thru_cards
The process of issue of rice through the cards, including the checking, is shown in this video.
Distribution in progress
The distribution starts off slowly and then picks up pace.
The queue kept building up…
...faster than we could clear it. To complete our work before dusk, we had to open up a 2nd distribution point at the closing stages.
Lady queueing up with her card ready
We traversed the length of the queue in order to clarify to people that issue will be made against cards (which they seemed to be aware of), that they can queue up irrespective of serial numbers, that we would issue rice for 2 weeks (we will not come next week), that they need not come and stand in the sun from 10 am on the visit days as we are never going to arrive that early. A megaphone will do just fine next time for the announcement purpose!
We also told people that they should not change head count on the cards of their own even if they think the headcount needs redressal (they would not get more than what our register shows in any case). Unauthorised correction was observed in a few cards. They need to register their issue with the volunteers for address during the next time.
With more time, we expect to get in closer touch with the people, but coming from so far for an afternoon there can be only so much progress per week! This week we were already controlling the distribution entirely by ourselves, with the volunteers mainly controlling the crowd.
20_rice_filling_in_bags
Rice is getting filled into the bags of recipients during distribution
21_interview
Interviewing a local old woman
22_Saptarshi_checking_list
Saptarshi is seen here doing the card checking duties….
23_exchanging_duties
…and Saptarshi is equally adept at distributing rice at lightning speed!! He does that in his very first visit. What a guy to have in your team!
As I said, he was good at it.
Another picture of Saptarshi distributing rice.
Bag filling
Gopal and Trinath helped with the bags (need strong arms for that - some of those were filled with 7-8 kgs of rice for the entire family). Amar was checking the cards with Kaustuv and returning to the holders.
24_medicap_camp_Dipankar_tablets
Dipankar issues tablets, strips and tonics for common ailments for common ailments
25_Dipankar_injection_part1
He can also push a dose of tetvac to people having wounds and injuries (see next video)…
26_Dipankar_injection_part2
…and the recipient is seen here complaining that he did not have any pain!
I was there too
During the latter stages I was with Dipankar in the medical camp (makeshift – what else). 94 people attended the camp on the 4th visit.
Snapshot of the medical register
I tried to note down the common problems, and also the medicines that were not in stock. There were no serious problems mentioned by anyone this time. The above snapshot shows the listing of missing medicines, as well as common ailments (in my own inimitable Bengali handwriting, of course).
Many of the adults were complaining of stomach related problems. The children were mainly affected by stomach issues as well as cough / cold / fever. I asked about the water quality, but they appeared to be satisfied with the water they get from the unaffected tubewell.
27_returning_to_boat_in_downpour
When the skies opened up, we were almost through with the rice distribution. The medical camp had already served 94 people. The common ailments were noted down, and the medical stock requirements were also noted. We hope to have a doctor accompanying us sometime very soon.
Thus ended our 4th trip to Chargheri. It was low tide again, and we waded back to the mud and the waters to go back to our boat. We were thoroughly drenched by the end of it. But we felt that this visit gave us additional confidence. Firstly that 2 weeks stuff CAN be distributed in one afternoon, and that the people are generally happy (you can’t please everyone, but we truly did not hear any serious complaints) with the process we have adopted.
We could distribute to almost all the recipients (686+ out of 721 families) in our presence. Minor grievances (like head counts in families) were also noted and can be addressed before next visit.
We are planning to improve the cards. We had issued plain papers, and some of them may already have been destroyed as the people returned home in today’s downpour. Reissuing the piece of paper is not much of a problem but repeated distribution can be a problem, leading to grievances. More on that later.
Adieu to Chargheri from the bed of River Garal
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