Sewa Sandesh (Jan - Feb 2018) Inauguration of PMKK Centre at Chamba, Uttarakhand A skilled workforce is the key for tackling the huge challenge of ensuring employment for youths and create a New India. Taking a major step in that direction, Sewa International in consortium with F-TEC, inaugurated its 6th PMKK Centre in Uttarakhand, at Chamba (Tehri) on Feb 18 2018. Chief Guest, Shri Dhan Singh Negi (MLA, Tehri), Smt. Anandi Negi(Block Head,Tehri), Principals from nearby schools/colleges and many other dignitaries graced the occasion. SIB also organized Kaushal Mela, where hundreds of trainees registered for the courses running at the new centre. Chief Guest Shri Dhan Singh Negi inaugurated the centre by cutting the ribbon, and then proceeded to visit the whole centre with other guests. All the guests were very pleased to see state-of-the-art IT/Lab equipments for the relevant job roles at the centre viz. Domestic Data Entry Operator, Front Office Associate, Self Employed Tailor, Home Health Aide & Mobile Phone Hardware Repair Technician, which have a huge potential to provide jobs for the youths of the region. Shri Abhishek Mishra, Programme Manager (Sewa International, Uttarakhand) delivered the welcome speech for the guests and introduced the PMKK scheme and its various benefits to the audience. Various cultural events were presented in the form of song and dance performances by the trainees, which were very much appreciated by all. Shri Dhan Singh Negi in his address exhorted the local youths to take full advantage of the centre by enrolling in the various skill programs for having a bright future. He also encouraged the parents and elders to encourage the youths at their homes to be proactive and get skilled. He appreciated the efforts put by Sewa International to ensure that a world-class centre is setup in such a remote location and assured all help in the future. Free Medical Camp for Bru Refugees in Tripura Sewa International organized Free Medical Camp at Shadakratan Mani Seva Sadan, Anand Bazar, Tripura for the benefit of the displaced bru tribals of nearby Ashapara and Hazacherra settlements, from 16th-19th Jan 2018. This camp coincided with the health awareness training and helped understand the problems of the local bru population in order to serve them better. Around 200 patients received free medical care and medicines during the camp with the health awareness trainees also participating and learning from the process. Dr. Viren Naik, who was the main force driving the events at the camp was ably supported by Dr. Arpan Chakma and few other doctors from local Govt Hospital in conducting the Medical Camp.The camp was very well received and appreciated by all in the community. The inputs from the medical camp and health awareness training are being used to devise the program for spreading the health awareness and focus on preventive healthcare in all 6 camps in North Tripura covering some 30,000+ displaced bru tribals.  Livelihood through Turmeric Processing in Pokhari, Uttarakhand One of the main objectives of Sewa International's initiatives in Uttarakhand is to generate sustainable livelihoods for our hard-working SHG members. Towards, that goal our SHG group in Veena village of Pokhari Cluster in Chamoli district, have started processing raw turmeric to make products like turmeric powder, paste and other value-added products. Sewa International is providing the relevant training to the SHG members so that they can earn by growing native crops in a sustainable way. Our women SHG members were all too excited to be part of this project and we were all too happy to facilitate the process.  School Kits Distribution in Chunar, UP. School Kits consisting of a bag, copies, pencil box etc, were distributed to 40 underprivileged kids attending Sewa Learning Centre in Chunar (UP), run by Sewa International on Feb 12, 2018. Sewa Learning Centres in UP help provide remedial education to the underprivileged kids, who get very low quality education at their overcrowded and under-staffed govt schools, leading many of them dropping out early or becoming disinterested in education altogether.Through these 6 learning centres, Sewa aims to improve the learning outcomes for the kids and inculcate moral/ethical values in them. The kids were overjoyed to receive the School Kits which was a great surprise for them. All of them pledged to learn with all their ability to become a proud citizen of India. Awareness Program for upcoming Mobile Health Van services in Uttarakhand Sewa International started its Mobile Health Van mass awareness through street play(nukkad natak) followed by Community Health Camp at Khet Gadera in Gairsen block of Chamoli. In Feb 2018, Sewa conducted 18 such camps out of total 24 venues, selected for Mobile Health services, spreading awareness about its Mobile Health services and giving them a glimpse of same. The medical camps were held for optometry, dental and general medical checkup through a team of an optometrist, dentist and an MBBS doctor. Alongside, Sewa also distributed medicines as advised/prescribed for free.  The efforts of Swasthya Sahyogi Team along with volunteers from PMKK General Duty Assistant batches (from PMKK Padli centre) ensured that Awareness programmes reached to all in the targeted regions and very well received by the local communities. New Multi-purpose Training Centres in Tripura 2 new Multi-purpose Training Centres for displaced Bru community in Kaskaupara and Khakchangpara camps were opened in Jan and Feb 2018 respectively. These centres are conducting PMKVY course in tailoring which help them address the captive demand for clothing and provide livelihood options. Later, these centres would be used as Production Centres for making clothes and classrooms for providing education/tuition to kids near the camps. Given, the lack of opportunities in this region, these centres are fulfilling a critical need to empower the community and connecting them to the outside world. School Kits Distribution in North Bengal & Sikkim 800+ school bags with pencil box and geometry box along with 5000 notebooks, sponsored by Sewa International, were distributed in different parts of North Bengal and  Sikkim to underprivileged school-going kids in the following regions. Sikkim                                   Darjeeling                              Kalimpong                            Kurseong                               Patharghata (Siliguri)           Garopara (Siliguri)                Baribhasa (Siliguri)             Naxalbari                          Rajganj  (Jalpaiguri)          Sisabari (Jalpaiguri)        Diesel Colony (Siliguri)    Santosi Nagar (Siliguri)   Paresh Nagar (Siliguri)       Khoribari (Naxalbari)        These kits were distributed in time with the new session starting in Jan 2018. The kids were really happy about the surprise New Year's gift. Sewa International participated in the Dilli Haat exhibition from Jan 1-15 2018, promoting embroidery/bandhini work of our Kutch artisans and brocade work of Kashi weavers. Beautiful bags, stoles and dupattas were on display which were appreciated by everyone.