As an old saying goes, “When many hands contribute a few drops of water, a mighty river is born!” This saying flows in the very spirit of the North East Region of India where each individual regards the problems of his neighbours as his own. In villages, communities get together for marriages, births and funerals to tide the family in times of need. Every family will contribute, it may be just a bowl of curd or a few grains of paddy, but when everyone joins in every need is met in a jiffy! But slowly, this practice is getting brushed aside in the face of rapid urbanisation and drifting of communities.
This heritage of community giving in North East India inspired Foundation for Social Transformation (FST) to launch the North East Rising Campaign. It is a bid to re-energise the practise of community philanthropy in a more organised way to garner community support for positive change in the North East. The North East Rising Campaign is a crowdfunding initiative to raise funds from individuals around the world to support grassroot changemakers of North East India.
“Through our work over the last 6 years, FST has met many amazing grassroot changemakers who have been working selflessly for their community with the little means that they have. We believes that through a little financial support, the work of such changemakers can be scaled up by many folds and they will emerge as the new leaders of the North East who will be pioneers of peace building too,”said Gayatri Buragohain, Executive Director of Foundation for Social Transformation.
Launched on 17th February 2014, the campaign aims to raise 17.5 lakh rupees to support 7 grassroot changemakers, one from each seven sister state of the North East, for a period of one year. The support will include a grant as well as capacity building and hand holding of the fellow. By means of this grant, the grantees will in turn empower the local people and work towards addressing a critical issue which will have a long standing effect on future generations. It is an initiative to garner people’s support from around the world to support 7 grassroot changemakers from North East India. Donors can contribute online through www.northeastrising.org. All donations are tax exempted and the whole amount raised will go to the Fellowships. The donor can give any amount according to his capacity; even Rs.100 will go a long way!
North East is a colourful mosaic of rich natural and human resources, and unique social and cultural practices of a variety of indigenous communities. However, owing to the challenges of being regarded as a frontier region and to the decades of conflict that the region has faced, North East has suffered immense loss of resources and lagged behind from the rest of India in many development indices. FST believes that it is important that sensitized and committed grassroot changemakers are supported to bring about positive change in the region. FST is convinced that people’s support in a very small way can amplify the results of the work of these grassroot changemakers. With this believe, FST is sending a call to all people who care about North East, living in the North East and around the world, to pitch in whatever amount they are comfortable with to support a fellowship for 7 grassroot changemakers of the region. Let’s get our forces together to facilitate CHANGE in North East India!
To join this movement log on to www.northeastrising.org. Mail FST at fstnortheast@gmail.com for any questions or call 9435553373. Anyone can also visit the team at FST, House No.1, Jorpukhuri, Uzanbazar, Guwahati 781001.