Rickshaw launch, Health checkup and Certificates for Seniors

As with every post, there is good news, folks! SIFE SRCC now has over 40 SIFE rickshaws on North Campus roads! Totally awesome, right? We had our rickshaw launch ceremony for 20 rickshaws on 22nd of this month. Brand new dazzling rickshaws were lined up neatly at the SRCC parking lot with their proud owners standing beside them. Laddoos were distributed to everyone and I find it extremely important to mention here that Barun (SIFE member) ate 3 laddoos in the light of a severe laddoo shortage situation during the ceremony. The ceremony was formally inaugurated by our Principal and refreshments were distributed to the rickshaw pullers.

I had the happy privilege of seating myself on the driver's seat of one of those dazzling SIFE rickshaws, and Calvin and Pratima were quick to get on the passenger seat and have me pull the rickshaw. Well, folks, I've resolved to never bargain with a rickshaw puller again, because pulling rickshaws is real tough and tiring.

On 18th of this month, the health checkup organized by Max India Foundation took place. Mrs. Mohini Daljeet Singh, CEO of Max India Foundation, herself arrived and attended the health camp. Rickshaw pullers' turnout was great - most of them came with their wives and elderly parents and got their checkups done. Max India Foundation will provide spectacles to those who require them, and will also organize for surgeries for some rickshaw pullers requiring the same.

The Certificate Distribution Ceremony for the SIFE 2nd years and 3rd years happened on 22nd, immediately after the rickshaw launch. The Principal distributed certificates to everyone and confessed that initially he thought of SIFE and its activities as completely ridiculous and used to wonder by Dr. Abhay Kumar (our faculty advisor) was wasting his time on such rubbish. But now he recognizes us for our superhuman intellect. Okay, I made up the stuff about superhuman intellect, but he did appreciate our work. The certificates, by the way, were so pretty! It's worth working for SIFE just to be able to have our own certificates next year! Radhika, SIFE SRCC outgoing President, appointed Mehak as our new President and Ashima as our co-President for the year. I'm glad I'm not Radhika, it would have been the most difficult decision of my life to decide which one of Ashima and Mehak should be president.

More disbursement, more news

Making plans to make a difference, and then watching the change happen before your eyes - can there be anything more satisfying?

I'm absolutely loving the fact that every time I post an update on this blog, I've got tons of good news to tell you all. Firstly, on 9th of September, 9 rikshaws will be disbursed. 9 new owners, 9 new empowered people, 9 new smiles. Second week of September - Certificate Distribution Ceremony (subject to availability of Chief Guest). On 18th of September, Max India Foundation is organizing a health checkup for the rikshaw pullers and their children. On 22nd of September, 22 more rikshaws will be disbursed. Hi-five, guys!

This time, SIFE is going to be a little more cautious and allow the rikshaw pullers themselves to inspect the quality of rikshaws before disbursement.

In the meanwhile, my fellow SIFE-mates are busy opening bank accounts, handling loans, arranging for uniforms, and importantly coordinating with the vendor regarding price and quality issues. The bad quality of some rikshaw elements was a mistake that won't be repeated. SIFE apologizes to all the rikshaw pullers who have had problems with their new rikshaws (though I'm pretty sure no rikshaw puller is going to be reading this blog - heck, not all SIFE members read this blog, let alone the rikshaw pullers - yet SIFE apologizes anyway and will do its best to maintain quality from now on)

Other SIFE members are busy surveying rikshaw pullers for certain details about them and their families, their health, their expenses etc. to facilitate activities with Max India Foundation and L&T. It's really interesting that most rikshaw pullers don't clearly know their age or their children's ages! When I ask them how old they are, they give an estimate - saying they're "probably" 30 years old! And it's also really nice to hear that most of their children go to schools. Wait, did I mention how smart a rikshaw puller looks in his SIFE uniform? I'll try to post a picture tomorrow!

We are facing one problem though - the English training programme by Etasha Society isn't confirmed yet. Since rikshaw pullers won't be allowed to ply in North Campus during the Commonwealth Games, if we start the English lessons now we'd have to take a break during the Games - which will make them forget all that they learnt. If we were to start after the Games, it's really hard because of exams in November. Hope someone suddenly gets a brainwave and a fantastic idea on how to go about this.

If I don't get 5 comments on this post, you guys are dead the next SIFE meeting.