The ongoing demonstrations at Jantar Mantar have once again placed India’s education system under national scrutiny. While the immediate demand of many protestors is linked to accountability and the resignation of the Union Education Minister, the larger question goes far beyond one individual, one government, or one political party. …
In Kameswaram village like in most villages and towns in India – you cannot walk even 5 feet without spotting garbage on the side of the road. Now, usually, it’s because there are not enough public waste bins on the road. So this is why Friend In Need India…
FIN hosted an online and offline event on 22nd March 2023 on urban flooding in collaboration with the United Nations University UNU-MERIT. It was a hybrid event, open online via Zoom and offline at UNU-MERIT. Our FIN director, Shyama V. Ramani, also Professorial Fellow at UNU-MERIT played a key…
Last year we created a social innovation: a calendar that spoke to the people of Kameswaram village with features like bus timing and emergency contact details. It was a big hit! This year we took suggestions from FIN staff and villagers and re-innovated the calendar by adding the government holiday…
We were tired. We had got up at 4 AM to pick up Raji ma’am at the Myladadurai railway station. To revive our spirits we stopped to have an excellent breakfast at a restaurant known to Paranjothi sir (the-man-who-knows-everything!). We ordered a variety of dishes: dosa, idly, pongal and puri…
We had a wonderful experience of the festivities at Kameswaram. At the outset, the weather Gods were kind and there was a gentle breeze from the morning. Meena of FIN explained how they celebrate Tamil New Year in Kameswaram. The Tamil New Year Festival is celebrated over 15…
I(Prof. Shyama V. Ramani) have been in Kameswaram village in Nagapattinam district for one week. I am here to do research on data governance. Kameswaram is a village with only those households classified as marginalized (in past or present) by the Indian Government. Yet, there is enormous income inequality. There…
Championing Safe Sanitation! Friend In Need Trust India or FIN is focused on highlighting the importance of universal safe sanitation standards in all parts of the world. Though people often think of the global challenge of lack of access to sanitation or a functioning toilet as having single and definite…
After all …where there is a will there will be a way! Our discussions were heated from the beginning of December. “What if it rains again like during our Deepawali camp?” “Who will come? Schools have opened.” “How are we going to inform the people – we don’t want the…
Hello! I am Anna, a 17-year-old high school student, and have just started my new two years journey at UWC Maastricht in the Netherlands. I came from Japan, and this is my first time staying in another country for this long period. Back in Japan, I had been attending…