To intervene any system, there is a need to study the existing system in a macro level and in micro level. The focus on existing system helps to get the idea about the whole system. My project area, Anganwadi is complex as a system. The presence of each component plays very crucial role. Some of them could be rectified and some are simply out of control. The solution to this particular scenario is many, but the impact of every solution is not equal. Here, i tried to map the whole system. This starts from a village with population of 1000 people .People who are in below poverty line, sends their kid to Anganwadi, an initiative by government. They play, study and have meal in anganwadi. After Anganwadi they go to primary school. But the question is the effectiveness of a child’s development. Directly or indirectly, poor people from villages send their kids to here for one basic need, FOOD. Government has endless efforts to wipe out malnutrition. They are happy to see the documents with good health record of kids. What really happens to them when they go to school? Are they ready for the school?
For a sustainable approach and model, there is a need to understand the system and its various components in detail. The system starts from a small kid to society, which comprises every individual.
The socio cultural, socio economic and socio-natural environments of the community influence the business of the community in several ways. The interventions do not only depend on what initiations can be taken to improve the current situation, but are also nested in the aspirations and ambitions of the people residing there.
Hence the objective of any intervention should be overall growth and development of the community besides economic gains.
Some of the probable interventions may be as below-
Product diversification – Various products that are used as a part of customs and traditions in the society like kumkum pouch , bandanwaar , fancy envelopes etc. may be explored. Since these products are not seasonal in nature as rakhis, and have higher perceived value, they would fetch better prices facilitating higher economic gains for the community.
Collaborations – Forward and backward integration with companies like “Archies” for product branding and direct selling would offer a diverse point of sales to the products. Making Do It Yourself Kits with the left over material and selling the kits through retailers like Hobby Ideas will not only be the utilization of the available raw materials, but would also make them participate in teaching the handcraft of rakhi to enthusiasts and kids.
Education – The community may be educated through various means like the local Madraasa as well as cable tv etc. about the environment cleanliness , personal and ecological hygiene, modern crafts like parching and quilling , techniques of financial savings , home science etc.
The Madraasa Model- The local Madraasa in the community which is used as a resource center for amenities like water and a centre for imparting cultural and religious education to kids ;may be used as a platform for socio-cultural, socio economic as well as socio ecological development of the community. The elderly women of the community can get together and teach their skills of handcrafting to the younger generation. This will lead to increase in interactions and discussions within the community which is currently restricted within families. In terms of business, the entire job can be routed by the middle men to the community through the Madraasa and they will play a vital role in the process of responsible pricing and help the community get the right remuneration for the skill deployed in the craft. Further, above stated product diversifications may be adopted and can be furthered by venturing into Madraasa’s own retail outlet. The profit generated may be used to facilitate resources as well as community development. It may also be a source of community funds – an initiative that will run on the funds generated by the Madraasa to help the people in case of financial need by lending them money. The local cable tv operator may collaborate with Madrassa to promote the cause of - Develop , Design , Deploy and Discover - the self susatainable system for the community and use it not only as a cultural hub but an epicenter of economic , cultural and social upliftment of the community.
Overview of their livelihood, education and environment
The job of a railway coolie is certainly not easy, it needs a lot of strength & stamina. Walking restlessly down the cross-platform bridges with tens of kilos of weight on their heads is not simple as it appears.
This class of workers basically thrives on load, making a living out of hard physical labor. As I have narrated this earlier that they have been serving the train passenger ever since the inception of the Indian Railway, licensed porters even today are not Railway employees. Although they undergo through a proper procedure of selection which includes medical examination and police verification. In return they got an identity card and license no inscribed in the “Golden arm badge” .Adding to it some nominal facilities like waiting room to stay, minimal medical aid and Two traveling passes .Also two uniform s (verdi) for summer & winter. They are in a search of a little more recognition of the profession.
As of now the job of a coolie satisfying their basic needs but not fully. The need of coolie at the railway station has been fall down drastically. Today there are plenty of trains plying every day station to station which some where affected the luggage carried by passengers. Now passengers prefers to take less load with them selves. Also the new design of bags coming in which are easy to carry for e.g.. Trolley bags.
Similarly domestic flights become cheaper so people who can afford traveling long distances by plane rather than a train. This also reduced their most procurable customers. Today around 400 – 500 coolies serve at Ahmadabad railway station.
Here in Ahmadabad Married coolies staying with their families ,some left their family at home(their village) and came up here to work. They visit their homes whenever they want as there is no boundation of working days for them. Singles mostly live in 4-5 groups & rent a room nearer to railway station to gain the convenience for home cooked food and commuting. Some stay in the waiting room and eat out at the nearby “Dhabha”.
Their peak hours for work are mornings and evenings when they get maximum earnings. At this time mostly long distant trains arrives and depart like Sam park Kranti, Ashram , Rajdhani express etc. That’s why coolies try to make more & more repetitions to earn more during this time.
For porters job, no specific educational qualification is required instead the physical fitness & strength is an eligibility criteria even if the candidate is underage. They are basically skilled in lifting heavy weights, and even while walking platform to platform and climbing up or down the stairs with such heavy weights their feet don’t tremble.
Licensed porters do not enjoy facilities like pension, gratuity and insurance. The only social security they have is the provision to pass on their license to a near relative once they are unable to work. Also, they are not entitled to any compensation by the Railways in case of injury, disablement or death while performing their duty at their place of work. Licensed porters do not have the provision of taking voluntary retirement and passing on the license to their breadwinner while they are still fit.
On the other side of the coin, the good part about being a porter is that you are your own boss. They can enjoy the luxury of taking an afternoon nap while at work. How much time a porter puts in broadly depends on his capacity to work and his urge to earn more.
Service process
Community by sharing
Context – They share the same work environment & conditions.
Origin – When Railway stations came into existence and the need of “porters” arouse. An opportunity for employment of new class of workers evolved.
Evolution – The existing coolies transfer their job to their relatives in case of illness or after a certain age or if they get unfit for work.
Common resources
Market – The market place for railway coolie is the railway station. All the transaction happens at that place.
Produce – services of lifting the luggage of passengers traveling through train.
Infrastructure – They use infrastructure of Railways i.e. all the facilities provided to them for e.g. waiting rooms, trolleys , toilets, uniforms and nominal medical aid.
Pricing – It is not fixed though they have certain criteria of charging that is same. It is decided among themselves.
Space – The space they share is the railway station, waiting rooms, resting room. The resting shed outside the railway station meant for them to relax.
Customers –All the passengers with luggage traveling through railways who seek convenience.
Transport- Transportation facilities they get from railways is in the form of traveling passes once in a year. One is “free pass” valid for any number of trips within the span of two months and another is P.TO. Pass where they have to pay 30% of the amount for the ticket. This pass is valid for one trip.
Communication pattern
Selling – They basically are selling their services to the passengers in the same manner.
Attracting – This is done through verbal communication by using the regional language or wittiness. They are basically vigilant enough to identify the regional identity of the passengers. Based on their experience, they are able to relate to the passengers in their native language and hence convince them easily.
Common income source
Service – They get paid for the service provided by them to the railway passengers by carrying their luggage.
Techniques– A distinctive style of lifting the luggage and can move faster than the customer. The more number of rounds(from outside the railway station to the platform & Vice versa) they take more they can earn.
Expertise– They are mostly outspoken and bargain well with the customer. Loud enough to get a side while moving through crowd. They own good strength & stamina. They have an informal setting amongst themselves wherein if one coolie has convinced a customer for a particular price the other coolies wont be approaching the same.
Common Pattern
Earning – Rs. 5000 – 6000 per month is the average basic earning. It is not fixed and depends on the working capacity which differs from person to person and also on the footfalls on the railway station.
Living– The coolies who are new entrants and / or bachelors are allowed to stay in the waiting room provided to the coolies near platform no.-12 till the time they find an affordable accommodation for themselves.
Commuting– Mostly the coolies live at places which are at walking distances from railway station. Those who stay at far off places due to availability of cheaper accommodation, use the state transport buses for commuting to the railway station.
Trade timing – There is no fixed work timings for the coolies. They are free to chose their working hours. But most favorable timings are early mornings & evenings when most of the long distance trains arrive and depart.
Trade cycle – It runs over the year but fluctuates in between like in the summer vacations and big festivals like “Navaratri” , “Durga Puja” , “Diwali” . It’s the boom time for them when people travel a lot.
