Current Commutineers

  • Afaq Ullah, Uttar Pradesh

    Afaq has completed his post graduation in Human Rights from the Jamia Milia Islamia and his stay in Delhi in this duration has offered him opportunity for multiple exposures to development issues and initiatives. His exposure with the SMILE programme to famine prone Baran district of Rajasthan was an eye opener on many social realities; This was only strengthened through an internship with NFI taking him to Orissa to closely witness and work on forest, water and mining issues among the tribal communities of Raigada. As part of his fellowship with NFI, he joined the Hazard Centre in Delhi to work among youth and slum communities and labour in the unorganised sector. Hailing from the Faizabad district of Uttar Pradesh, Afaq is 25 years old and these various experiences have taken him back to the many experienced realities of discord back home...

    Journey Period: June 2009 - August 2011

    Work towards redeveloping the culture of positive coexistence in Faizabad town using creative art initiatives among youth.

    Challenging Communalism, Youth Leadership & Participation
  • Hameeda Khatoon, Uttar Pradesh

    22 years old Hameeda had a challenging childhood and had to start working at a very young age to support her family and her own education.Working with Sanatkada, an initiative supporting women artisans in Lucknow Hameeda has worked for the empowerment and capacity building of marginalised communities including Dalits and Muslims. She feels this has developed her ability to view issues such as gender, identity and equality from a feminist perspective, this has led to a surge of excitement and self-confidence in her and given her inspiration to express herself.

    Journey Period: June 2009 - November 2011

    Computer literacy Initiatives for marginalized youth of Lucknow city, inclusive of an understanding of identity, gender, human rights, and equality through a feminist perspective.

    Gender Equity, Youth Leadership & Participation
  • Ismail Abdul Sharif, Maharashtra

    26 year old Ismail has grown up in the Jogeshwari pocket of Mumbai. As a young man he has witnessed discrimination patterns especially after the 92 riots and wants to work against the potential threats for other youth. Ismail has had the responsibility of earning through petty jobs to support his family and his own education since middle school. His exposure to youth mobilisation initiatives of YUVA gave him a sense of purpose and he strongly believes that change can only come with effort. He has functioned as a Catalyst for a youth research group at PUKAR, researching relationships of users and PDS shop operators.

    Journey Period: June 2009 - November 2011

    Working with Youth, primarily Muslim in Jogeshwari slum of Mumbai towards skill enhancement, personality development, livelihood options and civic rights.

    Governance, Youth Leadership & Participation
  • Lokesh Kalal, Rajasthan

    Lokesh belongs to a farming family in Udaipur district of Rajasthan. His village suffered much during the Gujarat genocide in 2002, being located near the Gujrat border, and this left a deep impression on Lokesh. Subsequently he started looking for ways and spaces to understand and engage with the post- genocide situation. He became part of the OXFAM initiative titled 'Stop violence Enhance Peace' which consolidated through the setting up of a youth resource centre in his village called Urja Ghar. Prior to joining LLJ, Lokesh was working in the Karawada area among children and youth and editing a quarterly magazine called 'Apna Josh'.

    Journey Period: June 2009 - November 2011

    Lokesh has been working towards strengthening communal harmony and evoking youth participation for addressing social issues in the villages of Udaipur District bordering Gujarat. Lokesh contested in the Panchayat elections with five of his friends with a ‘youth development’ agenda, and through it, presenting an alternative to caste/religion based politics that is prevalent in the area. He also created Sanjha Manch – of a youth platform for dialogue and organising regular meeting to bring together youth from different communities, clear misconceptions about each other and foster.

    Challenging Communalism, Governance, Youth Leadership & Participation
  • Naveen Jhajharia, Uttarakhand

    Naveen has a love for nature and has grappled with many questions relating to human nature as he grew up, this prompted him to choose to do a Postgraduation in Psychology inspite of family disapproval. He worked with different groups in Kolkata including the 'Thoughtshop Foundation' on many aspects of youth development including interpersonal counselling. Naveen enjoys being with children and has experience in alternative teaching for rural kids using interesting teaching aids and methods and optimal facilitation skills. The experience of working at the grassroots and some capacity building workshops influenced his thoughts and broadened his perceptions of the world. He went to SIDH working in the hills of Musoorie to volunteer in their education programme and stayed on for over two years working as a teacher. Naveen is 27 and highly desirous of creating learning spaces for youth to explore their potential.

    Journey Period: June 2009 - November 2011

    To establish and run a drop-in counseling and support center for rural youth of the Jaunpur community in Kempty Village, Near Mussoorie of Uttrakhand.

    Education, Media for Change, Youth Leadership & Participation
  • PRAKASH, Delhi

    Prakash has grown up with the challenge of having to work almost the full day to earn a living to support himself since almost childhood. His search for suitable options where young people from labouring families could find information, support, friendship and confidence has been incessant. Constantly occupied with work, Prakash could only imagine such a space. His brief exposure to a youth theatre group initiative of Sanjha Manch offered shape to his imagination and his desire to make it real for many other struggling youth has been at the centre of his being even as he has worked full time on petty jobs, a small aquarium business to support his family. Prakash feels that in the rapidly 'developing' Delhi, the plight of people providing basic services to the city is very vulnerable and youth need support to sustain their basic zest for life.

    Journey Period: June 2009 - June 2010

    Using theatre, sports and educational activities towards development of youth engaged in labour in South Delhi.

    Youth Leadership and Participation
  • Sangeeta Maurya, Uttarakhand

    Growing up in the conservative Purvanchal region of UP, Sangeeta has witnessed gender discrimination and violence since childhood. This inspired her to actively challenge this inequity and lead life on her own terms. Alongside her undergraduation, she started to work… volunteering initially with Grameen Punarnirman and moving to work with Sahyog on a statewide programme on maternal health and gender rights. Sangeeta is 25 years old, is quietly confident and believes that social change is all about taking the risk, mobilizing energy and challenging structures.

    Journey Period: June 2009 - November 2011

    Working with the Youth of the Buksa Tribe towards equitable gender relations in selected villages of Udhamsingh Nagar district of Uttarakhand.

    Gender Equity, Youth Leadership and Participation
  • Smita Sen, West Bengal

    During childhood Smita had an opportunity to join a club where she got exposure to various activities like parade, art, dance, song, drama, games, gymnastics, quiz etc. This exposure to club shaped up her creative aspect and leadership skills. After finishing her Masters in Economics in 2004, she joined development sector. Since then she has worked with several NGOs in Kolkata where she worked closely with youth of various socio – economic background and gained skill to designing, facilitating training & workshops on various development issues, develop manuals, apply Theatre therapy (Theatre for development) for providing psychosocial support and alternative method of counselling. Smita is 28 years old and has a dream of having a discrimination free society. She along with few other youth has set up "Rupantaran", an organisation which believes that every citizen have a responsibility to make the society better place to live.

    Journey Period: June 2009 - November 2011

    Developing Active Citizenship among youth through creation of safe spaces for discussions and intensive facilitation in a rural area of West Bengal.

    Education, Youth Leadership and Participation