http://mumbaiaction.org touch the untouchable Wed, 10 Mar 2010 11:30:26 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en An inspiring journey into the lives of families and teachers in the poorest communities of India, Africa, and China who have successfully created their own private schools in response to failed public education. Wandering into the slums of Hyderabad’s Old City, Tooley was initially shocked to find it overflowing with small, ... http://mumbaiaction.org/2010/03/the-beautiful-tree/ An initiative that pioneers responsible rural tourism Inir Pinheiro talks of a ‘noise’ in his head; a disinterest in a typical ‘successful’ corporate life, and an urge to help others. A voice that eventually lead him to set up Grassroutes, a venture that promotes responsible rural tourism, by developing villages as ... http://mumbaiaction.org/2010/03/travel-made-meaningful/ Vasant Solanki is squinting hard at a Ganpati idol, concentrating on painting a pair of perfect eyes. When he gets it right, he smiles, first to himself, then at his teacher, and then at the class. After all, his achievements haven’t come easily. The 21-year-old is crippled and suffers some ... http://mumbaiaction.org/2010/03/armed-with-a-brush-painting-a-future/ Oscar-winning sound engineer Resul Pookutty says he was inspired to start his own NGO as he was inundated with requests for financial help after he won the Academy Award for Slumdog Millionaire in 2009. “Over the last one year, I received a huge number of letters from across the country, seeking ... http://mumbaiaction.org/2010/03/letters-inspired-me-to-start-ngo/ The Maharashtra government is concentrating more on improving public transport rather than schemes to restrain private vehicles. During a hearing on a PIL seeking implementation of the Traffic Restraint Scheme (TRS) proposed by V.M. Lall in 2000, additional government pleader S.K. Nair told the court that the government was working towards ... http://mumbaiaction.org/2010/03/state-not-keen-on-traffic-restraint-scheme/ PUKAR (Partners for urban knowledge, action & research) is inviting applications for the PUKAR Youth Fellowship 2010-2011. Supported by the Sir Ratan Tata Trust, the initiative brings together a group of youngsters, who are trained and led by a mentor, to research a subject of their choice for a year. The last date ... http://mumbaiaction.org/2010/03/call-for-applications/ [caption id="attachment_1156" align="alignleft" width="145" caption="Shaheen Mistri"][/caption] Twenty years ago, an 18-year-old girl who had only lived abroad till then came to Mumbai on a holiday. But something made Shaheen Mistri stay, and she traded in the American dream to pursue a dream of her own – to provide an excellent education ... http://mumbaiaction.org/2010/03/%e2%80%98my-dream-education-for-all-kids%e2%80%99/ Her children would rather she indulged in gentle hobbies like other 65-year-olds, but Nayana Kathpalia is too busy trying to save Mumbai’s diminishing public spaces. She runs Citispace (a citizens’ forum that works to protect public spaces) along with Neera Punj, and until recently it was work that was consuming ... http://mumbaiaction.org/2010/03/%e2%80%98there%e2%80%99s-no-vision-for-mumbai%e2%80%99/ YWCA is organising a basic English speaking course for girls from bastis who will be taking their SSC exams in March 2010. The idea is to equip them with basic spoken English and confidence to face college life. The course is on from April 5 to June 15 from 10am to ... http://mumbaiaction.org/2010/03/call-for-volunteers/ Is astrology a science or an art of making money? Mumbai NGO Janhit Manch has started a debate on the issue in the Bombay high court. A public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the manch and its convener Bhagwanji Raiyani, along with his associate Dattaram Kumkar, has questioned the validity of ... http://mumbaiaction.org/2010/02/pil-wants-ban-on-astrology/