Like every month, this month too the Mobile Library visits were made in the SOGG Learning & Information Centres of Bong, Chibbo and Pudung. Old books were replaced with new ones in all the 3 centres. This time a new Intern of GFF Helps, Ms. Surabhi accompanied the GFF Helps team. She also got to learn about the project and experienced it for the first time. The students were happy to interact with her and receive new books.

The computer classes in all the 3 learning Centers have been ongoing since the month of September. While the 2 Centres Bong and Pudung had a computer teacher since the beginning, Chibbo had a volunteer teacher for a month. From 10th October, Ms. Teresa Lepcha has been appointed as a computer teacher in the Centre. The students of all the 3 centres have been learning Computer. GFF Helps India has provided each Centre with basic computer books. The project will end after 3 months of completion.

The World Mental Health Day is celebrated on the 10th of October every year. This year a Darjeeling based NGO DLR Prerna had organized a program remarking the day on 17th of October 2022. GFF Helps India Representative, Ms. Nikita Rai attended the program in Drajeeling. The theme for this year was “Make Mental Health & Well Being for all a Global Priority. There were various guest speakers who spoke on various issues, causes, solution and their experiences. Schools, colleges and social organizations were present from Darjeeling and Kalimpong Districts.

Debanjan Share Girls’ Academy is a year old residential girls’ football academy where 18 girls have been accommodated in their hostel at present. It is a collaborative effort of Debanjan Sen Foundation and Share Football Club and is the first residential football academy in West Bengal. Mobile Library Project was introduced to them by GFF Helps India on 19th October 2022. The main aim to implement the project there is not only to improve their English language and vocabulary but also their imagination and creativity. The books were handed over to the incharge Ms. Sushan, who will be coordinating and keeping the records as well. The managing team of Debanjan Share Girls Academy and the girls were glad to have started the project. Every month books will be given to them and reading sessions will be held along with storytelling sessions.

GFF Helps India has been collaborating with IL&FS (Skill Development and Training Institute) from the very beginning. There are various courses through which dropout students can get employment through. Awareness programs for these courses have been done before in Chibbo and Dabling villages. Similarly this time on the 21st October 2022, an awareness program was held in Bong village in the SOGG Centre. There were 22 women participants from the Self Help Groups who were active participants of the program. They were mostly interested in the tailoring and beautician courses. Ms. Mamta Cgettri of IL&FS gave clear information about these courses. After the Diwali break, followup needs to be done on these 2 courses. These kinds of skill development and employment opportunities have given direction to those who have dropped out of their school and colleges.

The regular health checkup project started during the CoVID19 pandemic in April 2021. The project still continues to reach the vulnerable section of the society in Bong, Chibbo and Pudung villages. Blood Pressure and Sugar tests are done in regular basis of the sick and elderly population of the villages. The project has made it convenient for the people to take benefit of the health checkups especially for those whose Hospitals and Health Centres are far from their houses and during emergency situations. The Staff of SOGG Bong, Chibbo and Pudung have been volunteering since the pandemic and have been serving their community.

As we move towards a digitalized era, there is a need for us to move towards building virtual connection with our sponsors, friends and beneficiaries. Therefore on the 1st of October 2022, to address the need, a seminar on Social media was organised by GFF Helps India where the main resource person was Mr. Joe Fisher (former GFF Helps India volunteer). It was held in the GFF India Office in Kalimpong from 10:30am-12:00pm. The GFF Helps team from Philippines, Nepal and Sri Lanka attend the seminar through online mode while GFF Helps India and SOGG L&I Centre team physically attended the seminar. Mr. Saom and Ms. Minket were also present and were the moderators for the seminar.

Mr. Joe conducted a very interactive session with the participants and covered various important topics such as Capturing great footage, Goals for social media and Case studies. There were many participants’ queries and doubts cleared.