If not us then who? If not now then when?

Dr Manaya Mena, L.Dibang valley, Arunachal Pradesh

I belong to that part of India which has been called the ‘land of the rising sun’ – Arunachal. It is located in the Eastern most part of India. For a greater part of its history it was unknown to other parts of the country. Idu Mishmi is the tribe that I belong to and we reside mainly in Dibang caller and lower Dibang valley districts. Each district is usually inhabited by people from one tribe. People from my tribe mainly live on subsistence agriculture with fishing and hunting as supplementary livelihood activities.

Opening of schools in the late 70s and 80s by organisations like Ramakrishna Mission and Vivekananda Kendra actually signalled the advent of education in Arunachal. These schools were run free of cost and exclusively meant for tribal children. Both these organisations played a major role in promoting and setting a high standard of education in Arunachal. Especially Vivekananda Kendra emphasised on nurturing individuals and nation building. I was one of the fortunate tribal girls to be able to study in Vivekananda Kendra. During the eleven years of schooling, they imparted to us a high standard of education and monitored our all-round development.

My friends and I nurtured the desire to serve our own people when we completed our education. During school vacations we would conduct classes for village children, and this infact was our first step towards selfless social work. With time we grew up to become doctors, engineers, advocates and began to meet often to discuss about our community. During discussions we felt that our community was still backward in education and a large number of talented students were dropping out of school due to financial problems. Every one of us had the opinion that education was of paramount importance to bring any effective changes in the community. We felt that it was our duty to encourage and support such students. Unanimously we decided to organise ourselves and take up social work seriously. Thus ‘Idu Azo Charitable Society’ was formed on October 16, 2001. We started conducting career counselling sessions and interacting with students. The response was encouraging. While initially we had to coax and pursue the students to apply to IACS for scholarships, in every subsequent year quite a large number of students are approaching IACS for support. Till date we have supported eight students pursuing different fields of study.

Some of us in IACS are from medical background. We felt that we should take up some activities in health and hygiene to reach a larger number of people and at the same time expand the scope of our work. Statistically very few villages in Dibang and Lower Dibang districts have basic health facilities. A large number of villages are located in high altitude, forest and inaccessible areas have not even heard of formal or government medical facilities. Their lives are entirely at the mercy of nature. We decided that we would conduct free health camps in these remote villages. So far we have organised free health camps in Desali, Anilih, Aruzu. All these villages are in remote locations and one has to walk even upto one or two days to reach these villages. Desali was the first village where we conducted a free health camp. This camp was also an eye opener 28 for the people of our community that we were a committed group of young people determined to work despite the obstacles put forward by some vested interest groups.

As planned, on March 23, 2003 we started out for Desali. As we were nearing the village, our vehicle was suddenly stopped by a villager, who asked one of our doctors to get down. He caught hold of the doctor’s arm and threatened to chop it off if he did not give Rs.10,000 that very moment, as compensation for marrying within the blood relation and violating the social norm. Shocked and scared, we tried to intervene and tell him that we did not have any money and that we were on our way to conduct a health camp. But the man ignored us and removed his sword. I was really scared and did not know what to do as I barely had Rs.300. The team’s treasurer informed me that he had only Rs.3000. The man was adamant and did not let go the doctor’s arm. Luckily one of the team members had Rs.10,000 which he gave to the man. After taking the money, he released the doctor’s arm and left. Throughout, the doctor and other members of the team were nervous but calm. Later the team member who gave the money said that since we were going to his native village Desali, he was planning to arrange dinner for the team with the money. Angry and disappointed, some team members said that we should turn back and cancel the health camp, but I felt that it would not be correct for us to do so and we should not be upset over such incidents.

We reached Desali late afternoon, where another surprise awaited us, as not a single person was there to receive us though we had sent information circulars one week earlier through the local traders, members of the Panchayat and the ASM, seeking their cooperation and requesting them to inform the villagers. Instead of information for the camp, there was a rumour that we were there for some political gimmicks. By now our team members were totally disheartened and demoralised. They decided to pack up and leave then. I suggested that we should stay and go house to house and interact with the villagers and remove their misconceptions. For the rest of the afternoon we went house to house explaining the purpose of our visit. While some responded and received us warmly, a large number still did not open up and tried to avoid us while a few argued with us. The team members were again discouraged by the half hearted response. In the evening, together with two other team members I went around the village again talking to the villagers. At night before dinner, all of us in the team sat for a discussion. I maintained that we should not be disappointed or discouraged, and that people were staying away only because they were suspicious of our motives and were being guided by some selfish interests, and rich and politically influential people who somehow felt threatened. However I agreed that if people did not turn up in the morning, we would pack up and leave.

We enthusiastically made preparations for the camp next morning and were taken aback by the overwhelming response. We attended to 315 patients and were totally exhausted. The camp was a huge success and we knew we had won our first battle. In the evening we had a grand dinner and celebration. This incident instilled in us the feeling that we could achieve our goals if we were determined and patient. Thereafter we successfully conducted free health camps at Anilih and Aruzu. In fact both these villages invited us and requested us conduct free health camps. Along with IACS, I actively work for ‘Herbs for better health’, an oranisaiton committed to the propagation of herbal medicines to improve the health standard of villagers. I played an active role in promoting the idea of herbal kitchen gardens. Many plants around us possess nutritional and medicinal value which we either ignore or overlook. Amla, anaar, bel, caranda, kalmegh, tulsi, vasundhari, pipli are few plants which we have encouraged and supported villagers to raise small herbal kitchen gardens. At present we have developed 50 herbal gardens in six villages and ten herbal nurseries. While using locally available medicinal plants, this has in a way also helped villagers to save money on medicines. What is more encouraging is that those who have experienced the benefits of herbal medicines have taken up the task of demonstrating and encouraging other villagers to set up herbal gardens as well.

Education and health are fields where everyone is working intensively. But in my observation there is a section of people who are left uncared for. This section consists of widows, divorcees and aged women. I felt an urge to help them. Thus the concept of home made horlicks struck me. This was a suitable idea for several reasons. First, it would enable aged women to earn a livelihood without much exertion; second, it would provide an excellent and nutritious health drink; and third, it would be available at a reasonable price. I gathered a group of women and discussed this idea. They were willing to give it a try. I collected some ingredients like millets, maize and rice locally, and got chana, moong, etc from the market. These were washed, dried, roasted and milled. Now it was time for packing. The women’s hands trembled and they could not do it. Even cutting plastic with scissors was difficult. In the first trial, I did most of the packing, but gradually they have learnt to pack with a steady hand.

The public response to the local horlicks was good, but we got the feedback that we had to still work on the packing, to do better in the market. Now we are trying to prepare home made herbal horlicks and more women will be trained in it after the trials.

Apart from us there are other societies with different activities but aimed towards the same goal of welfare of the Idu community. I have however sensed a very cold relationship between the different organisations and often a sense of competition which is counter-productive for development processes and harmful to society at large. On my part, I have tried to reach out to different organisations and through discussions help everyone realise that we are all working for the same cause and that it is important to cooperate and network with each other. This way our strengths will multiply and difficulties will be fewer and we will reach our goal sooner. As a testimony to this commitment, I have been able to convince my team members and they in turn have agreed to help resurrect Idu Cultural and Literary Society. ICLS is the apex body of the Idu community and all major and sensitive issues concerning our community are taken up by it.

In the past few years due to political pressures ICLS has been unable to function earnestly and effectively. The members are demoralised and have welcomed our offer to help them. IACS members have volunteered to help bridge the gap between ICLS members and between ICLS and the Idu community and re-instil in them faith and hope in ICLS. As the chief functionary of my organisation I try to understand the thoughts and feelings of every member and try my level best to encourage and motivate them whenever they are down. The dedication and commitment of our members has made the presence of IACS felt in the Idu community. Given our limitations and shortcomings I know that the task that we have chosen is tough, yet we have to go on because – ‘If not us then who? If not now then when?’