As the number of this Annual General Meeting indicates, this is FERRY’s Silver Jubilee year. An occasion for celebration, but also one that calls for sober reflection on what FERRY has achieved in its quarter-century of existence; how well it has succeeded in its task of helping the young women and men of West Bengal to become economically self-reliant; and, perhaps most importantly, to think of the directions in which FERRY wants to travel in the next twenty-five years.
Much has changed in these last few decades, newer ways of living and being have come into existence while others have all but disappeared. To cite but two examples from FERRY’s history: while one of FERRY’s most ambitious (and successful) projects in the late 1980s and 1990s was Letterpress Hand Composing and Printing, this form of technology has more-or-less disappeared with the introduction of electronic technology – computers, printers, DTP, and so on – in practically all corners of the country, rural Bengal being no exception; in similar fashion, the wide-scale introduction of new communication technologies, especially mobile telephony, has meant that FERRY’s rural project sites are no longer as distant (or as inaccessible) as they were even a few years ago, making it easier to adapt to the sometimes rapidly changing conditions in which FERRY’s work takes place.
The economic liberalisation of the country and that phenomenon labelled “globalisation” have brought in their wake new complexities and complications that have not left the rural youth unaffected. While rural poverty levels have declined in the areas where FERRY has been working for the last 25 years (evidence of which may be seen in the vastly increased numbers of two-wheelers, mobile telephones and television sets in these areas), aspiration levels have risen sharply (thanks, in large measure, to the many television channels beamed via satellite to even the most remote corners of the state). Visible disparities of income, the still-yawning rural-urban divide (and the “digital divide”) remind us that even in these changed times there is much work still to be done to try and improve the economic condition of the vast majority of Indians who do not have access to the nation’s new prosperity.
As always, FERRY has tried to set modest goals for itself, goals which are grounded in the realities of the areas and communities where it has been working. FERRY does not claim to have solutions for all the ills that beset those of our fellow citizens who live in rural areas, but it strives to find practical ways of equipping such individuals with skills that will assist them to achieve economic self-reliance. In doing so, FERRY has often, without meaning to, acted as a catalyst to change old prejudices and biases and to help bring about some form of socially-relevant justice. A case in point has been the increasing numbers of Scheduled Caste and Muslim women (many from traditional, strongly patriarchal, households) who have been applying for places in FERRY’s training programmes and then, after joining and completing these courses, going on to contribute in significant measure to household incomes, thereby earning positions of respect and responsibility hitherto denied them within the traditional joint-family structure.
So, in this Silver Jubilee year, members of the extended FERRY family have valid reasons to feel proud of what a small, resolutely independent voluntary organisation has achieved, in its own understated way. Yet, it is not enough to feel a sense of achievement and to rest on our (modest) laurels. If FERRY is to survive and thrive, it must find new, appropriate ways and means of continuing its quest to bring about the economic rehabilitation of the unsung and largely invisible young women and men who live in rural West Bengal. FERRY’s future will depend on how well it is able to do this whilst remaining true to the vision that gave it birth a full quarter of a century ago.
Mention may be made of one of FERRY’s oldest members, and former Secretary of FERRY’s sister organisation, Siksha-Niketan, Anis Basu, who passed away in January 2008 at the tragically young age of 47. While Anis was alive, even though he may not have been as actively involved in FERRY’s activities as he once used to be, FERRY had a friend and guide who fully appreciated the work of the Foundation.
In this Silver Jubilee Year, it seems appropriate to remember FERRY’s guiding light and inspiration, the late Sibabrata Ghosh, who gave the organisation a concrete form and turned many inchoate ideas into practical reality in the early years of its existence. This year marks the tenth anniversary of his death and those members of FERRY who remember that physically frail man of indomitable will can only hope that he would not have been too disappointed with the work that they are still trying to carry on, not least as tribute to all that he dreamt of and stood for.
As always, FERRY would like to thank its project partners, the Deutsch-Indische Gesellschaft (DIG) e.V., Germany, and Canada-India Village Aid (CIVA), Canada. Particular thanks are due to Sri Barendra Kumar Mallick, President of the Wuppertal branch of the DIG e.V., whose unfailing support is a source of encouragement for all FERRY members and to Ms Sophie Low-Beer and Mr Drew Stewart of CIVA.
RAMPURHAT PROJECT
The year 2007-08 was an extremely busy one for centre-in-charge Sri Madhusudan Banerjee and centre-assistant Sri Sukanta Bhattacharya mainly because of the Nurses’ Assistant Training Course, which required a lot of planning, months of ground work and round-the-clock monitoring once it was off the ground. Sri Shyamal Bhattacharya and his family and Smt Suparna Banerjee once again played an important role in making it possible to run the course. FERRY owes a special debt of gratitude to Dr Sobhendranath Ghosh, the director of the Nurses’ Assistants course, for his energy and enthusiasm in making this course a success.
Status of building
The building at Sriphala, Rampurhat, where the Sibabrata Ghosh Vocational Training Centre is located, has been expanded with two toilets added to the ground floor and a guest room and an attached toilet built on top of them on the first floor. Sri Shyamal Bhattacharya and his family have very generously donated some furniture for the room.
There has been a change of plan regarding water supply. Instead of a tube-well, FERRY has opted for a tank on the roof connected to the water supply of the Rampurhat Municipality. The civic body is discouraging the use of tube-wells to ensure that the water table of the town is not lowered further. The overhead tank ensures running water, which is essential to keep the toilets clean.
The bank of the pond behind the building has been fortified with boulders to stop erosion, which was threatening to eat into the foundation. A boundary wall has been built on the side of the plot that faces the road.
Course in Repair and Maintenance of Electronic Appliances
The course, which began in February 2006, ended in April 2007 after its duration had been extended by two months to ensure that the entire syllabus was covered. The delay was the result of frequent incursions beyond the syllabus — with the trainees busy assembling a number of electronic and electrical devices and selling them in the local market. Sri Chandan Kumar Mukherjee, the trainer, had insisted that expertise in this allied trade of assembling would help the trainees in future. All 20 trainees appeared in the exams conducted at the end of the course. Currently, 11 of them are working in the trade, with three having set up their own workshops.
Carpentry Course
The 10-month course, which began in September 2006 with 11 trainees and Sri Ashim Mehra and Sri Kartick Chowdhury as trainers, ended in July 2007. Classes were held in the evenings (from 6 pm onwards), six times a week. Currently, all 11 trainees are working as carpenters in different workshops in Rampurhat, earning a minimum of Rs 60 to Rs 80 a day. It may be noted that this figure goes up when they get independent orders on their own.
Nurses’ Assistant Training Course
The much-awaited Nurses’ Assistant course began in January 2008 with 26 trainees. This course, one of the most successful in FERRY’s history, is being conducted again after 18 years, and FERRY is grateful to the DIG, e.V. for readily agreeing to fund the six-month training programme.
The faculty comprises course director Dr Sobhendranath Ghosh, visiting faculty Dr. Anagh Banerjee and Dr. Ashok Chatterjee and senior nurses Smt Sonali Mukherjee, Smt Mridula Mukherjee and Smt Pramila Sengupta. Each trainee has been given a uniform and a textbook. Classes are being held for six hours a day, six days a week. The trainees are extremely regular and rarely miss a class. Arrangements are being made so that they can have practical sessions at private nursing homes in town. The first floor of the project site has been equipped with clinical apparatus such as a Fowler bed, weighing scales, sphygmomanometer, and so on.
Courses in Machine Embroidery (3rd and 4th)
The third eight-month course, which began in September 2006 with 24 trainees, ended in April 2007. All 24 trainees completed the course. The fourth course began in February 2008 with 24 trainees. However, two of them have since dropped out.
The fourth course will be the last in the series of Machine Embroidery Courses held in Rampurhat over the past couple of years. After this, we will focus on the Machine Embroidery Production Unit set up at FERRY’s project site. The high cost of embroidery machines has meant that only five of the trainees have managed to buy them till now. FERRY currently owns six machines and the production unit has been set up to allow trainees to work on these machines. We also plan to help the trainees get orders so that they are motivated to stick to the trade.
BAIDYAPUR PROJECT
FERRY has settled into its new rented premises near the Baidyapur Bus-Stand where it occupies two rooms on the first floor of a two-storeyed house. One room has been converted into an office and the other into a classroom. There is also a toilet. The carpentry workshop on the ground floor, owned by the landlord, Sri Nandadulal Pal, was a big help for the carpentry course conducted in 2007-08. Sri Pal, too, has become actively involved in the activities of FERRY, providing project-in-charge Sri Lakshmi Kanta Ghosh with the kind of local support that he had lacked in the past few years. A large number of well-wishers and former trainers and trainees of FERRY worked tirelessly to organize the opening programme of the Silver Jubilee Celebrations held in February 2008 and quite a few residents took part in it. Their interest in and enthusiasm for FERRY’s work gives us hope for the future of the Foundation’s activities at Baidyapur.
Carpentry Course
The 10-month course began in April 2007 with 24 trainees and Sri Mahitosh Bag as trainer. Classes were held four days a week in the ground-floor workshop. Twenty-two trainees sat for the end-of-course exam held in February 2008. Almost every one of them displayed sound knowledge of the practical aspects of carpentry. Currently, 20 of these trainees are working in the trade — 10 have set out on their own, while the remaining 10 are working as apprentices. They earn anything between Rs 70 and Rs 150 a day, making mainly furniture.
Eight of the trainees have also applied for government loans to set up their own workshops.
Survey of Past Courses
Four more former trainees of the Two-Wheeler Repair and Maintenance Course held in Baidyapur in 2006-2007 have joined the trade. This means 13 of the 16 trainees who completed the course are currently employed in the trade, quite an impressive success rate. Five of them own garages, while eight are working under other mechanics.
Opening Ceremony of Silver Jubilee Year
The opening ceremony of FERRY’s Silver Jubilee celebrations was held at Baidyapur on 23 February 2008, with FERRY members, well-wishers, trainers as well as former and current trainees joining in from Kolkata and Khanyan. The chief guest for the occasion was Smt Anchita Ghatak, who heads the India division of ActionAid, an anti-poverty agency working in 40 countries across the world. Sri Barendra Kumar Mullick, the president of DIG, Wuppertal branch, was also present and spoke to those gathered for the occasion.
Around 10 former trainees from Baidyapur and Khanyan spoke of their experiences in the trade and answered questions from members of the audience. A number of residents of Baidyapur had come for the programme and their interest in FERRY’s activities bodes well for the future. The day was wrapped up with lunch and a cultural programme.
KHANYAN PROJECT
The rented premises at Khanyan now have a water connection, thanks to a well dug behind the building. A pump has been fixed to draw water from the well and route it to the toilet on the ground floor. FERRY now has two classrooms, one on each floor of the two-storeyed building, as well as space for an office on the ground floor. A steel almirah has been bought for storing documents.
Electrician’s Training Course
The course, which began in February 2007 with 18 trainees and Sri Naresh Mondal and Sri Shyamal Ghosh as trainers, ended in January 2008. Twelve trainees sat for the exams held at the end of the course. Of them, three have set up shops, three have got jobs with established companies outside the state and two are working in other people’s shops. Employers have spoken highly of the skills of these FERRY-trained electricians. All of them are expected to sit for the examinations conducted by the Department of Electricity, Government of West Bengal. Passing this exam will enable them to take up work as government-recognised electrical contractors.
Course in Two-Wheeler Repair and Maintenance
This 10-month course began in April 2007 with 20 trainees and Sk Nazimuddin as trainer. However, as many as 12 trainees dropped out in the first couple of months when the government introduced the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, also known as the 100-day work scheme, in the area. Eight trainees completed the course, of whom six are currently employed in the trade. One has set up his own garage, four are employed by other mechanics and one is working from home. FERRY bought two second-hand two-wheelers — a scooter and a four-stroke engine motorcycle — for practical lessons. Classes were held five days a week.
PROJECTS FOR 2008-09
Rampurhat: (i) Machine Knitting Course,
(ii) Electricians’ Training Course
Baidyapur: (i) Tailoring and Sewing Course
Khanyan (i) Machine Knitting Course
(ii) Electronics Goods Repair Course
In the year under review, the Executive Committee of FERRY met on five occasions. The Executive Committee for the term 2007-09, elected at the Annual General Meeting of 2007, was as follows:
President: Sri Kashinath Mukherjee
Vice President: Sri Prafulla Kumar Chakrabarty
Executive Secretary: Sri Nikhilesh Bhattacharya
Treasurer: Sri Saugata Ghosh
Secretaries: Smt. Bipasha Dasgupta
Sri Aritro Ganguly
Members: Smt. Sunanda Das
Smt. Agamani Gupta
Sri Ambarnath Ghosh
Sri Samantak Das
Sri Abhijit Gupta
It was also resolved that Sri Madhusudan Banerjee, Sri Lakshmi Kanta Ghosh and Sri Madhab Prasad Ganguly, members in charge of the Rampurhat, Baidyapur and Khanyan project-sites respectively, would be permanent invitees to Executive Committee meetings.
As on 31 March 2008, the total membership of FERRY stood at 78 inclusive of 3 Honorary Members, 4 Life Members, 17 General Members and 54 Associate Members.
FERRY would like to thank Messrs. GUPTA & MITRA, Chartered Accountants and Auditors, Windsor House, 29 R. N. Mukherjee Road, Kolkata 700 001 and all its partners, patrons, resource persons and well-wishers for their continuing faith in and enthusiastic support for FERRY and all it stands for.
For and on behalf of the Executive Committee.
20 July 2008 Kashinath Mukherjee
16, Central Park President, FERRY
Kolkata 700 032
Members of the Foundation
Honorary Members
1. Inge Boie
2. Sanat Kumar Mukherjee
3. Barendra Kumar Mallick
Life Members
1. Chitra Ghosh
2. Prabir Kumar Basu
3. Subimal Ghosh
4. Sunil Guha
General Members
1. Abhijit Gupta
2. Achintya Kumar Pal (Kalanabagram)
3. Agamani Gupta
4. Ambarnath Ghosh
5. Aritro Ganguly
6. Bipasha Dasgupta
7. Kashinath Mukherjee
8. Lakshmi Kanta Ghosh (Baidyapur)
9. Madhab Prasad Ganguly (Sikhira)
10. Madhusudan Banerjee (Rampurhat)
11. Nikhilesh Bhattacharya
12. Prafulla Kumar Chakravarti
13. Rita Nandy (Baidyapur)
14. Samantak Das
15. Saugata Ghosh
16. Sritama Halder
17. Sunanda Das
Associate Members
1. Aishwarya Iyer
2. Amalendu Bhadra
3. Anindita Ghosh
4. Ankita Mukherjee
5. Aparoopa Datta
6. Arundhati Ghosh
7. Asish Kumar Lahiri
8. Atuk Bhutia
9. Balaka Karmakar
10. Bhabani Sunderarajan
11. Chandrima Bhattacharya
12. Chumki Adhikary (Rampurhat)
13. Cyril Arijit Ghosh
14. Debanjan Chakrabarti
15. Dhirendranath Banerjee (Rampurhat)
16. Dilip Kumar Gupta
17. Dipanjan Ghosh
18. Diyashree Chattopadhyay
19. Farida Begam (Rampurhat)
20. Gouriprasad Ghosh
21. Iman Mukherji
22. Kartik Chowdhury (Rampurhat)
23. Kishor Kumar Choudhury
24. Krishna Dutta (Rampurhat)
25. Krishna Mukherjee
26. Moumita Sen
27. Naba Gouranga Das (Rampurhat)
28. Nanda Dulal Pal
29. Nisha Mukherjee
30. Nitay Chatterjee (Rampurhat)
31. Partha Pratim Gupta
32. Poushali Bhadury
33. Rajyadhar Ghosh (Rampurhat)
34. Rimi B. Chatterjee
35. Rosanne Dasgupta
36. Roshni Sen
37. Sadhan Chatterjee (Rampurhat)
38. Sandeep Banejee
39. Sanjukta Roy
40. Sayandeb Chowdhury
41. Shatarupa Sengupta
42. Shelley Datta
43. Shreya Ghosh
44. Shyamal Bhattacharjee (Rampurhat)
45. Shubhobroto Ghosh
46. Sobita Mondal (Rampurhat)
47. Soumik Datta
48. Sreyashi Dastidar
49. Sudarshana Basu
50. Sukanta Bhattacharjee2
51. Suvo Ghosh
52. Tathagata Datta
53. Tinku Pal (Sikhira)
54. Trinankur Banerjee
