BANGALORE: Lego blocks were probably one of the most popular children’s games. It enabled the child to visualise his imagination materialise before his eyes. However, after a certain age, that favourite hobby becomes passe’ as the hands of time pass on.Global Citizens for Sustainable Development (GCSD), a non profit organisation is on an attempt to give the youth an opportunity to relive their childhood along with working for a cause through a programme called ‘We Build.’According to Anugraha John, director GCSD, his background of policy and advocacy clubbed with the thought of involving the youth into something worthwhile saw the inception of the programme. “Conceived in 2010, it is an annual summer programme. This year we had 25 students and volunteers from across the world. We have finished building four houses in a small village called Mallasandra in rural Bangalore. At the moment we are in the process of building the fifth house,” John informs.The team works within a thirty-kilometre radius from their second venture, Vedike, a eco-friendly residential school. The procedure of building a house does require a fair amount of ground work. “We conduct what is known as participatory rural appraisals in the area. Depending upon the data collected we then identify those who need our help and then based on factors such as income and family size we narrow down the beneficiaries,” he says. Each volunteer contributes his or her share towards building the houses. John also says that the team usually encourages the beneficiary to contribute at least 30 per cent in terms of labour of money. Together they build the house with their hands from foundation to roof.When asked about the obstacles that the team comes across in terms of legal matters, John is quick to add that there usually is no problem. “One of the first things we do is obtain an NOC from the village panchayant and check for the land papers. If everything is in place, we go ahead and begin construction of the house. Depending on the requirement and the family size, the basic structure of the house can vary from one bedroom to three,” he adds.The four-week program is designed as a co-curricular service-learning model. It bridges the gap between the theory taught in schools and the practicalities of the real world outside. Over the course of four weeks, the programme introduces them to the Indian society and culture by focusing on the three areas — culture, peace and development. “It is important for the students to understand the development issues that one witnesses everyday. While a few believe that our tomorrow depends upon the today’s youth, I beg to differ. The youth will not be able to do much unless they are given the right guidance,” opines John.In the pipeline is a new facility which is still under construction, Vedike. “At the moment only the ground is ready. We are hoping to launch it by the next academic year. The residential school will focus on eco-friendly activities and will utilise resources required for the same. We will also impart vocational training for women,” adds John.
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