Samoohik Prayas is a group of motivated people who work selflessly at the grassroot level with sense of responsibility to make people around them more knowledgeable and better human beings. At Samoohik Prayas we believe that self-motivation is the greatest internal force that can bring permanent change around us for making our society a better place to live in. Samoohik Prayas started as a pilot project in 2017 with one center at village Imamganj, Tehsil Ram Sanehi Ghat, District Barabanki. Soon the selfless zeal of the people involved inspired others. Today Samoohik Prayas is a constellation of 16 centers spread over as many villages in the rural areas of Ayodhya and Batabanki districts. Our working system comprises of three synergetic layers that follow the philosophy of Quality Circle and work irrespective of caste, religion, and social status for inner pleasure, happiness, and satisfaction.
Samoohik Prayas (collective efforts) is the outcome of the work to instill the spirit and philosophy of voluntary community efforts for the common good in the rural sphere. You will get to see the impact of volunteers who came forward to help their communities progress.
The movement was initiated by Arvind Kaul. Arvind is a B.Tech from IIT Kanpur and has a PGDM from IIM Bangalore. He secured the medal for the best academic performance in Behavioural Sciences at IIM Bangalore.
Arvind is based in Lucknow and runs his own TQM and HR Consultancy "Arvind Kaul & Associates".
Arvind is supported in these efforts by his spouse Lakshmi Kaul. Lakshmi is also a product of IIM Bangalore. Arvind was instrumental in helping her set up KK Academy a school for small children in 1989 at Lucknow (www.kkacademy.org). The school has grown manifold since then. KK Academy won the UP State Malala Award 2016 for its practice of excellent inclusive education.
IIM Bangalore conferred the Distinguished Alumnus Award 2019 to her for her untiring commitment to the cause of education of underprivileged children that has transformed young and deserving minds and made them discover their potential.
In Jan 1993 Arvind set out to launch Quality Circles in the unorganized rural sector. The village chosen was Imamganj in Barabanki district. His work in Imamganj got the award for being the Most Innovative Project at the National Convention of the Quality Circle Forum of India in Dec 1993.
Why did Arvind initiate this movement? Arvind says that through Quality Circles in the late 80s and early 90s, he experienced a voluntary movement that brought on a silent attitudinal transformation/revolution in the organization for which he worked. Industrial workers formed voluntary teams to recognize their work related problems and solve them. This improved the quality of the work life of industrial workmen. It was at this juncture that Gandhi ji's talisman* prompted the urge and instilled the courage to give back/contribute in meaningful ways for the progress of the less fortunate. He ventured out in the uncharted territory of the unorganized rural sector to launch a voluntary movement.
Besides Imamganj (Tehsil Ram Sanehi Ghat, Barabanki) the movement has taken roots in fifteen more villages of Ayodhya and Barabanki districts. These villages are Kandai, Durgi Purva, Lodhan Purva (near Narauli), Makhdoompur, Pure Kazi, Bharatpur, Lodhanpurva (near Baba Bazaar) of Tehsil Rudauli: Ghatauli, Subedarpurva, Kadanpur and Paraspur Sathra of Tehsil Milkipur; Bijdi of Tehsil Sohawal; Khevrajpur and Kotwa Sadak of Tehsil Ram Sanehi Ghat and Tikaitnagar of Barabank.
These 16 villages are about 60 to 130 km from Lucknow.
I have realized that nothing is more satisfying than seeing your dreams manifest into reality. When your dreams are bigger than yourself, then life becomes a journey that never ends, because there are always so many more possibilities.
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Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man whom you may have seen and ask yourself if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him - will he gain anything by it? Will it restore him to a control over his own life and destiny?
We are volunteer teachers. We are happy playing our roles. Our schools are informal. We are not tied down by any bindings. We cater to small children just up to class 5. These children are like tender saplings. We are like gardeners and potters at the same time. Gardeners, as we need to let every child blossom to his potential and personality and become what he was meant to be. Potters, as we need to shape the child's character to become a good human.
