Heroes of our Time: Malvikaa Solanki

 

I must have met Malvikaa only once, briefly. It was so worth keeping in touch to see her amazing journey in the mountains of Bandipur. On a really bad day, watching any of her videos just lifts up my spirits. 

Malvikaa Solanki is one of the heroes of our time - reviving not just the land, but also our tradition of working together as a community for the common good. We forget so easily that we are all interconnected. The video is just 5.53 minutes long. I promise you it will change your day. 

Transforming landscapes through Agroforestry Systems

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pn9yAqPiwTY

The 1000 Tree Project: 

https://en.gaonconnection.com/1000-tree-project-reviving-degraded-farmlands-in-karnatakas-bandipur-through-agroforestry/

Swayyam

To know more about her and her work, watch these short videos:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtZ4G30RUyQrUqrYnZtvnGw

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/swayyam/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swayyam_permaculture/

Walking the Thin Line

Are you walking the Thin Line? Know someone who is? Don't know what to do? 

There is help all around. Reach out. Talk. It's not a Bad Life. It's a Bad Day. 

Deepika Padukone, a well-known Indian movie star, founded The Live Love Laugh Foundation after she came out about her battle with depression.

 https://thelivelovelaughfoundation.org/

The site is an excellent resource for those who are not sure where they are on the spectrum of mental well-being issues, whether it is time to seek help - and how. They also have programs for various groups, including children. One of our dear friends works there. 

India is seeing yet another amazing wave of positive social change amidst all the disaster, yet another testament  to our incredible adaptability and resilience. More and more people are speaking up about struggling with mental health issues. Seeking help is increasingly applauded as the right thing to do.  

Covid has finally brought in an increased acceptance that we are fallible, we have minds that need to be looked after as much as our bodies, and that the most resilient people are those who seek help.

Join the movement. Make 2020 the year you were an Agent of Social Change, part of the Big Wave that will go down in the history of this country. Tell me, you DO want some good memories of this year, don't you? 😊 

Speak

• Initiate conversations around mental well-being in your close circles - family, friends, office colleagues, apartment complexes, communities
• Of course it is uncomfortable. Change is difficult. Be a Warrior. "What do you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"*
• You will be surprised what change you bring about, bit by bit. You never know. 
• The time is right. Strike.  

Share

• Share mental health resources widely across social media
• You never know which helpline will save someone's life

Seek

• If you ever find yourself walking the thin line, seek help. There is a life after this. Believe me.

Why am I sharing this? This is a campaign that came out of Saturday evening calls I set up with ex-colleagues from 15-20 years ago when the lockdown started in March 2020. We hope to contribute to the Mental Health Revolution in India, in our own small way. We believe that it's when everything comes crumbling down that we have to rise, be engaged, go beyond the preoccupations of our own personal lives. 

Has any other time ever proved to us as much that we are all in this together, we are intricately and irrevocably linked?

Please share. Somewhere someday it may reach someone who is walking the thin line with nothing to break the fall. 

*Mary Oliver, 'The Summer Day'

Listen to Albert Cadmore's Show on Harbour Radio :)

The most delightful thing happened to me two Thursdays ago! 😃A dear British colleague's father Albert Cadmore hosts this lovely music show on the Great Yarmouth Community radio every Thursday 2-4 PM UK time. And he played a song for me  - Sway, by Dean Martin! And spoke about me on the show, saying I am his first listener from India!

The 2-hour show is full of anecdotes and short interviews, and appreciation for all the great things people are doing locally during these difficult times, amidst a collection of beautiful old songs - many of which are requests from listeners, often dedicated to someone. It's two hours of peacefulness amidst all the anxiety going on all around. You can keep this running while you go around doing other stuff. 

Please listen to his show, it's such a lovely way to relax - and we could all do with some de-stressing right now. I have a recurrent reminder in my calendar now, and I wait for Thursdays. 

Do let him know if you enjoy the show - he will be thrilled, and also mention you on the show. 😊They are very eager to connect with people across the world, so do spread the word. 

How to Listen

1. Open Play Store on your phone's Home screen, if you have an Android phone. See picture above - that's how the Play Store icon looks like. For iPhones, you will have something similar that allows you to download apps. 
2. Now search for Radio Garden, or the TuneIn app in Play Store Search. When you find it, click Install.
3. Once it is installed, open the app and locate Harbour Radio.
4.  You can also look for Great Yarmouth on the map that it displays. It's on the East coast of England, see picture below. You will see Harbor Radio once you locate Great Yarmouth. Save as Favourite, the Heart icon. 
5. Play Harbor Radio at 2-4 PM UK time every Thursday. Which is 6.30 PM India time now. You will hear Albert Cadmore presenting his show. 
6. Create a recurrent reminder on your phone/Gmail calendar if you use one, so you get a reminder every Thursday. Or some other reminder that works for you. 😊

Requesting a Song/Dedication/Contacting him

• You can send requests or message him on the number given on their Facebook page: 
• 0-79-42-64-10-74 (+44-79-42-64-10-74 from overseas)
• If you liked his show, you can also leave a comment/message on their Facebook page.

Follow their Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/harbourradio

Do let me know if you enjoyed the show. 😊 If you would like to mail him, do ask me, can share his id.