Bhan Sahu thought being poor meant walking a kilometer to school and then having to drop out when she was eight years old, until she started working at an NGO and realized there were others even less fortunate than herself. Her interest in education didn’t wane, however. Using video as a tool to bring people together, her Community Correspondent reports…

Bhan Sahu

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The Mogra dam in Rajnandgaon District was planned in 1967 and was finally built by early 2006. The dam is situated on the Seonath river in Rajnandgaon District, Chattisgarh which affect a total of 56 villages situated around its trajectory. The project saw heavy resistance and displaced more than 15000 people as per the government figures. Bhan Sahu, our Community Correspondent from the area has witnessed the struggles of the residents of Dodke village for the past ten years. It is one of 25 villages where lives of residents have been considerably hampered by the dam. After the construction of the dam, Dodke village and surrounding areas of Ambagrah Chowki area are flooded almost throughout the year. Their agricultural land has been ruined and there is always a shortage of drinking water. The main problem however is the fact that the constant flood like situation has made travelling to and from Dodke near impossible. The area had once connected the villages to larger cities. With no bridge on the river, residents have to use planks and boats to travel even to nearby places. Even to get to the local school 2 km away, children have to take a long-winded route through forest areas. When they don't find friends to go with, they'll have to skip school. Bhan Sahu had been an active part of the protests against the dam and now continues to work among the affected people to get them rehabilitation and compensation. Her video from 2010 is evidence of the havoc caused then. http://www.videovolunteers.org/chhattisgarh-protests-land-grab/ . Four years have passed and not much has changed. Bhan Sahu, who is still trying to help the community recover from the trauma of displacement and landlessness, feels that such kind of apathy from the government only makes villagers feel more and more like outcasts. The villagers have submitted applications to the District Collector a number of times. They have taken their appeals to build a bridge to the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh. They want to be able to travel, to work, to eat, to study, to live. Even the regional media's reportage on this issue has failed to get a response from the government. The people however carry on, determined and are STILL hopeful that one day their Government, the one that promises them development will listen to them. Will you make sure the the Government of Chattisgarh takes note of this? Call to Action: Please call Ashok Agarwal, the District Collector of Rajnandgaon on 9425203199 and ask to make sure the bridge in the flood area of Dodke village is built immediately.