Nirmala Jyoti Ekka is an activist for women’s rights and a confidante for many marginalised populations in Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand state where she works for the urban dispossessed.  Nirmala Jyoti Ekka was a housewife taking care of her three children and husband, when she got involved with Video Volunteers in 2012. Today, five years later, Nirmala is an…

Nirmala Jyoti Ekka

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The Anganwadi at Ward 28, Ranchi, Jharkhand has been illegally moved

About The Video: For the last 3 years, the government Anganwadi in Ward 28, Ranchi, Jharkhand has been virtually non-existent to the seeing eye. The education, health and nutrition of the over 40 children registered at the institution is in jeopardy. When Video Volunteers’ Community Correspondent Nirmala heard about this dire situation from her friend and neighbours she decided to investigate the scenario for her first IndiaUnheard video.

During her investigation she came across Ms. Asha Lakra who was appointed to the Anganwadi in 2009. But since then, she has never received her appointment letter without which she has been unable to join duty. Nirmala also learnt from Mrs. Lakra that the Anganwadi has not ceased to exist but is being run by workers and authorities in another ward in the premises of that ward’s Anganwadi. Nirmala went with this news to the ward officer who says that running 2 Anganwadis in the same ward is illegal and he promised to investigate and rectify the situation.

Since then, Nirmala has also been trying her best to get the attention of the higher authorities on this case.

Community Correspondent Says: “I have been trying to call the Child Development Project Officer who is in charge of keeping the Anganwadis functioning,” says Nirmala. “Earlier the office used to answer my phone and rush through a line of promises, but now they have stopped responding. But I won’t give up. I’m taking the matter to the honourable mayor himself.”

Nirmala has been a long time social activist who has worked at the grassroots on tough issues like domestic abuse and human trafficking.

So Nirmalaji, why didn’t you interview the people running the Anganwadi illegally?

“I tried to but they refused to talk to me at first. Then the husband of the helper called me one day and asked me to stop my “Operation Greenhunt.” I laughed. He was also accusing me of getting fottage of him using hidden camera. I couldn’t help but laugh again. I told him that if there is footage of him, then it is only because I have studied advanced forms of magic and witchcraft....”

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“Obviously I was joking.”

Call to Action: “I am determined not to let the children suffer any longer. They are the children of my neighbourhood, my relatives and friends.”

What would you like us to do?

“While I run around from office to office trying to get these children back their rights, you can support me by calling the CDPO office on 09431992237"