NEWSLETTERS
Our newsletter provides you an update on our current activities. You can read them here by clicking on the icons below or if you wish to receive an email with the newsletters as they are published - please contact us and let us know.
December 2019
During this Holiday Season, let’s us partake in the warmth and caring of family and friends, and put our hopes and aspirations together for the year to come.
Here at ServicePlace, this is our third Christmas season, and this year we are expanding our distribution to include our many sponsors and well-wishers. The ServicePlace family is growing quite quickly, which only could happen with your good wishes and continued support.
Organizationally speaking, we have filed to create a sister organization in India, which is being set up as a Charitable Trust. This is because our activities in India have exponentially increased, and we are getting set up to solicit grants, and do product development in India.
Also, we have a brand new web-site, at www.ServicePlace.org Please feel free to check it out and give us your feedback. A list of sponsors/donors is included in the web site, as is typical of many non-profits. If you’d prefer to remain anonymous, please let us know.
Elder-Care:
Some of our most exciting developments are in the Elder Care initiative. A few months back, working with RGVN, a time-tested NGO operating in the NorthEast of India, we started a Pilot for the Millo (meaning community/gathering) project in Guwahati. The Pilot review date is projected for mid-February, after which we would codify the systemic learning, and see if we can expand the services elsewhere. A picture from our Guwahati Millo gathering is included below.
We are in early stages of planning the next Elder Care Pilot, which will test out the ‘Hello’ service. Here the elder(s), who typically stays at home, would be able to request a variety of in-home services just by picking up the phone (hence the name Hello), or by using an intuitive App interface. These services could include food delivery, cleaning/hygiene, medicine delivery (from third parties), or just someone to talk to. The full range of services is likely to grow over time, and could be carried out by volunteers, the elders themselves, or professional service providers. One of the locations we will be looking at initially is Siliguri in North Bengal. Also, the India ServicePlace sister organization is getting ready to bring in some IT professionals to help with the App and support.
Save-A-Life:
With the release of the Telugu language CPR video, the Compression Only CPR offering now extends to 9 languages. These multi-lingual videos are used by India based NGOs to bring life-saving CPR instruction to thousands of lay people, and is ably supported by the Celtic CPR App for digital depth/beat-rate readouts during practice. The next two health awareness modules, Burns and Wounds/Bleeding are currently in script review, with plans to start video production early in 2019. In addition to the NSS (at IIT Kharagpur), the NCC now has adopted the CPR training, and ServicePlacve has donated one sensor equipped training mannequin to NCC to jump start the program. Since all incoming students will got through either NSS or NCC, we should now have 100% coverage for the entire undergrad student population. Thanks to Pandit Subhen Chatterjee, we even have our own 100 beats a minute CPR practice music, and don’t need to rely on licensing for our tracks.
Mannequin availability is an issue in India, and we are working with IIT Kharagpur to develop an advanced mannequin. When completed, the new mannequin will need to be manufactured in India, and the App interface created such that digital measurements can be transmitted directly from the mannequin to a smartphone app. This involves significant development work, and we are looking for technology sponsors in this area – in case you are considering last-minute end-of-year charitable donations,
Save-A-Life work is happening in the US as well, and not only India. We held an event with BCAA where the youth group was trained in the use of CPR, and in turn conducted an event during the BCAA Durga Puja (Sept 28th) and was supported by our Advisory board member from Canada – Dr Tapas Mondal. Below is a picture of the BCAA youth group just after the training/practice session.
Mannequin availability is an issue in India, and we are working with IIT Kharagpur to develop an advanced mannequin. When completed, the new mannequin will need to be manufactured in India, and the App interface created such that digital measurements can be transmitted directly from the mannequin to a smartphone app. This involves significant development work, and we are looking for technology sponsors in this area – in case you are considering last-minute end-of-year charitable donations,
Save-A-Life work is happening in the US as well, and not only India. We held an event with BCAA where the youth group was trained in the use of CPR, and in turn conducted an event during the BCAA Durga Puja (Sept 28th) and was supported by our Advisory board member from Canada – Dr Tapas Mondal. Below is a picture of the BCAA youth group just after the training/practice session.
Cultural Preservation:
Significant field work has been completed, and editing started for the next Cultural Documentary on Odisha – Where Gods Draw. This documentary intends to cover both the tribal lost-artforms, and also the traditional temple based artforms surrounding the worship of lord Jagannath in Odisha. Also, a short discovery trip is being planned for Bangladesh in January.
Sponsorship Opportunities:
In addition to the Technology Sponsorships ($1K+) for CPR mannequin development mentioned earlier, please check out the Sponsorship section of the website for many other sponsorship opportunities.
For transparency reasons, we have started listing our significant donors/sponsors in our web site. All donations of $100 and above are listed, and donors can choose to remain anonymous. If you haven’t already, please consider a web based donation before the end of the year, and we will make sure to send you your charitable acknowledgement in time for the next tax season.
Again, wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year 2020.
Newsletter Date September 2019
Newsletter Date December 2018
Newsletter Date July 2018
Newsletter Date March 2018
Newsletter Date January 2018
Newsletter Date October 2017
Newsletter Date August 2017
May 2023
Transforming Education in Ukhra Village:
We are thrilled to share some exciting updates on the impactful projects we have been working on in Ukhra, Bardhaman district. Thanks to the relentless efforts of our dedicated team and the support of local leaders and partner organizations, we are making significant strides in uplifting the education sectors in this coal belt region of West Bengal. And also significant progress in upliftment of TeleHealth Project.
Education Program for Ukhra's Children:
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the educational standards in Ukhra faced challenges, particularly in terms of student proficiency levels at the elementary and high school levels. However, the situation has become even more dire since the outbreak. In response, on behalf of ServicePlace.org, we launched a school literacy uplift program to accelerate the educational levels of the children in Ukhra.
Collaborating with the local village leaders, we recently established internet connections and two tele/assisted education workstations in Ukhra. This initiative, carried out in partnership with SEVAA, another dedicated NGO group, aims to provide essential training and instruction methods to enhance the learning experience of the students. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to D G Ghatak and Krishnendu Das from SEVAA for their unwavering support, as well as the community leaders, including Sangeeta Chatterjee, Ashok Nayak, Debashis Tiwari, and Ipsita Das (headmistress, girls high school), for their valuable assistance. Special recognition goes to Rishi Das and his friends for their technical expertise in setting up the education workstations.
Revolutionizing Healthcare with ServicePlace TeleHealth:
In addition to our educational endeavors, we are thrilled to introduce the ServicePlace TeleHealth project, aimed at improving healthcare accessibility for rural communities. Through the utilization of modern tools such as smartphones, a dedicated telehealth app, and the internet, we are bringing healthcare services directly to the doorsteps of villagers.
The pilot phase of this program has been launched in the Morigaon area in partnership with RGVN. We have trained ten dedicated social service workers who will provide essential healthcare services to over a thousand villagers. Equipped with necessary equipment and training, these workers can monitor crucial health parameters, including blood sugar, blood pressure, body temperature, pulse rate, and oxygen levels. Furthermore, they can facilitate remote access to doctors' care through video conferencing techniques. The ServicePlace TeleHealth App acts as a bridge, connecting rural patients with doctors and specialized medical professionals, ensuring access to quality healthcare services from the convenience of their villages.
We extend our deepest appreciation to the social service workers, also known as Sakhis, and ASHA workers who have volunteered to provide basic medical support. Their efforts, coupled with the electronic storage of medical histories for easy access, strengthen existing health facilities and raise awareness through health checkups. This program is not only transforming healthcare accessibility but also creating additional sources of income for the community through the Social Entrepreneurship model.
Heartfelt Appreciation:
We would like to express our eciation sincere gratitude to the individuals who have contributed their time, skills, and dedication to the success of these projects. Debashis Chowdhury, Arindam, Anita, Amiya, Krishna, Bebe, Riktam, Gautam, Loknath, and Saberi have played instrumental roles in delivering outstanding results. Your hard work and commitment have made a tangible difference in the lives of the people in Ukhra.
As we move forward, we remain committed to fostering positive change and creating sustainable solutions in underserved communities. We are grateful for your continued support, which enables us to make a meaningful impact.
Warm regards,
Debashis Chowdhury (President, ServicePlace)