Lockdown Diaries: Teenager Jai Aswani on a mission to feed the hungry in India by collecting 100 tonnes of food grains
Our initiative Mission 100 Tonnes was born out of distress calls we received from old age homes, orphanages, and pet shelters in Chennai, during the government-imposed lockdown in India three weeks back. Since then, there has been no looking back for us. The number of marginalised people requiring help during the unprecedented time of the COVID-19 outbreak has increased...
Lockdown Diaries: Reflections of an Oxford shut-in
Something lockdown has given us all, in perhaps more quantities than we know how to deal with, is time. And as I find myself currently living alone, with my housemates having returned to their family homes, I have had all that time to myself. I had expected this to attract some sympathy - but the more sympathy I received,...
Lockdown Diaries: Intolerance against Afghan Sikhs in a time of pandemic damned by Sikhs across the world
The world is reeling from a global coronavirus pandemic. Afghanistan's capital city, Kabul, went into lockdown for three weeks, beginning on 27 March. Residents are supposed to stay at home and avoid all non-essential travel. With bigger problems in the world, you might think that there would be some tolerance and understanding in these times, but clearly not. I am...
Lockdown Diaries: British Asian Trust’s emergency COVID-19 appeal for South Asia
His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, Royal Founding Patron of the British Asian Trust, gave his support to the British Asian Trust’s COVID-19 Emergency Appeal on Friday 24th April via a specially recorded video message. South Asia is home to 27% of the world’s poorest people with 750 million people surviving on less than $2.50 per day. Now...
Home and exile – a cinematic journey of hope and resilience
Homebound for months during the pandemic, I seized the first opportunity to travel beyond my dull domestic frontiers. This unique excursion was facilitated by the three day virtual Asian Women’s Film Festival organized by the International Association of Women in Radio and Television – India Chapter. Having been a student, researcher and occasional teacher of cinema, I could not...
‘Evening Shadows’ to screen in London marking LGBTQ+ History Month
Sridhar Rangayan’s gay drama kicks off series of films as part of London Indian Film Festival (LIFF) The UK and Europe’s largest South Asian film festival, the London Indian Film Festival (LIFF) is kicking off its 2021 series of films and marking LGBT+ History Month with a screening of Sridhar Rangayan’s feature film Evening Shadows, a tender heart-warming story, set in...
Lockdown Diaries: Children express themselves in the times of Corona
Children in times of Corona is one example of challenging usual pathways. It started as an idea to create an intercultural digital space that then expanded even further as a platform to co-create, co-produce creative content with children between the age of five and fifteen, mainly working with South-Asian community, nurseries and schools in United Kingdom. We understand the...
A personal plea for generations to co-operate in saving the planet and our children’s futures
As far back as I can remember, I loved animals, plants, and trees — really anything that was outdoors and wild. Simply put, I was fascinated by the natural world. My interest was magnified when I spent a summer holiday in the Midlands with my grandparents. Even though I was only four years old, I remember so vividly the...
Lockdown Diaries: Bamboo House India supports waste pickers, daily wage earners with continued livelihood and aid
'My Waste, My Responsibility' is the mantra followed by Hyderabad-based social enterprise Bamboo House, India. Prashant Lingam, who co-founded the initiative along with his wife Aruna Kappagantula in 2006, moved from making eco-friendly bamboo homes to recycled eco-friendly plastic homes, plastic paver titles and kiosks for street vendors, using tonnes of used plastic garbage that would otherwise end up...
SHEROES and UK government launch “Women Go Digital” programme to power digital growth for women entrepreneurs and professionals
100 women entrepreneurs to get access to digital transformation training and tools, mentorship and community The UK-India Tech Hub has partnered with SHEROES to launch the “Women Go Digital” programme. The programme offers access to digital tools and skills, mentorship and community to women looking to transform their entrepreneurial and professional outcomes. The Women Go Digital programme is offered for free...
