Our Activities
General Body Meeting
Date: 26 July 2025
A General Body Meeting of Bal Sakha Assam was held on 26th July 2025 at Sadarang Kala Mandir, Asitnagar, Bagchipara, Dibrugarh. The meeting was attended by distinguished members of the organization.
The house observed one minute silence in memory of Late Mr. Saibal Ganguli, Executive Member of Bal Sakha Assam, acknowledging his valuable contribution to society and the organization.
Agenda of the Meeting
- Welcome Address by the President
- Secretary’s Report Presentation
- Discussion on Current Activities
- Approval of Audit Report (2024-25)
- Annual Subscription
- Election of Office Bearers
- Submission of KYC Documents
- Vote of Thanks
Secretary’s Report
Dr. Aditya Kumar Chatterjee presented the annual report highlighting 15 years of service since the establishment of Bal Sakha Assam in 2010. The organization has been actively working in tea gardens and rural areas of Dibrugarh and Jorhat focusing on child welfare and women empowerment.
Key partners supporting the journey include CRY, Nehru Yuva Kendra, Barefoot College International, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, and the British Deputy High Commissioner.
Major Activities (2024–2025)
- Women Empowerment through Mushroom Cultivation Training (90 beneficiaries)
- Community Meetings in Merelipather & Lezai Miri Pather Gaon
- Krishi Mela Participation at Moran
- Health Institution Meetings & Rural Health Discussions
- Core Group Strategy Meetings (Aug & Oct 2024)
- Project approved under Australian Consulate Direct Aid Program
- Upcoming Financial Awareness Project with Wagon Skill Foundation (CSR – HDFC Securities)
Audit Report
The Audit Report for the financial year 2024–25 was presented by Mr. Raj Kumar Saini (Treasurer) and was unanimously approved by the house.
Newly Elected Executive Body (2025)
| Name | Post | Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Dr. Faruqueuddin Ahmed | President | Retd. Physician |
| Dr. Aditya Kumar Chatterjee | Secretary | Social Worker |
| Mr. Raj Kumar Saini | Treasurer | Social Worker |
| Dr. Ranjit Singha | Executive Member | Retd. Professor |
| Ms. Sreeparna Banerjee | Executive Member | Teacher |
| Dr. Khanindra Misra Bhagwati | Executive Member | Retd. Professor |
| Mr. Sajidur Rahman | Executive Member | Tea Advisor |
| Dr. Malarani Devi Dutta | Executive Member | Homeo Physician |
Core Group / Advisory Board
- Dr. F.U. Ahmed
- Mr. Ikbal Ahmed
- Dr. Aditya Kumar Chatterjee
- Dr. Khanindra Misra Bhagwati
- Mr. Sajidur Rahman
- Dr. Moutusi Bagchi
- Dr. Malarani Devi Dutta
The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Dr. Moutusi Bagchi, acknowledging the presence and valuable contributions of all members.
Internal Team Meeting:
The internal meetings of the BSA team were held regularly. 25 internal team meetings were held from 2021-22. In these meetings, the team reviews the ongoing programs and makes strategies for the activities, weekly plan of action, and the role and work of individual team members were discussed.
Training Session on Video Making and Editing:
A learning session on video making and editing on Adobe Premium pro were held at the office of Bal Sakha Assam on 19th and 20th January 2022. The Resource Person for the session was Mr. Sonu Das, an experienced photographer of the Dibrugarh. The staff of BSA learned about the making and editing of videos. Ms. Anamika Hazarika, Ms. Anakha Baruah, Ms. Upasana Gogoi were attended the session. Mr.Das provided pivotal knowledge and information regarding video making and editing. Mr. Sonu took the session very carefully and interestingly as it was a new learning process for the staff.
Annual Gb Meeting:
The Annual General Body Meeting (2021-22) of Bal Sakha Assam was held at the office of Bal Sakha Assam on 30th December 2021. The house observed one minute of silence for the sudden death of Mr. Moloy Bagchi, an executive member of BSA, and Sr. Advocate of the Dibrugarh Bar Association.
Ms. Sutapa Choudhury, the President, welcomed everyone and read out the agenda of the meeting as follows:
- Welcome address by the President, Bal Sakha Assam.
- Report of the Secretary, Bal Sakha Assam.
- Discussion on current activities.
- Approval of last audit report and summary of accounts till November‟21.
- Annual Subscription.
- Election of the office bearers and executive body.
- Submission of xerox copy of Aadhar and pan card of every member.
- Discussion on FCRA Renewal in 2022.
- FEMA.
- Vote of Thanks.
After the discussion, the house elected the office bearers and executive members. The house elected, Mr. J.P. Kanoi, CA, as an executive member of BSA. The house elected old office bearers overwhelmingly for 2022-23. Dr. Aditya informed the house that a current bank account- (FCRA account) for the Bal Sakha Assam opened in State Bank of India, New Delhi Main Branch, New Delhi as per the FCRA rule.
Coordination with Other Organizations:
Coordination with the other organization helps us to improve our efficiency in planning and implementing the activities, and optimum utilization of the resources, and it also helped us to build rapport with other organizations.
The organization built a good relationship with the following organization:-
- Paul Hamlyn Foundation, London.
- Barefoot College International, Rajasthan.
- CRY (The Child Rights & You), Kolkata.
- Tata Institute of Social Science, Guwahati.
- Centre of Tea and Agro Studies, Dibrugarh University.
- Centre for Management Studies, Dibrugarh University.
- Department of Tea Husbandry and Technology, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat.
- Bhartiya Cha Parishad (BCP), Dibrugarh.
- North East Tea Association, Golaghat.
- Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Romai, Dibrugarh.
- Assam Cha Mazdoor Sangha, Dibrugarh.
- Freedom Express, New Delhi.
- Sessa T.E. from Goodricke Group Ltd., Dibrugarh.
- Manohari T.E., Dibrugarh.
- Durgapur T.E., Dibrugarh.
- Hatikuli T.E. of Amalgamated Plantations Pvt. Ltd, Golaghat, Assam.
Free Livelihood Training Programme:
Free training in doll making and the making of garlands under creative decoration was organized by Bal Sakha Assam at Koharkumar Gaon, Teok, Kaliapani, and Jorhat. The village is situated around 7 km south of the Teok and around 30 km from Jorhat town. There are 124 households in the village. The organization chooses 32 women and adolescent girls of the BPL families from the village for training.
The training was started on 4th June 2018 at L.P. School, Kohar Gaon, Rajabari, Teak. The training was sponsored by Nehru Yuva Kendra, Jorhat. After completion of the training, the certificate distribution ceremony was held at L.P. School on 31st August 2018.
Malnutrition:
Malnutrition in India has become a situation that haunts the lives of millions of children. Among the 472 million children (2011 census), a whopping 97 million are anaemic and undernourished. For children five years or younger, close to 40% (actually 38.7%) are stunted (below normal height for the age), 19.8% are wasted (underweight and short) and 42.4% are underweight. The data set revealed by the latest NFHS-4 states that nine out of the 11 states surveyed have not been able to reduce the rate of Infant Mortality even by 2 points annually. 40 out of 1000 infants don’t get to celebrate their first birthday.
While Malnutrition and Infant Mortality Rates remain high, the budget allocated for minors, constituting 40% of India’s population remains at a meager 4%.
A sound foundation is critical for the overall development of a human being. In fact, 90% development of the brain occurs within 5-6 years of age. Thus, to ensure a right start to life, early childhood care, and learning are exceedingly important. The Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) is one of the largest public service schemes in India catering to the need of children below the age of 6 years. This scheme, implemented from 1,974 onwards, has the potential to have the most comprehensive coverage.
Sadly, the reality is otherwise. The budget allocation for the ICDS scheme has declined by 9.6%, from 15,584 Cr (RE 2015-16) to 14,862 Cr (BE 2016-17).
In Assam, the aganwadi centers under the ICDS scheme are not able to render their services properly. The aganwadi workers do not get their remuneration regularly. The supplement nutrition is not distributed to the children regularly during the whole year. Due to all these issues and setbacks, right now several children, women, and communities are fighting the long-term ill-effects of malnourishment, chronic hunger, lack of health-care and unstable livelihoods.
Here are a few more statistics and information on the present situation:
- Out of the 400 million children in India, every second child is malnourished (National Family Health Survey III – NFHS, 2005-06)
- In India, Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) continues to be high at 167 per 100,000 live births in 2011-13 (NITI Aayog)
- Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) in Assam continues to be high at 300 per 100,000 live births in 2011-13 (NITI Aayog)
- In India, Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) (per 1000 live births is 42 (2013 as per NITI Aayog)
- In Assam, Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) (per 1000 live births is 55 (2013 as per NITI Aayog)
- 22% of babies are born with low birth weight (National Family Health Survey III – NFHS)
- In India, about 55% of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes children under 3 years of age are underweight compared to about 37% of children from the general population of 400 million children (National Family Health Survey III – NFHS)
- The Under-5 Mortality Rate (U5MR) in India is 88.1% for Schedule Caste and 95.7% for Schedule Tribe children, against the national average of 59.2% (National Family Health Survey III – NFHS)
- In India 47 out of every 1000 live births do not complete their first year of life ((Sample Registration System – SRS, 2011)
- 79% of children of the 400 million in India (6-35 months) are anaemic (National Family Health Survey III – NFHS)
- 56% of adolescent girls (15-19 years) in India are anaemic, as against 30% of adolescent boys (National Family Health Survey III – NFHS)
- Only 54% of children of the 400 million in India receive full immunization (District Level Household & Facility Survey III – DLHI, 2007-08) Bal Sakha Assam started works on the issue at the grassroots level to ensure positive changes in the health scenario in rural and tea garden areas of Assam.
The organization’s efforts to prevent malnutrition/ anaemia and eradicate it from the roots with the following measures:
- Regular Health check-ups and Health Awareness camps at regular intervals. The pregnant mother, because with proper pre-natal care, adequate food, and timely health check-ups, a pregnant woman stays fit and gives birth to a healthy child. Without it, she transfers her ill health to her unborn child and sets off a cycle of malnourishment.
- Forming of Mothers, adolescent girls group and conducted their meeting regularly.
- Health education of the adolescents on nutrition, personal hygiene, menstrual hygiene, the adverse outcome of early marriage and teenage pregnancy, the adverse outcomes of tobacco use, the benefits of regular exercise, etc.
- Counseling on diet, rest, and the importance of regular check-ups.
- Health education of mothers regarding the importance of exclusive breastfeeding, complementary feeding, maintenance of hygiene, etc.
- Build consciousness for proper immunization procedures which is crucial to preventing malnourishment.
- Conducting Joint meetings with all stakeholders on health and education issues.
- Conducted district-level meetings with all stakeholders on health issues. You too can join us to build a well healthy and educated world.
Donate now and ensure healthy and happy childhoods for children of rural and tea garden areas of Assam. Your contribution will go a long way in improving the lives of these children.
Health:
Regular awareness health camps were organized for pregnant women, adolescent girls, and children. Joint meetings and District level meetings with all stakeholders were also organized to address Anemia, malnutrition, immunization, sanitation, cancer awareness, etc. The measures are taken by Bal Sakha Assam:
- Regular Health checkups and Health Awareness camp at regular intervals.
- Forming of Mothers, adolescent girls group and conducted their meeting regularly.
- Health education of the adolescents on nutrition, personal hygiene, menstrual hygiene, the adverse outcome of early marriage and teenage pregnancy, the adverse outcome of tobacco use, benefits of regular exercise, etc.
- Counseling on diet, rest, and the importance of regular checkups.
- Health education of mothers regarding the importance of exclusive breastfeeding, complementary feeding, maintenance of hygiene, etc.
- Conducting Joint meetings with all stakeholders on health and education issues.
- Conducted district-level meetings with all stakeholders on health issues.
Outcome: The organization achieves the following achievements from these initiatives in six places of project areas:
- Tracking of pregnant mothers, BMI of children, and adolescent groups.
- Ensure the Health check-up of pregnant women and counseling on diet, rest, and the importance of regular checkups.
- Health education of mothers regarding the importance of exclusive breastfeeding, complementary feeding, maintenance of hygiene, etc.
- 100 percent immunization of 0 to 1 year.
- Regular health check-ups of pregnant women and lactating mothers.
- Regular weight monitoring in Anganwadi centers.
- Reduce infant mortality rate from 10% to 2% in 6 operational areas.
- Retain CMR to 0 in 6 operational areas in the last two years.
- The prevalence of underweight among adolescent girls was 48.14% in Mohanbaree TE and 39.48% in Madarkhat TE as per Body Mass Index in 2016