The Kawardha Baiga Tribal Trust

THE LONG AWAITED NEWSLETTER !

Sep 1999

Dear Friends & Supporters
Please note that we have changed the name of the Trust to the above (KBTT) for reasons of brevity from "The Kawardha Baiga Tribal Health & Charitable Trust"

It had always been my intention to send out periodical newsletters as to what is happening in Baigadom but with poor electricity (which made disfunctional any attempts to use modern equipment) no phones or faxes; no decent photo copiers in the locality and a never ending stream of broad based crises I am afraid I simply never had the equipment nor the time to bash out 40 or so letters at a time and annually. Profuse apologies but we hope this lengthy account of our activities (and we have not been idle) gives you adequate proof of our commitment to the Baiga Tribals we have grown so close to over these eight years.We are now painfully investing in a little bit of modern technology a computer & printer to make all aspects of our Palace Kawardha Tourism project the KBTT and the growing demands of the written word for Yogi's political challenges a tad easier to perform and keep track of. Palace Kawardha Hospitality Pvt. Ltd. and the KBTT are very much reliant on each other. The former is indebted to Baigas for opening up their truly wonderful natural and calming world for us to introduce our very special guests to a facet of India that many of you have also grown fond of. KB is funded by portions of the funds received from our guests and by the enormous generosity of several visitors who have also been enchanted by our Baiga neighbours. For which we collectively thank you from very special places in our hearts.

HOW IT ALL BEGAN Our association with Baiga Tribals began in l991. We were exploring potential Trekking routes through relatively undisturbed jungle tracks in Kawardha Forest Division (or the Maikal Hills for those who do not agree that forests should belong to governments but to the people) for our tourism venture ( then simply ideas in the minds of two seekers of near perfection - or lunatics as some regarded us!). Through repeated visits lengthy walks and magical overnight halts in Baiga Tolas (villages) annually during the months of April May & June and then during the tourism seasons the Baigas slowly began to seek our advise on problems they faced relating to health social &: legal issues. For medical problems l would administer on the spot appropriate first aid solutions alternatively the seriously ill were ferried back to Kawardha in our jeep taken to one of the four wonderfully accommodating doctors we have established contacts with and then they would stay with us being fed properly and watched over until they were fit enough to return to their jungle world.

Minor social problems of discord and legal issues were discussed with Yogi and he would accompany the complainants to the respective Govt. Dept. offices to have the issue settled lawfully and justly. Our most rewarding coup in this respect happened for Thuapani Tola where the entire village adults were constantly inebriated and miserable. It transpired that they had not been paid for a whole year and we were able to remedy this situation in only 6 hours by threatening to camp out indefinitely on the residence lawn of the complacent official. All these encounters made both Yogi & I realise that although we found immense solace spending so much time in the company of Baiga communities spread over idyllic stretches of stunningly beautiful jungle with wild animals birds their lives were incredibly difficult to live and help of true value was vital and urgently required.

From 1991 to early 1994 our efforts did alleviate certain concerns faced by Baigas. Then in 1994 April to be exact Yogeshwar Raj Singh decided to contest the "experimental" Zila Panchayati Raj Election for the BODLA block of the Kawardha area. Baiga & Gond Tribals along with other communities came out in droves to vote for Yogi and he won with a 90% majority an all time record. There were detractors who grumbled that as a Prince Yogi Raj Singh would abuse all his powers etc. etc. These people were all proved very wrong. Under the direction of Yogi with his relentless efforts to expose corruption and ensure schemes for all sections of society actually worked in their favour and that officials in charge of said schemes began to be watched over carefully the Panchayati Raj 'experiment' has proven to be a total success here. The people were so delighted to see and experience the effects of tangible "progress" that hundreds of people came to request that he stand for the State Assembly Elections in November '98.

Not being 100% sure that everyone in the Kawardha MLA (Member of the Legislative Assembly) seat actually wanted him to stand as their representative Yogi went to every single village to ask the voters if they wanted him. He travelled by foot on tractors (because roads were blocked by monsoon rains) and bikes from August 14h right through until two days before the election. Many villagers were astounded when he appeared saying not one MLA had ever visited their area since Independence. They were equally shocked when he returned to thank every village for having elected him to a post in which he could see that Kawardha and its' People moved forward in a sustainable way and together. And he openly stated that his concern for the people of Kawardha had commenced seeing the appalling conditions Baiga Tribal communities faced just trying to survive who had for too long been abused and their basic rights denied and ignored.

Having struggled for 8 years to right the wrongs faced by Baiga Tribal communities and now others who come to ask Yogi for advise or those who simply come to have someone listen to their tales of woe a decision had to be made whether to continue to marginally help Baigas or to be in a position of Political strength whereby all schemes and assistance that should go to the people actually reached and benefited them. It is now August 1999 and we will be entering the year 2000 with our MLA Yogi Raj Singh who's efforts to date have made Kawardha a district headquarter town where the people come first (and not the bureaucracy) and progress of true value is happening before our eyes. You will all be delighted to know that rnajor works will commence to dramatically improve and widen our three main highways linking us to Raipur Kanha National Park & Bilaspur and Rajnandgaon from October 1999. Apart from shortening the driving time from the previously mentioned main centres this will enable every planned aspiration of sane progress to actually happen for the people of Kawardha. We also have a non-corrupt District Forest Officer who is going to repair the willful damage done to our "Protected Forest77 zones by his predecessors ensuring that Baiga Tribals are employed gainfully to resurrect their world of Tribals Trees and Tranquillity. Nurseries will be springing up all over the Maikal Hills to grown indigenous trees and shrubs useful to Baiga medicines and to humanity in general.

HOW YOUR KIND CONTRIBUTIONS HAVE HELPED BAIGA COMMUNITIES.

MEDICAL CASES - Your kind support of our efforts to strengthen our Baiga friends and neighbours has enabled us to save the lives of burn victims; tetanus infected children and adults (Four year old Prithilal Baiga only had a 22% chance of survival - this slide was taken two weeks after he was discharged from hospital and on the day he walked 22 kms from the hills to come to thank me for his life - I cried buckets); performing amputations on badly injured limbs which were not cared for at the time of injury; and burn victims who's limbs are more of a handicap ( when I sobbing internally ask idiotic questions like "are you emotionally prepared to live without your limb?" a smiling face replies " That's why I came here!" That was Mangtu Baiga who now farms some land belonging to Yogi's family with the help of Bisen Baiga (our 12 year old scallywag who took of f the plaster caste from his shoulder because it was itching! that was repairing his tree fall bones only three weeks after being operated on in Raipur and miraculously still healed perfectly - I adore this particular imp but he certainly gave me many anxious moments during his convalescence) sewing victims of wild animal attacks back together and ensuring retribution on the animals usually sloth bears leopards and wild boar was not meted out; curing mastitis in young mothers whose babies were so malnourished but survived on substitute feed until the flow of breast milk was restored; and feeding the children of single fathers whose wives had died in childbirth or from dysentery; and mending the broken bones of Baigas who have forgotten how to climb trees! Mangal Baiga a 10 year old boy was incredibly brave while enduring the itchiness of a plaster caste through April & May of this year.  He can do jigsaw puzzles blind folded now but prefers to race around on the new bicycle one having given to every Baiga Tola for emergencies and bringing home supplies from their main town markets. He has been warned!

These are just a few of the more serious cases that have been & are brought to our attention almost every week but our main enemy remains SICKLE CELL Aneamia & MALARIA (which is getting more severe annually due mainly to criminal attitudes towards deforestation for financial gain and the ultimately effected rainfall; seasonal temperature fluctuations and various other environmental disasters just waiting to happen.) We have lost too many Baigas to the weakening effects of Malaria and subsequent cases of dysentery & vomiting and it breaks my heart that we can't be everywhere always.

On average we get between two to four individuals per day all with completely differing ailments. All of whom have to be personally accompanied even though I now have the devoted assistance of HORI (Basant Kumar) our Man Friday there are still not enough hours in a day to accomplish all that is needed to ensure Baigas grow healthier and more self-sufficient.
It is our dream to build equip and staff our own hospital and diagnostic centre to be named "THE KAWARDHA BAIGA TRIBAL TRUST HOSPITAL" only for the Baiga Tribal communities of Kawardha. Periodically for reasons of us not being here (a rarity) Baigas who have walked all the way here will simply turn around and go home not even attempting to seek medical assistance through ingrained fear. We want to create a Baiga Tola environment where every Baiga will feel safe when approaching the staff here for medical assistance. Therefore if your family members and friends are in search of a different facet of an Indian experience do please point them in the direction of Palace Kawardha & Its' Environs as the remittances received for guest accommodation go partially to our fund raising efforts. Also if any of you have any other ideas we might like to pursue please do let us know.

Special heart-felt gratitude is sent to the following individuals and families whose generous additional contributions have enabled us to truly assist Baigas with the many often life threatening crisis our Baiga friends faced:- (In order of contributions received)
Michael & Jane Neale & Family; Sharon Moore & Luann Albanese Camilla Sugden Neale Family(2) Julian Singer Christopher & Sue Singer Neale Family(3) Nelson & Laura Graves Gordon & Rachel McLaren Dorothy Hague & Maisey Clarke Humphrey & Sarah Singer Luc & Carole Berger Maurice & Dawn Graves Murray Jones John & Fay Gordon William & Nancy Dennis The Perchard Family Andrew & Caroline Blatter Clive & Annie Norton & Family Simon & Carole Handslip Jonathan Bond Annie & Martin Howard Kasha Sterega & Nikki Frei Nick & Mary Fleming David & Jenny Housego John Amos Peter & Pia Hall Christopher & Janet Breeze Rob & Vicky Grazebrook Tania Wynniatt-Husey & Dorninic Pemberton Richard &Elizabeth Gilby Tania Fox Flemings (2) Silvia Grillanda & Rosa Casau John & Nikki Zubryzcki Hamish Anna Lockie India & Woody Dewar; Thomas Dubbs and Judith Trepp Simon & Sally Ann Fraser Sir Charles & Lady Caroline Legard Michael &: Susannah Adlington Bernard & Pippa Hill & Family Art & Ruth Max Maura Sabin Dewar Family(2) Vanessa Deveraux/Branson and Family Thomas Dubbs & Judith Trepp(2) Roland & Eva Gunneflo Tuve Holmberg & Eva Degerman Scagliotti Party Klaus & Karin Imig Nick & Elizabeth Brankin Frisby Myk & Jan Briggs Ian & Tricia Fairclough David & Anna Biddle David & Jenny Housego(2) Sir John & Lady Anne Coles Bill & Rita Campden Chas & Sally Alexander & Family Sarah Tiffin & Padraig Francis Don & Sue Zmartzy Arnanda Bright & Carole Elliott Eugenia Hunter Myk Briggs(2) Kevin Williams & Clare & Pamela Hudson Geoff Eales & Julia Rogers Renee Baumgartner & Werner Nebiker Walter Berweger & Ursula Jeremy & Amanda Edwards Jochim & Helge Klienwachter Peter & Pia Werre Ute Bopp & Party Gill Tiffin Jenny Macroy Ann Hirons Jane Hulse Christopher & Shirley Marler Simon Maxwell Scott Baroness Charlotte de Serdici Lady Susanna Rougin John & Sara Fawcett Mark & Tubby Evans Kenneth Cassels Nicolas & Maureen Banister Josephine Thurz Caroline Dowsett Sir Thomas and Lady Gill Jackson Don & Sue Zmartzy (2) Rob & Dianne Marsh Roddy Sale Rev. Henry & Helen Everett and to dear Julia Freeland for her caring and warm friendship shown to all Baiga Tribals especially the little ones whilst she was assisting me from Dec. '98 to April '99.

Without your kindness we would never have been able to achieve the miracles of saving lives with modern medicines the winningof legal battles the restoration of dignity self-worth the levelling of land and creating employment of true value the equipping of school with uniforms books pencils crayons blackboards chalks and educational posters we would not have been able to offer the weak & the poverty stricken through their periods of crisis the clothing of those who had not a thread their bodies in winter or located those who had run away in search of employment but got caught in the web of bonded labour. For making us strong enough to protect and care for Baiga Tribals we are indebted to you all and thank you all from the very bottom of our hearts.

(KBTT is affiliated to The Kawardha Rajya Parivar Nyas Trust
F. No. Regn/Rajnandgaon/8/73. Income tax exemption No. ClT/M.P./TRUST/Rajnandgaon/4173.)