Saturday October 24, 2020 was indeed a dark day, not only on account of the Pandemic but more so that Er. Zahan Meherzad Turel, all of 14 years young, a shining star of our Mobedi clan, suffered severe (48.5%) burns injuries whilst performing the ‘boi’ ceremony at Goti Adarian, Surat.
After being administered basic treatment young Zahan was rushed to Masina Hospital at Byculla, Mumbai, where he was given treatment for an extended period of time and thereafter discharged on Monday, January 04, 2021.
Fortunately for Er. Zahan Turel, he received excellent treatment at the Burns Unit of Masina Hospital and is well on his way to recovery.
Such a grisly mishap is not the first such incident that our Mobeds have had to contend with whilst tending to our revered fires. It is beyond imagination that in this day and age our Mobeds continue to perform religious ceremonies without a modicum of protection.
The incident triggered off intense discussions amongst the core group of Team Empowering Mobeds (a joint initiative of WZO Trust Funds and Athornan Mandal). After proactive discussions where various options were considered it was finally decided to have ‘Jamas, Padan & Hand Pockets (for Boiwala Mobeds to wear when inside the kebla) made from fire retardant fabric that would provide reasonable safety to our Mobeds whilst carrying out various religious ceremonies.
Over the last few months, experiments were undertaken to test fire retardant fabrics that would provide safety to Mobeds in case of embers landing on their ‘Jamas, Padan & Hand Pockets’.
Trials have been conducted, where Mobed Volunteers have worn Jamas made from different fabrics of thickness comparable to existing Jamas (on which the fire retardant process would be added later on) to test the comfort levels.
A well wisher Mr. Viraf Sohrabji Mehta who was keenly interested in the project coordinated the exercise with Ms. Firoza Karani, Director of Casablanca Apparels Pvt. Ltd., in having samples made and trials done for which we are most grateful to both of them.
It has now been decided to place an order for manufacturing 800 sets each of ‘Jamas & Padans and 200 sets of hand pockets with Casablanca Apparels Pvt. Ltd., a well known garment manufacturing unit established in 1993 that manufactures a variety of garments for both domestic and export markets.
As fire retardant fabric is not available off the shelves, Casablanca Apparels have placed an order with Arvind Mills, Ltd., to produce the minimum quantity required. The fire-retardant fabric is expected to be ready by mid-June 2021, and the final product ready for distribution sometime between mid to end July 2021. A set each will be offered gratis to practicing Mobeds for their use, should they be interested.
After the fabric has been manufactured, appropriate certificates of the fabric having Fire retardant properties will be obtained from Arvind Mills, the manufacturers of the fabric, as well as Société Générale de Surveillance (SGS) an international inspection agency that inspects Apparels, Machinery, Medicines etc, before shipments.
High Priests, Dasturji Dr. Firoze M. Kotwal, Dasturji Khurshed K. Dastoor, Dasturji Keki P. Ravji Meherjirana, Senior Mobed Aspandiar Dadachanji, have all been informed about the initiative and their approval received.
After using the initial set, if Mobeds are satisfied in all respects, it will be for them, or their Agiary Trustees / Panthaki’s to procure additional sets from the manufacturers against payment. A suitable system will be put into place that will make it convenient to procure future supplies.
The ever-generous Trustees of Zoroastrian Charity Funds of Hong Kong, Canton & Macao have committed to make funds available for this initiative through WZO Trust Funds which will facilitate the initial production from fire retardant fabric of 800 Jamas 800 Padans and 200 pairs of Hand Pockets.
Mobeds, Panthakies and Trustees of Agiarys wishing to accept sets of Jamas & Padans and Hand Pockets made from fire retardant fabric are requested to contact and coordinate with:
Er. Hormuz A. Dadachanji,
D. E. Mithaiwala Agiary,
Opp. Grant Road Station (West),
Mumbai 400007
Telephone Contact (+91) 9820493812
Disclaimer:
It is clearly understood, implicitly agreed to and accepted by the Mobeds using attire made from Fire Retardant fabric that the initiative taken by Empowering Mobeds & WZO Trusts and funded by Zoroastrian Charity Funds of Hong Kong, Canton & Macao has been undertaken solely with the intent of providing safety to our Mobeds.
Empowering Mobeds, WZO Trusts or The Zoroastrian Charity Funds of Hong Kong, Canton & Macao, their Trustees and members will under no circumstances be held responsible or liable should the product malfunction / is found ineffective / does not offer protection / or causes any other complications.
It is also reiterated that The Trustees / Members of Empowering Mobeds, WZO Trusts or The Zoroastrian Charity Funds of Hong Kong, Canton & Macao have no commercial / pecuniary benefit from this project.
We, World Zoroastrian Organisation Trust & WZO Trust Funds have begun to plan for relief and rehabilitation that will need to be undertaken for Zoroastrians who have been affected through loss of livelihood due to the Covid Pandemic.
A Write-up cum appeal as below is being sent to donors all over the world with a request to extend support for the many Zoroastrians, who have all been severely affected in different ways.
It is requested that generous support be considered towards this humanitarian of epic proportions.
We expect to commence once the lock down has been lifted and travel restrictions have been eased; sometime hopefully my mid-May or perhaps a bit later. We envisage it will take us around 5 months at the very minimum to complete this humongous task and look forward to receiving support.
Best wishes,
Dinshaw
COVID PANDEMIC AND IT’S AFTERMATH;
THE LONG ROAD TOWARDS REHABILITATION.
The world over, people are presently wrestling with the unprecedented implications of the COVID-19 corona virus pandemic. It is a human crisis unlike any experienced earlier.
By way of providing immediate relief during the pandemic, We, The World Zoroastrian Organisation Trust and The WZO Trust Funds have played a reasonably proactive role by supporting from our own funds, Masina Hospital at Mumbai to create isolation facilities, as also recommended to and facilitated overseas donors to support this initiative, and supported the distribution of food packets through volunteers of ‘Pehchaan’ to migrant workers and slum dwellers of Mumbai suffering from hardships.
With the lockdown scheduled to be progressively lifted from mid May onwards, the time is now on hand to planning and focus on providing relief and rehabilitation to Zoroastrians who have been adversely affected economically due to the pandemic.
Given the severity of the pandemic one can foresee that once the lockdown and travel restrictions have been lifted or eased, the focus will have to be on continuing to provide relief, as well as to organize rehabilitation of Zoroastrians who have been severely affected – in cities, towns and villages. The tasks are undoubtedly extremely daunting and will require long term effort and commitment.
When the lockdown has been lifted and travel restrictions eased, it will be necessary to not only continue relief but also to plan rehabilitation strategies, as may be necessary, for Zoroastrians who are facing immense hardships as a result of the pandemic.
Providing relief is a temporary measure, whereas organizing rehabilitation is a distinctly and extremely long process that entails first counselling distressed minds to be optimistic, followed by assessing what would be the most practical and quickest manner of rehabilitating entire families who would have lost their jobs or means of livelihoods and / or suffered from illnesses during the troubled times and finally raising resources from donors that would be used to bring affected families back into the mainstream of society.
To successfully rehabilitate Zoroastrians affected by the pandemic, it will be essential that all hands (volunteers and donors) will need to be on deck, doing what they can do best to alleviate the suffering.
The main impacts of the lock down that will need to be addressed are:
1
Arranging food grains packages for Zoroastrians in cities, towns and villages who have suffered economic hardships
2
Financial difficulties being faced by families of white collar workers having received only half their regular salaries and in many cases no salaries
3
Financial difficulties being faced by families of blue collar workers not having received salaries as the factories, workshops have all had to shut down.
4
Financial difficulties being faced by individuals involved in modest Self Employment initiatives such as driving autorickshaws, commercial taxi’s, auto mechanics, stationery shops etc who have been unable to go about their professions.
5
Full time Mobeds who are not employed by Agiyaries but are daily wage earners many of who presently have no income.
6
a) Supporting agriculturists who have been unable to harvest their standing crops that have decayed on account of non availability of labour force.
b) Dairy Farmers having suffered financial setbacks as milk collected from their livestock’s being unable to reach the processing dairies; difficulty in obtaining feed for their cattle.
c) Poultry farming having come to a standstill as it has not been possible to transport the fully grown fowls to processing units.
d) Brick kilns are an industry having a short 7 month window (December to June); Zoroastrian beneficiaries who have established kilns in their villages have suffered severe financial setback as the migrant labourers have left for their native places leaving half baked and unbaked bricks causing immense hardships.
Total amount of funds required for the entire rehabilitation package as above are estimated to be in the region of Rs.13,200,000 (Rupees thirteen million two hundred thousand or Rupees one crore thirty two lakhs). The time frame for completing the work is estimated to take between four to five months.
Service to our people is the need of the times. We can at best play a proactive role by using all the means available to us in terms of manpower and by raising resources from donors.
We request individuals and institutions from all over the world, having the means and resources, to dig deep into their pockets and donate generously to enable us to undertake rehabilitation of the many Zoroastrians who have suffered untold misery during the pandemic:
Donations may please be sent by cheques to:
The World Zoroastrian Organisation Trust
C-1, Hermes House,
Mama Parmanand Marg,
Opera House,
Mumbai 400 004
Donations can also be made directly into our bank accounts, details of which are:
For remittances from within India
For remittances from overseas converted into INR
Name of Bank: Deutsche Bank
Name of Bank: Deutsche Bank
Branch: Hazarimal Somani Marg, Fort, Mumbai.
Branch: Hazarimal Somani Marg, Fort, Mumbai.
Branch Address:
D B House,
Hazarimal Somani Marg, Fort,
Mumbai 400 001
Branch Address:
D B House,
Hazarimal Somani Marg, Fort,
Mumbai 400 001
Account title:
The World Zoroastrian Organisation Trust.
Account title:
The World Zoroastrian Organisation Trust – FCRA.
Account No: 400004259620019
Account No: 400004284180028
Account type: Savings
Account type: Savings
IFSC Code: DEUT0784PBC
IFSC Code: DEUT0784PBC
Swift Code: BKTRUS33
Note
Donors should provide the address where their receipts should be mailed and also inform their PAN details.
Note
Donors should provide the address where their receipts should be mailed.
We look forward to receiving support from community members from all over the world that will facilitate our undertaking and completing this gigantic humanitarian exercise.
A list of fellowships offered for the social sector—for professional development, in the field, or in academia. The list includes fellowships offered within India, as well as some offered internationally.
*The fellowships in each section are listed in alphabetical order. This list was last updated on March 26th, 2020. If you would like to suggest any edits to this page, or would like us to add something we missed out, please writetous@idronline.org.
Duration: One year, extendable to a maximum of two years with the possibility of full-time employment post-completion of Fellowship
Eligibility: Masters degree in Counselling, Clinical Psychology, or Social Work; fluency in Tamil
Format: Part-time, paid role based in Chennai. The Fellow will be placed in a school for 3 days a week and is expected to provide on-site behavioural and emotional health consultation and support to schools to address barriers that interfere with students’ academic, social and emotional development.
Eligibility: Entrepreneurs with a new system changing idea that addresses pertinent social or environmental issues
Format: Fellows receive a stipend for the three year period to work on their initiative full-time. They also receive access to a network of like-minded social entrepreneurs, wellbeing support, peer-learning opportunities, and so on
Eligibility: Under 20 years of age, founder/co-founder of an initiative that is addressing social or environmental issues at the community level
Format: Young Changemakers receive mentorship, access to curated opportunities, media support, leadership training, invitations to Ashoka events and programmes; and are expected to lead local-level initiative to empower young people
Eligibility: 4-10 years’ work experience; degree in any discipline; proficiency in English and one of Hindi, Kannada, Tamil or Telugu; below 35 years of age
Format: Fellows teach in government schools in rural India to develop an understanding of the ground realities of the public education system
Eligibility: Fresh graduates from IIT/IIM or professionals/entrepreneurs
Format: The fellowship offers an incubation space to fellows to help them become development entrepreneurs with mentorship sessions and reflection workshops
Eligibility: Early stage social entrepreneurs between the ages of 18-35 years, running a social change initiative (on ground for at least six months; which need not be registered) working on inclusion, creating democratic spaces and constitutional literacy with youth
Format: Three touch point workshops for inputs on organisational development; fortnightly mentoring to enhance leadership; seed funding of upto two lakhs; inputs on instructional design and facilitation; access to a network of more than 400 like-minded social entrepreneurs
Eligibility: Below 28 years of age; Indian citizens with bachelor’s degree and one year of work experience/postgraduate degree; proficiency in English and Hindi
Format: Fellows represent the Chief Minister’s Office and work with district administrations
Format: Fellows are assigned to work with Ministers and/or senior officials across various departments of the Government of NCT of Delhi, providing analytical support in the formulation of policies, implementation of projects, and so on
Format: Fellows can work and receive mentorship in one of six thematics (natural resource management; basic needs fulfilment; employement generation; enterprise development; strengthening institutions; clean technology)
Eligibility: Interest in implementing solutions to climate change
Format: A one-year immersive programme for 20 fellows, based on a mentor-mentee framework (Track 1: Fellows willing to commit to a 1 year fully residential fellowship; Track 2: Fellows who are advanced in their careers and continue to work will have their curriculum and mentorship experience made flexible and customised to their availability)
Eligibility: 20-25 year old women from India, must be fluent in Hindi
Format: Each fellow mentors 500-600 adolescent school girls in India on social projects. The fellowship curriculum is built around leadership, self-awareness, and sisterhood.
Deadline: Applications are closed as of now; will begin next December
Eligibility: Fluency in Hindi; demonstrable passion about working with children
Format: Fellows will work with children in Uttarakhand at the Happy Children’s Library, on areas such as learning sessions, reading and writing activities, library outreach, documentation, and impact assessments
Eligibility: 21-28 years of age; Indian citizens, graduate
Format: During the first eight weeks, fellows are trained on development theory and practice, leadership skills and so on. The remaining time is spent at a work assignment with a host organisation
Eligibility: Freelance reporters with multimedia experience, understanding of data journalism, and familiarity with non-English languages; 5-7 years of experience
Format: Reporting fellows will cover mental health and mental illness from an Indian perspective, to highlight gaps in coverage or policy
Eligibility: Fresh graduates/postgraduates with 1st division or minimum 60 percent marks; or PhDs; below 35 years of age
Format: Fellows will provide support to Mission Director, SCM and/or CEOs of selected Smart Cities in terms of analytics, research, documentation, independent assessment, and so on
Eligibility: Indian citizens; a college/university degree or five years equivalent work experience; fluency in English
Format: Fellows are responsible for implementing high-impact projects defined by Indicorps and local grassroots organisations to address community challenges. Fellows attend periodic workshops to share progress and collectively solve challenges
Eligibility: Graduates with 3+ years of work experience; strong data analytical skills; strong technical skills to manage the MIS system
Format: Fellows have a three-phase rotation across the year during which they get an understanding of the organisation and the work that happens across functions and how policies are implemented across the country
Duration: Minimum of 12 months (on projects scoped for 1-3 years)
Eligibility: Graduate with minimum 2 years of work experience; under 29 years of age
Format: Fellows provide end-to-end support as Project Management Units (PMUs) for programmes implemented by government departments, foundations, and nonprofits
Deadline: Applications open in March; annual onboarding for the new cohort takes place in August
Eligibility: Above 18 years of age; at least 1 year of college education completed; experience with planning and facilitation; formal or informal experience with art form (poetry, storytelling, theatre, or visual arts)
Format: Fellows are placed in low income classrooms and use the transformative power of performance and visual arts to build essential life skills in children and enable them to find their voice through creative expression
Eligibility: Fluency in English; minimum five years of experience
Format: The programme promotes experiential, participatory and comprehensive learning to equip leaders with the most effective skills, acumen, and attitude for a sustainable world
Format: The fellowship enables young professionals to get hands on experience working in development and fellows spend six months to a year working in Wayanad, and are responsible for overseeing a project or programme most suited to their interests
Duration: One year, full-time Eligibility: Inclination to address challenges of marginal farmers; interest and committed to work for rural India; basic reading and writing skills in English.
Format: Fellows get to work on different aspects of rainfed agriculture under the guidance of an experienced mentor Deadline: November-January (varies year to year)
Eligibility: Fluency in Hindi; bachelor’s/master’s degree; critical thinking and problem solving; applicants should be courageous and determined to bring about the change at scale and demonstrate interpersonal skills through their interactions with various stakeholders
Format: A 6-week induction, post which fellows will work on the Sampark Smart Shala Programme towards improving learning outcomes for children in government primary schools in India
Eligibility: Indian citizens with a bachelor’s degree
Format: The social entrepreneurship programme is divided into 25 percent classroom facilitated learning and 75 percent practicum (where participants work with established social enterprises and develop business verticals for them)
Eligibility: Minimum: B.Ed/Masters in Special Education/Masters in Counselling (with minimum 2 years of teaching experience) [Candidates with relevant volunteering experience in the space of Inclusive Education are also welcome to apply]
Format: Fellows will be placed in different under-resourced schools to understand the grassroot realities of India’s education system in the context of inclusion and strive to create an ecosystem of inclusive spaces in mainstream education (stipend will be given through the two years)
Eligibility: For the photography fellowship: media and communication students/amateur photographers aged 18-24
Format: For the media fellowship, fellows are required to document stories highlighting under-reported aspects on the theme of urban water. For the photography fellowship, they are invited to document strong, innovative, and diverse visual narratives on water—the crisis and solutions—across India
Format: The fellows are trained by industry leaders followed by a two month placement in a nonprofit where they lead well-defined projects to maximise communication efforts of nonprofits
Duration: Two months (part-time 3-4 hours every alternate weekend)
Eligibility: Students in grades 8-12, and aged 13-18 years
Format: Fellows run feeds on Instagram on their selected social themes using visual storytelling with the aim of creating awareness, leading action and extending support
Eligibility: An university degree (undergraduate), at least two years of practical experience (either working or volunteering) in the social sector & alignment with core values of vision, courage, empathy, changemaking and a global mindset
Format: This blended program runs twice a year, with a 2 month foundation online, followed by a 4 month immersion phase in a global hub of social innovation. Upcoming programs are in São Paulo (Brazil) or Nairobi (Kenya); fellows can attend and complete the fellowship with a postgraduate certificate in social innovation management even if they are currently working
Eligibility: Must have a demonstrable record of experience in one of governance and law, economic development, women’s empowerment, environment, or regional cooperation; under 40 years of age; conversant in English; citizens of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, or Vietnam
Format: The fellowship comprises of a leadership dialogue and exchange programme in Asia, a forum on leadership for Asia’s future, a leadership dialogue and exchange programme in the US, a professional development award, and a tailored mentoring component
Eligibility: Citizens of Northeast, Southeast, and South Asian countries and regions; aged 35-59
Format: The programme provides an opportunity for individuals to reside at the International House of Japan in Tokyo and engage in collaborative and individual research/exchange activities
Eligibility: Graduate in any discipline; at least 5 years relevant experience; must meet LSE’s standard English Language Requirement
Format: Residential fellows undertake a full-time, one-year MSc in Inequalities and Social Sciences at LSE; non-residential fellows investigate inequalities over a period of 12 to 18 months via a set of AFSEE modules and project work while remaining based in their home environment
Duration: June-July 2020, in The Hague, Netherlands
Eligibility: Undergraduate degree with at least 5 years of relevant experience or a graduate degree with 3 years of relevant experience
Format: Residential fellows will be exposed to different parts of the humanitarian system and will work on an individual project that addresses a challenge related to the use and impact of data in the sector. The three focus areas for this year are: Data Storytelling (Education), Predictive Analytics, and Statistics (Mosaic Effect)
Eligibility: Indian citizens living in India, 25-45 years of age; postgraduate degree and/or at least 5 years of experience
Format: This fellowship enables academics, writers, and translators to spend a few months at host universities, doing their own work and interacting with colleagues
Eligibility: Work experience in social impact/design agencies, an ability and willingness to travel and proficiency in written and spoken English (French, Spanish, Swahili, Hindi are a plus)
Format: Fellows are embedded within teams and have hands-on experience with projects from the start; each fellowship may vary in length, number of projects, and role within the team; the opportunity is full-time and paid, with flexible start dates
Eligibility: Above 18 years of age, able to secure visa
Format: The fellowship supports social sector leaders to dedicate time to turning ideas into prototypes or action. All fellows will be responsible for designing, proposing, and implementing projects of their choice within one of two fellowship tracks: digital civil society or race and technology
Eligibility: At least 21 years of age; fluency in English; must be able to legally travel to the US for a training programme
Format: Fellows work in the field with international partners working on capacity building and measuring impact in the fields of micro-finance and social enterprise
Eligibility: Urban designers, public artists, developers, journalists, civic leaders, architects, landscape architects, urban planners, policymakers, and community development leaders with a minimum 5-10 years of experience in their field
Format: Fellows audit courses at Harvard or MIT, and partake in lectures, symposia, conferences, and exhibitions; fellows also attend weekly seminars and dinners and build a community of fellowship
Eligibility: Development experts from Africa, Asia, and Latin America; open by nomination only
Format: Fellows devote 10 percent of their working time towards a programme of media support, advocacy lessons, training, and writing under the guidance of mentors
Duration: One year, non-residential in Thailand/Uganda
Eligibility: English proficiency; bachelor’s degree; demonstrable commitment to cross-cultural understanding and peace; at least five years of relevant work experience
Format: Fellows come to the programme with a social change initiative to promote peace and development within the programme region or their community
Eligibility: Minimum two years full-time work experience; proven strategic thinking, problem solving, communication, and analytical capabilities; language requirements based on location of placement
Format: Typical roles involve assessing and identifying opportunities for markets, value chains, and industries, strengthening the operations and/or organisational capacity of TechnoServe clients, evaluating programme impact, and so on
Eligibility: Between 15-28 years old; English proficiency; regular access to email and the internet; access to a bank account
Format: Digital learning, workshops, grants, and speaking engagements to provide young advocates with opportunities to build and strengthen their knowledge and skills, particularly in the areas of gender equality and sexual and reproductive health and rights
Eligibility: Applicants must be at least five, and not more than twenty years into their careers; fluency in English; non-US citizens
Format: Fellows engage in weekly seminars for discussions, receive individual and group coaching and skills development training, host events at Yale, and mentor students
Eligibility: Cannot be enrolled in an academic programme
Format: The fellow will be working independently on a public interest research project in the energy sector which could include any mix of desk research, field work, primary data collection, and surveys
Eligibility: CGPA/CPI of at least 8.0 (on a 10-point scale) in all years of four/five year undergraduate or five-year integrated postgraduate degree in Science and Technology streams from IISc/IITs/NITs/IISERs/IIEST
Format: Research fellowship for full-time PhD programme in one of IISc/IISERs/IITs or Central Universities
Eligibility: SC/ST candidates who have passed postgraduate examinations
Format: The fellowship provides financial assistance to candidates who wish to pursue MPhil/PhD degrees in sciences, humanities, social sciences and engineering & technology
Eligibility: Indian citizens with a demonstrated interest in wildlife ecology and conservation; bachelor’s degree; below 30 years of age
Format: This programme funds three activities—a master’s degree in ecology or conservation at an international university, an internship with an international conservation organisation, and a small grants programme for a conservation research project within India
Eligibility: Students enrolled in Indian and Canadian universities which are members of Shastri Indo-Canadian Institutes; additional criteria for each category
Format: The fellowship offers research grants to three categories of students—doctoral, post-doctoral, and Canadian—for research in priority areas of Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India
Eligibility: Healthcare providers, public health professionals, and researchers from India or Bangladesh; Master’s degree in public health, nursing, psychology, health science, social work, health policy, or law
Format: The fellowship aims to train future implementation researchers from India and Bangladesh through online lectures and assignments, monthly reading assignments, mentoring sessions, and intensive residential study visits to the Mehsana District
Eligibility: Bachelor’s degree; below 30 years of age
Format: The fellowship aims at developing skills to analyse issues plaguing urban areas in architecture, development planning, and other interdisciplinary fields. It is comprised of eight months of in-class learning followed by two months of internship placements
Eligibility: Indian citizens; bachelor’s degree with at least 55 percent marks; must be registered for a PhD at an Indian institution/been awarded a PhD within the past four years; fluency in English
Format: These are offered for doctoral/postdoctoral research related to climate issues
Eligibility: Indian citizens; bachelor’s degree with at least 55 percent marks; at least three years of professional work experience; fluency in English
Format: There are different types and associated eligibility criteria of awards—student awards, scholars and teacher awards, professional development programmes
Format: The programme invites researchers and practitioners to the School of Public Policy at Central European University and the Central European University Institute for Advanced Study in Budapest, and the Global Public Policy Institute in Berlin to conduct analytical and empirical work and engaging with policy practitioners