She is driven by ambition to see the Youth of Nagaland thriving for dreams but not many would know that Hekani Jakhalu has a deeper story to tell behind this remarkable turn of event in her life. “A very strange and funny thing happened to me” she begins even as she gets serious and reveals how sitting-in at a Prayer House (something she never thought possible could change the tides), way back in December 2004 has totally changed her life.
Then, she confesses it was a “360˚ turn for me” because she was a Lawyer by profession who, at that point of time was given a good offer at New Delhi. ‘For many lawyers, it’s a big thing to be a partner of a Law Firm’ she expresses and continues ‘I was young and ambitious and I felt that I could do anything’.
She graduated from Lady Shri Ram College before she pursued law from Delhi University. It may be of interest to many that she earlier practiced at the High Court, also worked in the Supreme Court for sometime and having done her LLM from the University of San Francisco, she interned at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on the status of women. She taught at the American University as a Professional-in-Residence at Washington DC and was a former Researcher at Amnesty International.
But, with all these professional credits on her cap, she strongly felt that “God had a purpose” and in a month’s time, ‘things changed for me’ as she recalls again how her 3 days at the Prayer House and sharing thoughts with the CM early in 2005 had entirely given her a different perspective.
And that is how we have the Great Youth Movement come into being. “I could really see that there was a gap between the policy makers and the youth and I felt the need to reach out to the government” she declares. So, it was to bridge the gap and bring in the voice of the youth, that a group of young educated people came together because although there were NGOs, the focus on youth was zilch in the State. “Youth Net” which initially started with seven of them and eventually brought together layers and layers of people has now Coordinators from all over the districts of Nagaland.
Hekani admits that it is the “biggest challenge to work with young people” but one would easily see in her, the passion and dream for “young people to change the whole scenario of Nagaland”. She feels that Youth Net has intensively progressed over the years even as she affirms that “God has been too kind.” “The pace has been perfect” she expresses while adding that “I think we are fine but we can’t be complacent”.
More than an organization, she prefers Youth Net to be a Platform and though, it has no issue specific it engages in any activity so long as young people can be involved. The first prominent force that Youth Net started with was the launch of RTI in the state with Bhaichung Bhutia as the Campaign Ambassador. Following this, a series of workshops were conducted in the past and although it has all been significant, she still feels “people know about it but they do not know how to use it”.
‘YouthNet is also the host organization to the global Youth Employment Summit (YES) Campaign in Nagaland’. A pride indeed that the Group will be giving the Opening Talk at the YES Summit to be held in Delhi from November 16-17, 2009. The presentation will feature voices of Naga youth garnered in a booklet form and was later converted into a CD. She is also confident that the 2010 Youth Summit which would be held in Sweden under the theme “Rework the World” will have YouthNet playing a part again.
On the other side of the lane, Naga Youth, she feels are “very talented and very smart, some even smarter than the mainland Indians” but regrets to add that “Nagas have not realized the value of networking”. “We stick only to ourselves” she expresses with dismay.
To this end, it is her dream for “young people to be more proactive and think more globally”. “We work with youth, not only at the village levels but at all levels”. She notes with disappointment that they stick to their own”. She is however hopeful that “if young people get all their strength together, we can shake this whole thing”.
One thing she also wishes is for “Nagaland to be very progressive and be an example of change through the initiative of the youth” even as she sticks to the need for more partnership and networking.
A person of many caliber, she has worked for many other social causes and is respected by people from many walks of life. Among other things she is associated with, “women rights’ is so close to my heart” she says. That also takes her back to bygone days in Supreme Court and to this day she feels fortunate to have worked there and recalls it as an enriching experience.
But more than the Lawyer in her, she is inspired to revitalize the youth and one wonders still if she ever regrets leaving behind all those big things going for her to which, she is quick to reply “I made the best decision of my life”. “I could be making money if I were somewhere else but I am happy. It is very very fulfilling” she says
The bold and beautiful has initiated positive steps for our youth to follow and if that’s something worth mentioning it’s also because the youthful spirit in her refuses to die. For sure, this is also a beginning for a youth driven place. Of change, of dreams and certainly more development.
Then, she confesses it was a “360˚ turn for me” because she was a Lawyer by profession who, at that point of time was given a good offer at New Delhi. ‘For many lawyers, it’s a big thing to be a partner of a Law Firm’ she expresses and continues ‘I was young and ambitious and I felt that I could do anything’.
She graduated from Lady Shri Ram College before she pursued law from Delhi University. It may be of interest to many that she earlier practiced at the High Court, also worked in the Supreme Court for sometime and having done her LLM from the University of San Francisco, she interned at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on the status of women. She taught at the American University as a Professional-in-Residence at Washington DC and was a former Researcher at Amnesty International.
But, with all these professional credits on her cap, she strongly felt that “God had a purpose” and in a month’s time, ‘things changed for me’ as she recalls again how her 3 days at the Prayer House and sharing thoughts with the CM early in 2005 had entirely given her a different perspective.
And that is how we have the Great Youth Movement come into being. “I could really see that there was a gap between the policy makers and the youth and I felt the need to reach out to the government” she declares. So, it was to bridge the gap and bring in the voice of the youth, that a group of young educated people came together because although there were NGOs, the focus on youth was zilch in the State. “Youth Net” which initially started with seven of them and eventually brought together layers and layers of people has now Coordinators from all over the districts of Nagaland.
Hekani admits that it is the “biggest challenge to work with young people” but one would easily see in her, the passion and dream for “young people to change the whole scenario of Nagaland”. She feels that Youth Net has intensively progressed over the years even as she affirms that “God has been too kind.” “The pace has been perfect” she expresses while adding that “I think we are fine but we can’t be complacent”.
More than an organization, she prefers Youth Net to be a Platform and though, it has no issue specific it engages in any activity so long as young people can be involved. The first prominent force that Youth Net started with was the launch of RTI in the state with Bhaichung Bhutia as the Campaign Ambassador. Following this, a series of workshops were conducted in the past and although it has all been significant, she still feels “people know about it but they do not know how to use it”.
‘YouthNet is also the host organization to the global Youth Employment Summit (YES) Campaign in Nagaland’. A pride indeed that the Group will be giving the Opening Talk at the YES Summit to be held in Delhi from November 16-17, 2009. The presentation will feature voices of Naga youth garnered in a booklet form and was later converted into a CD. She is also confident that the 2010 Youth Summit which would be held in Sweden under the theme “Rework the World” will have YouthNet playing a part again.
On the other side of the lane, Naga Youth, she feels are “very talented and very smart, some even smarter than the mainland Indians” but regrets to add that “Nagas have not realized the value of networking”. “We stick only to ourselves” she expresses with dismay.
To this end, it is her dream for “young people to be more proactive and think more globally”. “We work with youth, not only at the village levels but at all levels”. She notes with disappointment that they stick to their own”. She is however hopeful that “if young people get all their strength together, we can shake this whole thing”.
One thing she also wishes is for “Nagaland to be very progressive and be an example of change through the initiative of the youth” even as she sticks to the need for more partnership and networking.
A person of many caliber, she has worked for many other social causes and is respected by people from many walks of life. Among other things she is associated with, “women rights’ is so close to my heart” she says. That also takes her back to bygone days in Supreme Court and to this day she feels fortunate to have worked there and recalls it as an enriching experience.
But more than the Lawyer in her, she is inspired to revitalize the youth and one wonders still if she ever regrets leaving behind all those big things going for her to which, she is quick to reply “I made the best decision of my life”. “I could be making money if I were somewhere else but I am happy. It is very very fulfilling” she says
The bold and beautiful has initiated positive steps for our youth to follow and if that’s something worth mentioning it’s also because the youthful spirit in her refuses to die. For sure, this is also a beginning for a youth driven place. Of change, of dreams and certainly more development.
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