Flex Mentallo

Soon after the riot, Roshni's landlord visited Shahina to say that he would like Roshni to vacate the premises. At this point Shahina contacted me and said she felt completely helpless. No more so than I. But since then things have begun to turn around. I reminded Shahina that Roshni has paid rent up to March 31st. If he wants Roshni out, fine, just reimburse us for the outstanding period. Shahina has decided to try to negotiate with the landlord so Roshni can stay, but has now also decided to be ambitious, and seek larger premises. I told her no matter what happens, we will find the necessary funding. The hooligans then tried to intimidate the scholars. One of them told Ashrina he would stab her in the leg if she continued to attend Roshni. She is reported to have invited him to do so, saying, 'you stab me in the leg, I will still go to Roshni'. This all began when Roshni intervened on behalf of Kaniz Fatima's mother, who was being abused by a man who resented the intervention. He instigated the riot. Shahina went to see Kaniz, and together they went to the police last week. The police have arrested the ringleader, and he is now in jail. Shahina is , I believe, now organizing a rally to push back against this toxic culture of intimidation. She says that many people are now supporting her. We have discussed Roshni's needs for the coming year, and I now have a funding target for rent, scholarships (increased from 15 to 18 scholarships since last year, and fund for legal aid). Shahina tells me a report and video are imminent. I plan on running a sales thread in the coming weeks similar to the highly successful one we ran last year. More on this anon.

Great copy, Kelly. I have always thought of Planet #28 as the quintessential Planet cover. It was the first comic I won from Heritage when the Cage collection was first auctioned. I later sold it, like a crazy person, and regretted it for years - until the self same book turned up in a Comiclink auction. It's rare to get the chance to rectify such a mistake. Still one of my favorite books - and I think the census is a fair reflection of its scarcity.

#26 languished in the doldrums until collectors only recently recognized its scarcity. I wonder which will be the next break out issue? Anyone have any thoughts?

here's my undercopy (just kidding!) Probably the last book I'll ever sell.

Certain issues across the range are known to be scarce, such as #14, #15, #34 and #65. The later ones aren't especially tough, unless you want them in moderately high grade, say, 7.5 and above, where they are probably among the scarcest. Adam Strange has the best run of these (mostly Spokane copies).

Shahina has just told me that the response of these young girls has not been to hide away - they are refusing to be intimidated. Instead they are rallying the community in support of Roshni. More news as it comes.

These women never cease to amaze me. I have always known that the danger is very real. Now the darkness is visible. What they are fighting for all the more necessary. Pray that God will give them the strength to endure. It is girls like these they are fighting for.

'Now we are very famous.' Tahsina

Friends and agencies have rallied to Roshni's support. Following hasty discussion via social media, I've proposed that we fund a rally in support of what Roshni stands for, to counter what those men seek to destroy. There is safety in numbers. The story has been published in all the papers, and on the main television news.

'And one of them a man who do not accept our football tournament achievements. Now we are safe.'

'We support Kaniz Fatima's mother and one of them a man who try to abused her.'

Thasina: 'We recognized them. They are not liked our work because they know our achievements.'

With media and child commission's intervention they were finally returned to their homes, where the police are providing security. Shahina: 'This is a result of our work and support to the community women to break the social taboo through women football team, taxi driver scheme, scholarships, legal support to the deserted women and other works in favor of women and child rights.' According to Shahina the intention of the mob wasn't to harm them physically but to destroy their identity, creating a negative vibe in the community against them.

They contacted friends who notified the media. Press and television turned up en masse.

Those who constantly campaign negatively against Roshni wasted no time in mobilizing the mob. Shahina and Tehsina were forced to take shelter in the police station, and the mob pursued them.

The moment we feared Yesterday over 200 angry men laid seige to Roshni, tore down their sign, and attempted to intimidate Shahina and Tahsina in their homes. It seems that someone had learned of an illegal child marriage planned for this coming weekend and informed Childline. In turn, Childline notified the police, who rescued the girl from her family home. The girl was Alfrin Sajjid, whose sister Ruksar was previously a member of Roshni. Alfrin is only 16 years of age. Her family assumed that Roshni had contacted Childline. Ironically, Roshni knew nothing of it - but someone in the community had evidently been listening to Roshni's message these past few years and bravely acted.

Congratulations Zolne.That looks like a splendid copy. And commiserations, Rick. Hopefully one with your name on it will emerge soon.

So, that's 10 bios posted, and I have names and partial info on 6 more (ie text or photos but not yet both). Hopefully I'll have these soon, and Shahina is also working on a report of the past year. She's keen to get these done, but now that both Purnabha and Lucina are working away from Kolkata, I think she may struggle both with time and translation. The resources raised here on these boards have been carefully used and should get Roshni through to the end of this financial year - ie 31st March. But by then we need to re-fund scholars, rent and project costs. I've been thinking all year about how to do this, and have plans for another annual sales thread fairly soon. I hope that fellow boardies will want to continue providing the fantastic support we saw last year. I'll post a link here when it is up and running - perhaps in the next month or so. It is an interesting thing to me that having posted examples of the work of professional photographers over Christmas, that the simple snaps taken by Roshni volunteers of these scholars, their families and their tiny homes do not suffer by comparison. Instead, the absence of technical proficiency and artifice seem to me to make them all the more immediate, urgent, and moving. So we enter a new year with many challenges to overcome, and I believe together we shall.

But I want to study. I'm getting scholarship and now my mummy never say no to go for education and Roshni youth group. Alisha as a tuition teacher she teach me it's also in Roshni youth center and Shahina she always come to our house and try to convince my parents about study about my rights thanks to her who help me to be a successful girl, I'm on 1st step of my success and thank you so much those who are helping me to achieve all the things thank you.....

My father don't like that I go outside from my house in fact my neighbors also try to distract my father mind try to make him anger by many ways like see what your girl is doing she will not get marry if she is going like this.

Before I began to go in Roshni youth group my brother went there and share with me about that and I like to hear that I started request to my mom I also want to go in Roshni youth group I got permission to go there. In Roshni youth group I knew about that we have right to get education we have right to play. My father always try to stop me to go to school because I had to do my house work but now I can convince him about my education if he can go to for education why I couldn't. I want to do study I want to be a great person. Now I go to play football practice every Sunday in Roshni youth group. I do enjoy there I feel very happy and now I want to be a Indian football player of women.

My name is Kaniz Fatima I'm a student of class 7. My father is a cycle van rider. My mummy is a housewife. I have two brothers and two sisters, I have a 2 years younger brother and his brain treatment is going on. My mummy is so tense about him but my father can not do anything for him, I feel very hurt about that. We are living in a small house. Mummy is always do care for 2 years old child that's why I have to do all work of my house.

Kaniz Fatima Those who are really paying attention may notice that we have two scholars named Kaniz Fatima...