Benefit VoKu for fire victims in Mumbai’s “squatted” settlements

Monday 24 April 2023, Benefit VoKu for fire victims in Mumbai’s “squatted” settlements. Food served from 7pm, no reservation.

On 13th March, a fire broke out in one of Mumbai’s informal settlements called Appapada. Ground reports from activists state that 2000 families, or 10,000 people have lost their homes. Appapada, located amidst a forest, is home to the most socially marginalised communities of the city, including indigenous forest dwellers and other minorities. They have been struggling for their housing rights for decades, and faced several rounds of violent evictions from the state. This month, the poor living conditions in the settlements have once again been highlighted. Houses made of plastic sheets and scrap wood easily catch fire. Join us to raise money for replacing basic supplies of fire victims such as kitchenware, roof sheets, mats, clothes, sanitary napkins, and school books for children. All proceeds will go to Muse Foundation, a local youth group working directly with fire victims.

Food: Indian, vegan

Volkseten Vegazulu is a people’s kitchens existing since the very beginning of Joe’s Garage, June 2005. Your donations are welcome. Food is vegan, no reservation. All benefits go to social & political struggles. Joe’s Garage is a space run by volunteers. Without a collective effort, without your active participation, we’re remaining closed. Get in touch in you feel like giving a hand. We’re always looking for cooks. Any help is welcome in the kitchen. Experience not required. If you want to know which days are still available, mail us.

Movie night: Politics in India – Environment, Gender, Human rights

Sunday 2nd October 2022, Movie night: Politics in India – Environment, Gender, Human rights. Movies with English subtitles. Doors open at 8:00 pm, film starts at 8:30 pm. Films followed by discussion with film-makers.

Two short documentary films about people’s movements for environment and social justice in India.
‘Izzat ka Pani’ is a story about Abrar Salmani, a resident of an informal settlement in Mumbai. Salmani struggled for 10 years to access the city’s water network and secure his basic human right to water. His story illuminates a politics of discrimination that pushes people into a mindset of slavery to maintain power hierarchies. Salmani joined a citizen collective to dismantle the unjust laws denying him water.
The second film sits at the intersection of gender and environmental justice. How can we view nature through a lens of bounty and interconnection, instead of only seeing opportunity to extract resources? Women from India’s indigenous fishing communities ask such questions to protect the ecosystems on which their lives depend, while fighting against patriarchy at home and corporate power outside it.

Picture credit: Zenith Photographers, Chennai

Film night at Joe’s Garage, cozy cinema! Free entrance. You want to screen a movie, let us know: joe [at] lists [dot] squat [dot] net