PEOPLE FOR PROGRESS IN INDIA (PPI)

(P.O.BOX 51231, SEATTLE, WA, 98115-1231)

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ANNUAL REPORT (December 1990)

Dear Friends:

PPI wishes to thank you for your support in 1990. It is one of our goals to seek direct feedback from our projects and share it with others. The following is a brief report of our activities.

BACKGROUND

PPI was founded in 1977 by a few people in Seattle, who wanted to help the under-privileged in India beyond the conventional contribution to charity. They formed an organization that would:

- fund specific programs that make the villagers self reliant and self sustaining: co-ops, loan programs, education, health care, vocational training, small scale industries etc.

- maximize the dollars sent by working directly with local organizations / volunteers and maintain contact with them.

- encourage new ideas for projects and villager participation.

Though PPI has primarily supported rural projects, it has undertaken some projects in urban areas also.

A SYNOPSIS OF CURRENT PROJECTS - 1990-91

1. Children's Education Project

Mr. Dwarko Sundrani, Samanway Ashram, Gandhinagar, Bodhgaya, Bihar

This project which supports 24 children with pledges of $10/month per child from individuals here is in its fourth year. Dwarko Sundrani writes that the success of Samanway Ashram's non-formal education programs, has encouraged the government to begin funding some of this work. He says that this has made it possible to transfer the village children to the residential schools run by the Ashram.

PPI's commitment to this project is for a duration of five years. In view of the above developments, it seems likely Gandhinagar's education program may continue on its own and PPI may not need to continue funding this project after next year.

2. Tulbul Village Volunteer Project

Mr. Shiv Shankar Prasad, Pragati Bharati, Tulbul, Hazaribagh, Bihar

We supported a volunteer to live in the village of Tulbul and develop projects that would have villagers support. As a consequence of Mr.Prasad's efforts, the Cattle Pedigree Upgrade and Training Project (#8) has been initiated. Per his request, the volunteer support was extended to a third year. Our funding during this third year was $ 1450.

3. Pasture and Wasteland Development Project

Dr. S. R. Hiremath, Samaj Parivarthana Samudaya (SPS), Dharwar, Karnataka

This is a two year project initiated in 1989 to develop common lands that are presently bare and eroded into pastures and forests that will produce fodder, fuel, raw material.

Gerry Folland of Seattle, a PPI member, visited this project in Hirebasur village, Hangal district in October, 1990 and here is his report:

"SPS considers this project a technical success, but a social failure. They have completed the trench digging, planted the seedlings and grass etc. The plantings are doing quite well and there is a dramatic contrast between it and the rest of the hillside which is quite barren. I have some pictures to show this. But there have been problems in getting the villagers involved. The well-to-do villagers are not keen on seeing the landless villagers develop this source of power, and are obstructive. Attempts to get all parties to work together for a common good have not been successful. Although the replanted land has not been cared for, it's flourishing well on its own. SPS feels they have done their job and it's up to the village panchayat (council) to continue it's care.

"On the brighter side; things are going much better in a couple of neighboring villages where SPS is supporting similar projects. One of these is Kusnur, about 12 km from Hirebasur, where the villagers are replanting an old tank bed. Here the whole village is co-operating - to some extent SPS learned some things from the mistakes of Hirebasur. So, although "our" project was not too successful, it has led to others that are doing quite well. On the whole, I am very favorably impressed."

PPI's funds cover the salary of a full-time worker and the cost of a training program. Our 1990 commitment was for $1800.

4. Community Fish Hatchery Project

Mrs. Krishnammal Jagannathan, LAFTI, Kilvelur, Tamilnadu

This was the final year of a two year fish hatchery project ($3500) in the villages of Keerangudi and Neivilakku. This project involved deepening of two tanks by the villagers, planting and cultivating of fish for consumption/sale. We sent $1500 this year. They have extended the community fishery project concept to several other villages.

5. Leather Work Training Project

Mr. L. C. Tyagi, Gramin Vikas Vigyan Samiti (GVVS), Jodhpur, Rajasthan

This project is to help improve the income of cobblers in three desert villages near Jodhpur, by training in new techniques of shoe making and co-operative marketing of the shoes in the urban markets. The concept is to make the project self-sustaining, and the capital provided by PPI to be available again to promote similar projects in the region. Our total three-year commitment is for $8000.

This project, in its second year, was proceeding well. Unfortunately, in September 1990, the GVVS facilities were destroyed and its workers were beaten by a large mob of high caste youths who were allegedly upset by the Government's plans to reserve more civil service jobs for the backward castes. Gary Worthington will contact Mr.Tyagi of GVVS as to when the project may be started again. PPI 's second year commitment of $2600 will be sent as soon as we get assurances that GVVS will be able to provide liaison and assistance to the cobblers.

6. Nandagaon-Khanapur Village Project

Dr. M. K. Vaidya, Karnatak Health Institute (KHI), Ghataprabha, Karnataka.

This is the fourth village in to which the money has been recycled from earlier village projects; Balobal, Wadiratti and Dharmatti (1979-1988). The program involves providing interest free loans to the villagers to buy dairy buffalos. They are required to pay it back over a period of three years through the sale of milk. PPI's commitment is to support the cost of a village-level volunteer, childcare and mid-day meals. This is also a three-year program with an annual commitment of $800. The money will be recycled into a fifth village at the end of this program.

In December 1989, I visited KHI and two of our earlier village projects, Balobal and Dharmatti. Both are doing quite well. The villagers at Balobal have built a mahila mandal (women's co-op building) on their own and are successfully running a dairy.

7. Nallathur Village Rehabilitation Project

Mr. Durai Raj, Christ Children's Home (CCH), Kalpakkam, Tamilnadu

This project is developing a vegetable garden, tree nursery and dairy aimed at improving nutrition and providing employment and vocational training for village children and adults. During the past year, a diesel-powered bore well was drilled for irrigation/water supply and a shed was erected for eight buffalos. A tree-planting and environmental awareness program was held on Earth day, April 22, 1990.

This is a three-year project, now in its second year with a total budget of $7500. Our 1990 commitment was for $2250.

8. Cattle Pedigree Upgrade and Training Project

Mr. Shiv Shankar Prasad, Pragati Bharati, Tulbul, Hazaribagh, Bihar

This project, initiated in November 1989, was an outgrowth of our funding a volunteer in the village of Tulbul (project #2). This project deals with improving the pedigree of cattle and training the villagers in agricultural techniques. The objective is to raise strong, disease resistant, healthy cattle. The villagers will be trained in animal husbandry and will be encouraged to form a co-operative for the sale of milk. The other aspect of the project is to develop non-formal education programs for the villagers to raise the literacy level and prepare children for higher secondary education.

The three-year funding is for $7000. Our first-year commitment was for $3000. The project is progressing per schedule.

9. Tribal Women Education and Training Project

Mr. Ravi Kumar, Alternative for India Development Group, Giridih, Bihar

This project initiated in 1989, deals with non-formal education and skill training of tribal women in 133 villages near Giridih district, Bihar. We have not had suitable communication on the progress of this project. Hence, it's temporarily on hold status.

10. Migrant Worker Child Care Project

Mrs. Rukmini Mahadevan, Mobile Creches, Bombay, Maharashtra

This project provides for the day care support and education of the children of migrant workers in Bombay. Creches are set up at construction sites and children from the age of one to twelve are cared for. It costs $80/year for one child. Similar to project #1, this is funded through individual voluntary contributions. In 1990, We sent $870.

11. Literacy as movement of People (LAMP) Project

Dr. Parameshwara Rao, Bhagavatula Charitable Trust (BCT), Vishakapattanam, AP

Dr. Rao initiated this pilot project to reverse the tide of illiteracy in India by training rural motivators (volunteers) to go the villages and teach basic skills. PPI has supported this worthwhile effort through individual contributions and a special fund raiser (see below) in April, 1990 and sent $4300 to BCT this year.

About 45 children from King and Snohomish counties, performed a full length dance drama "Shakuntala" based on the Indian epic Mahabharata to raise funds ($1600) for the literacy project. It was an outstanding success and our special thanks go to Shobha Raman, the choreographer, all the children, their parents and others that helped, for the effort they put into this worthwhile cause.

OTHER ACTIVITIES

ï Seattle-Portland Bike-a-Thon

Vijay Bhat, a PPI member participated in the annual Seattle-Portland bicycle marathon in July,1990. He solicited pledges for donations to PPI based on the number of miles travelled and collected $860. Special thanks to Vijay for this wonderful effort.

ï Adoption Services

We had a special visitor Ms. Nina Nayak of the Society for Indian Children's welfare, Calcutta in June, 1990. She runs an organization that places Indian orphans for adoption with families in India, America and Sweden. She gave a very illuminating talk of her work in finding suitable families for children with developmental and physical problems. Her visit was arranged through Adoption Services of Seattle (575-4550).

ï Mr. A. B. Bhardwaj

Mr. Bhardwaj of Gandhi-in Action group from New Delhi visited us in November, 1990. He is associated with GVVS group (project #5) and visited them after the damage to the facility. He reported that the villagers are continuing their work and that GVVS may be able to re-initiate our project in Rajasthan soon.

ï List of Voluntary Organizations in USA

Mr. Madhukar Deshpande of India Development Service(IDS), Chicago has published a list of voluntary agencies in USA doing charitable work in India. For a copy, please contact him at (414) 228-1157. Special thanks to Mr. Deshpande for his efforts.

ï The annual PPI dinner in March 1990 was well attended and successful. The dinner in 1991 will also be in the month of March 1991. The date is yet to be finalized.

AN INVITATION TO SHARE

Perhaps you support some good cause in India in your own way. Perhaps, you have thought that if there were only more people to help, things would be better. PPI was founded on such sentiments. Many of our projects were started through personal referrals and were followed through with direct correspondence.

PPI invites you to share your ideas on development. Much more can be done collectively. Your help in the past has enabled us to make some change, however small, in rural/urban India. As we continue with the current projects, there are several new ones under consideration. We need your continued support and ideas.

The projects are funded through pledges (typically $10-$30/month) and contributions by members and non-members. All donated amounts are passed on to the various projects. Membership dues($25/family/year, $15/single/year) cover the cost of printing/mailing for the year. Members participate in the selection and funding of the projects. Monthly meetings are held on the first Friday of each month. Everyone is welcome to attend.

We need your continued support. Please fill the attached form and mail.

For further information, please contact one of us.

Saroj Das 523-9224 Shimoga Srinath 747-6239

Arun Desai 747-7288 Urmi Saraiya 364-1509

Shantha Benegal 522-4404 Pran Wahi 232-8619

Sincerely,

Shimoga Srinath

Chairperson, PPI

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NAME: ______________________________________________

Address: ______________________________________________

________________________ Phone: ______________

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Please make Checks payable to: People for Progress in India (PPI)

P.O.Box 51231

Seattle, WA 98115-1231.