1993 ANNUAL REPORT

December, 1993

Dear Friends:

Over the years, PPI has gathered many supporters and friends. We wish to thank you for your support in 1993. For those of you who are new to PPI, here is a little of our background.

PPI was founded in 1977 in Seattle to help the under-privileged in India beyond the conventional contribution to charity. Though most of our projects are in rural areas, some have been undertaken in urban areas also. PPI, from its very inception, has been guided by the following goals:

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

ï to maximize the effect of each dollar sent by working directly with local organizations and volunteers and maintaining contact with them.

ï to encourage new ideas that involve villager participation in such issues as environmental awareness, afforestation, etc.

We want to share with you the excitement of watching our projects grow. The following report of our projects is summarized from letters and reports received from our various project contacts:

A SYNOPSIS OF CURRENT PROJECTS - 1993-94

1.Traditional Craft Training Project - New Project

Ms. Lalitha Krishnaswamy, Self Employed Women's Training Association(SEWA), Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

SEWA is a cooperative formed by 46,000 poor, self-employed women in the state of Gujarat. The organization helps women obtain minimum wages and strengthens their position in their own families by making them income-earning contributors. The current project involves training of daughters of seamstresses in the traditional craft of patchwork and assisting them to market their products. SEWA has set up a cooperative center in the village of Kadi, 50 miles away from Ahmedabad. This work place is serving 200 women. PPI's funds are being used to provide seed capital for "chindi" (fabric scraps), sewing machines, and other equipment needed for training. The funding for this three-year project is $10,000. The patchwork training project will ultimately expand to benefit 600 women.

2. Environmental Education and Afforestation Project- New Project

Mr. Varghees Cleates, Vikasana, Tarikere, Chikmangalur, Karnataka

Vikasana has been working in the field of socio-economic and environmental education in rural areas and organizing the villagers for improvement of the environment. Their new project, assisted by PPI, deals with environmental education in ten villages near Amruthapura. The main thrust of the scheme is to educate the local rural people in environmental issues through workshops, slide shows, and exhibitions. Vikasana provides instruction in ecological topics such as building bunds (dams), and de-silting tanks, establishing plant nurseries, growing kitchen gardens, and tree planting. Total three-year funding is $5,600.

3. Sericulture Training Project - New Project

Ms. K. Sunanda, Alternative for India Development Group (AID), Bihar.

This project is a progression of AID's non-formal education project. The project deals with Tussar and Mulberry Sericulture training for tribal women in Palamau district, Bihar. The main beneficiaries of this project are tribal and dalit ("untouchable" caste) women. Women, who earlier participated in the literacy program, are being trained in silk worm rearing, spinning and forest cultivation. A part-time occupation, sericulture is ideal for augmenting the family income. In the long run, the project will also generate employment through related occupations such as mulberry cultivation in forests reclaimed through the social forestry program, spinning, weaving of tussar cloth, and dyeing. Budget for this 3-year project is $12,100.

4. Environmental Education and Social Forestry Project

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

Just complete, this project has focused on organizing small groups of rural poor to undertake projects of environmental and economic value by utilizing available government resources. Significant achievements include: local Vaddar (stone cutter) community asserted itself and got the local administrator to sink a borewell to resolve their drinking water problem. In the villages of Byagwadi and Kusnur, villagers were trained to grow vegetables and nutritionally rich plants in their kitchen gardens. Villagers of Hirebasur have been working with the Forest department and SPS to raise forest trees for fodder, fuel and timber species on the village common lands of about 12.5 acres. The total cost of this three-year project was $ 5,400. On a special note, SPS has been awarded a National award by the Indian government for its pioneering work in environmental education.

5. Leather Work Training/Marketing Project

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

We are now in the second and final year of assisting cobblers in three desert villages to hire a marketing representative to sell their shoes and leather products in various Indian cities. This is a continuation of an earlier project in which PPI's funds helped train the leather workers in new shoemaking techniques. The funding for this project is $ 1,950.

6. Stone Quarry Worker Rehabilitation Project

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

This is the second year of a three-year project that assists stone mine laborers to free themselves from heavy, life-long debts to mine owners. Loans for 11 workers have been re negotiated so that repayments can be made in easy installments. The workers have been provided with their own tools and are earning better wages in village mines near their own homes. GVVS organized a national workshop for stone mine workers in April 1993 with far-reaching results:

1) Government is now enforcing mine safety regulations, and implementing new safety laws.

2) Workers are being educated in their own rights, and are organizing themselves to demand methods of reducing health risks such as silicosis. The total three-year cost is $4,700.

7. Slum Dweller Women's Tailoring Project

Mrs. Kunti Muzumdar, SWA Roop Wardhini, Pune, Maharashtra

SWA works for the uplift of slum dwellers by developing social service and leadership qualities in very bright students. PPI's grant of $2,000 has been used in three projects as follows:

1) Home Nursing: 23 students have been trained to assist a doctor, look after patients and help provide basic health care. Most of them have been able to find jobs to support themselves.

2) Tailoring and Embroidery: this six-month training program is well underway with six sewing machines, one embroidery machine and some basic furniture purchased through PPI funds. So far 150 women have been trained and many of them have started earning a living.

3) Adult Literacy Classes: Started with three adults, the class size has now increased to 25. The course is conducted for 10 months and 90% of the students have stayed on to complete the course. Many are volunteering their time to teach classes in slums.

8. Cattle Pedigree Upgrade and Training Project

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

Initiated in 1989, this project aimed at educating villagers in animal husbandry with a view to improving cattle pedigree and increasing milk production. Mr. Prasad writes that PPI's funds were used for cattle raising and non-formal education. Part of the funds were used to purchase cows, materials for a cow shed, fodder, and a stud bull. The adult education plan sought to raise the awareness of the people in the benefits of self help and cooperative efforts. While the objectives of adult education have been fully met and will have a lasting effect, the cattle-raising plan didn't accomplish its original goal due to various obstacles: chiefly the loss of the stud bull. The funding for this project was terminated because PPI was not satisfied with the way the project goals were implemented. Furthermore, Mr. S. S. Prasad has left the project. Funds spent so far is $2,400.

9. Village Dairy Project

Dr. Samuel Issmer, Rural Welfare Association (RWA), Bangalore, Karnataka

The project, initiated this year, provides high-breed cows to 15 poor families in five villages near the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. A resident village volunteer provides guidance in caring for animals, arranges for fodder, and assists in marketing the milk. The money from the sale of milk will be used to pay back the loans which will be recycled to expand the program to other villagers. PPI member Shimoga Srinath visited the project site in January, 93, took many pictures and was very favorably impressed with the organization's long-term plans. The project is proceeding well. Dr.Issmer has sent several photos since then. The total cost of the project is $6,400 for three years.

10. Greeting Cards for Leprosy Victims Rehabilitation

Dr. Vikas Amte, Maharogi Sewa Samiti (MSS), Anandwan, Warora, Maharashtra

Completed with PPI assistance five years ago, MSS's silk screen project for cured leprosy patients has been supplying PPI every year with colorful greeting cards . This year, we are selling 2,000 cards at 50 cents each on their behalf. Some cards bear holiday greetings, and others are blank. All the collected money will be sent to the project. Those interested in purchasing or selling cards may contact Ilse Volinn, 524-3442 or Shantha Benegal, 522-4404 (Seattle); Shim Srinath, 747-6239 (Bellevue); Pran Wahi 232-8619 (Mercer Island).

NEW PROJECTS UNDER CONSIDERATION

1. Village Fodder Bank /Water Resources Enhancement

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

The proposal is for a pilot project to educate cultivators on methods of harnessing rainwater and subsoil water to counteract the recurrent droughts of the Thar desert. Earthen embankments shared by 3 or 4 families would be built to retain rainwater in areas of 6 to 8 acres each to grow crops and trees. Poor families would be helped to build household cisterns for rainwater storage. A community tubewell would be drilled to irrigate an area to grow fodder. This fodder would be stored for use by livestock during drought periods. PPI has been requested to provide $9,675 over three years. This amount will be matched by equal funding from GVVS.

2. Environment with Economic Development

Mr. B. Sharanappa, PRAGATHI, Mysore, Karnataka

Under this project, about 60 people from 10 villages will be trained in horticulture and sericulture. In addition, a nursery will set up to provide tree saplings at subsidized rates to low income people. Estimated budget is $3,000 for one year.

OTHER ACTIVITIES

ï Ravi Kumar's Visit

Mr. Ravi Kumar of AID visited PPI and gave us a vivid picture of AID activities in India. At the time of his first visit about ten years ago, he was a member of Sangarsh vahini, a student volunteer group whose main focus was to raise rural awareness. This movement evolved into AID, which began working in development, non-formal education and social forestry. AID works in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal, has about 560 workers, and has numerous village level projects. AID has discovered that the most important part of development is organization. It has been working to empower the rural and tribal poor to seek available private and government resources.

ï Bikram Sen's Visit

Mr. Bikram Sen of Bureau of Agro-Based Industries (BABLI), Birbhum, West Bengal visited us in May, 1993. His organization works with unemployed youth and trains them in farming skills. PPI members were most impressed with his work. We may work with him if a suitable project can be developed.

ï SPS Flood Relief Support

Severe flooding in Western Karnataka resulted in destruction of crops, livestock and homes. IDS has been working on transportation of fodder, replacement of tools and livestock. PPI sent $220 through individual contributions towards this effort.

ï Dr. M.K.Vaidya

We deeply regret to report that Dr. M. K. Vaidya, Chief Medical Officer of Karnatak Health Institute (KHI), Ghataprabha, passed away in June 1993. Over the years, PPI has worked with KHI on several successful rural development projects in the villages nearby under Dr. M. K. Vaidya's able guidance. A great surgeon and a successful administrator, he was also a visionary who thought about the physical as well as the economic health of the rural area surrounding the hospital. His work is being ably carried on by his son, Dr. Kiran Vaidya.

ï Annual PPI Dinner

PPI's annual benefit dinner on March 6, 1993 was well attended, and helped raise $4,700, after deducting expenses. We were happy to welcome many new supporters and helpers. Our heartfelt thanks to Ms. Rajul Shah for her fine Odissi dance performance. The next PPI Annual Benefit Dinner will be held on March 26, 1994. Please mark it on your calendars.

AN INVITATION TO SHARE

Perhaps you support some good cause in India in your own way. Perhaps, you have thought that if only there were 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 can be accomplished by a caring individual: but 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 new ones under consideration. We need your continued support and ideas. We urge you to volunteer some of your time by participating in PPI's monthly meetings. PPI needs you to review new projects, and to correspond with project contacts.

PPI 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 and occasional honoraria for guest speakers. 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 listed on Page 5.

Sincerely,

Kumar Bhatia

Chairperson, PPI

PPI 1993 PROJECT CONTACTS

Project Org/State PPI Contact Phone

1 Traditional Craft Training SEWA, Gujrat Lolita Lekha 385-5164

2 Environ. Education/Afforestation Vikasana, Karnataka Jerry Folland 525-8581

3 Sericulture Training AID, Bihar Shantha Benegal 522-4404

4. Environ. Education/Social Forestry SPS, Karnataka Jerry Folland 525-8581

5 Leather Work Training GVVS, Rajasthan Gary Worthington 866-4655

6 Stone Quarry Worker Rehab. GVVS, Rajasthan Gary Worthington 866-4655

7 Slum Dweller Women's Tailoring SWA, Maharashtra Shanta Gangolli 525-7728

8 Cattle Pedigree Upgrade Pragati Bharati, Bihar Pran Wahi 232-8619

9 Village Dairy Project RWA, Andhra Pradesh Arun Trikha 641-3207

10 Greeting Cards-Leprosy Rehab. MSS, Maharashtra Ilse Volinn 524-3442

Contact numbers: Any of the above or Sunil Saraiya, 364-1509; Shimoga Srinath, 747-6239

PPI Office Bearers: Kumar Bhatia, Chair; Arun Trikha, Co-Chair; Sunil Saraiya, Treasurer; Gerald Folland and Shantha Benegal, Joint Secretaries

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1994 MEMBERSHIP & PLEDGE FORM

Name:________________________________________________________

Address: _________________________________________________________

Phone: __________________________

Membership: $_________ ($25 Family, $15 Single/Year)

Pledge: monthly: $ ________ for one year (1994)

contribution of : $_________

Enclosed is a check for: $ ____________ (tax deductible)

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

and mail with this form to P.O. Box 51231 Seattle, WA 98115-1231.