M A R C H I N G A H E A D : A F T E R A D E C A D E

DHARAMPUR PROJECT IN A NUTSHELL: SUPPORTED BY TUFF: SWEDEN

Status Paper: 15 September 1999: Achievements & Prospects

EDUCATION: AN EMERGING MODEL: WHERE THERE ARE PRACTICALLY NO SCHOOLS

Preamble:
Dharampur is a block of forest-hilly villages, very secluded and living in extreme poverty. It is one of the poorest Talukas ( County ), not only in Gujarat state, but the whole of India. The Project was initiated in 1989, to spread literacy in illiterate (93 / 94 %) masses, by starting night-classes, built up by community participation (50 finally), as many Balwadies (Nurseries) and 20 Non-formal schools, for youngsters. It finally ended up as formal Mini Schools, after gaining experience of 3-4 years. Furthermore, new programes were suggested by people. We tried to follow their priorities.

Here is the final outcome :
Mini schools : 7 Standards : 1 - 2 - 3 Teachers : 22 Cooks :14 Support Staff : 2
Coordinators: 3 Students : Boys: 525 + Girls: 240 = Grand Total : 765 From 100 villages

Buildings completed in 5 Mini schools and near completion in 2 schools, with construction in progress, with Indian funding. There is now piped-water facility in 5 school - a great step forward. Arrangements are on for 2 other schools [Including a small dam for one school, where there is no way out.] New plans afoot.

IMPACT: More than double pupils rush for admission. Drop out rate is hardly 6 to 8 %. More government teachers are appointed in day schools. The process is on. Mini students now attend day schools. That way a linkage has been established. They get mid-day meal in the day schools. This is the first generation going to school, so systematically. No new students of mini schools were taken to Vyara schools from Dharampur this year. But the old M.school students from Dharampur, who study in Vyara schools, managed to bring 5-6 students of standard 3 from Dha. hamlets to their schools. An example of strong motivation. Inspiring. One more school in Pindaval has come up like M. school, run by a reputed group, Sarvodaya Parivar Trust.

Students from Dharampur M.schools who joined other 1st to 7th standard schools for further studies : 445 (In residential A. schools of Vyara county, conducted by Gram Seva Samaj. Also to a few other schools.)

Study-trips and training camps : 30: Children’s drawing cards : 20000 ( Sent to TUFF in bulks every year.)

Khanda Ashram School [7std.] constructed with support of TUFF[33%] and rest done with Govt. funding.

Other Ashram schools of Dharampur, supported for various urgent requirements : 3 : Activity Houses : 3

Community Meetings : Mini school wise-3/4 per year. (Concerns :1. Education 2. Agriculture 3. Water )

OTHER AGRICULTURAL - HEALTH AS WELL AS DEVELOPMENTAL PROGRAMMES

New wells:106[35 Repaired] Bore-wells: 2 Rain water tanks:3 [Found costlier and so dropped] H.Pumps:6
Health camps [general]: 6 average per year. Patients: 1500 average per year. Training camps: 3 per year
Anti-Malaria and anti-Mizzle drive: 2000 Students and others get covered every year, on an average
Dispensing : At 7 Mini Schools[Teachers and Coordinators assist for minor ailments, like barefoot doctors]
Special health-care programme for women and children : 3 Centers [monthly 150 persons on an average]
[This Health programme covers pregnant women and new-born kids. It is supported by one Trust Hospital]
Hospitalized in acute cases[about] : 50 ( A serious case was of a girl with defective heart valve from birth.)
Mango plants :35000 : Other trees :50000 :Vegetable plants :20000 : Better seed-grain packets:Yearly:3000
Solar lamps:125 [with govt. support and beneficiaries’ own contribution only] Solar community cookers: 4
( Main support from govt.) Check-dams: 4 (Constructed with Tuff money and participation of community)
Solar Box Cookers introduced: 15 (Could not succeed and hence the programme was given up, long back.)
Spinning wheels: 100 [ To be further expanded with govt. help, for generating more local employment ]
Latrines: 180 [80 % support from govt. Rest TUFF & Community. Not so successful, hence discontinued]
D. Engines: 135 [ Farmers earn in the very first year from better farming, to the tune of what they invest.]
[ 130 engines for irrigation + 5 for Mini-schools. Also 5000 P.V.C. pipes, because the land is so uneven]
Better drinking water facility now available, close to habitatation. Approximately 25000 people benefited.
Floor and oil mills : 3 [ Being seasonally conducted by one former worker of Dharampur Project ]

THE PROJECT TOUCHES THE LIFE OF ABOUT 50000 PEOPLE IN AROUND 100 VILLAGES

2. MASSIVE SOIL BINDING PROGRAMME TO STOP SOIL EROSION & CARVE NEW FIELDS

25000 mandays work done by the community in last season. 90000 kg. of wheat ditstributed in remote villages. Nearly 400 hectares of agricultural land benefited including work done in last 4 years. Rather a big jump, for which we succeeded raising funds to the tune of Rs. 400000 from various well wishers.

IMPACT: Long-ter:1. Improvement in quality of soil 2. Increase of area under agriculture 3. New and better crops 4. Stopping of land-erosion. Short term: Generating employment at the door-steps of the people (who otherwise migrate in search of jobs and hardly get in summer,when they are half-starving.) The over-expenditure issue has since been resolved, with generous donations from many well - wishers.

NEW PROGRAMMES WITH LOCAL SUPPORT : DURING 2000

[End of the Century – End of the Millennium]

EDUCATION

[1] 20 Hamlet Schools [Street classes to begin with. Attempts made earlier, in scattered Hamlets][ To be supported by one Indian Organization CRY ]

[2] Spinning – Weaving as a trial programme to be attached with 2-3 Mini schools ( Creative activity for students and as labour contribution for dresses of them, by guardians )
[3] 4th standard to be added in 6 mini schools
[4] Linkage between Mini Schools and Day schools to be intensified
[5] One more class–room to be added in all the 7 Mini schools
[ Support from Parle Trusts may continue. 3 other Trusts have shown interest, very recently ]
[6] Further cooperation between Project Coordinators and Govt. schools dept. for improving standard of existing Day schools, around Mini schools. The consultations are in progress.

OTHER EXPANSION PROGRAMMES ON THE CARDS : GRADUALLY

1. Soil-farm binding programme to be continued and would be expanded.
   [ As contributions are offered and pouring in from well-wishers.]
2. Scientific training camp to be conducted in one Training Center, being run by experts in the subject of binding and its administrative work etc.
   [ 30 Coordinators – Teachers – Farmers to attend the camp, immediately after the monsoon ]
3. A chain of check-dams, to store and preserve water [ Dharampr gets highest rainfall in Gujarat ]
   [For recharging wells, for cattle and irrigating fields, as a follow up of farm – binding programme]
   Field survey in remote villages to prepare technical plans has been initiated. It is to be intensified.
   [Approached govt. for support under its scheme ‘Build your own Check-Dams.’ Also to well-wishers.]
4. Awareness drive to be on in the community, for suitable changes in cropping pattern, as a follow up of WATER-SHED PACKAGE.{Binding-Oil engines-Check Dams-Irrigation-Aforestation} which is taking rather good shape gradually. The FOCUS is to improve quality and increase quantity of food.
5. Repairing existing lakes.[Under govt. scheme in force, being implemented through Village Councils]
6. Diesel engines programme to be continued, based on phisibility survey to be conducted after monsoon. (Last year it was carried ut with combined contribution of govt. and beneficiaries. Same line to follow)
7. Housing Project for 12 Kolghas [Primtive Tribal Group] in Vaghaval to be taken up, after monsoon[50 % support received from a well-wisher and 50 % matching contribution obtained from those Kolgha families, as their share. The rest is promised by reputed Sarvodaya Parivar Trust of Pindval.
8. Solar-lamps programme to be intensified, as it is an only source of light, otherwise in total darkness at night, in Dharampur hilly-forest villages. We have just approached an energy expert, for promoting an experiment for cheaper lamps, to introduce such lamps in as many villages of Dharampur county.
9. Village committees to be formed to plan out, execute and monitor various development programmes.

DHARAMPUR PROJECT : EXPENDITURE PICTURE
UPTO 1^st SEPTEMBER – 1999

Explanation:

[Pt.5] There is less expenditure, as we got medicines free of charge, from one Trust. Rest willbe spent in due course of time.
[Pt.7] The over-expenditure is explained elsewhere, for which we have raised Rs. 4 Lakhs.
[Pt.9] The unutilised amount on this item to be adjusted with over-expenditure on land Binding programme, as has been clarified and intimated earlier.
[Pt.10] One lake has been deepened with govt. cost. The programme to be executed simultaniously with the constructoin of check-dams, going to start after monsoon.
[Pt.11] The spot survey conducted 2 days back. The plan-estimates will be ready within a fortnight and the dams will be constructed with govt. support, which is assured.

Minor details to be explained in person.

 

BALWADI PROJECT : EXPENDITURE PICTURE
UPTO 1^st SEPTEMBER – 1999

Unspent money will be utilized in the next season,during mid Nov.1999 to end of April 2000
[More clarification in person, in the light of the special situation explained earlier]

Balwadies :1985 – 1986 average : 60 : 2000 kids average : 1999: 38 Balwadies :1000 kids

May be 20000 kids of the poorest families got ´´ SMILE FOR A WHILE´´ during last 15 years

THIS IS A MID-TERM APPRAISAL:THE UNSPENT MONEY WILL BE SPENT IN TIME

3. BROAD PICTURE OF NON-TUFF CONTRIBUTIONS DURING LAST DECADE / RS.

A. Cash contribution of the Beneficiaries [Engines \ pipes] 780000
B. " " " " [ Mango Plants ] 595000
C. " " " " [ Solar Lamps ] 100000
D Labour contribution of the community [ New Wells] 700000
E. " " " " [ Land Binding] 400000
F Labour and Material " " [General] 250000

[Manual labour done by the community in construction of Mini sc.s and night classes in
the earlier phase. Also contribution of guardians in form of firewood or labour, instead.]

G. Government subsidy [Engines-Solar lamps-Solar cookers-Seeds] 850000
H. Donations from In. Trusts and well-wishers in cash and direct construction 3200000
I. One Sugar factory once and other sister organizations 400000

TOTAL………………….. 7275000

[ Of course, these are approximations, but will not be much different in exact terms ]

We have fairly high expectations from Parley Trusts, as also other Indian Trusts and
Well-wishers.The latest is a big organization CRY. Government support and Community
contributions will certainly continue as before. These are new dimensions, giving HOPE.

We have not counted the govt. support for food etc. which Dharampur students are getting in Vyara Ashram schools, since last 6 years and what Dh. Mini school students have started getting recently.

TURNING POINT DURING 1999-2000: A TAKE OFF STAGE

1. Government support started on our conditions.
2. Indian donors support started on its own.
3. Community participation intensified.
4. Big attraction and rush for Mini schools.
5. Irrigation increasing, resulting into more agricultural production.
6. Agricultural programmes taking shape as a water-shed-package.
7. Sizeable employment generated in massive binding programme.
8. People have full faith in the project and its staff. Total reception and involvement.
   ( They are ready to follow any new plans )
9. The project has taken Holistic shape.

Just in 10 years time, Dharampur is on a Road of Transformation, with 4 distinct planks:

• Education
• Drinking water
• Health
• Agricultural development and spinning wheels programme.[ Economic gains]

10. A core group shaping to assist us in health-programme and dams. We lacked expertise in it.

11. The following programmes started at zero level, with support from TUFF.
They have continued and progressed after withdrawal of TUFF. This is a ‘ Taking Over’ phenomena. A few examples:
Gram Seva Samaj- Vyara TUFF WING expanding with a little over a million Rs.
Support from Sumul Dairy of Surat and government.
It looks like an impressive COMPLEX , focusing on environmental issues, of late.
IDEAL got a big aid to expand Training and Educational Material Production Project.

DHARAMPUR ON WAY TO TRANSFORMATION ON ADVENT OF NEW MILLENNIUM