Project visit report on Nutanhat Development Society,Burdwan,W

Project visit report on Nutanhat Development Society,Burdwan,W.B.

Prepared By: Dr.Milan K.Dinda.Secretary,Sarada Society for Care & Counselling of AIDS(SSCCA)

MIG(L) Block-5,Flat-7

Birati Abason, Calcutta-700049,India.

Phone: 91-33-5392394,Fax: 91-33-5558772

Date of Project Visit: May 6,2000 Saturday.

Location of the project: It is on the bank of river Ajay, which divides two districts of West Bengal ,Burdwan and Birbhum. Nutanhat Development Society situated in Jhilu in the district of Burdwan,W.B. From Jhilu ,Burdwan Railway Station is 42 kilometers and Santiniketan of Rabindranath Tagore is 32 kilometers. From Calcutta it is 150 kilometers.

One can reach to the organisation from Calcutta by train and then by bus.

From Howrah station one has to travel by Burdwan local(cordline) to Burdwan station and then has to take rickshaw to the bus stand called Tinconia Bus Stand and then has to travel by local bus to Nutanhat,Jhilu etc.

Better to go by rented car from Burdwan Station.

On 6^th May 2000,I traveled by a rented car from my residence. I started at 7.15 AM and reached over there at 11.30AM. Before official visit to the organisation I enquired about the organisation from different sources and called some responsible people of the organisation for a discussion in my office. I tried to explain them about ASHA and its people on the basis of my couple of interactions with some people in USA. I too explained the devotion of people associate with ASHA. It was a fruitful discussion.On that day I consented to visit the organisation on 6^th May 2000.

About the body of the organisation:

Mrs.Kabori Ghosh is not associate with the organisation as the Secretary.

One gentleman is in-charge of the secretary and Sri Sukumar Ghosh is the President of NDS. Sri Ghosh is a headmaster in a secondary school in the locality,who is the man behind the project. NDS is his brain child in that backward community. I found him very devoted as well as committed for the overall development of the community. I discussed in details about the present activities,strategies and process. They were interested about the future of the organisation for a sustainable existance of the society. Also they are very much interested to join our network of NGOs in Eastern India.

I also discussed in details about the school with all teachers. We discussed on curriculum, teaching aids,infrastructure of the school,timings,nutritional aspects,expected salary of teacher etc. I was quite satisfied with all during my project visit for discussions.

Their proposal,your consideration:

The proposed project needs some kind of infrastructural assistance as well as some amount of recurring expenditure as the honorarium for their school teachers. They requested one time grant only.I am not sure about the sustainability of the project without any external assistance at least three years. What I found in their project is that there is a tremendous lack of professional touch in all respect from project planning to evaluation.As a result of that they proposed to ASHA-MIT like computer in that remotest corner of the society which is very unrealistic without prioritization of actual need of the project like basic things in their school. But the positive thing is that there is an honest venture to make the project sustainable.

Some Observations:

1.There is lack of professionalism in the organisation(NDS) to shape the idea in a proper way. To achieve the goal there is no systematic,clear cut strategy.That is the main reason why, they proposed some unrealistic things like lab,computer etc for their school in their proposal for funding and agreed easily that the ''lab'' was a bad idea when questioned about its usefulness. But they are very clear to continue the school at least some time to make it sustainable by incorporating different income generating activities as well as to convince people about the importance of education in the locality. After brainstorming with those people I found that they need to develop school,need to provide better education,need to develop the existing infrastructure in a better way.For that they need money from outside atleast three years for minimun infrastructural development as well as the honorarium for teachers. The President of the organisation Mr.Sukumar Ghosh is trying his best to convince people for contribution etc.

2.Is Rs.40,000……. They are not going to construct any room for library.They will renovate a room for library and buy some furnitures for the library.I have calculated head wise and found that Rs.30,000 is sufficient for renovation as well as for furnitures.

Proposed Library Budget:

Books and Journals: Rs.80,000

Honararium for

Librarian @Rs.1000 Rs.12,000

Basic infrastructure Rs.38,000

Local contribution Rs.10,000

## My observation and comments: I do agree about their proposal relating to the library which is a good idea but they need to develop an awareness about its importance in the locality for local contribution as well as future tie up with different organisations ,such as Rammohan Roy Library Foundation etc for its sustainability. For that future collaboration and assistance they need to develop a minimum infrastructure and run the library atleast three years. For that valid reason your assistance is very crucial.Consider it and release money as below:

1^St Year release for;

Basic infrastructure Rs.30,000

Honorarium for the

Librarian Rs.12,000

For books and journals Rs.40,000

______________________________

Total Rs.82,000

2^nd Year release for;

Honorarium for the

Librarian Rs.12,000

For books and journals Rs.10,000

_______________________________

Total Rs.22,000

3^rd Year release for;

Honorarium for the

Librarian Rs.12,000

_______________________________

Total Rs.12,000

For three years you have to provide Rs.1,16,000

Proposed Honorarium for Teachers:

@Rs.1000 for 7 teachers for 12 months : Rs.84,000

The amount is minimum no doubt but all are agreed to work with that kind of honorarium per month.

I do recommend you to consider Rs.84,000/year.To make it sustainable you have to consider for three years.

I do not believe that the proposed "Computer"things will be realistic venture in that remotest corner of the society. I found the school needs furnitures like chairs,benches ,tables,black boards ,teaching aids,game materials etc.They need boundary wall in their campus too.After discussion with me it was clear that proposed computer thing was a premature idea to attract parents.

I do recommend you to transfer the same amount of Rs.60,000 for furnitures,game materials and teaching aids for one time.

I do recommend another thing to upgrade their teachers and to develop their capacity to compete in NGO circle.For that provide Rs.10,000.

Transfer of funds (year wise):

1^st Year: Rs.82,000 for library

Rs.84,000 honorarium for teachers

Rs.60,000 school furnitures,teaching aids,game

Materials etc.

Rs.10,000 for capacity building

______________________________

Total Rs.2,36,000

2^nd Year: Rs.84,000 honorarium for teachers

Rs.12,000 Do for librarian

Rs.10,000 for books etc.

_________________________________

Total Rs.106000

3^rd Year: Rs.84,000 honorarium for teachers

Rs.12,000 Do for librarian

___________________________________

Total Rs.96,000

Being an external evaluator I do feel that both of projects(library and school) are very much important in that remotest corner of the society.Your initial assistance will help them to develop a good project in near future and able to make it sustainable. Therefore,consider both of them for funding for three years for a significant contribution of ASHA-MIT. For fruitful implementation of the project I can help you professionally.I can involve in the process for monitoring,evaluation,documentation and follow up.

Bhavna's questions:

1.NDS is an NGO with different proposed projects, working in the locality for overall development of the community.The most significant project is the school,where women are responsible for that. That is the reason why all are "women" teachers. So far honorarium is concern it is very true that Rs.1000 is very low in the present market but it is acceptable to all .

2. They will sensitise people in different issues like basic health care, education for livlihood etc.coming to use the library. Yes,they will charge for library which is very nominal and affortable to all.

3.They convinced that computer was an premature venture to attract parents to send their kid to the school.

4.They need an external people to maintain the standard of the school in general.They requested me to help in that process. Compare to other NGO programme in West Bengal Rs.1000 for teacher is not low.Only teacher expects the continuity of the programme. Compare to the kids in Govt.school,kids in NDS school get better services and orientation in terms of curriculum,nutrition ,health care etc. In the government school there is no charge for schooling.

Overall impression of mine:

Being a professional evaluator I found lots of lacunae in the organisation but there is a strong will and conviction for the people who are really left behind. Specially Mr.Sukumar Ghosh,the president of the organisation is a devoted man for the upliftment of the community. At this formative stage of the organisation they need all short of external helps. I do believe that they will able to make the project sustainable, if they proceed in a professional way.