Asha Kaithi Meeting Minutes, May 24/25

Asha center in Lalpur- Sandeep 
Around 20-30 children attend the school. 5-6 girls also attend 
Screen printing and Bee-keeping is progressing well 
The management of the center to be handed over to the the local people. 
Accounts will also be handed over to them slowly 
Health camps are organized every month A fee of Rs 2 is charged 
The youth team of Lalpur dispenses medicines during the rest of the month. 10-15 patients come 
  every day.
Subcenters are being started in two other villages 
Sacchi Mucchi (Asha news letter) is raising social issues 
Efforts are being made to start a village fund which can lend money to the villagers 
Efforts are being made to increase community participation 
In Natepura-2 kms from Lalpur-work has been started by 2 youths. 
Dalit issues are raised periodicially with the government and the recent election boycott was 
  also recalled. 

Discussion

Dr. Motilal Dash said BITS would be interested in purchasing 50-100 kg honey and 1000 paper bags.
There were complaints that Sandeep and Mahesh were not able to discharge their duties towards 
Lalpur. Sandeep and Mahesh agreed that the education situation in Lalpur is in a bad state. 

Vallabh-What is the use of solving only the issues that arise during Sandeep/Maheshji's 
absence? What is going to be done about the problems that are going to rise during 
padyatras/faasts? Is Lalpur being used only as an experimental lab? Why do we always 
choose the very poor and children to test out our ideas on? Why don't we experiment our 
ideas on Deepak's daughter or on Chaitnya? Why do both Sandeep and Mahesh always set out 
together on these padyatras? Why doesn't one of them stay back at Lalpur?

Sandeep-We are working on Humans not on any inanimate object. We go out (of Lalpur) to work 
on social issues only. Everything is related.

Sandeep was unable to provide solutions to the issues raised. He merely agreed that there 
are problems in Lalpur. He said that when they started work at Lalpur, they had considered 
only education as the main issue but over the years have realized that the social injustice 
is a even bigger issue than education. Now they are looking at education with a broader 
perspective.

Deepak-Asha Ashram should be considered as a simple project and not as a pilgrimage center.

Sandeep-We experimented but every experiment is interrelated. That is why we saw that health 
is more important than education. We are learning through our experiences and through the 
process of evaluation. I am accepting my shortcomings. We are not able to give much attention 
to Lalpur because we are working on important issues outside.

Sandeep and Mahesh said that they can not fulfill Asha's expectation that they remain in one 
place and work. Mahesh said that he will spend atleast 10 days of every month in Lalpur. 
Sandeep did not gaurantee anything. 

Vijay-The way the topic of Dalit oppression is raised, it can lead to issues involving social 
disruption (?). Newspapers, TV etc discuss the dalit oppression issue. But what is it? Dalit 
oppression and Dalit-these terms need to be defined.

Sandeep/Mahesh- Our understanding on the Dalit issue in different from that of the political 
parties.

Raju Thapa-Work on education was started at Lalpur but Sandeepji started work on other issues. 
New issues are adopted. Local leadership was encouraged but Sandeep himself could not give time.

Sandeep-Load distribution has started. Education should be used as a medium to bring about a 
social change-we should not be propogating literacy. The agenda can change based on experience. 
Asha's agenda was changed at Boston meeting. There is literacy in Gujarat but people have become 
communal. This is not education.

Vijay- Due to unemployment amongst the youth, influence, the selfishness of the politicians. 

Sandeep-why should we look at education as a separate issue?

Deepak- This is a matter of approach and effect.

Other points that came up in the discussion where: In the next meeting the people who are 
managing the affairs in Lalpur should come to the meetings as well. We should have better 
follow up on our new efforts. Any task taken up should be succesfully finished before taking 
on new ones. Discussion concluded with the thoughts that situation in Lalpur needed some thought 
and work.