Feb. 3rd, 2002
Ananth C.
Deenabandhu site visit. The organization has being funded for a
year. Asha is funding teacher salaries
and educational materials for 52 schools. It was a WAH project. Soc. Workers
and staff of the orphanage had come for the site visit. Chamarajanagar is 1.5 hours from Mysore.
Ananth went with Ajay in a jeep.
Lack of toilets and
compounds. Teachers and soc. Workers complain about this. Not much drinking water. Tanks without water
connection. Govt. schools adopted by the organization.
Compounds needed to prevent
unwanted people, cows from coming in. Govt is supposed to build the compound
but has built only half the compound (L shaped). Teachers and social workers
have a good relationship, they are generally well qualified so are respected by
the teachers.
Ananth’s feeling is that the
program has helped and made a difference. Posters are kept high out of reach of
the kids. Wastebasket are given to the
school but are kept in the principal’s office.
5-6 classrooms in every
school. Teachers travel by buses, Soc; worker visit the schools twice a
week. Environmental workshops are held,
cleanliness etc. Soc. Workers concern
was what to do at the end of the school year since they would be out of a job.
Jayadev does not want to pay them.
Deenabandhu is an orphanage;
this particular project is Jayadev’s initiative nothing to do with the
orphanage. Soc. Workers wanted Ananth
to talk to Jayadev to increase the salary from 1200 to 1600 and the travel allowance
from 150 to 300. Ananth feels that the salary increase should go thru, because
human resources are very important.
Anu- have the social workers
helped?
Ananth thinks so.
Ananth did get a chance to
speak to the children.
Anu’s concern is that there
might be a turnover of the soc. workers and the teachers.
It’s important to retain the
social workers since they have developed skills and a rapport with the
teachers. Teachers have a problem with talking to the villagers and are
comfortable with the soc. workers. The social workers interact with the zilla
panchayat to get resources for the school.
Each of the workers does 2-3
schools per day, lobbying for the schools with govt officials.
Ananth had to sign
certificates for the sports event for the children at the orphanage.
Melli- maybe we can get them
to work at SVYM or site visits during these 3 months.
Ananth- whatever we do
should be done thru Jayadev.
Melli to talk to Jayadev
before the next meeting about this.