Deenabandhu

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.