Questions raised during Asha Meeting March 15, 2004
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1) Father Godfrey said, ''After Asha? We've worked 12 years at this
programme, so we will look for other funding when Asha tires of us. The
programme needs to grow and answer the needs of the time. We have
projected just the needs of the next few years.''

AshaZ: We would like to know a bit more about the basic vision
of your intervention. How long do you think such work will be 
necessary? Or is the situation of the tribals such that one can
easily envision necessary intervention for a long time to come, 
making the above question moot? Would there be some local institution
building process that could evolve enough to make intervention
redundant in the near future?

2) ''Someone will follow on. The organisation that I belong to, which has
assigned this work to me, will assign someone else, equally or more
committed. The commitment to the tribals is organisational.''

AshaZ: The is some confusion in our minds as to which is the organisation
you are referring to. Is it Vishwamandal Sevashram that has assigned
you to this work? In that case, does it offer other services too?
Can you tell us more about Vishwamandal Sevashram: when was it founded,
by whom, and its goals? Was it started with a specific focus on
tribals, etc.?

3) Some pictures would be nice!

4) ''If your question about systematic inculcation of Xtn values and
beliefs implies a one track conversion drive I say a clear NO. If you mean
that the humanitarian principles of religions like Xtianity influence
our ethos my answer is YES!''

AshaZ: Can you elaborate on this a bit more? Asha has absolutely
no issues with religious affiliations/beliefs of individuals and 
respects the right of individuals to have their own beliefs. The only
issue at hand is the influence of that on the beneficiaries. As long
as the intervention (say in terms of educational curriculum and 
activities) is secular and inclusive in nature, we do not see any 
problems. Eventually if AshaZ decides to fund this project, we would
be requiring something in writing to this effect.