From frazersj@jesuits.net Thu Apr 15 11:01:01 2004 Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2004 08:27:45 +0530 From: Frazer Mascarenhas S.J. To: chidu Subject: Re: Fr. Godfrey's Shirpur project Dear Mr. Chidambaram, Happy Easter, I happen to be in Mumbai and so am answering in person. Godfrey. ---------- On 14 Apr 2004 at 15:52, chidu wrote: On Thu, 1 Apr 2004, chidu wrote: > ----------------------------------------------------------------- > Questions raised during Asha Meeting March 15, 2004 > --------------------------------------------------- > 1) Father Godfrey wrote, ''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 in such a way as to make intervention > redundant in the near future? Godfrey responds: My basic vision of NGO educational intervention is to sustain a campaign that checks and balances lacunae in the official State system of primary education. It is therefore not a once-and-for- all programme but a studied strategy that appreciates what the State is trying to achieve in education but constantly applies remedial measures to overcome lacunae in the State systems. Our interventions should be need based, especially focussing on poorer sections who may not have the apparatus to take care of inadequacies in State education. In the Indian scenario education like all other foundational areas of development we cannot think of NGOs like ourselves pulling out of education and development leaving masses of poor peoples to suffer the intentional or unintentional neglect of the State systems. The period of projected need for NGO action cannot at present be prescribed. Hence I cannot prophesy what other local institution will evolve without NGO vigilance and active involvement with education of the poor. > 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.? Godfrey responds: Vishwamandal Sevashram is the registered Trust (with Govt.) set up by the Jesuits of Mumbai for the development of tribals. The Vishwamandal Trust has assigned me to apply attention to issues and problems facing the tribal world of Shirpur. I am free to identify what areas of intervention we should engage in and to pursue the relevant goals and objectives as best judged by the person on the spot - at present myself! Vishwamandal is now more than 30 years in the field. I have been l5 years working in Shirpur. The Trust fully approves of my assessments of needs and strategies for tribal uplift. The present project PALAS incorporates early initiatives of the Trust to provide an integrated development model with its focus on primary levels of education. This is because we believe that education is foundational for social development and transformation. > 3) Some pictures would be nice! Godfrey responds: I will be sending you photos courtesy Fr. Frazer by email. > 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. Godfrey responds: Evidence of undue influence on local tribals, thus displacing their own beliefs, culture and traditions, because of interactions for development with Vishwa Mandal Sevashram, is not in the least forthcoming. As an undertaking requested by AshaZ in this regard, I will categorically state that our educational and whatever other development services or programmes have a secular and humanistic character. They include the best traditions of religious tolerance and positive values of fraternity, social justice and equality.