Report of Activities of IFHD in 2003-04
(Given in the alphabetical order of the subject)

A I D H - How to cultivate the best of both the cultures?

Promotion of bi-culturalism among Indians living abroad continues in cooperation with our Paris- based “International Association for Human Development”. Children living in France are their focus-point in order to encourage them to absorb the best of both the civilizations and cultures. AIDH has conducted various competitions like Painting, Essay writing, Dancing and Debate’s on culture and traditions of India and distributed prizes for the winner and runner up’s. Also members of AIDH have collected some amount for the development of Tsunami-affected areas and IFHD has undertaken their utilisation by equipping the laboratories for science practicals and buying some useful books and materials for the schools situated along the coastline from Uppada in East Godavari upto Bhimunipatnam in Visakhapatnam districts of Andhra Pradesh state in South India. The administrative expenses will be borne by IFHD.

A I P E O - Redefining NGO-Business Partnership

“Association Internationale Pour le Partenariat Entreprise-ONG” has organized a Seminar in the month of June, 2003 in the luxurious Palace of Egmont in Bruxelles, under the patronage of Mr. Valery Giscard d’Estaing, former President of the French Republic and Mr. Michel Rocard, former Prime Minister of France. The meeting attended by Dr. Rao V.B.J. Chelikani, as its President, has identified the common objectives of the Association and the European Union and discussed the modalities of cooperation between the two. A number of prominent European firms have demonstrated the kind of North-South cooperation they are promoting parallel to their commercial activities. The summary report of which is going to be translated, published and distributed by IFHD from India. We also further promised to directly mail them to all the 190 National Commissions for UNESCO.

The Indian chapter of AIPEO has re-christened itself as “Association of Voluntary and Private Sectors’ Cooperation (AVAS)” and elected new office-bearers and continues its task of advocacy for the concept in the Indian context. During the year 2003, it has undertaken, on behalf of the Government of Andhra Pradesh, India, training for Self-Help Groups of women and youth in order to improve their production skills, marketing and organizing capabilities in order to make them successful. It has further established contacts with the “Telugu Association of Northern America(TANA)” an association of Indians living in the USA for future collaboration.

In 2004, on 26th October there was a National Seminar on “Corporate Social Responsibility: A Road to Socio-Economic Development”, jointly organized by Federation of Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FAPCCI), The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Indutstry of India (ASCCII) and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Foundation. A power-point-presentation was made by AVAS pleading for NGO-Business firms’ collaboration as essential in the context of Globalisation-Privatisation-Liberalisation syndrome across the world in which India is undoubtedly integrated.

It is also decided to form “Special Purpose Business Teams (SPBTs)” with renowned business firms interested in social activities.

COMMUNITY-BUILDING - The Spirit of being an extended joint-family

1) The “Balaji Residency Residents’ Welfare Association”, where social engineering at its micro level is carried out continues to draw our attention. Its democratic nature and sharing and caring activities acquired some depth and the “Balaji Residency Children’s Council (BRCC)” has been varying its functioning-style as the children grow and enter into different standards. The negative impact of result-oriented competitive education is strongly felt on the growth of the personality of the child. We seem to come to a situation where one has to protect the child not only against the management of the school and the teachers but also against the parents who are crushing and squeezing the child at home for academic performance. We are exploring ways of assuring the parents that academic performance is not every thing for the success of a child and that promoting the harmonious growth of mental, emotional, physical and social equilibriums are more important for a happy life in future for the child.

2) Life in the apartment-buildings and its quality (Flat Culture) remains our main pre-occupation, as several delegations of the office-bearers of other neighboring associations are regularly received by us and their problems and solutions are discussed with the prime object of strengthening the role of collective decision-making and promotion of harmony in the small community living under the same roof.

A strong demand is being made by the public for the formation of a state-level federation of associations of apartment-buildings, so that the current Act could be changed to make it more resident friendly and make urban life more cultured and civilized.

3) The “Standing Committee of Tarnaka Residents’ Welfare Associations (SCOTRWA)”, which is a federation of resident welfare associations in the area, has touched new milestones in its progress. The main objective is to accumulate human and social capital for promoting more democratic way of living and better quality of life in Tarnaka. Second and Third Ward Sabhas are held in which, in the morning sessions the residents drafted a rudimentary micro-plan and in the afternoon, in the gathering of the residents, it was adopted with a firm commitment to implement it. These are the only occasions for the people of Tarnaka to meet on a non-political agenda for development and quality of life for the residents. In addition, every month the “Standing Committee of the Resident Welfare Associations” has been meeting with unfailing regularity, discussing all aspects of life in the presence of officials who have started cooperating. The drainage problem which has been one of the major concerns of the Standing Committee could see the light of the day, as we see the huge pipes to be laid arrive. Two parks are taken over by two resident welfare associations for management. The “Tarnaka Times”, a neighbourhood magazine has been appearing for the past two years, reflecting various facets of public life in the area. It has succeeded to be a mouth-piece of the local concerns before the officials who are dealing with this area.

The “Tarnaka Consumer Council” has drafted a ‘Community Pact’ that binds the residents of Tarnaka, whether they are sellers or buyers, and makes them feel and act as a single community for the mutual benefit and common good.

A “Legal Cell” is constituted by the concertation of the practicing lawyers in the area in order to defend the common interests against illegal encroachment of the roads and parks and irregular constructions by land-hungry sharks, who later pass this risk on to the innocent or short-sighted customers. Over and above this, educating people about the need for respecting the rule of law is an equally important pre-occupation for them. They made suggestions to the Parliamentary Standing Committee in New Delhi on some pending bills.

The Standing Committee has taken up the responsibility of training the watchmen working in Tarnaka area. During this programme, the watchmen are trained in different aspects of their functions under the guidance of Police and Fire service officials. Their insurance needs are also taken care of.

EDUCATION:

We continue to prospect meritorious students and present their candidatures for the scholarships offered by the “Foundation For Excellence” operated by the Indians in the USA.

Further, a list of institutions that are offering scholarships and loans for the students is being developed, which could be conveyed to any student electronically.

We still could not recover the loans we have given to some students who are well settled by now. We are frustrated as they are unable to recognise their social debt nor could we inspire in them any sense of gratitude towards the society.

Apprentice ship: Education in India suffers from lack of opportunities to see and learn from the real life. Children are not much exposed to observation since the emphasis is on learning by heart the written contents of the text books and guides.

When project work is a part of the curriculum, the enterprises and institutions do not open themselves to give opportunities for the students to learn, for their own reasons. It has been the pre-occupation of IFHD, since long time without much success to find opportunities for students to do apprentice or internship. In Tarnaka, there is an attempt to help the local students to find opportunities for apprenticeships in all spheres in all enterprises and institutions around Tarnaka as a matter of community pact.

F. A. P. S. C. O - The Grey Power:

The “Federation of Andhra Pradesh Senior Citizens’ Organisations (FAPSCO)” has observed twice the World Elders’ Day on 1st October in collaboration with the Government of Andhra Pradesh. But so far, the recommendations and proposals put forward by FAPSCO could not in any manner influence the bureaucracy. At the same time, we are unable to change the mindset of the senior citizens who heavily look towards the government for all good things that should happen to them, without looking within themselves for inspiration and self-help. They have vast experience, a lot of leisure and settled situation, which are the real resources for solving their own problems, if any and also of the society. We are striving to make them realize this.

A Community Pact or Memorandum of Understanding is signed with a first class hospital for all the FAPSCO card-holders to get the benefit of not only reduced medical costs but also to get preventive education and customized services keeping in mind the specific needs of the senior citizens.

A Directory of Elders’ Homes is published, which, for the first time, in the State of Andhra Pradesh offers a consolidated directory of 311 homes that exist. It proved to be extremely helpful.

INFOYOUTH - A Vital and Vibrant Human (Youth) & IT Resource:

An International Youth Training Programme organised by INFOYOUTH network of UNESCO and the Government of France in June 2004 at the National Institute for Youth & Community Education, Marly-le-Roi, France, has provided a new stimulation for youth activities through Internet in various parts of the world. “Mr. Rajesh KOTA” from IFHD has participated in this programme as a member of the UNESCO team, which ran a workshop on Information and Communication Technologies for Youth. Under the Youth Challenge programme, he has discussed with the concerned officials of the French Government regarding the unemployment problem which is a universal problem and came out with six key factors to face unemployment: Employability, Employment Creation, Equity, Entrepreneurship, Environment Sustainability and Empowerment.

Youth Wing: The Youth Team of IFHD has prepared a project proposal on “Disaster Preparedness and Management” that has to be taken up in the Tsunami affected areas of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is proposed in the spirit of successful efforts of India as an example of national self-help. This proposal was sent to INFOYOUTH in response to its request for joint projects to be taken up in these areas

LOK SATTA - People Power

IFHD and Lok Satta are working together for reforms in the electoral process, accountability and transparency in administration and for good governance in general. Special attention was given to reforms of the police system and formation of Citizens’ Ward Councils in the urban areas. We worked along with Lok Satta in areas like verification of electoral rolls (insertions and deletions), educating and empowering the voters on the importance of elections and how they can use their vote power as a weapon against inefficient and corrupt political leaders.

We approve of and work for these efforts for institutional reforms and collective assertions, though in IFHD our starting point is the individual’s empowerment and individual’s development. There is, however, convergence. At the same time, while we work with others, we guard ourselves constantly against the dangers of falling into the trap of becoming part of a club for social relations, a ‘math’ or an aashram for the glory of a guru, a bhajan satsangh or worse a political party. We should remain a voluntary, social and civil society movement.

IFHD’s political vision is, just as we have travelled successfully in several countries in the world, from monarchical absolutism to popular sovereignty during the 19th and 20th centuries, now in the 21st century, the individual has to liberate himself from the abusive utilization of power by the political middlemen, called peoples’ representatives in the name of popular sovereignty. In our society, just as in many countries in the world, the peoples’ representatives have become zamindars or local feudal lords, crushing the individual. The individual must recover his personal sovereignty and use modern technologies of information and communication to participate in direct governance, without any more allowing the political middlemen to push him around.

(Reports of previous years since 1997, as well as the detailed financial statements of the Foundation are available on request)