REPORT FROM SNEHA SCHOOL, 16 October, 2005

Narrative Project Report

1. Title of the project: 'Confidence and capacity building of the people through education in Arunachal Pradesh'

2. Implementing Agency: Sneha, J-82 Street No. 4, Laxmi Nagar, Vikas Marg, Delhi-110092.

3. Operational Area: Diyun Circle, Changlang district, Arunachal Pradesh, India.

4. Target group and beneficiaries: Politically most deprived Chakma and Hajong children of Arunachal Pradesh.

5. Project Summary: This is basically an institution building grant to establish Sneha as an organization of excellence and transparency etc and can work for the socio-economic development of the Chakmas and other underprivileged section of society in India. The main aims of the project are

1. To run and maintain an office in Delhi.
2. Pilot project in Arunachal Pradesh
3. Mobilize resources for its project.

In July 2003, National Foundation for India gave Sneha a grant of Rs. 4, 05, 000.00 to set up a modest office in Delhi and pilot project in Arunachal Pradesh. It was mainly an institutional building grant. NFI supported the 2^nd year of the project with a grant gave Rs. 3.5 lakhs.

In August 2003, Sneha piloted the project by starting a primary school at Diyun, Changlang district; Arunachal Pradesh for the Chakma children. The school was started upto Class III with 109 children in a thatched hut made of bamboo. In September 2003 Sneha opened a modest office in New Delhi to run its activities. NFI gave second grant in 2004.

6. Approved Measures Implemented: The approved measures of the project include the following points.

i)               Establishment office: Sneha established a modest office in Delhi in the last week of August 2003 and is still running. At present, Sneha has three full time staff in Delhi and they are working actively to establish Sneha a good and transparent organization. We also have plans to spread Sneha's activities in other parts of India like Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar among the Dalits etc.

ii)             Appointment of staff and building their capacity and confidence to enable them to run Sneha efficiently and dedicatedly in future.

iii)            To run the school in Arunachal Pradesh to provide value-based education to the Chakma children.

7. Problem Statement: When Sneha started office and piloted the project in 2003 following were the educational conditions in the areas in addition to socio-economic and prolong political problem.

I.              Programme:

• Lack of infrastructure, high dropout rate and high teacher student ratio: There is complete lack of educational institutions and infrastructure in the Chakma and Hajong inhabited areas. It still persists. If there are any school, teacher student ratio was as high as 1:300. Drop out rate was high ranging from 90 to 95%.

• Generally 40 percent of first grade entrants never complete primary school. Even among those who do, poorly qualified teachers result in a low quality of education that often imparts or no real learning. In other Schools Chakma students have to study under constant fear and suppression. They are not allowed to participate in Games & Sports, cultural and any other co-curricular activities in the School.

• It is not uncommon for students complete six years of primary schooling in village govt. schools to lack even rudimentary reading and writing skills.

• When the children started attending Sneha School in the beginning they were not able to understand Hindi and English even least, hesitate to mix up with others and express their feelings. Some even run away when they see strangers. They used to feel shy to greet their teachers/elders etc.

• Attendance rate in the area is very poor. Children either do not go to school regularly or bunk classes. Parents neglect the education and upbringing of their children.

• Neglect of education to girl child or say gender inequality was rampant.

• Unhygienic and unclean: Children used to live unhygienic and unclean and used to come in the school without proper cleanliness. Their parents also do not take care of it.

• Educated Chakmas do not get any employment in the State banned by the govt. long time ago. Many were spoiling their talents by tilling dry land.

• Lack of awareness about quality education or say value-based education among the people. Their knowledge was limited upto sending their children to schools and cannot monitor and evaluate the progress of the children.

II. Institution Building: The problems that we faced since the inception of the trust with regard to institution building.

1. Sneha was established in August 2002 at Delhi as public charitable trust. It got 12A (a) and 80-G under Income Tax act 1961 at Mayur Bhawan, Delhi in February 2003. Sneha had a problem of lack of full time committed, dedicated, resourceful and efficient workers right in the beginning. When I conceived the idea of forming organization to work for the socio-economic development of the Chakma and discussed with my peers to form so they were reluctant to be members/associate thinking that it is impossible to do so where to get funds and how to finish legal requirements. Some got dispirited and left in the midst.

2. Lack of resources: I did not have even minimum cost to move here and there. I did not used to have money even to send letters get printouts and meet people. I used to borrow money from my friends and Sneha trustees like Dr. Chhibbar who himself is a retired man. I did not used to have money to sit in the Computer cafà to do Sneha's work. Later on by the kindness of Mr. Ajay S Mehta, Executive Director of NFI I used to go and work at NFI office often, used to take print outs, Photostats etc. My father gave me Rs. 6,000 to take membership in the Bar Council of India which I utilized for Sneha instead of taking membership in Bar Council.  

3. Documentation problem: I did not know how to write project proposal, formal official letters etc. Advised by Mr. Ajay S Mehta, Mr. Partha P. Rudra, the programme Officer of NFI taught me the basics of writing project proposals etc and Ms. Monica Banerjee used to edit sometime about the context, language and contents. Dr. Chhibbar, Chairman also sometime used to help me to edit the writings. 

4. Funds Management: In the first year my knowledge in Accounts was completely zero as I am not from Commerce background. Though Sneha's Accountant was an M.Com he too was inexperienced. Work in Sneha was his first assignment.

5. Office and administrative Procedures: As none we had any practical work experience in administration we had faced many problems in day to day practical affairs and always had to ask either from NFI or somewhere else for small things.

6. Reporting: I did not know how to report the work of Sneha in a systematic manner. I feel that reporting is still one of the main problems of Sneha. We are not able to present our pains, sufferings and problems articulately to the people and also the work that we are doing as a result of which we are not able to raise funds sufficiently.
   
   However, I feel fortunate that we have experienced people in our board as trustees and as advisors who helped me in clarifying every doubt whenever I needed. And NFI has always given support every possible support and advice from time to time. My theoretical knowledge in different subjects ranging from management, education, law, literature, accounts etc helped me to understand and learn fast.      

8. Any Change or Deviation plan:  Nil.

9. Realization of objectives/Achievements in two years.

I. Programmes:

1. Upgradation of School: As per the project objectives to upgrade the School upto senior secondary level adding one class every year, the school was upgraded by one class from class III to class IV. The children also increased from 109 children to 148. Students of class I and II are taught in three languages in their mother tongue, English and Hindi. The students from class III onwards are taught in English and Hindi only.

2. Teacher student ratio was kept 1:36 which is as high as 1:300 in other schools.

3. The average result of the year is 88.5%. The best students were given prizes. Reading habit is also improving slowly and gradually among the children. They buy comics from the market and read it.

4. Understanding of English and Hindi by the children has also improved considerably this year than last year. Their reading, writing, speaking powers have also improved substantially in proportion to their age and class. Of course, we cannot compare them with the students of Doon Public School or Delhi Public Schools etc. On the other hand we have also not been able to provide resources, teaching aids and materials to the students and training to the teachers etc.

5. It is visible that the students have become more confident than last year in dealing with friends, elders and strangers.

6. During assembly one child gives Morning Thought everyday in English. In the beginning the teachers used to prepare the Thought for the child, but after few months 75% of the children prepare their own thoughts and speak in the assembly in English. Of course, they make mistake but at least, they are writing from their own and confidence is building up.

7. To hone up leadership qualities among the children they are delegated power to manage the functions whenever any occasions arise such as Gandhi Jayanti, Republic Day, and Teachers' Day etc. They manage the functions being monitored by the teachers. Further, there is captain/monitor in every class who looks after cleanliness of classroom, arrangement of desks and benches in case of disorganized etc.
   
   
   In the morning Assembly the students give the command to conduct the assembly.

8. Character formation: As we want the children to be good human beings first than being smart. We feel that sense of honesty and sincerity are also developing among the children slowly and gradually. It was observed and found that if the children find any pen, pencil, money or any other articles in the School or street they bring to the notice of the teachers and deposit the money, pen, pencil etc to the school authorities.
   
   Further found that whenever a child tells lies other children attack him that he/she is telling lies. They also report to the teachers.

9. Good citizens of the country: Care for the school and other public property is also coming slowly and gradually. Sense of discipline, respect to their teachers, parents and elders has also come to a great extent. They also have the sense of togetherness, oneness. Awareness about sense of cleanliness and hygiene is also coming both among the children and the parents.

10.  For physical growth and development of the children are provided with games and sports facilities such as football, skipping etc. Race, high Jump, long Jump etc.

11. Girls are denied education thinking that investment on girls' education is wastage of money as they will go to other's home after marriage and therefore education to girl children is neglected. So, one of the broad issues of concern of the programme philosophy of Sneha is to encourage girls education for empowerment of women in the long run.  The boys and girls ratio in Sneha School was 55: 45 in the first year and 60:40 in the second year.

12. We encourage healthy competition among the children. Life is based on sharing than denying. We encourage respecting all religions, cultures and human beings and stress is given whenever we come across such lessons in the textbooks.

13. Awareness about education among parents: We held parent teachers meeting from time to time and create awareness about value-based education among the parents. It was observed that parents of the children participate in most of the functions of the schools such as on the eve of declaration of result, Saraswati Puja, Republic day, Independence Day etc.

14. Sense of rules of parenting is also coming among the parents slowly and gradually which is being made aware through regular parents- teachers meeting. Earlier the parents did not take any care for the upbringing of their children.

15. Cultural Activities: Due to lack of funds we could not purchase any musical instruments yet we hold cultural classes for the children from time to time and are trained to sing patriotic songs.  

16. Social Service: To inculcate the sense of hygiene, cleanliness and social service and responsibility among the children from their childhood shramdaan was conducted from time to time and the school campus was cleaned by them.

17.  Environmental Awareness: To create environmental awareness, care, love for the nature and inculcation of eco-friendly values among the children right from their childhood, plant sapling and gardening are done in the school campus through them.

18. Celebration of Events and functions: We celebrate almost all the functions in the school such as Teachers Day, Gandhi Jayanti, Children Day Celebration, Republic Day etc.

19.  Teachers' day: Teachers day was celebrated with gaiety and enthusiasm. Children paid homage to Dr. Radha Krishnan. The teachers gave speech on the life and philosophy of Dr. Radha Krishnan.

Similarly, Republic Day, Independence Day, Gandhi Jayanti and Saraswati Puja were celebrated. Students played games and sports. Prizes were given to them.  

20. Now more and more people want to get their children admitted in Sneha School. Many could not give due to distance as a 5 or 6 year child cannot walk for 7 Kms.

In short and to conclude the confidence and capacity of the Chakma children is taking shape slowly and gradually. The values are also being inculcated subconsciously among the children. It is long term process.

Other programmes done by Sneha:

1. Awareness about Flood victims: There were heavy floods in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh in July and August 2004 which uprooted tens of thousands of families from their homes and devastated the lives and properties of the people. Plight of people of Assam and Bihar was reported by all National Dailies and reliefs were provided to the people of Bihar and Assam but the problem of the people in Arunachal Pradesh and especially of Chakmas was not reported by a single Newspaper. Although people were dying it was going unreported and silently. Sneha submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister of India about the plight of the people caused by the flood and urged for relief and rehabilitation for the flood victims.

Sneha also gave a Press Release about the flood situation in Arunachal Pradesh which was reported by two leading News Dailies namely The Pioneer in Delhi and The Sentinel in Assam on 25th July and 3rd August 2004 respectively. It caused a stir in the Arunachal Pradesh. Deputy Commissioner called the Chakmas that measures were being taken for the relief of the flood victims. Some relieves were also provided to the people.  See Paper Clippings.     

2. Admission of Chakma students in DAV Public Schools: Sneha has been getting Chakma students admitted in DAV Public schools (boarding and day scholars) at free of cost. So far 5-7 Chakma students have been admitted in DAV residential Schools and getting quality education at free of cost. Other students have to pay Rs 35,000 to 40,000 Per Annum.

As part of other resources mobilization Sneha has been able to garner support from IGSSS to start a primary school at Udaipur village, Changlang district, Arunachal Pradesh for the Chakma children of Arunachal Pradesh.

Mr. Susanta Chakma met Dr. Colin Butler in New Delhi, Director of BODHI, Australia. He discussed about the Chakma problems of Arunachal Pradesh, about Sneha's activities, aims and objectives, mission and vision. BODHI has published Sneha's activities its Newsletter.

II. Institution Building: Sneha is a new, upcoming organization with committed team of workers. Sneha is growing slowly and gradually with the passage of time.

1. Although Sneha staff did not have any formal training, the Sneha workers have become more capable, confident and efficient in all areas to a great extent. They have learned many office procedures and system of organization through action and experience. They have also gained knowledge on developmental philosophies, education etc through reading of books on the subjects and interaction with different people.

Mr. Susanta Chakma, the founder and Director of the organization has especially gained lots of knowledge and experience in different areas viz-governance, management, office procedures, education, developmental philosophies etc and more so internalized many ideas, values etc after constant discussion with Ms. Monica Banerjee and Sneha board of trustees. He has also improved his documentation and other skills considerably as in the beginning when he approached NFI he did not know even how to write a project proposal.

He has also learned more about institution building or say, building foundation of an organization. Values of an organization depend on the values, principles, morals and vision of the leader. How he wants to give shape to the organization for short term and long term. As a team leader his aim is to establish Sneha an institution of excellence free from corruption, biases etc so that Sneha emerge as a role model as an institution not only among the Chakmas but in the country. His vision, mission, ideas and beliefs have become more strengthened, refined and better focused than earlier.

He has attended many meetings and workshops in Delhi conducted by civil society organizations. He also helps and encourages other individuals and organizations to emerge as a good organization. 

2. We are keeping records on various subjects. Sneha will become a documentation centre one day. Many books and periodicals on different subjects such as governance, management, law, education, English language, and development have been also purchased for library and upgrading knowledge of the staff. 

3. Purchased the domain name of Sneha www. sneha.org.in though due to lack of funds we could not design the website However, we have found a person recently who will design our website at minimum cost and so we will launch Sneha website very soon. We had also taken internet connection through which we access different information.

4. We have also become more competent in handling/working with computers etc.

10. Problem faced and their solution:

We planned to go for aggressive fundraising in India especially in Mumbai and Gujarat but due to lack of funds we could not implement our strategies/action plan i.e. we could not go for fundraising outside Delhi. Also, due to lack of funds we could not publish our Annual Report, brochure and any literature on our work.

In Delhi office we often cannot pay the office rent in time and as a result many problems crop up with the landlady/land lord. Many a time I pay from my pocket or after borrowing from my friends and later I reimburse it. We also cannot pay telephone bill in time resulting in that our telephone remains suspended many a times.

All the staffs in Sneha are full time and are fully dependent on Sneha.  Sneha staff both in Delhi and Arunachal Pradesh had to work without payment for seven months. Of course, we reimbursed the same after NFI considered our request to allow us to reimburse the same. We are very thankful to NFI for this. Still, we could not pay the honorarium of March 2005.

We hold three main terminal examinations in a year, but it happened that we did not have funds even to print examination question papers and blank sheets to provide to the students as answer sheet. Mr. Arindam Dewan had to borrow money from his friends or used to take papers and stationeries on credit. Further, during the examinations he brings a type machine and type question papers by himself for 148 children with 3 to 5 subjects in each class.

We are not able to provide even basic Games & Sports facilities to the children for their physical growth and strength. In the whole year we could provide only one football and two or three skipping.

In the schools itself we do not have basic things like dictionaries and other reference books for the teachers, story books and other teaching materials for the children.

We could not provide teachers training to the teachers. What ever they know is gained through experience. Of course we are going to provide this year with the help of IGSSS.

There was heavy flood in Arunachal Pradesh in July and August 2004. It affected the Sneha school also as it partly submerged the School. Mr. Arindam Dewan got thatch on credit, but we did not have even Rs. 8,000 to repair the school building. As a result the rooftop of the School was blown away by wind and heavy rain. Later on Mr. Arindam Dewan borrowed money from some shopkeepers and repaired it; otherwise the benches and desks would have been damaged completely.

11. Future Plans: As advised by Ms. Monica Banerjee when she visited Sneha office on 7^th April 2005 we have planned to work in NFI alternatively as training and also work in other good institutions like Seva Mandir etc to see how they work.

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