Annual ReportYear 2015-2016,

Asha Darshan Trust, Tamulpur

Background: I came to Tamulpur area in year 1998 and joined Tamulpur Anchalik Gramdan Sangh with an intention to help the women’s empowerment through awareness programme and SHG formation for their economic development. Whenever we had meetings for SHG in the villages I noticed many children came along with the women to participate the meetings. The incidence of children who ought to be in schools in schools hours coming to meeting instead shocked me. Time for meetings we fixed was between 10 a.m. 1 p.m. and in this period normally the women who are mainly housewives are free from household works. All children go to school in other places and the husband or other male working members also go to work outside. The women enjoy free time after the morning household chores- cooking, feeding, sending children to school and male adults to work outside.

I wanted to know why not going to school, we discussed. Women present in of the meeting informed me that there was no school nearby to go. Hence they either stay with their parents at home or go to Bhutan where the parents work to earn for family. Some women works in pebble factories, Children also go with them to help. Education for them is a distant dream only.

Some people in the community were conscious about the future benefits of education so they setup community run schools in the villages, appointed teacher, held the classes regularly. Teachers did not receive any payments for the job so many teachers discontinued the job. Educated youths of other area were also not ready to take up the responsibility. Nobody from other place was ready to come because of ransom demands, kidnappings and killings as the area was rife with terrorism in this period because of Bodoland Movement. Community wanted the schools functioning in the area so they collect contributions to pay teachers salary. After 2/3 payments the poor parents were unable to continue the contributions. Therefore many teachers resigned the job and schools also closed down soon after their resignation.

In many villages educated youths setup venture schools with a hope to getting government assistance in future. Governments had a system of recognizing community run venture schools for granting government assistance. But the process takes so many years that it makes the teachers tired so they ultimately opt discontinue the job to prevent more economic losses.

Population norm for setting up of a Mini-Anganwadi Centre in difficult areas is 150-300, and there were many such habitations eligible for the service. But none of the habitations had Anganwadi service centre for children. We decided to take 7 habitations in the beginning to setup pre-primary schools in each. We are prepared to face another problem soon because there was no next level of education centre to take care of these once they completed the pre-primary level. As time passes we had upgraded the center. Government also came forward to

take the responsibility of pre-primary level by opening ICDS centre. Therefore we give main importance on the primary level education only. Nagapur is an exceptional case where we continued till class X, the area did not have any high school facility within 15- 20 km.

Currently Asha Schools are active in following villages:

1. Nagapur (Assamese medium)2. Nagapur (Bodo medium)3. Shimliguri4. No.1 Shantipur5. No.2 Shantipur6. Devinagar7. Satyanarayanpur8. Abhayapur9. Sonmuni

Whenever we find government ready to take the responsibility of children education in our operating area we hand over and move to new area to benefit deserving children. So far, Government selected 6 schools to regularize. Teachers were regularly engaged with government for the purpose who finally could fully satisfy the officials for the selection.

Asha Darshan is now running 9 schools with 40 teachers. Recently 3 teachers out of the 40 have qualified TET Exams so they resigned to join government school. we are facing a new challenge because of these. New recruitment already done, but everyone cannot teach Science, Mathematics and English subject. Qualified science teacher also do not want to come because of the temporary job nature and current salary structure.

Medium: We have two types of schools Bodo and Assamese medium. The number of Bodo medium schools 2 and Assamese medium 5, total 7 schools.

Our operation area is located under BTC which is a tribal belt and Bodo is their main spoken language. Nagapur is such an area where no schools were accessible within a range from 15-20 km distance, there was no good road to travel the distance, a river running between blocked transportations and this was worst in rainy seasons. No hope of education and the fates of innocent children were uncertainty. Militancy outfits easily attract such children once they grown up. Education was urgent need for the children to shape them with good education from the very beginning of their early childhood and further to prevent them from antisocial activities. The 2 Bodo medium schools established are serving the purpose.

Educational Environment:

The schools need improvement to make them attractive where children like to come and enjoy teaching. School repairing, playground developed, store room construction for important materials and school boundary construction is our priorities. We welcome support

Present schools are running in cuccha houses, no separate rooms for teacher, school boundary fencing are not permanent, made of bamboo only so in single rain it damage, no plantation in the school campus has been successful because of stray animal.

Books:

Asha Darshan Schools use the same national curriculum as government doing. Earlier our schools received book supply from Assam government free of cost. But, this has been not easy from last 4/5 years because government changed policy. Only those having ‘DISECODE’ can receive the free supply as per new policy. Asha schools did not have DISECODE so we submit our request letter at BEEO office. We did not get positive response so we approached higher authority SDO (civil) for a solution. In his guidance village headman came and inspected the schools, submitted reports, but then also, the education office stood against us and disallowed supply. Then we met Education Minister, he gave us permission but block office did not supply. We met Deputy Commissioner and submit complaint letter, DC started action, discussion was in progress with council officials but in the meantime he was transferred before the case settled. The registration remained half done.

Bribe:

Book collection was our top priority or else academic session will be delayed. But there was no hope of getting books from a corrupted system which was in power. We had information that storekeeper gives book for bribe. Since our anticorruption stand failed here we choose innocent children’s future. We bribed under compulsion to get books for the students. This is how we get book every year.

School Recognition:

Also official recognition the schools to pay Rs. 2.5 to 3 lakh as bribe. Nagapur and Satyanarayanpur LP schools paid these amounts to get DISECODE. This is how education system works. A real picture of remote poor villages.

School repairing:

We took 4 schools to repair this year, the work is in progress. Davinagar school committee decided to meet local MLA for his help. As decided, delegates went to the MLA and submitted application for his assistance of cement or sand gravel whatever he likes. He refused to give any grant with his comment ‘Remove the Asha Darshan sign board from school, we will take care’. Also, in his previous term he did not sanction any grant when he was in power, then he was education department in-charge. People doubts his intention, neither he sanctioned a grant to construct a school here nor allowed others to come.

Management:

Our field staff regularly visits the schools, 2/3 days per week; parents also visit the school and monitor the improvement of their children.

Monthly SMC meeting are held regularly. Management issues are discussed here thoroughly for action. Progress of students– boys and girls everywhere get main importance in the discussions.

Centre Meeting:

Teacher’s meetings are held in a rotation base at the schools, thereby every teacher are able to see the progress of other schools by herself or himself.

Monthly Meeting of teachers:

The meeting is held at Asha Darshan Office, last Sunday of each month is fixed for the meeting. Progress of all schools is reviewed here and post-training follow up of the teachers is done. Opportunities and challenges also discussed

Post-training follow up meeting: Asha Darshan organized a post training follow up meeting at Bogajuli center on 15 March, 2016 to review the teacher’s training already held at Kumarikata from 5th to 8th Dec, 2015. Experience of applying new teaching methods was discussed here. the post training review process was facilitated by Asha’s own staffs Rupali Boro, Bulu Rajbanshi and Chief functionary Biju Borbaruah. But before the organization acquired help to conduct teacher’s training from outside resource persons help,

Main topics discussed here are: aim of education, educational environment, friendly relationships between student and teacher, career guidance for the future and special care for slow learners. Teacher demonstrated how they handle slow learners and make TLM with locally available materials.

Educational exposure trip

Date: 3rd March, 2016

Participants: Two-hundred sixteen participants visited Tezpur a most popular, romantic and historical place of Assam. Among them there were 190 students of class VII to X, 13 teachers and 13 staff of Asha Darshan Trust.

Objectives: 1. Enjoying a day away from the classroom2. Giving the students a chance to build closer

bonds with their classmates

3. Experience new environments4. Making most memorable moment of student career

Places visited in the day: Koliabhumura Bridge- the longest RCC Bridge in Assam, Agnigarh a popular and romantic site, Cole Park-a public entertainment place and Bhairavi Temple.

Summary of the visit: The participants travelled in 5 buses to Sonitpur. Their first visiting place was Kaliya Bhumura RCC Bridge over Brahmaputra River. Then they visited the famous Agnigarh (hillock) the site of the fortress which was built by Banasura to keep his daughter Usha in isolation. The pleasant view of Brahmaputra River nearby the hillock and on the other side the Kaziranga national park was very attractive. After the Agnigarh visit the participants travelled to another popular holy place called Bhairavi Temple. Everyone prayed there with great devotion and completed prayer prasaad grahan. Team members decided to take light food at the temple as the day’s meal. After the meal taken, the team came to the Cole Park for entertainments. Towards the afternoon the team returns for home. Students had lot of fun on the return journey telling story, singing, sharing food, making friendship with students of other school etc.

Children remember this event as most memorable day in their student’s career.

Fund utilization:

All the programmes implemented other than MDM as per budget sanctioned. The time was very short for MDM service; this year we got 4 months only to serve food in schools. There was a delay in fund receipt. We procured some extra rations for the stock so we were able to serve for the next two months in April and May also from the same stock.

We always try not to use fund for undeserving purpose. We give main importance on the basic purpose of the programme for which the fund was sanctioned. When we find there is fund unspent, we decide to use for school development or to create more space for students.

This year a small amount was saved from mid day meal programme we used in school repairing.

Requirements:

1. School construction: shortage of room for the classes has been a longstanding problem in the schools here, also all the schools are cuccha house. If 2/3 schools are taken for construction with RCC each year all the schools will be pucca house in a couple of year,

school environment will be better, education will be good where every student can enjoy learning.

2. Separate toilets for boys and girls: Each school facing the same problem, we have not been able to provide separate toilets for boys and girls because water supply facility is not available all around our schools area. Families get water from ring well only, number of ring well is also not sufficient to meet the water requirement of families.

3. Ring well construction: We feel an urgent need to construct the school’s own ring well for drinking water and to use for other purpose.

4. Boundary wall construction: Schools are not safe from stray animals. Each year all schools plant many important plans-fruits, flower and medicinal shrubs. Community makes bamboo fencing to protect them, it works for temporarily some months but once rain comes all fencing damage and nothing left from animals in the campus. Permanent wall construction is important to protect the school’s garden.

5. Teacher’s salary: Teachers are the back bone of the schools who serve as second parents of the students. Sometimes they use own resource to help children as and when need. Teachers give extra time to fulfill examination targets. They work in an inconvenient environment in rural area to make the poor children rich and famous while they remain poor and unrecognized. Asha for Education should not let more teachers leave the schools because of low salary. Everything is costlier than before in markets. Current salary they receive is not sufficient to meet the basic needs; neither have they got time to supplement family’s income by doing extra jobs. The economic condition of the teachers is not in a good position. All teachers have family. Experience of the teachers is increasing with age. They truly deserve salary increment. Their expectation is between Rs. 8000-10000 per month.

6. Staff salary: Need to consider increment.

OTHER ACTIVITIES:

Cutting and embroidery training is an important ongoing activity of Asha Darshan, its main focus is to train women & girls on employable skills locally suitable. This important because many girls whoever went outside for job are insecure, some are not been able to come back home, new incidences of rescuing women and girls at nearby railway station alarming the area.

Asha Darshan organized the cutting and embroidery training for a month this year, interested 21 girls were trained on the topic. Now they all are capable of making ladies dresses. They want to run tailoring center individually, need support from outside.

Here is a possibility to getting dressmaking orders from SSB, Army, students of schools, colleges and others. Quality product is a main issue which the centre will need to guarantee its customers. Therefore, the centre needs help of good fashion-designer and professional tailors. Require support.

Weaving training cum production: The Handloom is a traditional industry of Assam. Women do the activity not just for keeping a tradition alive but also they love this cultural traditional occupation. This is a suitable livelihood option and they love, and therefore, Asha Darshan accepted it for their economic empowerment.

Recently the trust organized weaving training on the designs on Jakarta machine. 40 members from two SHGs received the training. They are working on loom to produce Gamosa, Aronai and Tongali for sales. Asha Darshan have been helping the weavers with supply of quality yarn at a low cost .

Sales outlet: the handloom product collected from the weavers to sell in market. There is sales outlet at Tamulpur run by Asha Darshan .

Plan for the next year: we in Asha Darshan feel a need to improve the income level of the weavers. Therefore we want to give more importance on the handloom sector. There have a need to modify the designs of traditional handloom product and combine both traditional with modern designs to cope up with the latest market demands, improve market linkage to capture national and international markets, give equal importance on producing gift items, quality product and organize special training on yarn dyeing

as per need.

Swaccha Bharat Abhiyan: Like every year, the trust organized Safai Abhiyan this year also on 2nd October in its operational area. Students of Asha Schools cleaned school campuses, Asha Darshan cleaned local market place at Tamulpur and the offices with the help of PHED.

Plantation Drive on world environment day:

Eye operation: Non availability of smokeless chulha in the area is one of the main reasons why most families still use firewood for cooking and heating purpose. High amount of smoke emitting from the chulhas creates unhealthy environment which causes eyesight trouble and lungs problems. These can make working members either blind or ill. Once the main member is unable to work the families’ income level will down beyond to the poverty line resulting worst impact on women and children.

Making the area free from blindness is most important for development so with help of Guwahati Lion’s Eye Hospital organized eye checkup camps in 4 locations at Gandhibari, Nagrijuli, Tamulpur and NK Angarkata Natunbasti (Bogajuli). Total 191 cataract case diagnosed and so far 91 cataract operation done successfully at Guwahati Lions Eye Hospital. All have regained their eyesight after operation and happy to be back into their working place.

Mahila Shanti Sena: Like Gandhian organizations we in Asha Darshan also believe in ‘peace culture’. ‘Men have failed to bring about a culture of peace; women are our hope for the future’ said most senior sarvodaya Leader Acharya Ram Murty in a global conference at Baishali.

Women are born with all essential qualities to create life, family, society and sustain them with love, compassion and bravery. They lay their lives to protect children and family. They nurse them with all they possess.

Inspiring from the Sorvodaya leaders we also launched Mahila Shanti Sena Movement in operating area Tamulpur in year 2002 under guidance of Padmashri Rabindra Nath Upadhyay.

Since the year, we have been organizing training camps, meetings, seminars and also, taking out peace rallies against communal violence. We will need to do the same programme in future also because every year the area experiences all type of violence.

Shanti Saniks are involved in rescuing women who are victim of domestic violence and tell by organizing meeting in the family that violence against women is unlawful, they should not be aggressive, and they can settle disputes peacefully by mutually understanding the issues.

Human trafficking- Girls & women are main victims here; we try to address also this issue. We organize regular meetings in villages for awareness of people so that they can take action at an early stage for prevention any new occurrence.

Health awareness- women in the interior villages were unaware about modern medical practices, had very little knowledge about women health issues. We make aware about these issues by organizing meetings at the villages. Also, we give information about women’s rights that they can demand.

Shanti Sena Plan:

A. Mahila Shanti Sena enrolment and training on follow the 10 points- 1) khadi cloth wearing2) culture of non-violence3) courage of conviction4) chastity of women is mental, not physical5) liberation from intoxication6) labour based constructive economic structure7) mutual compassion8) emotional resistance against oppressions9) grooming children with culture of non-violence and 10) forbid dowry system.

B. Fighting against corruption and women & girls traffickingC. Training on Right to Information Act and Right to educationD. Preventing student from drugs use, health awareness camps, legal literacy training for

Shanti Sainiks.

Self Help Groups:

We started organizing women in to self help group from December, 1998 with a bread objective to empowering women socially and economically so as to make them capable of ensuring direct access and control over resources. Our first target was the most backward poor working women who could not save any amount from their income because of

non linkages with banks. Since the year we have created 450 SHGs under Baksa and Dhemaji district. So far total 13 villages under Bardoloni development block have been covered in Dhemaji district.

District wise no. of SHGs-

1. Demaji: 24 groups2. Baksa: 450 groups

As per rules set for SHG, only one woman can be a member from each family in the same group, weekly saving, Rs. 5/- by each member. The group will comprise total 10 to 15 members, of them, 1 president, 1 vice president, 1 secretary, 1 assistant secretary, 1 treasure and the others general member. The group is a mini bank for its members. They can take loan at low interest as per need and return them after used. Many poor women members availed the benefit in family’s emergencies. We have been trying to make the entire groups active and self reliant. But, we also face many challenges in the journey-

Loan offers and various subsidies easily attract the group members. They readily accept to return bank Rs. 1,50,000/- to get a benefit of Rs. 2,50,000/-. Government officials also find our groups suitable to accept for achieving their overnight target of group formation. Many groups bribed bank linkmen up to Rs. 30,000/- Rs. 50,000/- to get loan benefits without our knowledge, some got the benefit and some did not. Groups whichever did not get is very upset now. We have to fight a battle again to rejuvenate the groups for their help. Since beginning of NRLM the groups are improving slowly.

We started vocational trainings for the members of SHGs on following topics -

1. Soft toy making2. Candle making3. Tailoring4. Agriculture5. Pig rearing 6. Goatery 7. Poultry farm

Visitors from other organizations also come to see our activities, we arrange their visit. Government listed Chief functionary Biju Borbaruah as district resource person for NRLM. Thereafter, the activities i.e. SHG training, awareness camps and meetings were organized extended to 4 development blocks with support from DRDA, covered most villages under these blocks.

We have a long run yet to travel to see our target of ensuring bank deposit of Rs. 10 lakh by every member so that they can secure and enjoy a happy family life with dignity.

International Women’s Day Celebration

Asha Darshan Trust celebrated the international women’s day on 8th march at Tamulpur by organizing a cultural function cum competition under the guidance of a panel of judges. More then300 women and girls participated in groups. From the locality some male folk also came to help and make the event successful. As per local tradition the programme started by lighting a traditional lamp (bonti prajjalan) followed by offering garland around the portrait of Kasturba Gandhi. Then invited guest were welcomed to the meeting stage and felicitated with Assamese traditional gamocha made by the women.

thiyo naam a devotional song sung by the women of Nirmola Mahila Samaj made the event holy, peaceful and live among the participants where the women and girls came in cultural dresses met each other warmly with blissful feelings.

There was lot of appreciations of this event from the guests. Tamulpur SDO (civil) Shri S.K. Sharma gave a charming speech in the meeting. He appreciated the girls and women coming this way to celebrate their special day in Tamulpur. He liked a recent progress of the women at awareness level mainly about their rights and thanked them for their motivation towards girls’ education. He admitted that women take care of

the household from where our development starts. So a small care in education of girl child can make a big change. Events like this give women a good opportunity where they can celebrate their success so he thanked the organizers for this beautiful event.

The other important guest present in the function were Khiroma Saikia (Kasturba Sevika), Aditya Gogoi (Assistatnt Commissioner), Gitanjali Deka (ICDS), Madhuri Das (ICDS), Hironmoyee Das (Rtd. teacher) and Rupali Boro (Teacher). They also feel happy with the function of women on their special day.

After the meeting, there was a cultural folk song competition popularly known as thiyo naam protiyogita. Ten groups of women and girls came prepared to join the competition. A panel of judges i.e. Mahesh Baishya, Jatin Das and Mohan Chandra Deka who are experts in this filed guided the competition. Best three among the groups were selected for first, second and third position

and awarded with attractive prizes; each contained cash money, a certificate, a holy book (kirtan puthi) and a cultural wooden bookshelf called thoga. There was non-stop clapping from the audience at the prize distributions ceremony and everybody enjoyed the session with full of enthusiasm.

The day concluded in a happy moment with the participants in photo session.

Exposure Visit of Asha Darshan Team

Duration of Visit: 12th-15th March 2016

Participants: Twenty-three participants from Asha Darshan Trust, Tamulpur visited APNA GHAR, Tatiyaganj, and Kanpur. Among the participants 20 were teacher and 4 were staff of the Asha Darshan Trust.

Objective of the Program: The main objectives of the Exposure Visit Program include the following:

1. Observe, understand and learn the various activities of Asha Trust, Kanpur for educational development of migrant children and explore the possibilities of replication in the operation area of Asha Darshan Trust, Assam

2. Understand role of agencies involved in ensuring universal education.3. Learn and exchange teaching techniques good to make education attractive and joyful. 4. Understand other important topics taught for children’s practical life

Summary of the Exposure Visit: The program was designed in resonance with the objectives of the visit. During the 4 day program, the participants have visited Asha Trust, Apna Ghar, Apna School, Jagruti Organization, Sudhangshu Temple and Lucknow (capital city of UttarPradesh).

First day, the team got a hearty welcome at APNA GHAR on their arrival. All members of Asha Trust were present there with flowers in their hands and welcome the team. Everyone got a fresh flower and became emotional with pleasant feelings for the first time in life. Some recorded this event as a memorable event of life.

Second day, the team visited the whole campus of Apna Ghar and also some schools of Mala India Foundation and Jagriti. There they saw different types of students and different set of courses adopting by the schools. Students come to the schools are all from migrant families. They come to schools for six months only. Thereafter they go to different place where their parents work. There is no guarantee of coming back the same students to the same school in the next year. So the schools

ought to complete the all subjects within this six month period and hold examinations. The team mainly the teachers find the use of TLM in very interesting.

The team visited next school at Murari Bhatta. The school has one-hundred students and they all are from migrant families from Bihar, Odisa, Assam and Jharkhand. The environment of school is very good, all children like it. This credit goes to a project EK KADAM of Jagrity and Asha Trust. ‘Education for all’ is main objective of the project. There was a discussion with the chief functionary of the project who also heads Jagruti organization. She is Mrs. Vijaya Ramchandran, daughter of India’s Ex. President R. Venkataraman. The team got lot of inspiration from her and grateful for her kindness towards the poor, love for children and her simple life.

There was a discussion with students of IIT Kanpur. The students of IIT Kanpur one of the top listed technical institute also trying to educate KG to XII students by creating an organization called PRAYAS . ‘No child left behind from education’ is main objective of PRAYAS.

Third day, there was a teachers training programme at APNA GHAR. The training began with a prayer song followed by introduction of the participants. Sangeeta Didi and Mahesh bhai were trainer. Mahesh bhai introduced his team members. Participants of Asha Darshan Team introduced themselves. Thereafter Mahesh bhai explained the background of the members in details how they came for education as their family’s first generation student. Remarkable that student of APNA GHAR joined higher education and successfully completed engineering course and have settled in good position. Also, there is student in LLB course from the center. Brotherhood relationship of the members was also remarkable observation. Addition to education the center gives practical knowledge about health & hygiene, bank transactions, accounts keeping, ration card, kitchen garden etc.

Afternoon training was on teaching method. Trainer explained how teaching can be made joyful with simple games and other techniques used to teach beginners. The training continued for the next day.

Fourth day, Gobinda bhai gave training on education and he explained ‘what is education’ in simple words. He advised to give equal importance to all student in teaching and to avoid discriminatory practice in the name of own and others children. He discussed also the issues

that causing problems in educational development. He mentioned ways and means to challenge the same.

In post lunch session the team visited nearby Sudhangshu temple at Gangaghat in Kanpur. They liked the calm & peaceful environment of the temple. Evening they came back to their residence after doing some small shopping at Kanpur. Night’s meal was South-Indian food at Vijaya Ramachandra’s home. Simple and very testy!

Last day of the exposure visit was enriched by visiting the UP’s capital city Lucknow. There the team visited the famous Bhulbhuleiya Rajmahal. Participants enjoyed the confusion of tracking their right path among 1,024 paths inside and realized the meaning of Bhulbhuleiya. Then they visited science city where they learnt scientific explanations of the regular occurrence in the nature.

We thank Asha Trust for their generous support in the endeavor of educating children in a most backward boarder area of Indo-Bhutan.

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