NT IV Phase
The New Thrust - a program of empowering the people's organizations through enhanced livelihood with rights based approach across Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry for the last 11 years (currently walking in the final stage of phase IV) is marching towards attaining its goal with many realistic and positive changes in the minds, lives and culture of the marginalized and excluded communities who are organized as Fish-Workers, Agri-based Workers and Women. The phase IV of the program took a definite turn in its strategy as strongly recommended by the evaluation of phase III, of strengthening people's federations into Community Based Organizations (CBOs) at union levels for negotiating and achieving livelihood enhancement through rights based approach as guided by the identified RSOs (Resource Support Organizations). The glimpses of some of the special efforts and achievements of our team apart from usual functioning of the CBOs are brought in here in this report.
Goal
Inclusion of the marginalized people into action towards social transformation
Objectives
- To Facilitate DSSSs staff members for cross learning through Zonal review Meetings.
- To Provide experiential learning for the members of the union CBOs on sustainable livelihood and right activities through exposure programme.
- To enable union CBOs federate at District levels and address issues of macro nature through networking with likeminded organizations.
- To enable leaders to have interfacing with state level officials.
- To facilitate RSO experts of DSSSs to acquire common thinking, ideology and approach and strengthen their roles & responsibilities in the process.
- To enable RRSO members to plan for regional level activities.
- To enhance the capacities of staff and leaders on market techniques.
Activities
Workshop on Livelihood for RRSO
A Workshop on Livelihood was conducted for the RRSO members with the technical inputs of Mr.Arumugam, Trainer Consultant, Chennai with the objective of enabling RRSO members in order that they enable CBOs to learn the skills and earn a substantial income for upholding their economical and social status and thereby for negotiating for their human dignity with rights based approach. The workshop helped the RRSO members to orient the DSSS and RSO members rightly to guide on enhancing the skills and techniques in value additions and marketing strategies.
Midcourse Evaluation
The mid course evaluation was conducted from 15th July to 16th Aug. 2010 by Mr.A. Gregory, Voice Trust, Trichy, Mr. Thirunavukkarasu, Research Asst., Gandhigram, Dindigul, and Ms. Gayathri, Development Consultant, Trichy who visited every individual DSSSs and assed their performance. This evaluation as an appraisal of the efforts and activities of the CBOs and DSSSs revealed the areas of attention and relevance in the specified strategies of the CBOs and DSSSs.
Some of the major findings and observations of the Evaluation:
- New Thrust concept is clearly understood by staff and CBO Members. They have realized the importance of people's movements.
- The commitment to encourage formation of CBOs by DSSS is highly valued. The DSSSs guide CBOs regularly with ideas and actions. RSO consists of relevant experts who are able to guide CBOs more on right based issues and livelihood enhancement.
- The articulation skills and ownership attitudes of people's organization members and the problems and issues that they have addressed and resolved are appreciable. But CBOs still need to be strengthened with larger network and activities. DSSS / TASOSS have to capacitate the CBOs / SHGs to evolve strategic plan to lobby their problems and issues for the reason that there might a situation arise in future that the people become frustrated if they failed in their efforts due to lack of capacity.
- New Thrust program though might look like one of the projects but in fact is with its unique approach of involving outside experts in empowering the poor and marginalized. The management is making all attempts to make a success in this regard. The staff members are very keen in materializing the objectives. The CBOs are performing to the expectations. Right based approach is picking up. Sustainable Livelihood activities need much attention in all unions.
Trainings on Regional Issues and Networking
In order to provide an in-depth analysis of the regional issues and to explore possible networking avenues for addressing the issues, a two day training program on Regional Issues and Networking was conducted at TASOSS in July 2010 by Dr. Victor Louis Andhuvan, Prof. Loyola College. Dr Victor Louis Andhuvan made clear about the economic situation of marginalized from the global perspective, focusing on environmental issues with current statistical data and information about social, economic and political realities which gave an analytical perspective about global, India and state situation. 50 participants from DSSSs and CBOs attended the program. The training helped the participants and the CBOs & DSSSs at the larger context to look at the identified regional issues with specific reference to their locality and culture. Relevant strategies for addressing such issues were discussed at the grass root level by the CBOs paving hope for an united strength and solidarity.
Training on Networking Strategies
An added training in line with strategizing the regional issues from grass-root level to the regional level was conducted by Dr.John Peter, Lecturer in St.Joseph's College, for which participants from 23 DSSSs staff members and 21 CBO leaders attended. Dr.John Peter focused on specific networking strategies and the avenues available for addressing issues through network efforts.
Exposure Programme on Livelihood Initiatives
An exposure program was done by 51 participants from CBOs and 24 DSSSs on learning the applied business values and skills of entrepreneurship programs promoted by a NGO "TIME AID"in Pondicherry. The participants acquired knowledge and skills on various IGP activities and entrepreneurial skills in various trades and enterprises.
Zonal Review Meetings
Zonal review meetings were conducted at the 5 zonal centers. Directors, staff and CBOs leaders were the participants of such meetings. Six months activities were reviewed and plan of actions were chalked out in the specified formats prepared by the staff team of TASOSS. The Zonal Review meetings helped the CBOs and DSSS to learn precision in their working strategies from each other. It also brought them recognition and appreciation for their performance in the process of enhancing their livelihood and human dignity.
Workshop on Impact Monitoring
A three day workshop on Impact Monitoring was arranged by MISEREOR with the technical support of ASK a training organization from New Delhi during January 2011. Mr. Kilesh was the main resource person to facilitate the workshop. The workshop helped the TASOSS team to understand the concepts and working skills on framing objective, indicators, output, outcome and impact. The workshop has helped the program team of TASOSS to learn to be smart in developing or assessing development concepts and programs.
NT IV Phase Evaluation:
TASOSS conducted an evaluation on the activities of NT- phase IV. Mrs. Berge Beate from Germany was the Prime Evaluator with two additional evaluators from inland i.e., Mr.Kurian, Chennai and Mrs.Gayathri, Trichy. The three evaluators along with logistical and programmatic support of Directors or TASOSS and DSSS, Staff members and CBOs visited 10 identified DSSSs. The team held meetings with DSSSs Directors, Staff members, RSO members, CBOs representatives and grass root members for about 20 days in the month of February, 2011. While the report is yet to come from the evaluators, the process revealed many strengths and challenges of the CBOs in enhancing their livelihood with rights based approach and sustaining their functioning with a long term vision. Also the process helped TASOSS team to assess their level of partnership with CBOs in building knowledge resource along with RRSO members.
