1. Tribal Co-operative: Rights and Entitlement

Background: Project is aimed at helping Kondh Tribal farmers near Visakhapatnam to return to their original organic farming methods, gain fair market price on their produce, and raise awareness about their rights on forest lands and government schemes. The farmers lack access to the capital needed to be independent and are exploited by money lenders (@ >50% interest rate), forcing them to sell the produce to money lenders at much lesser/unfair price. Also, these circumstances lead farmers to move to cash crops from traditional food crops, relying more on buying food for consumption from outside, thus sacrificing their own community’s health. Farmers also lack awareness on government schemes for employment and entitlements.

Our goal is to strengthen the Tribal Co-operative through Rural Development Service Society (RDSS) that will,

• provide fair value for the organic produce to the farmers
• market the produce without ‘middle’ men
• pay the farmer on time
• provide financial assistance to train the operators of the Tribal Co-operative
• promote awareness on entitlement to farming land and farming food crops instead of cash crops

2. Jharkhand Tribal Children Education

Partly funded by the AID - East Bay Chapter

Background: Literacy rate in this poor tribal community in Jharkhand is only 10%, and children are unable to avail education within the Jharkhand education plan. The aim of the project is to create options for improving early education so children can continue higher education within the available mainstream system.

Objectives for use of funds

• Admit 50 children in this child growth center and special primary school
• Provide school dress, winter clothes, mid-day meals and learning/ teaching materials
• Create a ‘village education committee’ for quality education and attract funding from government education system
• To promote awareness among mothers of tribal children regarding educational issues as they are key elements of the family and community
• To support mothers so their children can get to the school for education
• Help the community with education, health, kitchen gardens, revitalizing tribal culture & setting up of CBOs for retention/continuation of project objectives

3. RTI on Wheels

Background: The ‘Right to Information (RTI)’ Act is an effective tool for seeking accountability, transparency, promoting people’s participation in government-related activities and strengthening India’s democracy. ‘RTI on Wheels’ refers to a multimedia vehicle that aims at taking RTI to the grassroots and empowering the common citizen to exercise this right.

This project started with a successful small automobile visiting over 3200 villages in various states, reaching a population of over 600,000 people. It is now expanding into a stronger outreach program with a larger mobile office, an online RTI application filing facility, RTI library and which conducts RTI ‘Bharat Yatra’, i.e., ‘Journey of India’ focusing on proactive disclosures of various authorities. Bharat Yatra aims at reaching all states to connect RTI user groups, commissions, bring awareness about section 4(1)b of the RTI act, and help citizens draft and file RTI. The project in essence promotes implementation of the ‘Right to Information (RTI)’ Act and brings it to the common citizen.

4. Eureka Education

Please visit www.eurekaschool.org for more information.