Projects are the most important reason why AID exists! This word refers to the grassroots level work that AID conducts or funds at sites in India.
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.
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.
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.