Understanding social challenges and problems is a crucial area based on which one can design the strategy to tackle them. Generally one finds organizations working on an issue just because there is someone to fund the activity. S.I. believes in first understanding the dimensions of the problem that a particular society or segment of the society is facing and then planning accordingly. Here are some case studies:
1. Sewa International – Research on Social Issues:
Sewa International, Delhi had conducted two evaluation studies for the Government of India with its qualified team of researchers. The Ministry of Tribal Affairs had assigned a research project on "Efficacy of Government and Non-government developmental programs for the development of a primitive tribe Birhor", in Jharkhand in the year 2002. Researchers prepared a set of questionnaire, visited Hazaribagh in Jharkhand and studied in detail about the problems of Birhor tribe and the impact of governmental and non governmental programs on their life. Report has already been presented to the Ministry. The Ministry has acknowledged the seminal work done by SI and has used the observations and findings suggested by the study in formulating future developmental projects for the development of the primitive tribes of India.
The second study assigned to Sewa International was on "Governmental programs for the development of Scheduled Castes": A comparative study of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh sponsored by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in the month of May 2003. The final report, based on field study has been presented to the Ministry. Both research studies were rated highly by the Ministry as well as by the academic community. Sewa International intends to take up few more such studies in future. Through these studies, Sewa International highlights certain developmental issues and makes recommendation for policy implementation and program implementation to the Government of India.
Study - I
Efficacy of Governmental & Non Governmental Programs for the Development of Birhor: A Case Study of Hazaribagh District, Jharkhand State:
Birhor tribe is one among the 75 tribes, identified by the Government of India, as primitive tribal groups. The primary objective behind taking up this case study was not just to find out various problems being faced by the Birhors, or causes for their underdevelopment, but trying to analyze and suggest some concrete measures that can be taken up for their faster development and quicker implementation of development schemes relating to them.
This tribal group is found in the Chhotanagpur region, mainly Hazaribagh and Ranchi districts in the state of Jharkhand. This group has a primitive lifestyle based on nomadic hunting, food gathering, rope making, etc. The word “Birhor” is derived by combining two Mundari terms: “Bir” means forest while “hor” means man. Thus Birhor means ‘forest man’ or ‘people living in the forest’.
As an outcome of the study conducted by the researchers, there are few areas such as housing, employment generation, education and health, which have to be given priority while formulating the action plan for their development.
Few points suggested under each head are as follows:
a) Action Plan for Housing:
- Instead of building few houses here and there, they should be made in bigger cluster at one place.
- They should be provided at least two room accommodation with an open verandah which can also be used as kitchen.
b) Action Plan for Employment Generation and Economic Development:
- Agriculture is the best area for them to provide employment and economic development, for which the land provided to them, should be made cultivable through plough at least once by tractor.
- Proper irrigation facility should be made available and subsidy should be provided if needed for the same.
- Good quality seeds and manure should be provided on a priority basis.
- Identify new areas of vocation as per their interest and train them to execute properly.
- Provide proper market place to sell their produce.
c) Action Plan for Health and Hygiene:
- Encourage kitchen gardening to increase intake of more and more green leafy vegetables.
- Encourage use of Neem oil for external application which will prevent them from malaria.
- Train more Birhor women as midwives so that they can learn about hygienic methods of safe delivery and reproductive health.
- Create awareness about the importance of bathing, as they seldom have proper bath.
d) Action Plan for Educational Development:
- No action plan can be successful without making people aware of the developmental programs and the importance of such plans. This can be achieved through following measures.
- Opening night schools in their residential colonies.
- Starting a day care centre for Birhor children in every colony, who can be taken care of while parents are away to the jungles and can be sent to school during the day time.
- Financial assistance and encouragement should be provided for studies especially for the girl child and also have hostel facilities for children who wish to pursue higher studies.
Study - II
Efficacy of Governmental Programs for the Development of Scheduled Castes: A Comparative Study of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh:
Social structures of two newly formed states, within the union of India, were worth understanding with various combinations of castes and other factors, for Sewa International. Thus Sewa International chose the two newly formed states i.e. Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, which are tribal dominated states and the scheduled castes form a smaller group in both the states. Does this factor play some role in developmental politics? Are the smaller groups, which enjoy state patronage of a kind in other states, get lower share of the benefits? Considering these factors, Sewa International chose these two states for study & research.
The main thrust of the study was based on three major points in both the states:
a) Socio-economic condition
b) Developmental programs for their welfare
c) Impact of development programs/schemes.
Researchers of Sewa International conducted a thorough study on the above mentioned aspects and succeeded in providing a recipe for the better implementation of the programs for their development. For conducting the study three blocks in each of the districts Ranchi in Jharkhand and Raipur in Chhattisgarh was selected.
Few recommendations that Sewa International made to the Government of India on the basis of findings by its research team are as mentioned:
- Awareness about development programs should be given priority.
- Village school committee should be formed to assess teacher’s performance at the village school and scholarships for the children should be provided through such village committees.
- Protective measures and social security programs should be made flexible and easy assessment to the people.
- There should be fixed time to release funds from offices.
- Separate budget allocation should be made in the state budget for the scheduled castes, which will reduce the majority and minority dichotomy in developmental schemes.
- Proper monitoring, evaluation and impact assessment should be made periodically.
