Asha Meeting

07/15/2007

Attendees: Bharath, Gaurav, Ganesh, Santhosh, Arvind V., Sais, Prem, Mary, Sandhya, Priya, Mohit

Agenda:

1. Bharthi Trust (Santhosh) Review of last year, and new proposal - (http://www.ashanet.org/austin/projects/siddamma.html) - Santhosh

2. BJSA - (http://www.ashanet.org/projects/project-view.php?p=396) - Gaurav

1. Bharthi Trust (Santhosh) Review of last year, and new proposal - (http://www.ashanet.org/austin/projects/siddamma.html) - Santhosh

Introduction: 

Background of Irulas

• Group in TN area, traditionally snake & rat catchers
• Recognized as scheduled tribe by GoI
• Background of why Bharthi Trust was formed:
• Group formed by Siddamma to help education for Irula tribal children'
• Sarpams formed so Irulas could organize themselves and fight for their rights.   Sarpams were instrumental in releasing bonded laborers.
• Laws governing bonded labor in India:
• Officially abolished by Article 23 of Indian constitution.  Implementation is poor.  UN estimated 10 million adult bonded laborers, and 15 million child bonded laborers.
• Many Irulas were bonded laborers in rice mills.  About 150   rice mills in Red Hills area.  Working conditions are deplorable.  Wages are much below legal min wage.   Many are illiterate and are conned into signing papers that put them in permanent bondage.  This is how the law is skirted.
• Bharthi Trust has received many awards for efforts regarding Irula bonded laborers
• Asha Austin's involvement
• Past – motivational centers
• Current – Fellowship, Resource Center, Project Freedom, Tsunami Relief & Rehab
• Last year, Siddamma visited the US

Bharthi Trust- Oganic Farming & Resource Center

• Many releasesd laborers had land allotments
• Organic farming is an attempt to address agrarian crisis, where small farmers are facing a lot of economic pressure
• Organic farming can help reduce input costs to operation, and help sustainability
• Resource Center provides place learning and experimenting

Reviews of this project

• 3 site visits between Jan 06 – Apr 07
• Conf calls most months
• Updates in meeting
• Discussions related to organic agriculture

Major Developments

• Reach out to local farmer community
• Irula families working at resource center
• School structure almost complete
• Good groundnut & sunflower yields

Estimated Budget From 2006

• Total – Rs. 21 lakhs
• Austin support was $21,220 (Rs. 937,392)
• What happened with funds, and what are we reviewing?

Aspects where funding was actually used for:

Cow & Cattle Shed

* Used for organic manure production

* Estimated cost: Shed – Rs. 60,000, (6) Cows – Rs. 60,000 (total)

* Actual cost: Shed – Rs. 71,095, (4) Cows – Rs. 53,570 (total)

Erosion Control

* Construction to control erosion, and direct water to holding pond.   Torrential rains had caused some problems.

* Estimated cost: None, as this was an unexpected problem

* Actual Cost: Rs. 97,576

Ox

* Purpose – plowing and transport

* Estimated cost – Rs. 28,000 (1 ox + cart)

* Actual cost – Rs. 18,500 (2 oxen)

Travel Expenses

* Training, material transport

* Estimated cost – Rs 120,000

* Actual cost – Rs. 61,069

Field Worker Salary

* (5) workers at Rs 2,000

* Estimated cost – Rs. 150,000

* Actual cost – Rs. 103,250

Land

* Estimated Cost – Rs 1,300,000 (10 acres) + 190,000

* Actual Cost – Rs 1,500,000 (13 acres + 8 acres of wetland)

Estimates can be inaccurate, especially with travel, and when budgeting far into the future.  It is important to understand the purpose of the expenditure, and why the estimate was off   - rather than just looking at the numbers.  It is reasonable to expect these sorts of changes, and acceptable provided motivations and reasons are in line.   Murali suggested that the project partner should give us a "head's up" on when there are drastic changes in funding allocation from the original estimate.  

Santhosh will finish remainder of review, and the new proposal next week.

Q: What benefits to scheduled tribes get apart from education?

A: Reservation system, housing, loans.  There is a ministry set up for scheduled caste/tribe development

Q: Are children of Irula families at Resouce Center working?

A: No, only the parents work, and they are paid at least the legal min wage.

Q: Why only 4 cows purchased?

A: There was embezzlement of funds that was shared in a previous meeting. 

Q: Who else supports Bharthi other than Asha?

A: AID, also an organization from Belgium, .

Q: Does travel come under Fellowship funding?

A: Not for travel related to Resource Center.  Fellowship is more for personal expenses, could include travel that is family related, ie taking children to college, etc.

Side note: There used to be a rule that 18% of deposits in banks had to be given as loans to the agricultural industry.   This changed in mid-90's as India deregulated banking industry.  As a result, many banks left the rural areas.  Farmers had trouble getting loans for their work, and had to turn to money lenders who charged high interest rates.   This is one cause of high farmer suicides, and agrarian crisis.

2. BJSA - (http://www.ashanet.org/projects/project-view.php?p=396) - Gaurav

Brief Background:

BJSA is a school Asha Austin supports in UP. 

Caters to Dalit and lower caste communities.

Austin has been supporting since 2003

Currently, school goes up to Class 5

2 Teachers, with 64 children

Supported through SAC program ($5/month per child)

Gaurav has Budget for Academic Session July 2007 – June 2008 in a prior meeting. See following link for budget

http://www.ashanet.org/projects-new/documents/396/Budget_2007_08.pdf

BJSA is involved in other activities ie RTF, women's empowerment etc, but Asha Austin is only supporting the school at this site.

Update on Budget Review Issues

Building structure:

* The land belongs to a community individual, not the organization

* They will plan on building on this land, hoping that issues don't arise with land owner – as owners children themselves study in the school.   No support is required from Asha.

Teachers Salary

* Because of late disbursal, teachers only received 1500/month instead of the stated 2000/month.   Teachers were okay with the difference going to support the school

* They were supposed to be paid retroactively, but they were not.   Also, some salary payments were not regular.  One teacher was not in support of the school construction.  The payment of salary is a big concern.

* Coordinator will confirm support, or reimburse teachers.

* Learning point – it is good to have more than one contact at the project

* Gaurav will do some more follow up.

* Discussion was had on teacher's salaries.  Should it go up? 

* There is a plan to add a 3rd teacher.

Teacher Training

* About Rs. 300 per teacher per day

Q: Do all children from this community come to this school?

A: At least up to Class 5.  After that not sure what happens.

Q: Is there a govt school in the area with better infrastructure etc?  And could we provide better support by providing transportation to this school?

A: Need to find out more about this.

Vote taken on approving budget and disbursing first 6 month amount.  Funds have been collected through the SAC program.

For: 7, Against:0,  Abstain:2

Budget passed