Site Visit Report
Ashish Chadha
July 2001

I met the founder of the group, (who is also the field director of the
Purullia Project) in Calcutta and had detailed discussion with him
about the project and about the Cry funding. The problem is that there
was a nearly Rs. 5 crore, shortfall in Cry's annually fund collection,
in the process they have drastically cut down funds of number of
organizations throughout the country or have completely stopped
funding projects. The Mandra Loins Club (MLC) in Purulia is one of the
only two projects Cry is still partially funding in Bengal, but they
have drastically cut down funding for most of their projects. 

I was not able to make the site visit as I have fallen ill and am not
keeping well. As the deadline for the Project Groups Meeting was
looming, I had a friend of mine - a development activist of 15 years
experience conduct the site visit and who gave me a first hand report
just yesterday. The note below is on the basis of my discussion with
MLC representative and site visit of my friend. 

MLC is working in one of the most backward part of the tribal district
of Purullia in western West Bengal. This area called the Ayodha Hills
is a hilly terrain heavily forested inhabited mostly by the Santal
Tribals, who have been ignored by the larger developmental work
conducted by the government due to the unapproachable terrain. I
visited this area in 1989 and can ascertain that this area is very
isolated and have seen very little developmental work either by
governmental agencies or by NGOs. As a matter of fact MLC is one of
the first NGO to have started work here. Their intervention is very
courageous as this is one area that the Naxalites are trying to
infiltrate and therefore the need of developmental work is very
essential. 

The MLC, began work in 1991, in Bagmudi block of Purullia district and
today they run numerous activity in both the plains and the hilly
terrain of Purullia district. The strategy adopted by them is that of
Integrated Development and they have intervened in areas like
education, health, income generations, saving groups, sustainable
farming and other areas. The details of which are in the annual report
that is with Bharat, he could probably give a summary during the
Project Groups Meeting. 

In their proposal they have asked funds for a whole lot of activity
but I have informed them that we will be able to fund only the
educational component, which comes to Rs. 1,81800 or $3952. The
educational component consist of 9 Pre-Primary and Special Educational
Centers. They are not NFE schools, but are schools that follow the
state curriculum and standards, but have not received the state
recognition. They are schools that provide education to children who
go to the primary schools in the area, but need Special schools as the
government schools do not run properly because in most government
schools, either the school teachers do not come regularly or the
schools are closed due to various problems. So for the students this
is the only means of education. They are planning to gain governmental
permission and transform some of their schools into governmental
recognized schools. 

The details of the budget break up are with Bharat who can help the
Group with details. 

My Recommendations:

We should fund the educational component of their project: Rs.181800
or  $3952 only. They are capable of getting fund from other
organizations to fund rest of their projects. Please do not decrease
the amount, than the above as I feel this is the basic minimum that
they require to keep the project afloat.  

We should fund this project as we can play an important role latter on
when they intend to make full-fledged recognized schools. Also this
project will give our chapter a balance vis-à-vis the infrastructure
funding that we have been doing. As this is a totally a request for
funding to run a project without any infrastructure component for one
academic year.  

The project complies will all our Priority Listing. It is in a tribal
hilly district. All the beneficiaries are tribal. It is away from an
Urban center. It is a small NGO with less than 10 lacs annual
funding. Also an important plus point of the schools is that majority
of the children are girl child which makes MLC’s intervention very
important. Percentage details with Bharat.  

Please take the decision about the project at this meeting as MLC are
utilizing personal funds of the members to run the schools. This is
nearly an SOS, or their projects will end in a few months.  
 

With a hope that this project will be funded.

With Regards, Ashish