Nilanjan wrote: Dear Sandeep, We discussed the Natpurwa proposal at the last Asha Boston meeting. We have the following follow up questions based on the proposal we recieved. We would appreciate a response to these questions as we require them before the project can be approved. Thanks Nilanjan Q1 WHat has been the effect of the Hindustan times article and its aftermath on the relationship between Neelkamal and Guddu and the rest of the people in the village. What leve lof support can they still expect? How will the villagers follow Neelkamal and Guddu's advice if they don't trust them after the HindustanTimes incident? Q2 Could we have insights from people in Asha-India about this project? Did you have discussions about the exact way this project can be run? We are looking for some detailed plans -- of any exist Q3 What is the level interest of the villagers in this other than the people involved in the project? Do they want anything beyond education and healthcare? Do they support or oppose this in anyway? Are they supportive or simply neutral? Q4 Do Neelkamal and Guddu have relevant experience in this kind of thing? WHat kind of support would they require and where are they expecting to get it from? Q5 Health issues: What is the situation in terms of AIDS and other health issues in that area? Q6 Details on finances and budget. Are there more details behind some of the numbers? Q7 Who will teach the children? How many children are they atrgeting? How will the teachers be recruited? What would be the admissions policy Q8 What is the beekeeping experience? WHo has this experience and what are the risks of failure? I would appreciate your response to these questions. Please let me know if you need clarifications. Thanks Nilanjan ------------------------------ dear nilanjan, here are point wise replies: (1) the people were temorarily angry with the police raid in their village. but a number of families sincerely want this business to stop. since neelkamal and guddu belong to the village slowly they accepted the idea. if it was done by an activist from outside it would have become very difficult for them to work. but neelkamal and guddu belong to the families which have been in the business (guddu doesn't know who his father is!) it is easier for them to work. the villagers cannot afterall deny the fact that these youth are also residents of their village. they have to come to terms with the reality that these two youth have taken up a cause and respond accordingly. our analysis is that a small section will support, the smaller players in the game of prostitution (the middlemen, lower level policemen who have been part of racket, etc.) will get deterred whereas the bigger players having links to mumbai and duabi will possibly pose a threat one day. most of the common villagers will just stand by and be neutral. (2) the project has been taken up after detailed discussions among ourselves - the lalpur team. everybody else is aware of it although no formal discussion has taken place in an asha meeting. deatiled plans do not exist as of now. we are going to work with SEWA (in lucknow) to impart training to women of this village in chicken embriodery work with an objective to create alternative employment for them. (3) several meetings have taken place since last septmeber and have been well attended (25-40 people every time). some prostitues also attended meetings which were conducted by women volunteers like parmita and arundhati. we are starting with education, health care, library and alternative employment and will see how it evolves. if any new needs are expressed they will be addresses appropriately. (4) neelkamal and guddu were advised to be with the lalpur team for a year before they plunged themselves in their own village. this last year has been used to expose them to arious kind of experience to become mature social activists. neelkamal has spent time with senior social activist in varanasi ajit singh who has had a long experience in dealing with the issue of rights of prostitues. guddu spent time in raja talab to learn how to form self help group for women. neelkamal underwent a training programme in acupressue method of healing. guddu walked with me through in the recently concluded peace march. both neelkamal and guddu have underwent the beekeeping training programme in kaithi. they are dependent primarily on us both for material as well as ideas support. (5) the first meeting on AIDS is going to be organized on 27th july by two gyneacologists from lucknow. this will be followed by a series of meetings. (6) that's all we have for now. (7) neelkamal, guddu and one other volunteer narendra will teach. guddu will have the additional responsibility of coordinating the activities of the entire area. he will keep in regular touch with the asha ashram at lalpur (10 km from natpurwa). he is turning out to be a fantastic activist. 45 children are already there. the classes began on july 11th. anybody who comes will be addmitted. special care is being taken to ensure that all girls are enrolled in the school. (8) has already been answered. they have also seen beekeeping at lalpur for a year. at lalpur it has been going on for 2 years. please let us know if you have more questions. love, sandeep