lss_logo

lss_logo

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Work update: more photos and US incorporation

Hi all, I'm just writing to give a quick update on the work in the field and some developments in the US. I'm very excited to have new photos from the youth technology groups.

So, let's start there. We have the 5 groups set up now, for the 5 computers we currently have in our possession (two of which are a special desktop system with two monitors, keyboards and mouses). 3 of the computers are laptops that were donated by James Arnott, my brother Denny, and D. Quan, so I want to thank them so much for their donations. Their computers are already seeing action, as you can see in the photos below. Note that these are fresh photos taken by the field workers. This is another payoff to my visit to India, as I showed the workers how to compress photos so they could send them over their slower internet connection.










The three new groups where the laptops are being employed are in the villages of Pando, Amloda, and Kukrela. The first two groups, employing the dual desktop system, are in Barwara and Mohan Gujar ki Dhani. I don't have numbers for the three new groups, but a few weeks back the numbers for Barwara group were 13 girls and no boys, and for Mohan Gujar ki Dhani it was 18 girls and 13 boys. We are trying to get the girls' groups started first, as perhaps the biggest sub-theme of all of our work is women's empowerment. As I've said in the past, I am exceedingly happy that there has not been much resistance to getting the girls in these youth technology groups, as I was expecting to have to fight for it given the how socially conservative the village area in Rajasthan is. I think this is a testament to the work that Rohitash and Gopal have done in the area, especially with micro-finance groups, as these have brought women out into the open and given them more of a voice. Given the recent report put out by the TrustLaw ranking India as one of the top 5 worst places for women, this is crucial work being undertaken by very experienced workers who were doing this before it was widely recognized as being so important. I'm very happy to have Rohitash and Gopal on the LSS staff.

As for the technology group in general, we have found very positive responses from the students, their parents, and even a school official from a local school that one of the workers talk to. They all see the need for this computer education to give their students a leg up. The parents are sending their boys and girls and are excited for the program. The students are excited to learn about computers and are working hard in the classes. So, we're very happy about the positive feeling to start the program, which is never a given when you introduce something new. We are working on sustaining this positive feeling by developing strategies for how we'll run the classes when the students are in school (it's summer break in India right now as well) and by developing a time line for introducing new programs for the students to learn. The beginning progression will be paint, then word, then excel. After that the program is open and we'll have to think about what we want to do. However, I think the first three programs will be immensely helpful to students, especially those considering going to university. Something else I am look into is typing software like school-age kids in the US to do improve their typing speed. Based on my experience in India many typers are one finger typers, so such training would be useful. We are open to suggestion, so if you've read about something please let us know! The program will evolve over the next couple years as we try to find things that work and then try to apply for some grants or monies from businesses to support the model that emerges. So far, very happy with the results.


Another picture from our visit to Kukrela. This is when the women decided to dress Meg up in traditional Rajasthani clothing. Fun interaction.


Picture from Kukrela. I believe that is Grant Larsen's arm to the left.

Before I get onto US business, I wanted to mention that we have microfinance groups running in the 5 villages in which we have the computer groups and also the village of Berki. Some villages have multiple groups, as we limit the size to 20 members to keep them tractable. We will slowly expand into other villages, as there is a lot of demand already. We want to go slowly so that we operate within our current constraints and only expand as we have the human and capital resources. I think with the two workers we can probably support double, maybe triple the number of groups we have now, perhaps more. Also, I will be posting an example of the rules and regulations created by a specific microfinance group in the coming weeks. I have to translate a 4-page document from Hndi, so it'll take a little while but I think this will be useful for you to see.

Finally, on the US front we are getting some important work done. Meg is working on the website which we think will be up in July, so that'll be exciting. Much of what I've put on this blog will be formalized and put in specific spots on the website so that it'll be easier to access. I think we'll also have a spot for tracking the different loans that are being taken out by MFG members with perhaps accompanying photos.

Another exciting thing is that we have good momentum going on filing for non-profit status in CO, with plans to submit our papers on the weekend of the 4th of July. After this, if we get approval, we will work on getting 501(3)(c) status from the federal government, with hopes to get the paperwork submitted in September. Obviously all of this subject to many bumps along the way, but I'm investing some serious time on looking up the laws and regulations for non-profits and how we can make the transition from an informal organization to non-profit corporation. The process of setting up a transparent, efficient organization will surely be a learning process, but one that I look forward to greatly. I can think of no better use of my time.

That's it for all. I want to again thank all the people who have given to our organization. Your support is invaluable to our functioning (3 out of the 5 youth technology groups are running with donated laptops!) as an organization and I hope you enjoy the photos of your material support in action.

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Long-term strategy and organizational mission


Gopal Singh playing with a baby at the same MFG group meeting. This is typical. Interaction with groups members and their kids is an important part of building the relationship between LSS and the village.


Gopal Singh writing in the ledger for the MFG in Kukrela during our most recent visit.


Grant Larsen at Kukrela MFG meeting.


Meg Fowler at Kukrela MFG meeting.

Hi all, I'm writing today to talk about the long-term strategy and focus of our organization, Lok Sahbhagi Sanstha, or Public Participatory Institution. I have mentioned most of it here already in the past, but through conversations while I was in India, we have distilled it into succint statements (which I will expand on below).

Our current mission statement: "Community empowerment through microfinance and technology."

Let's go through what this mission statement entails. Community empowerment means that we are not trying to "help" these people by giving them things from our pockets, but instead we engage them in a process of self-improvement that is driven and sustained by their own conversations and efforts. Through this process they feel empowered. Right now our primary area of work is in microfinance, through the microfinance groups for women that we run, and youth technology education. This explains the mission statement.

I would say this mission statement accurately reflects our current work and in some sense our plans for future expansion, but most likely it will be revised in a couple years. The primary reason for this is that we also plan on working in environmental management, especially water harvesting. For this work we need large block grants, since it typically involves a lot of labor to build the necessary water harvesting structures (dams, ditches, various types of barriers). We will wait until our three-year "trial period" required by the Indian government is over before we try to apply for such capital intensive projects. In a sense this work will involve technology, since we'll often bring in engineers to help design the water harvesting structures. However, most of the work will be manual and will be using earthen structures, so to see it would not bring visions of technology per se. Nonetheless, we believe this is the most appropriate mission statement for the organization at the present.


Grant and Ghalib working on the content of the brochure

Now, directly from the brochure is how we as an organization see our work:

Lok Sahbhagi Sansthan (LSS), or Public Participatory Institution (PPI), is a non-government organization registered under the Rajasthan Society Registration Act, 1958. With its head office based at the village Khora, Shahpura, Jaipur, it has started working primarily in the fields of Technical Education, Microfinance and Natural Resource Management.

The organization enjoys the benefit of several regular and irregular young and highly experienced members.

The members have rich experience with implementing many such programs at the community level and are capable in realizing novel ideas in the field.

LSS aims to sensitize and encourage people, especially youths, to go to schools and provide venues where they can learn how to handle and do work on computers efficiently. The goal is to open up new venues of livelihoods for them and thereby pick up the pace of their developmental process. Different centers for free computer education are being set up in the villages.

The current area selected by LSS lags behind in terms of education, technical education and job venues. The basic facilities for education, health and electricity are also poor in the whole selected area. LSS encourages the villagers to come out of their houses and to work together for their development and actively participate in the ongoing developmental processes.

Programs and Activities

Enabling poor youths to make use of technology and providing some venues to have technical knowledge and skills.

Imparting computer education through opening computer education centers in villages.

Facilitating villagers in the formation of Microfinance Groups (MFGs), in which local women pool resources to provide microfinance for each other.

Sensitizing people regarding natural resource conservation and management.

Conservation of forest, wild life and fauna and flora of the region.

"We become uncomfortable when we see that certain sections of societies are not in a position to keep up the pace of development while others are quite comfortably maintaining the pace. Identifying reasons for this and removing them is our priority."




Rohitash and I discussing our long-term plans and hopes for LSS


Finally, a quick word on our organizational structure. LSS is a development group, of which I am a part. My role is as an advisor on matters technical and with regards to the long-term vision of the organization, coordinator of international outreach, and fund contributor. Rohitash and Gopal run the office in India and run all of the microfinance groups and youth technology groups. For decisions of importance to the running of the organization and its long-term strategy, we three discuss the matter and agree upon a way forward, perhaps with input from others with experience. For day-to-day operations in India, obviously Rohitash and Gopal make the decisions, though if it seems that there is an issue that comes up that needs discussion they of course mention in our frequent phone call and email discussions. I trust these two tremendously and think anyone who has worked with them can vouch for their honesty, passion, toughness, and desire to bring development to the village area, where they and their families reside.