MANUSKI PROJECT

OUTLINE• Problems: caste, growing inequality and

social tensions, implications, and social transformation

• Manuski Project: Evolution, Goal and Purpose

• Major areas of Manuski intervention

• Significant developments

• Strengths

• Future trends

The problem of caste (1/2)

The situation of Dalits not changed very much

The social tension is on rise

Increasing cases of atrocities

Caste breeds economic inequalities

Caste inhibits full participation in the society

The problem of caste (2/2)

It is against development of human personality

The Governmental response is not up to the mark and most of the policies are not executed in their letters and spirits

Widespread illiteracy affects fundraising skills and advocacy of the issues

Widespread poverty leads to enslavement

GROWING INEQUALITY • Share in GDP is not significant• Level of inequality increased enormously—

– Essentially all of benefits of growth have gone to the top

– Some facts: • The people living below poverty line remains

the same• The incidences of deaths due to mal-nutrition

and proper health care are on rise – Levels of poverty also up– Trend that had begun in early 90s after

globalisation did not benefit the Dalits

SYMPTOMS OF SOCIAL TENSIONS

Increasing number of cases of atrocities all over India

Opposition to constitutional rights of Dalits by the high castes

THE IMPLICATIONS

• Social (social tensions, hatred, social fabric torn and violence on rise)

• Economic (poverty, low life expectancy, low literacy)

• Political (absence of economic and social democracy)

Mere social work is not enough, what is needed is social transformation

The normal service delivery approach of social work does not work:

• Many social and economic projects conceived by state and other agencies even so;– The Dalits remains the poor– Soaring health, sanitation, and education related

problems of Dalits– Prejudices comes into play and hinders development

• The Dalits are the most exploited people in India and caste operates subtly and psychologically – Children and women worst affected“SOCIAL TRANFORMATION THROUGH DEVELOPMENT

AND FRATERNITY”

Manuski Project: Evolution (1/2)

• Lokamitra working in India since 1977 developing both Dhamma (TBMSG) and social work (BH) projects

• But in 1998 decided to work differently to go beyond the confines of TBMSG and to share experience with others, evolving three areas of work: >>> Establish NTI to train people from all over India in Buddhism and social work>>> Communication with other Indian Buddhists and Buddhists abroad>>> Working with & strengthening people/organisations focused on Dalits through Jambudvipa Trust

Manuski Project: Evolution (2/2)

• And in subsequent years, Jambudvipa trust developed Manuski project

• Manuski project begins in 2003

• Unique approach for social transformation based on Buddhist vision

Manuski Project: Goal

To help Dalits become free of the material and psychological obstacles to their full participation in a caste free society as envisioned by Dr. Ambedkar.

Manuski Project: Purpose

Dalits participate in, initiate and lead dharma and constructive social work

Making Dalit focused organisations effective: capacity strengthening

• Imparting fundraising skills• administrative and legal skills • social work and service training

Making Dalit focused organisations effective: Information and networking

Resource• a resource and information bank to underpin

capacity strengthening and training activities• establishing an infrastructure for effective training

of social workers through workshops and seminars

• maintenance and development of contacts in the social, political and administrative fields

• activities to bring together Dalit-focused groups for mutual sharing of experience and to promote a much needed sense of solidarity

Making Dalit focused organisations effective: Training women social

workers and leaders

Responding to natural and man-made disasters

• Establishing a network of NGOs able to provide a special focus on under-served groups in response to catastrophes

• Developing guidelines and agreed methods of working in response to emergencies

Creation for resource base for ongoing Dhamma and social work

activities• Establishing a foundation to underpin the

activities of Nagaloka, the Gujarat earthquake work, Bor Dharan and the Samata Mahila Trust

• Developing financial reserves that are accessible as a fund for emergency relief work for Dalits at the time of natural calamities

Ongoing activities at Manuski (1/2)

• Work with Dalit NGOs regularly to develop proposals

• Training workshops and seminars • Maintenance and development of contacts in

the political and social fields • Collection and cataloguing of information

resources• Production of documentation to support

fundraising • Fundraising trips to Taiwan, and elsewhere

Ongoing activities at Manuski (2/2)

• Dhamma classes and retreats in both Marathi and English language

• Lectures on Buddhism in different parts conducted by Manuski team members

• Hosting people from all over the world and from different Buddhist traditions

Significant developments (1/6)• Creation of Manuski network that comprises over

100 NGOs in Pune and Marathwada region• Emerging network of women activists in Mumbai

and Pune region• Beginning of Manuski work in Mumbai aftermath

Mumbai flood, 17 Community Based Organisations networked

• Activists from different states are getting involved and also trained (Bihar, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh)

Significant developments (2/6)• Reputed institutes like Tata Institute of Social

Sciences (TISS) seeking cooperation• Nodal state government agency, YASHADA,

involved in consultations at various levels• Working with students from Social Work colleges

sensitising them about caste and human right issues

• Three trainees from two states, Kerala and Gujarat, are being trained in Buddhism and Social work

• Since the beginning of Manuski project, more than 100 workshops/seminars on different issues were organised

Significant developments (3/6)• Gujarat Earthquake Rehabilitation 2002• Rehabilitation work after Tsunami 2004• Mumbai Flood Relief in 2005• Informal disaster network in AP and Orissa• Advocating for justice after Khairlanji

massacre, response from wide ranging communities

• Launching www.stopatrocity.com website as a helpline and resource to respond to caste based atrocities

Significant developments (4/6)

• Training organisations run by and for people living with HIV and AIDS

• Proposals were submitted to Global Human Rights (US) and Secours Populaire Francais (France), France and state government agencies like YASHADA

• Helping organisations to get access to funds (2 organisations got funding from Karuna and others were brought in contact)

Significant developments (5/6)

• Social Development Program initiated in 2006 to work with select NGOs

• Creation of significant faith among the Buddhist and Dalit officials in the state of Maharastra

• Increase in visibility due media coverage in leading National dailies, The Times of India and The Hindu

Significant developments (6/6)

• Partner organisation like SMS and Nagaloka trained in using various tools, notably Logframe approach

• Arranging international conferences (INEB 2005 and International conference on Dr. Ambedkar 2006)

Recent development: Khairlanji (1/2)• Khairlanji Massacre on 29.09.2006• Manuski comes out with fact finding report

10.10.2006• The report sent to thousands of individuals and

organisation both at national and international level

• Manuski team member creates a weblog to break the silence and keep people informed 11.10.2006

• Information circulated through pamphleteering

Recent development: Khairlanji (2/2)

• Modes of peaceful protests suggested• Community meetings conducted in Major

cities• Media sensitised through emails and phones• Local, national and International media was

assisted with information (BBC team briefed on 14.10.2006)

• Mass protest begins 29.10.2006• Manuski collected major documents and

even evidences

Strengths• Young, professional and dynamic team guided by

experienced people• Capacity to reach out to people without barriers

that affected communication in the past• Networking and good will amongst the

professional social workers, students and Community based organisations

• Technology savvy team• The team members come from the same

background taking the responsibility and becoming independent

• Availability of much needed infrastructureHowever, many areas to respond, but less

manpower

Future directions• Learning from and consolidating work done in the

past• Stress on Human Rights Advocacy and building

solidarity• Consensus building against caste through media

coverage and sensitisation• Advocacy for “mainstreaming caste” in the

development agenda of various agencies• Consultancy for international organisations on

issues related to Dalits and development• Training local NGOs by charging reasonable fees• Training women social workers in gender analysis• Using new technology and new media to keep

people informed and act efficiently

THANK YOU!!