Archive for April, 2010
The June 09 Workshop for Partners
Nisha explaining the Elevator Speech
During a Session
Simulating Equality and Equal Opportunity
Group Photo
Foundation for Social Transformation: enabling north east India (FST) and North East Network ( NEN) together organised a 3 day Partners’ Workshop on Organisational Development from the 5th to the 7th June 2009 at the Rural Research Training Centre (RRTC), Umran, Meghalaya. The objective was to provide
q inputs from top quality resource persons with proven training experience on need based topics[1]
q opportunity for meeting, networking, learning and sharing each others’ experiences and building alliances and solidarity in the partners’ programmes
q exposure to good practices in rural development work from the model plots and farms for agriculture, horticulture, livestock, poultry etc at RRTC Umran
q time and space for relaxation and introspection about potential for social transformation through ongoing and new projects and programmes.
A total of 34 persons including grantees, individual fellows and partners of FST and NEN and their staff members attended the workshop and participated enthusiastically and actively in the workshop, as evident from the intense discussions during the sessions, voluntary involvement in the logistics and arrangements, encouraging and honest feedback given by them at the end of the workshop. (Ref Annexure). The most popular were Jennifer Liang’s afternoon session on the continuum of NGO strategies , Mr. Anil Baranwal’s tips on FCRA and Income Tax and Nisha Purushottaman’s training on communication and documentation.
Late evening screenings of topical documentary films, slide shows and presentations of Individual Fellows were an additional attraction. Many heard Robes Nongbri, assisted by Mary describe his work on traditional medicines and plants in Mawphlang, see Ratumoni Das’ art work and listen to Babul Gogoi speak on potential for citizens’ journalism using common ICT devices like mobile phones etc.
A pre dinner recreation programme on the 6th evening was a hit, with young dancers from the Ferrando Centre for Speech and Hearing stealing hearts as they danced and ‘signed’ songs and the melodious singing of the smart college students of Bethany Society inspired Rabiul to play the guitar as Mary, Samhita, Akole sang along to be joined soon by Lamphrang with soulful Khasi love songs and Diana and Mawsdawngliani’s Mizo version of Ave Maria. A fitting finale was the Assamese contingent’s Bihu dance to music from Babul Gogoi’s computer.
New friends were made, addresses, emails and invitations exchanged. Ideas for marathons and fundraising contemplated !
CDs were collectively burned till late night on the last day ensuring that everyone returned with a copy of all the presentations, photographs and information shared during the workshop.
[1] Rights based approach by Jennifer Liang and colleagues from IDeA-the ant , Bongaigaon
Accounting and Financial Management by Anil Baranwal from Account Aid, New Delhi
Communication and Documentation by Nisha Purushottaman from Institute of Fundraising and Philanthropy, Bangalore.
The NE Millets Consultation
We collaborated with North East Network, Deccan Development Society and the Millets Network of India to hold a most interesting program – a NE Consultation on Millets on the 24th and 25th March at the ICAR Barapani Conference Hall.
We had little over 30 participants from 6 states of the region. What was interesting was that the participants cut across different sections of society and included, economists, agricultural scientists, nutritionists, farmers practising millet cultivation in Andhra Pradesh and Meghalaya and representatives of NGOs working directly and indirectly on natural resource management and food security linked issues.
At the end of the two days I think we were able to sense a small but significant shift in attitudes towards millets. There was an appreciation of its relevance and potential as a nutritious food that was and still is, part of the traditional food culture of the parts of the NE; an agreement of the need to study and understand why millets are slowly disappearing from the plates of the people; an understanding of the versatility of this crop in adapting to climate change, grow quickly in harsh conditions and add to the food security of our region; a realisation of the need to advocate for inclusion of millets into the PDS and in the Mid Day Meal Schemes as well in the proposed National Food Security Act.
The participants agreed to take steps at different levels to revive interest and cultivation of this crop in the north east region. This will include research studies, writing articles and sharing information, p
A formal report is being drafted and will be formally pubished by DDS whose amazing Community Media Trust team documented the entire proceedings More information is available at the websites of DDS and MINI at www.milletindia.org, www.ddsindia.com .
