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!!
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