| Location: Jhalawar, Rajasthan |
| Number of Fellows: 1 |
| Language: Hindi |
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“When people talk about villages in urban areas there is a sense of nostalgia. It is not that everything is fine in villages. We have to do something to find a social, political and economic solution to problems, [so we can] live in harmony without exploiting each other. My vision is a world where there is no exploitation. Someday there will be a world like this.”
– Devendra Ji in conversation with 2009 Indicorps Fellowship Class
In 1986, an engineering graduate named Devendra Upadhyay (Devendra Ji) chose to return to his home village and begin farming. His wife, Sudhi Bhatnagar (Sudhi Ji), a trained social worker, joined him, and both Devendra and Sudhi became actively involved in the economic and social issues of the local community.
In 1992, irregularities in processing loans from the Government of India’s Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP) led the local community and Devendra Ji to establish Hum Kisan Sanghatan (HKS) - which literally translates as “We the Farmers.” HKS became a forum for discussion to coordinate protests against costly loopholes in the IRDP. For nearly two decades HKS has established a strong presence across 50 villages in Rajasthan’s Manohar Thana region, promoting civic awareness and local self-sufficiency.
HKS has chosen to evolve as a democratic and non-hierarchical organization, wherein decision-making is a collective exercise. When HKS built the Manthan School, for instance, farmers volunteered to contribute two hundred bricks, five bamboo stalks and five days of labor each for construction of the building. In the last four years, HKS has added two classrooms, one library hall and a work shed via a similar process of “sweat equity.”
As an organization, HKS engages in many village activities to create an informed and self-reliant community. Inculcating an ability among villagers to question and explore issues that affect them through research, reason, logic is one of the fundamental focus areas of HKS. In the past, the collective has fostered participation of villagers in “Activist School,” a workshop to encourage scientific thinking, including courses on the evolution of mankind, the history of economics, and gender issues.
HKS has five main streams of activity: education, livelihoods, culture, religious harmony, and effective governance. These activities interconnect with one another creating a holistic web of development programs. Combined they seek to increase the quality of life in the community by increasing the vibrancy, knowledge, self-sufficiency and societal integration of the people.
Need for Project:
HKS has promoted village libraries, resource centers, articles in its local magazine Harbolo, discussion groups, an awareness campaign, and an activist school to inculcate rational thinking and combat superstition. Two decades of continuous efforts in this area resulted in a populace more aware of the issues impacting their lives, as evinced by excited discussions of local, national, and philosophical issues. Core functions of the HKS programs are now handled by the villagers including teaching at the school, operating handlooms, planning local performances, running the mobile library and reporting and writing about local issues in magazine Harbolo.
While the social impact is apparent, the efforts have been relatively ad-hoc. HKS seeks to structure its efforts, particularly with school children and community youth, to more cohesively create a lasting vibrant culture that values creativity, rational thinking, and personal responsibility.
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As an August 2010 Indicorps Fellow, you will develop methods and tools to develop scientific and rational aptitude in children and youth between the ages of 5 and 15. You will establish a science information center at the Manthan School and then expand its reach to nearby villages to educate youth on science and rational thinking. Changing mindsets is an inherently slow process and therefore, you will require patience throughout the process.
You should begin by understanding the local area and its educational system. Understanding local perceptions of scientific concepts and gaps in the schooling system will enable you to determine needs, judge interest levels, and better focus your efforts. Knowledge about community members and their views of science and rationalism can be gathered through village stays, attending local festivals, and observing classroom teaching.
You will design methods and tools for the science information center based on these learnings from the field. You should find outside resources such as governmental or private institutions that may be able to assist in developing material for the science information center. You should also engage school children and youth in this process to give them ownership and ensure the sustainability of the project.
Target Community:
The target community includes children and youth between the ages of 5 to 15 in five villages around Jhiri. Most children and youth come from marginal or landless farmers’ families. A typical day is spent helping out with the agriculture and household chores. Younger children attend local schools. Local sports are very popular among children and youth.
Objectives:
• To create ways to encourage rational thinking and problem-solving in youth and children
• To establish a science information center and a curriculum that imparts an appreciation of science and the scientific method
Challenges:
• Engaging youth and children whose school lessons and home chores may seem more pressing
• Being sufficiently persuasive in offering alternatives
• Conveying your point without being condescending or offending others
Team-Based Model:
Each project is designed as a three-way partnership between you, Indicorps, and the partner organization. Each grassroots partner organization – in this case HKS – will be hosting two to four Fellows. Consequently, the August 2010 Fellowship will have both an individual and a team component.
As a team of Indicorps Fellows, you will assist in HKS’ efforts for community empowerment. Team members will focus on different areas including inculcating rational thinking in children and youth, inspiring social change through use of media and art, and building capacity of a women weavers community.
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