Kondh tribal education project.

Project Received May 2002
Project Approved May 15, 2002  
Check Received July 2002
Project Began August 2002
The bay area approved this project to set up schools in 10 Kondh 
villages in Vishaka district, G.Madugula  Mandal, AP. The project 
duration is three years with a yearly budget of ~ $5300. This project 
is being jointly supported with Asha-Silicon valley.


Project proposal and other details:

http://www.aidsfbay.org/projects/kondh/index.html
NGO: Nisarga & Praja Chetana, Andhra Pradesh
Co-ordinators: Sharath (ssheg@yahoo.com) and Neerja 
(nbbhatt@hotmail.com)

Project overview and PC & CSH discussions

Kondhs are a primitive tribal group. The Kondhs living in 
Vishakhapatnam are originally from Koraput, Orissa and were displaced 
by various development projects. Being 'outsiders' they face 
discrimination even from other tribal groups, and are amongst the most 
marginalized. Their villages are remotely located, often not under any 
panchayat or block. They face a language barrier, they have no voting 
rights, ration cards and lack access to govt programs and even basic 
amenities. Very few of them are literate with most villages far from 
the nearest schools, and no schools of their own.

The NGO Nisarga works in the areas of sustainable rural development
with particular focus on helping small and marginal farmers,
gender equality, formal, non-formal and adult education, increase
volunteerism and organize the rural society 

The NGO Praja Chetana has worked with other tribals in the region, and 
their focus has mostly been land rights. They have been working with 
Kondhs since 1994. With their intervention the Kondh Tribal 
Coordination Committee was formed, and 180 families received ration 
cards and voting rights. 

Ajay Kumar, one of the key persons with Praja Chetana, is also known to 
AID through the Maduvulasa dam struggle, and the legal cell project the 
AID is supporting for the dam displaced. Ravi and Aravinda also work 
closely with him.

The two group's long term goal are to organize the Kondhs for their 
rights and develop leadership within the community. With this in mind 
they are planning to start schools in 10 Kondh villages. The eventual 
hope is to integrate students into tribal residental schools (run by 
ITD group) 

Project details
* Teachers will undergo a training program (bi-monthly). These will 
be from the local area, not necessarity Kondhs. They'll also work 
as community organizers and health workers. 
* Supervised by one full time programme coordinator 
* Teachers will reside in villages and will also serve as Community 
Organizers and Health workers. 
* Committee will be formed with village heads and it will supervise 
the organization of schools. 
* 25-30 students/school of 5-15 years age group. 
* Report will be prepared every 3 months 

Budget
Teacher's salary - 10*1500*12 - 1,80,000
Coordinator salary - 3500*12    42,000
travel               1500*12    18,000
training program 20 members*50*2*6  12,000
total - 2,52,000 ~ $5300.

Kiran Vissa visited the project and gave a very positive feedback.