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<strong>2016</strong><br />
action village india<br />
<strong>annual</strong><br />
report
co-chairs message<br />
The last year has been a full one, both for<br />
<strong>AVI</strong> in London and for our partners and<br />
projects in India. We were extremely sad to<br />
lose John Sayers, who died in November 2015.<br />
He had served <strong>AVI</strong> as Company Secretary<br />
since 2007 (and temporary Treasurer in 2015),<br />
honourably, reliably and meticulously, and<br />
is very difficult to replace.<br />
Increasing globalisation means that the reality of life for the poor in a ‘rich’ country like India<br />
is forgotten. As this report shows, <strong>AVI</strong> continues to do a fantastic job of keeping the needs and<br />
rights of marginalised people in India in focus for us in the UK, and providing practical support<br />
to, in 2015, some 50,881 people, through Indian partner NGOs.<br />
We are grateful to all our supporters, volunteers, especially those in Madras Café, our hardworking<br />
trustees, our auditor, Mike Jellicoe and ever helpful payroll volunteer, Jane Swain who together<br />
make the work possible.<br />
Last year’s strategic <strong>review</strong> provided a sound basis for the three-year Business Plan, setting the<br />
course for <strong>AVI</strong>’s work in the medium term. It included a staff restructure in the London office,<br />
which has almost been completed.<br />
Longstanding staff members Jaheda Begum and Mônica Britto Vidal left <strong>AVI</strong> in the spring. We<br />
thank them both for their hard work and commitment and wish them well. <strong>AVI</strong>’s new Director,<br />
Anna Griffiths, started in post in April, and was joined in July by Kate Osborne, who is coordinating<br />
communications, administration and finance. We are pleased to welcome them both, and appreciate<br />
their work in getting to grips with the organisation. Recruitment for a new Projects Manager is<br />
underway. This post-holder will take over Ivan Nutbrown’s work with <strong>AVI</strong>’s partners in India<br />
during the coming year. Ivan will continue to work as the monitoring officer for the Disability<br />
Rights Project in Jharkhand to the end of the project in 2018. Ivan has remained with <strong>AVI</strong><br />
throughout this transition and we are especially grateful for his crucial role in sustaining<br />
<strong>AVI</strong>’s work and in the handover. With our renewed focus and new staff team we are<br />
excited about the next phase of <strong>AVI</strong>’s life in continuing to assist the poorest<br />
and most marginalised sections of communities in rural India.<br />
Thank you for all your support during 2015 & <strong>2016</strong><br />
Caroline Beatty & Paul Bragman, Co-chairs<br />
strategic <strong>review</strong><br />
In November 2014, the Management<br />
Committee agreed a Strategic Review was<br />
needed to determine future strategy, given<br />
staffing changes and current political and<br />
financial constraints. The objectives were to<br />
reaffirm the organisation’s vision, mission and goals and provide a roadmap for the future.<br />
Interviews were held by four trustees, during the Partners Forum in March 2015,<br />
with 11 key staff partners and later, in the UK, with 35 supporters.<br />
Our main findings were:<br />
The personal nature of relationships between <strong>AVI</strong> and its partners has<br />
contributed largely to <strong>AVI</strong>’s survival and success.<br />
There is a high level of trust between supporters and Indian partners.<br />
We should look to engage more young people and members of the Indian diaspora.<br />
The newsletter and other means of communication need to be improved.<br />
There is a strong voice within <strong>AVI</strong> for developing rights-based work in India and UK.<br />
There should be more contact with, and visits to, partners and projects in India.<br />
<strong>AVI</strong> should broaden its network with partners in the UK.<br />
Numbers of social fundraising activities and events should be increased.<br />
Whilst grant aid is important, <strong>AVI</strong> should revive fundraising from individuals.<br />
The Strategic Review and resulting Business Plan formed a major exercise and we thank all<br />
those who took part in India and the UK. The views expressed were given in a free and frank<br />
manner and have contributed to strengthening our work.<br />
Alan Leather ~ vice-chair<br />
director ’ s message<br />
I am delighted to have joined Action Village India and to be able to contribute my energy into<br />
helping steer the organisation through both an exciting and challenging period. We are working<br />
hard as a newly formed team to implement the Business Plan and forge new avenues of support for<br />
our partners. In July this year I had the privilege to meet them in India. The trip was a vivid reminder<br />
as to why we do what we do. India has experienced unprecedented economic development over<br />
the last two decades and living standards have greatly improved with a sizable emerging middle<br />
class. Yet millions, especially those in the rural, hard-to-reach areas where we work, are left behind.<br />
A third of India’s population still live in poverty and 40% of the world’s malnourished children<br />
are found in India. These are shocking statistics. This is why we continue our work despite a<br />
challenging fundraising environment.<br />
In my short time at <strong>AVI</strong>, I have been struck by two key things; the depth and integrity of the<br />
organisation’s relationships with its partners; and the strength, bond and commitment of<br />
the many individuals who form <strong>AVI</strong>’s supporter community.<br />
Thank you for being part of this. I look forward to working with you.<br />
Anna Griffiths, Executive Director
projects overview<br />
2015-16<br />
ASSEFA (Association for Sarva Seva Farms), Tamil Nadu<br />
Maternal Health project working to reduce infant and<br />
maternal mortality and the number of low birth weight<br />
babies in 35 coastal villages.<br />
NBJK (Nav Bharat Jagriti Kendra), Bihar & Jharkhand<br />
Disability Rights project, working with 32,500 people with disabilities,<br />
supporting them to apply for disability certificates and to claim their benefits.<br />
Community Action project supporting grassroots groups to deliver vital<br />
local services such as a small rural health clinic, a small tree nursery<br />
and the development of a new Dalit settlement.<br />
Girls’ Education project enables 200 rural girls to complete their secondary<br />
education by contributing towards uniforms, fees and books.<br />
CRUSADE (Centre for Rural Systems and Development), Tamil Nadu<br />
‘Mobilising Local Resources for Development’ project supports women’s development in<br />
160 villages, including health programmes with 2,000 women and their children and enabling<br />
people with disabilities to access government schemes. CRUSADE’s women’s groups are<br />
working with panchayat leaders to develop plans for the development of 70 villages.<br />
Ekta Parishad (Unity Forum), Odisha<br />
Fishing Communities’ Livelihood project supports 28 village fishing<br />
communities to campaign for their rights.<br />
Kerala Gandhi Smarak Nidhi (KGSN), Kerala<br />
Organic Farming Project enables 3,200 families in six villages to grow<br />
fruit and vegetables on their small household plots, flat roofs and patios.<br />
Lakshmi Ashram, Uttarakhand<br />
A women’s ashram at Kausani, in the foothills of the<br />
Himalayas, hosts volunteers who wish to learn about<br />
the Gandhian tradition in India.<br />
Ivan Nutbrown ~ Projects Coordinator<br />
In June <strong>2016</strong>, <strong>AVI</strong>’s Tamil partner, CRUSADE<br />
organised a two-day 25th anniversary<br />
celebration at its Pudupakkam training<br />
centre. Anna Griffiths and I participated<br />
in the programme.<br />
Led by its dedicated founder and Secretary, Mr S R<br />
Jothi Ramalingam, CRUSADE has, over 25 years, made<br />
a significant impact on the lives of thousands of<br />
women and their families in Jothi’s native area;<br />
Minjur and Sholavaram Blocks of Thiruvallur District.<br />
CRUSADE’s work has always been guided by the<br />
needs of the poorest and most marginalised<br />
people in its project area.<br />
crusade ’ s 25th<br />
anniversary<br />
CRUSADE started by forming women’s self help (micro-credit) groups (SHGs). This was a new<br />
concept at the time and Jothi found it difficult to persuade women to start groups; but slowly they<br />
did. Over the years, CRUSADE has shown that it can empower women economically, socially and<br />
politically and the self-help groups have provided a solid platform for women in four areas:<br />
Skill training, especially tailoring<br />
Health issues through training volunteers,<br />
village level staff and group members, health<br />
camps, a homeopathy clinic, transport to<br />
hospitals and use of local medicinal plants<br />
Improving housing and sanitation<br />
Participation in local democracy including<br />
working with women’s groups and panchayat<br />
presidents to develop a local plan which<br />
meets people’s real needs<br />
An important step in ensuring the sustainability of CRUSADE’s initiative was SHGs setting<br />
up their own independent trust, the PPI, which now monitors and supports all the SHGs and<br />
enabled CRUSADE to turn its attention to the most marginalised women who are too poor to<br />
join the SHGs, people with disabilities and elderly women.<br />
CRUSADE’s success is largely due to the fact that Jothi is a local person and the key workers and<br />
cluster coordinators are all local women who are known and trusted in their communities. These<br />
strong roots enable CRUSADE to successfully take up issues that are important to women locally.<br />
<strong>AVI</strong> has supported CRUSADE since 1995 and over that time has been able to see first-hand the<br />
changes our partner has brought to 10,000 people’s lives.
financial<br />
overview 2015-16<br />
Where our income came from (£241,105)<br />
How it was spent (£233,252)<br />
SUPPORT COSTS<br />
£33,883<br />
DONATIONS<br />
£55,982<br />
GOVERNANCE<br />
£8,775<br />
PROJECT EXPENDITURE<br />
£190,594<br />
MADRAS CAFE<br />
£21,500<br />
OTHER<br />
£4,444<br />
GRANTS<br />
£159,179<br />
Direct Support for Rural Communities in India (£169,060)<br />
FLOOD RELIEF (ASSEFA / CRUSADE) 2%<br />
ORGANIC FARMING (KGSN) 5%<br />
THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING WHO SUPPORTED <strong>AVI</strong> DURING 2015-<strong>2016</strong>:<br />
Big Lottery Fund, CLSA Chairman’s Trust, The Bryan Guinness Charitable Trust, Eleanor Rathbone<br />
Charitable Trust, Miss KM Harbinson’s Charitable Trust, Oakdale Trust, Returned Volunteer Action,<br />
R H Southern Trust, Sevenhills Wholefoods Fund, Souter Charitable Trust, Zephyr Charitable Trust<br />
A HUGE THANK YOU to all the many individuals who have supported <strong>AVI</strong>, our partners and<br />
our projects during 2015-<strong>2016</strong>. Your support and membership of this very special community<br />
is invaluable.<br />
Special thanks to David Knock for running a Christmas appeal for<br />
Girls’ Education, David Mitchell and his sons for running the<br />
British 10K London Run and Sarah Jane Straw for running the<br />
London Marathon to raise valuable funds for <strong>AVI</strong>.<br />
And of course a very big THANK YOU to Sensetrade (Madras<br />
Café) Directors: Bryan Osbon, Halford Hewitt, Liz Crosthwait,<br />
Rupesh Harding and all the Madras Café Advisory Group and their many volunteers.<br />
MATERNAL HEALTH (ASSEFA) 4%<br />
FISHING COMMUNITIES (EKTA PARISHAD) 2%<br />
COMMUNITY ACTION (NBJK) 2%<br />
WOMEN’S DEVELOPMENT (CRUSADE) 22%<br />
GIRLS’ EDUCATION (NBJK) 4%<br />
DISABILITY RIGHTS (NBJK) 58%<br />
PANCHAYAT DEMOCRACY (CRUSADE) 1%
disability<br />
rights<br />
Ivan Nutbrown ~ Projects Coordinator<br />
case study<br />
Thanks to funding from the Big Lottery Fund, <strong>AVI</strong>’s partner Nav Bharat Jagriti<br />
Kendra (NBJK) started a new three year project to continue its work with people<br />
with disabilities in Bihar and Jharkhand.<br />
As the most marginalised people in rural India, people with disabilities are seen as a burden on the<br />
family. There is a huge stigma associated with disability and much discrimination against people with<br />
disabilities. However, through the previous DFID-funded project NBJK found that as people begin to<br />
access their rights, contribute financially and learn to run their own organisations, the views of their<br />
family members, doctors, government officers, media and the wider community change dramatically.<br />
This project will cover 1,200 villages with an estimated 32,500 men, women and children with<br />
disabilities. NBJK will support them as they apply for the disability certificate that opens the door<br />
to a range of government schemes and entitlements, such as free rail travel and a small monthly<br />
benefit, under The Persons with Disabilities Act 1995.<br />
India’s Right to Education Act 2011<br />
is widely ignored in rural areas<br />
not only by schools, which raise<br />
barriers to access, but also by<br />
parents whose negative attitude<br />
towards their disabled children<br />
undermines their potential. So,<br />
one of the project’s main aims<br />
is to enable more children with<br />
disabilities to go to school and<br />
increase their life opportunities<br />
by working with families<br />
and in 500 schools.<br />
It is essential that people come<br />
together to demand their rights<br />
and to overcome ingrained views<br />
on disability. So, groups will be<br />
formed to enable people to share<br />
experiences and to take action in<br />
hospitals and government offices<br />
when claiming their rights.<br />
Vocational training and support<br />
to start small businesses will be<br />
offered to 1,000 people.<br />
Savitri Kumari, age 23<br />
NBJK Disability Project, Bihar & Jharkhand<br />
Savitri Kumari was one of eight children,<br />
the fifth of six girls. She lives in her home<br />
village of Kolgarma, 17 kms away from the<br />
district town. Nearly all the villagers work<br />
on and off the land, as farm labourers or<br />
tending to their own animals but they can’t<br />
earn a living from this all year round. Many<br />
people have to leave for other states to<br />
earn money to send back to their families<br />
for some of the year. Savitri’s father works as a building labourer at other times<br />
of the year – he earns about 4000-5000 rupees (about £50) a month. The family<br />
have a below the poverty line (BPL) card with which they can access some<br />
benefits from the government.<br />
Savitri is physically disabled, and is unable to use one of her legs properly. She went to<br />
secondary school but wasn’t able to finish her studies. Since school she wanted to learn<br />
a trade but was unable to find any opportunity in her village and she wasn’t able to travel<br />
to receive training. She did manage to find people who could train her and asked three<br />
of them to do so but they all refused because she had a disability. She felt hopeless and<br />
couldn’t earn any money to support herself.<br />
Since being part of the NBJK / <strong>AVI</strong> disability project, a project staff member learnt about<br />
her specific situation and has liaised on her behalf with tailors. Savitri has now found an<br />
experienced tailor to train her and already she is able to earn 2000 rupees a month. She<br />
manages to give some of the money to other members of her family. Savitri has also become<br />
an active member of the local self-help group – the Krishna Disabled Development Group.<br />
She wants to teach her tailoring skills to other members of the group. The project has also<br />
supported Savitri to use her disability certificate to apply for disability benefit from the<br />
government which is now being processed.<br />
Savitri says, “I am very thankful to NBJK.<br />
Disability is not a major problem. People<br />
with disabilities can do any job they want<br />
to. But they do need support from NGOs<br />
and Government to achieve this.”
Mary Holmes<br />
walk for women<br />
fundraiser<br />
Virginia Water is a lovely place - there’s the lake<br />
stretching out into the distance and as you walk<br />
the view is always changing with a cascade, ruins,<br />
temples, a totem pole, a huge variety of trees and<br />
a beautiful stone bridge. Lots to see, but I when<br />
I remind friends about the Walk for Women they<br />
usually ask me, ‘Will lunch be as good as last year?<br />
2015 saw a very successful event with 100 walking,<br />
socialising and relaxing afterwards over a delicious<br />
Indian meal. And what’s more we raised over £2000<br />
for girls’ education and women’s self-helf groups.<br />
How was this done? The answer is Pallavi. She organises<br />
the whole event. By the spring, <strong>email</strong>s are going out<br />
to <strong>AVI</strong> supporters and her many contacts.<br />
Why not check the date and come<br />
and join us in 2017?<br />
my<br />
experience<br />
Having been introduced<br />
to <strong>AVI</strong> as a result of Madras Café it was a great<br />
pleasure to be able to join the team this year,<br />
<strong>2016</strong>, and engage with supporters old and<br />
new. The energy and enthusiasm that goes into<br />
creating the tens of thousands of delicious homemade<br />
meals each year is monumental. Of course,<br />
Madras Café’s reputation proceeds itself: despite<br />
a new location, hundreds of age-old regulars<br />
sought us out. The team behind the <strong>AVI</strong> stall also<br />
helped raise £1,357 through the sale of scarves,<br />
bags and the Madras Café cookbook. To top it<br />
all off, this year included a visit from the Hairy<br />
Bikers to award the Madras Café the WOMAD<br />
‘People’s Choice Award’ for a second time.<br />
Kate Osborne ~ Coordinator<br />
madras café<br />
Bryan Osbon<br />
Madras Cafe at WOMAD 2015 proved<br />
yet again to be very successful.<br />
Takings over the 4 days were the best<br />
ever, over £38,000. Approximately<br />
110 people worked in shifts over the<br />
four days, 85 of them volunteers. The<br />
25 other regular workers, The Madras<br />
Advisory Group (MAG), commit not only<br />
to WOMAD & other small events, but<br />
also to putting in significant time over<br />
the 6-7 months preceding the festival,<br />
ensuring Madras Cafe @ WOMAD<br />
is the repeated success it is.<br />
Madras Cafe has shown that numerous<br />
disparate souls can be amiably and<br />
effectively brought together through<br />
delighting both the palates & purses of<br />
several thousand customers. We remain<br />
fully aware, that ‘good value for money’<br />
as well as amazingly tasty food is an<br />
essential part of a reputation we<br />
must live up to each year.<br />
Following a series of meetings in late<br />
2015, Madras Cafe embarked<br />
on WOMAD <strong>2016</strong> with a new<br />
management structure developed<br />
to ensure continuity. The MAG was<br />
divided into teams with responsibility<br />
for particular areas of work. Older<br />
members mentored as they stepped<br />
back from being so acutely involved.<br />
Despite a few hiccups the usual bonhomie<br />
was maintained by all. How often, I ask,<br />
can a catering establishment, where<br />
at any one time there are 6-8 cooks,<br />
5-6 choppers, 6-8 counter staff and<br />
numerous pot-washers, all working<br />
within five metres of each other,<br />
boast so many smiles and hugs<br />
and have queues stretching<br />
far out the door?<br />
chole<br />
( chick<br />
peas )<br />
ingredients<br />
½lb chick peas, soaked overnight<br />
2 tins of chickpeas in water<br />
2 onions, chopped<br />
2 potatoes, peeled & cubed<br />
2 tomatoes, chopped<br />
2 tbsp coriander powder<br />
1-2 tbsp lemon juice<br />
1-2 tbsp chilli powder<br />
2 tbsp oil<br />
2 tsp garam masala<br />
½ tsp sodium bicarbonate<br />
½ tsp black pepper powder<br />
1 ½ tsp ground ginger<br />
1 ½ tsp ground ginger<br />
100ml coconut milk (optional<br />
to mellow the flavours)<br />
Chopped coriander, sliced<br />
tomato & a few sliced green<br />
chillies for decoration<br />
preparation time ~ overnight<br />
chopping time ~ 15 mins<br />
cooking time ~ 20–40 mins<br />
The Madras Café Cookbook<br />
To celebrate the reprinting of the Madras Café<br />
cookbook we are pleased to share a delicious<br />
chickpea recipe with you. What better way to<br />
ward off the oncoming darker nights and colder<br />
days than with a superbly healthy warming chole?<br />
The book is packed full of yummy recipes and<br />
helpful information. To buy a copy please contact<br />
us or purchase directly through our website.<br />
All of the funds raised from the book go to<br />
supporting our work in India. Please do get<br />
in touch with us if you would like to help us<br />
spread the word about the book!<br />
method<br />
1 If using washed chickpeas soak overnight.<br />
2 After soaking, add fresh water, sodium<br />
bicarbonate, ½ tsp salt and boil until tender<br />
(approximately 15-20 minutes). If using tinned<br />
chickpeas, you can skip this step. Ensure you<br />
add water later.<br />
3 Heat oil in a pan and fry the onions until<br />
pale brown.<br />
4 Add the ginger, coriander and chilli powder<br />
and fry for one minute.<br />
5 Add cooked chickpeas, water and coconut<br />
milk (optional) and bring to boil.<br />
6 Add garam masala, lemon juice, black<br />
pepper, potatoes and tomatoes and cook<br />
until the required consistency.<br />
7 Decorate with fresh coriander, chillies and<br />
slices of tomato. Serves best with natural yoghurt.
about avi<br />
Action Village India has, since 1988, provided long-term support to<br />
its partner organisations who work to empower rural and marginalised<br />
communities across India. United by Gandhian principles of non-violence<br />
and social justice, <strong>AVI</strong> continues today to support six key partners,<br />
enabling them to reach thousands of those left behind<br />
by India’s recent economic development.<br />
Staff<br />
Executive Director: Anna Griffiths<br />
Projects and Partnerships: Ivan Nutbrown<br />
Co-ordinator: Kate Osborne<br />
Trustees<br />
Caroline Beatty (Co-chair) / Paul Bragman (Co-chair)<br />
Mary Holmes / Alan Leather (Vice-chair)<br />
Pallavi Modha / Jay Rajani<br />
Andrew Rutherford / Kathleen Siddle<br />
Outgoing trustees 2015: Katherine Crisp / John Sayers<br />
5 Balls Pond Road, London, N1 4AX / t: 0044 (0)207 241 5125<br />
e: info@actionvillageindia.org.uk / w: www.actionvillageindia.org.uk<br />
Registered Charity No: 1118845 / Registered Company No: 6110505<br />
Design: James Larman / jameslarman@hotmail.com