Sunday, October 19, 2008
Agency for the Development of the Oppressed through Relief and Education
Beloved believers in Christ,
Greetings in the most precious name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We write this letter to introduce the ADORE-AWAZ Mission, for your prayer support and financial co-operation.
ADORE is an ecumenical missionary organization registered in Kerala under the Charitable Societies Act. Since 1984 we have been working among the poor and down trodden tribals and dalits of the remote villages of North India. After working among the Satnamese, a dalit community of the Chattisgarh region of the then Madhya Pradesh, we moved on to the tribal and backward areas of Orissa. Adv.P.A.Cyrus and Bro.S.K.Abraham were the pioneers.
Our aim is to spread the message of the Kingdom of God among the oppressed and depressed villagers of India and to liberate them from all sorts of social, economical and spiritual bondages, they have-been undergoing for centuries, and to enable them to become part and parcel of the Kingdom of God, inaugurated and witnessed to by our Lord Jesus, during his ministry on earth(ref Lk:4:18,19).
The front line activists' fellowship is known as 'AWAZ', which in Hindi means voice. They are the voice of God among the poor people. They also function as the voice of the voiceless. The supporting team remaining in Kerala is 'ADORE1, which is a registered organization as already indicated.
At present the activities of the ADORE-AWAZ mission are mainly concentrated in two districts of Orissa, namely Rayagad and Gajapathy. Our mission strategy is to run hostels for the very poor dalit and tribal children coming from interior villages without any educational facilities. Along with education we also give them Bible training, so that they become good human beings and useful citizens of the Kingdom of God. Besides educational activities, evanaglization efforts are also carried out among the villagers.
Our main hostel at Jimidipeta accommodates 55 students. We also run 3 small hostels of varying number of students in rented buildings at various places of the above districts where schools are available. At present around ten persons are working with us as Wardens, Evangelists and Social workers. As a result of their ministry, worshipping communities (fellowships) have emerged at more than twenty villages.
In addition to the above, adult education programmes for the illiterate villagers are conducted in many villages to make them literate. Conscientisation activities against alcoholism, illicit brewing of liquor,casteism and other social evils are also part of our ministry.
There is need fop maintaining the existing ministry and continuing the evangelization efforts. What we need is your prayer and financial participation. Let us join together in this glorious ministry of the Kingdom of God.
Please uphold the ADORE-AWAZ mission in your valuable prayers and donate liberally for the ministry. You may sponsor students by paying Rs.7500/- an year or render occasional financial assistance. Those who wish to be sponsors may fill up sponsorship forms. A/C payee Cheques/Drafts may be drawn in favor of 'Adore, S.B account No.57034230126,SBT,Kollam Main
with warm regards and prayers. May the almighty Lord keep you and your families safe and sound, and enable you to do the will of God.
Yours in Christ's Love,
Prof.A.V.Itty (President)
Phone No:0479-2300750
Email: avitty@hotmaii.com
Dr. Koshy George, Kollam (Secretary)
Phone No:0474-2741010
Email: koshygeorge2000@hotmail.com
K.J.John,Kollam (Treasurer)
Ph.:0474-2747935
Field Address:
ADORE Hostel
Jimidipeta P.O,Rayagada Dist,
Orissa-765 002
Phone No:06856-27l654
Email: adore soeiety@rediffmaiI.com
Reg.No.Q.181/84 AlummoottilAnnexe
Pattathanam, Kollam, Kerala, lndia-691 021
Phone -0474-2746816
Greetings in the most precious name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We write this letter to introduce the ADORE-AWAZ Mission, for your prayer support and financial co-operation.
ADORE is an ecumenical missionary organization registered in Kerala under the Charitable Societies Act. Since 1984 we have been working among the poor and down trodden tribals and dalits of the remote villages of North India. After working among the Satnamese, a dalit community of the Chattisgarh region of the then Madhya Pradesh, we moved on to the tribal and backward areas of Orissa. Adv.P.A.Cyrus and Bro.S.K.Abraham were the pioneers.
Our aim is to spread the message of the Kingdom of God among the oppressed and depressed villagers of India and to liberate them from all sorts of social, economical and spiritual bondages, they have-been undergoing for centuries, and to enable them to become part and parcel of the Kingdom of God, inaugurated and witnessed to by our Lord Jesus, during his ministry on earth(ref Lk:4:18,19).
The front line activists' fellowship is known as 'AWAZ', which in Hindi means voice. They are the voice of God among the poor people. They also function as the voice of the voiceless. The supporting team remaining in Kerala is 'ADORE1, which is a registered organization as already indicated.
At present the activities of the ADORE-AWAZ mission are mainly concentrated in two districts of Orissa, namely Rayagad and Gajapathy. Our mission strategy is to run hostels for the very poor dalit and tribal children coming from interior villages without any educational facilities. Along with education we also give them Bible training, so that they become good human beings and useful citizens of the Kingdom of God. Besides educational activities, evanaglization efforts are also carried out among the villagers.
Our main hostel at Jimidipeta accommodates 55 students. We also run 3 small hostels of varying number of students in rented buildings at various places of the above districts where schools are available. At present around ten persons are working with us as Wardens, Evangelists and Social workers. As a result of their ministry, worshipping communities (fellowships) have emerged at more than twenty villages.
In addition to the above, adult education programmes for the illiterate villagers are conducted in many villages to make them literate. Conscientisation activities against alcoholism, illicit brewing of liquor,casteism and other social evils are also part of our ministry.
There is need fop maintaining the existing ministry and continuing the evangelization efforts. What we need is your prayer and financial participation. Let us join together in this glorious ministry of the Kingdom of God.
Please uphold the ADORE-AWAZ mission in your valuable prayers and donate liberally for the ministry. You may sponsor students by paying Rs.7500/- an year or render occasional financial assistance. Those who wish to be sponsors may fill up sponsorship forms. A/C payee Cheques/Drafts may be drawn in favor of 'Adore, S.B account No.57034230126,SBT,Kollam Main
with warm regards and prayers. May the almighty Lord keep you and your families safe and sound, and enable you to do the will of God.
Yours in Christ's Love,
Prof.A.V.Itty (President)
Phone No:0479-2300750
Email: avitty@hotmaii.com
Dr. Koshy George, Kollam (Secretary)
Phone No:0474-2741010
Email: koshygeorge2000@hotmail.com
K.J.John,Kollam (Treasurer)
Ph.:0474-2747935
Field Address:
ADORE Hostel
Jimidipeta P.O,Rayagada Dist,
Orissa-765 002
Phone No:06856-27l654
Email: adore soeiety@rediffmaiI.com
Reg.No.Q.181/84 AlummoottilAnnexe
Pattathanam, Kollam, Kerala, lndia-691 021
Phone -0474-2746816
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
ORISSA IS IN PAIN
THE CHRISTIAN VICTIMS LIST
1) NUN BURNT ALIVE: A nun was burnt to death on 25th, Monday,
after an orphanage was torched in at Phutpali in Bargarh district in
Orissa during a bandh called by Hindu nationalist parties. Twenty
children, who were at the orphanage, managed to escape but a priest
suffered serious burn injuries in the attack.
2) RASANANDA PRADHAN TORCHED ALIVE: Another person, Rasananda
Pradhan, was burnt to death when his house was set ablaze at Rupa
village in Kandhamal district.
3) INFLAMMATORY SPEECHES TARGET CHRISTIANS: During the bandh
inflammatory speeches spreading hatred against the Christian workers and
the community were given by the VHP leaders. To gain the mass support,
the activists have also carried the body of Swamiji throughout the town.
4) CHURCHES BURNT ALL ACROSS ORISSA STATE: Churches were
attacked in Khurda, Bargarh, Sundergarh, Sambalpur, Koraput, Boudh,
Mayurbhanj, Jagatsinghpur and Kandhamal districts as also in the state
capital, police sources said, adding 40 houses were set ablaze in
Phulbani town.
5) BUSES AND VEHICLES TORCHED: Mr. Mishra Digal was beaten up,
while the motorcycles of Mr. R. K. Digal and Jitendra were burnt.
Several buses at Gee Udaigiri in Baliguda were burnt.
6) PULBANI CHURCH RANSACKED: The Church at Phulbani,and several
other churches at Phiringia were attacked and ransacked. Pastor D.
Tatson's house was vandalized and his property burnt.
7) KAKRIGUMA CHURCHES VANDALISED: Churches in Kakriguma have
been targeted by the mob that reportedly damaged the Assembly Of God
Church and the Philadelphia Church .
8) WORLD VISION STAFF FLED FOR SAFETY: World Vision India office
ransacked and the Staff has also fled to jungle for protection.
9) CHRISTIANS TAKE SHELTER IN FOREST FOR PROTECTION: A police
camp at Barakhama was also attacked by the Hindu fundamentalists. With
several houses being burnt down and people being made homeless, many
Christians,particul arly from Nua Sahi, Munda Sahi and Suna Tonga have
fled into forests for their lives.
10) NUN RAPED: A young Catholic Nun of the Cuttack Bhubaneswar
diocese working Jan Vikas Kendra, the Social Service Centre at Nuagaon
in Kandhamal was reportedly gang raped on 24th August 2008 by groups of
Hindutva extremists before the building itself was destroyed.
11) SENIOR PRIEST AND NUN INJURED: Fr Thomas, director of the
Diocesan Pastoral Centre in Kanjimendi, less than a kilometer away from
the Social Service Centre, and another Nun were injured when the centre
was attacked. They were taken to the police station in a disheveled
state as the armed mob bayed for their blood. The Pastoral centre was
then set afire.
12) BALLIGUDA CHURCH BUILDINGS DESTROYED AGAIN: On 24th August
2008 evening lynch mobs at the block headquarters of Balliguda, in the
very heart of Kandhamal district, which had seen much violence between
24th and 26th December 2007, attacked and destroyed a Presbytery,
convent and hostel damaging the properties.
13) CHRISTIAN BOYS HEADS TONSURED: The mobs in Balliguda caught
hold of two boys of the Catholic hostel and tonsured their heads.
14) PHULBANI CHURCH DAMAGED: On 25th august 2008 morning
followers of the late Lakshmanananda Saraswati damaged the Catholic
Church in Phulbani, the district headquarter town.
15) MOTHER TERESA BROTHERS ASHRAM ATTACKED: Mobs attacked the
Mother Teresa Brothers' residence and hospital in Srasanada, destroyed
once before and rebuilt two months ago, and beat up the patients.
16) BHUBANESWAR BISHOP'S HOUSE ATTACKED: On the morning of 25th
August 2008, violent mobs made several attempts to enter the compounds
of Catholic Church and Archbishop's house in the heart of the Capital of
the State of Orissa . They could not enter because of the police
presence. They threw stones at the guesthouse of Archbishop's House,
damaging windows.
17) DUBURI PARISH: Another group of fundamentalists entered
presbytery in Duburi parish, managed by the SVDs and destroyed and
damaged property. Two priests of the parish are missing.
18) Mr. Jamaj Pariccha, Director of Gramya Pragati, is attacked
and his property damaged, vehicle looted and burnt.
19) A Baptist Church in Akamra Jila in Bhubaneswar is also
damaged.
20) Christian institutions like St. Arnold's School (Kalinga
Bihar) and NISWASS report some damage.
21) BOUDH DISTRICT [Adjoining Kandhamal]: Fundamentalists enter
the Catholic parish church and destroy property. People are fleeing to
safer places. But nothing seems safe.
22) MUNIGUDA: Muniguda Catholic Fathers and Nuns' residence have
been damaged.
23) SAMBALPUR: HM Sister's residence (Ainthapalli) has suffered
damage.
24) PADANPUR: One priest is attacked and admitted to a hospital.
Hostel boys and the in charge have moved away from the place.
25) MADHUPUR: Madhupur Catholic Church currently under attack.
26) SMALL CHURCHES: Attempted violence on small churches in
various districts, including Padampur, Sambalpur near GM College,
Talsera, Dangsoroda, Narayanipatara, Muniguda, Tummiibandh, Tangrapada,
Phulbani, Balliguda, Kalingia, Chakapad, Srasanranda.
27) VILLAGE CHRISTIAN HOUSES ATTACKED: Houses attacked on forest
hamlets of Balliguda, Kanjamandi Nuaguam (K.Nuaguam), Tiangia
(G.Udayagiri) , Padangiri, Tikabali.
28) KALAHANDI DISTRICT: Houses burnt even though the district is
more than 300 kilometers from the place where Swami Lakshmanananda was
killed.
29) PASTORS' HOUSE BURNT: Pastor Sikandar Singh of the
Pentecostal Mission beaten up and his house burnt in Bhawanipatna.
30) KHARIHAR: 3 Christian shops were looted and burnt. Pastor
Alok Das and Pastor I M Senapati beaten up.
31) AAMPANI: Pastor David Diamond Pahar, Pastor Pravin Ship,
Pastor Pradhan and Pastor Barik beaten up and chased away with their
families.
32) NAKTIKANI: Mob surrounds village to attack Christians.
And It is also reported that around 500 activists are moving as
one group in Kandhmal District with all sorts of weapons like knives,
swords, axes, spears and even guns. They are attacking Christian
villages one after another, burning the churches and houses and even
killing any Christians who comes to their sight.
1) NUN BURNT ALIVE: A nun was burnt to death on 25th, Monday,
after an orphanage was torched in at Phutpali in Bargarh district in
Orissa during a bandh called by Hindu nationalist parties. Twenty
children, who were at the orphanage, managed to escape but a priest
suffered serious burn injuries in the attack.
2) RASANANDA PRADHAN TORCHED ALIVE: Another person, Rasananda
Pradhan, was burnt to death when his house was set ablaze at Rupa
village in Kandhamal district.
3) INFLAMMATORY SPEECHES TARGET CHRISTIANS: During the bandh
inflammatory speeches spreading hatred against the Christian workers and
the community were given by the VHP leaders. To gain the mass support,
the activists have also carried the body of Swamiji throughout the town.
4) CHURCHES BURNT ALL ACROSS ORISSA STATE: Churches were
attacked in Khurda, Bargarh, Sundergarh, Sambalpur, Koraput, Boudh,
Mayurbhanj, Jagatsinghpur and Kandhamal districts as also in the state
capital, police sources said, adding 40 houses were set ablaze in
Phulbani town.
5) BUSES AND VEHICLES TORCHED: Mr. Mishra Digal was beaten up,
while the motorcycles of Mr. R. K. Digal and Jitendra were burnt.
Several buses at Gee Udaigiri in Baliguda were burnt.
6) PULBANI CHURCH RANSACKED: The Church at Phulbani,and several
other churches at Phiringia were attacked and ransacked. Pastor D.
Tatson's house was vandalized and his property burnt.
7) KAKRIGUMA CHURCHES VANDALISED: Churches in Kakriguma have
been targeted by the mob that reportedly damaged the Assembly Of God
Church and the Philadelphia Church .
8) WORLD VISION STAFF FLED FOR SAFETY: World Vision India office
ransacked and the Staff has also fled to jungle for protection.
9) CHRISTIANS TAKE SHELTER IN FOREST FOR PROTECTION: A police
camp at Barakhama was also attacked by the Hindu fundamentalists. With
several houses being burnt down and people being made homeless, many
Christians,particul arly from Nua Sahi, Munda Sahi and Suna Tonga have
fled into forests for their lives.
10) NUN RAPED: A young Catholic Nun of the Cuttack Bhubaneswar
diocese working Jan Vikas Kendra, the Social Service Centre at Nuagaon
in Kandhamal was reportedly gang raped on 24th August 2008 by groups of
Hindutva extremists before the building itself was destroyed.
11) SENIOR PRIEST AND NUN INJURED: Fr Thomas, director of the
Diocesan Pastoral Centre in Kanjimendi, less than a kilometer away from
the Social Service Centre, and another Nun were injured when the centre
was attacked. They were taken to the police station in a disheveled
state as the armed mob bayed for their blood. The Pastoral centre was
then set afire.
12) BALLIGUDA CHURCH BUILDINGS DESTROYED AGAIN: On 24th August
2008 evening lynch mobs at the block headquarters of Balliguda, in the
very heart of Kandhamal district, which had seen much violence between
24th and 26th December 2007, attacked and destroyed a Presbytery,
convent and hostel damaging the properties.
13) CHRISTIAN BOYS HEADS TONSURED: The mobs in Balliguda caught
hold of two boys of the Catholic hostel and tonsured their heads.
14) PHULBANI CHURCH DAMAGED: On 25th august 2008 morning
followers of the late Lakshmanananda Saraswati damaged the Catholic
Church in Phulbani, the district headquarter town.
15) MOTHER TERESA BROTHERS ASHRAM ATTACKED: Mobs attacked the
Mother Teresa Brothers' residence and hospital in Srasanada, destroyed
once before and rebuilt two months ago, and beat up the patients.
16) BHUBANESWAR BISHOP'S HOUSE ATTACKED: On the morning of 25th
August 2008, violent mobs made several attempts to enter the compounds
of Catholic Church and Archbishop's house in the heart of the Capital of
the State of Orissa . They could not enter because of the police
presence. They threw stones at the guesthouse of Archbishop's House,
damaging windows.
17) DUBURI PARISH: Another group of fundamentalists entered
presbytery in Duburi parish, managed by the SVDs and destroyed and
damaged property. Two priests of the parish are missing.
18) Mr. Jamaj Pariccha, Director of Gramya Pragati, is attacked
and his property damaged, vehicle looted and burnt.
19) A Baptist Church in Akamra Jila in Bhubaneswar is also
damaged.
20) Christian institutions like St. Arnold's School (Kalinga
Bihar) and NISWASS report some damage.
21) BOUDH DISTRICT [Adjoining Kandhamal]: Fundamentalists enter
the Catholic parish church and destroy property. People are fleeing to
safer places. But nothing seems safe.
22) MUNIGUDA: Muniguda Catholic Fathers and Nuns' residence have
been damaged.
23) SAMBALPUR: HM Sister's residence (Ainthapalli) has suffered
damage.
24) PADANPUR: One priest is attacked and admitted to a hospital.
Hostel boys and the in charge have moved away from the place.
25) MADHUPUR: Madhupur Catholic Church currently under attack.
26) SMALL CHURCHES: Attempted violence on small churches in
various districts, including Padampur, Sambalpur near GM College,
Talsera, Dangsoroda, Narayanipatara, Muniguda, Tummiibandh, Tangrapada,
Phulbani, Balliguda, Kalingia, Chakapad, Srasanranda.
27) VILLAGE CHRISTIAN HOUSES ATTACKED: Houses attacked on forest
hamlets of Balliguda, Kanjamandi Nuaguam (K.Nuaguam), Tiangia
(G.Udayagiri) , Padangiri, Tikabali.
28) KALAHANDI DISTRICT: Houses burnt even though the district is
more than 300 kilometers from the place where Swami Lakshmanananda was
killed.
29) PASTORS' HOUSE BURNT: Pastor Sikandar Singh of the
Pentecostal Mission beaten up and his house burnt in Bhawanipatna.
30) KHARIHAR: 3 Christian shops were looted and burnt. Pastor
Alok Das and Pastor I M Senapati beaten up.
31) AAMPANI: Pastor David Diamond Pahar, Pastor Pravin Ship,
Pastor Pradhan and Pastor Barik beaten up and chased away with their
families.
32) NAKTIKANI: Mob surrounds village to attack Christians.
And It is also reported that around 500 activists are moving as
one group in Kandhmal District with all sorts of weapons like knives,
swords, axes, spears and even guns. They are attacking Christian
villages one after another, burning the churches and houses and even
killing any Christians who comes to their sight.
Friday, October 20, 2006
A project to evaluate and develop the poor Tribals and Dalits of India
Tribals and Dalits together constitute 25% of India’s population. Most of them are poor and they mainly live in villages. For centuries they have been victims of stark exploitation and blatant oppression. After the advent of freedom, the Central and State Governments and many N.G.Os are taking yeomen efforts for their amelioration but failed to yield tangible results. The basic reason is that the majority of them are uneducated and trapped under several superstitions. As a result they are intellectually and morally not properly equipped to strive for their holistic development. Reservation benefits granted to these communities are monopolized by their own creamy layer, a nominal minority, and hardly permeate to grass-root level.
Our Work
School Hostels
• Aim
The main object of the hostels is to mould the children as efficient future village leaders, intellectually and morally equipped and properly motivated to go back to their villages after education and give effective leadership to their communities for their holistic development.
• Inmate children
Poor tribal and dalit children without educational facilities may be selected from the villages and accommodated in the hostels. In selecting children, priority would be given to orphans and semi-orphans
• Facilities provided in the hostels
The following are the main facilities provided in the hostels for the inmate children.
(a) Free boarding, lodging, educational help and recreational facilities (b) Help to pursue their academic studies in the neighboring schools (c) Special tuitions in academic studies wherever necessary (d) Appropriate moral education to create new visions, new goals in life, new commitments, new value system, new life style, community with a global outlook etc. all congenial for the holistic development of their communities.
(e) In addition to regular academic studies, impart proper training in various rural vocations like agriculture, village and cottage industries, teaching, health work, moral leadership etc. according to their aptitude and option.
• Structure of the hostel
One hostel will have two wings, one for the boys and the other for girls, each accommodating ten children. Each will be under the charge of one committed couple. As wardens they are to stay in the hostel with their families. They are also expected to work as social workers in the villages from where the inmate children are taken. As social workers they are to conscientise, organize and give moral leadership to these communities for their holistic development
• General administration
Each hostel will be a unit of the mission and ten hostels together will constitute a center. Once in a month all the wardens will gather together as a fellowship. This monthly fellowship is jointly responsible for the general administration. For every six months, the monthly fellowship will select two of their members to supervise the functioning of the hostels. Once in a month they are expected to visit each hostel to check their accounts and the functioning. As far as possible a meeting of the parents of the children may be held during their visits.
The wardens of hostels have to submit their monthly reports. After proper discussions, the supervisors are to consolidate the accounts and reports of all hostels and send them to the mission headquarters. In the monthly meeting the various problems of the hostels and inspection reports of the supervisors may also be discussed and necessary actions taken.
It is the duty of the monthly fellowship to see that all necessary information including photos of the children are furnished by the concerned wardens and transmitted to the headquarters for proper correspondence with the sponsors of children.
• Special school and college hostels
Special school hostels near well known central schools of high academic standard and college hostels near good colleges may be started for exceptionally brilliant, tribal and dalilt children. The purpose is to train them in the best way possible to get admission in the professional courses like Medicine, Engineering, Agriculture etc. and selection to IAS, IPS etc. in due course under the reservation quota. Some are to be trained as political leaders and veteran social workers. In due course, this will help to end the monopoly of the creamy layer and build an effective moral cadre of committed persons in the bureaucracy to properly harness the state resources ear-marked for the holistic development of tribals and dalits without any malpractice.
• Answer to a baseless criticism against schools hostels
A general criticism often levelled against school hostels is that by separating their children from their homes they are deprived of parental care and attention. But in the case of poor children this is not correct. On account of acute poverty, the poor parents construe their children as a burden and often engage them for child labour and baby sitting. The care and attention they get from their warden families are far better.
• Finance
The total expenses of an ordinary school hostel, including all the expenses of 20 children and payments to the two warden families will be Rs. 12,500/- p.m.(Rs1,50,000/- per year). This may be mobilized through sponsorship of children at the rate of Rs. 625/- p.m (Rs. 7,500/- per year) per child.
In the case of special school hostels and college hostels the expenses and rate of sponsorship will be 1½ times the rate of ordinary school hostels.
• Who will work out the mission
ADORE started their first school hostel in Jimidipetta village in Rayagada District in Orissa. Now, they have 37 hostels in Orissa accommodating 700 tribal and dalit children and 98 workers . They have also established rapport with more than 600 villages and organized nearly 200 weekly village fellowships for their holistic development through the Panchayat Raj Movement started by the Governments. In many villages they took successful non-violent efforts to remove untouchability and production and distribution of illicit liquor
ADORE is getting invitation from hundreds of tribal and dalit villages in various parts of Orissa to start hostel focused missions. Their present vision is to start 1000 ordinary school hostels and 50 college hostels in Orissa on the pattern mentioned above immediately. This is expected to cover most of the major tribal and dalit areas in the state. Hundreds of dedicated tribal and dalit social workers are available in Orissa to work as wardens. Hence human resources will not be a problem. In the villages with rural schools suitable buildings to house the hostels are also available on nominal rent.
• The Immediate Need
Therefore the immediate need is 20,000 sponsorship of school going children at the rate of Rs.625/- p.m (Rs.7500/-) per year and 1000 sponsorships of college going children at the rate of Rs. 1000/-p.m (Rs. 12,000/- per year)
• How you can help the mission
All brothers and sisters and organizations interested to help the poor tribals and dalits in India are requested to kindly sponsor one or more children or one or more hostels according to their capacity .
• Aim
The main object of the hostels is to mould the children as efficient future village leaders, intellectually and morally equipped and properly motivated to go back to their villages after education and give effective leadership to their communities for their holistic development.
• Inmate children
Poor tribal and dalit children without educational facilities may be selected from the villages and accommodated in the hostels. In selecting children, priority would be given to orphans and semi-orphans
• Facilities provided in the hostels
The following are the main facilities provided in the hostels for the inmate children.
(a) Free boarding, lodging, educational help and recreational facilities (b) Help to pursue their academic studies in the neighboring schools (c) Special tuitions in academic studies wherever necessary (d) Appropriate moral education to create new visions, new goals in life, new commitments, new value system, new life style, community with a global outlook etc. all congenial for the holistic development of their communities.
(e) In addition to regular academic studies, impart proper training in various rural vocations like agriculture, village and cottage industries, teaching, health work, moral leadership etc. according to their aptitude and option.
• Structure of the hostel
One hostel will have two wings, one for the boys and the other for girls, each accommodating ten children. Each will be under the charge of one committed couple. As wardens they are to stay in the hostel with their families. They are also expected to work as social workers in the villages from where the inmate children are taken. As social workers they are to conscientise, organize and give moral leadership to these communities for their holistic development
• General administration
Each hostel will be a unit of the mission and ten hostels together will constitute a center. Once in a month all the wardens will gather together as a fellowship. This monthly fellowship is jointly responsible for the general administration. For every six months, the monthly fellowship will select two of their members to supervise the functioning of the hostels. Once in a month they are expected to visit each hostel to check their accounts and the functioning. As far as possible a meeting of the parents of the children may be held during their visits.
The wardens of hostels have to submit their monthly reports. After proper discussions, the supervisors are to consolidate the accounts and reports of all hostels and send them to the mission headquarters. In the monthly meeting the various problems of the hostels and inspection reports of the supervisors may also be discussed and necessary actions taken.
It is the duty of the monthly fellowship to see that all necessary information including photos of the children are furnished by the concerned wardens and transmitted to the headquarters for proper correspondence with the sponsors of children.
• Special school and college hostels
Special school hostels near well known central schools of high academic standard and college hostels near good colleges may be started for exceptionally brilliant, tribal and dalilt children. The purpose is to train them in the best way possible to get admission in the professional courses like Medicine, Engineering, Agriculture etc. and selection to IAS, IPS etc. in due course under the reservation quota. Some are to be trained as political leaders and veteran social workers. In due course, this will help to end the monopoly of the creamy layer and build an effective moral cadre of committed persons in the bureaucracy to properly harness the state resources ear-marked for the holistic development of tribals and dalits without any malpractice.
• Answer to a baseless criticism against schools hostels
A general criticism often levelled against school hostels is that by separating their children from their homes they are deprived of parental care and attention. But in the case of poor children this is not correct. On account of acute poverty, the poor parents construe their children as a burden and often engage them for child labour and baby sitting. The care and attention they get from their warden families are far better.
• Finance
The total expenses of an ordinary school hostel, including all the expenses of 20 children and payments to the two warden families will be Rs. 12,500/- p.m.(Rs1,50,000/- per year). This may be mobilized through sponsorship of children at the rate of Rs. 625/- p.m (Rs. 7,500/- per year) per child.
In the case of special school hostels and college hostels the expenses and rate of sponsorship will be 1½ times the rate of ordinary school hostels.
• Who will work out the mission
ADORE started their first school hostel in Jimidipetta village in Rayagada District in Orissa. Now, they have 37 hostels in Orissa accommodating 700 tribal and dalit children and 98 workers . They have also established rapport with more than 600 villages and organized nearly 200 weekly village fellowships for their holistic development through the Panchayat Raj Movement started by the Governments. In many villages they took successful non-violent efforts to remove untouchability and production and distribution of illicit liquor
ADORE is getting invitation from hundreds of tribal and dalit villages in various parts of Orissa to start hostel focused missions. Their present vision is to start 1000 ordinary school hostels and 50 college hostels in Orissa on the pattern mentioned above immediately. This is expected to cover most of the major tribal and dalit areas in the state. Hundreds of dedicated tribal and dalit social workers are available in Orissa to work as wardens. Hence human resources will not be a problem. In the villages with rural schools suitable buildings to house the hostels are also available on nominal rent.
• The Immediate Need
Therefore the immediate need is 20,000 sponsorship of school going children at the rate of Rs.625/- p.m (Rs.7500/-) per year and 1000 sponsorships of college going children at the rate of Rs. 1000/-p.m (Rs. 12,000/- per year)
• How you can help the mission
All brothers and sisters and organizations interested to help the poor tribals and dalits in India are requested to kindly sponsor one or more children or one or more hostels according to their capacity .
The Remedy
The only remedy to redeem these communities from the said predicament is to properly educate them in an effective way. As the intellect, character and culture of their elder generations are already formed, any radical changes in them are not easy. Hence, the main efforts for educating these communities are to be taken among their children. Starting of schools in all their areas in India is not practical. The best way to solve the problem is to start sufficient number of hostels for their children near the existing rural schools.
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