ANNUAL REPORT 2007-08

ORGANISATION FOR AWARENESS OF INTEGRATED SOCIAL SECURITY

The founders of OASiS developed and tested a sustainable Social Security System model for developing countries. A model that gives complete Social Security cover to deprived families without any taxes or savings and provides:

• Sustainable livelihood security for all, through financially assisted livelihoods in groups and individually, and sustained business through the system.

• Financial protection from all uncertainties in life, through social insurances.

• Old age financial security (Pension).

• Work based Education for youth aimed at grooming them towards self-employment, business management and acting as responsible citizens.

• Increasing Social Security continuing over generations.

Model endorsed by a senior economist of India, Dr Bibek Debroy, Advisor - OASiS.

Model studied and permitted for implementation in Madhya Pradesh by the Government of MP.

Received GLOBAL INNOVATION AWARD from Changemakers and Ashoka – Innovators for the Public.

PROGRESS TILL DATE

Madhya Pradesh

• Pilot implementation started in Jan 2006 in 3 villages; Gurgunda, Chirmatekri and Polapathar in Shahpur Block, Betul District, MP.

• Target population; 3000 in 500 families.

• Supported by NABARD, ITDP and Friends of Women World Banking (FWWB).

• Consumption survey and Analysis done for all 3 villages and shared with the SHGs in the villages.

• Self Employed Groups (SEG) formed in all three villages. SEG activities have been divided among the SHGs in each of the three villages and their written consent obtained for the same.

• Retail shop infrastructure for the SEGs have been constructed in all three villages by Integrated Tribal Development Programme (ITDP), Betul.

• Friends of Women World Banking, Ahmedabad have provided funds for working capital of SEG shops in 1 village (Polapathar Village). The SEG shops in Polapathar were started on 7 November 2007, with a formal inauguration on 19 December 2007.

• Social Security collections have begun in the Social Security Fund A/c in PNB Bhoura.

• The Project Implementation and Monitoring Committee comprising of NABARD DDM, Branch Manager Punjab National Bank, Bhoura, OASiS, PRADAN and Insurance professionals, guides and monitors the project on a regular basis.

• Consultations with Insurance companies on social security coverage have begun.

• Exploring the possibility of making OPD and preventive services available through Ayurvedic Doctors, supported by a micro-insurance model.

Maharashtra

• Associate NGO ‘Jai-Jui’, Solapur initiated the replication of OASiS’s Social Security Model in 2 villages in Solapur District, Maharashtra.

• Consumption survey completed in 2 villages, Sadepur (South Solapur) and Pathri (North Solapur) SEGs formed and activities divided among them.

• The SEG shops in Sadepur village were started on 6^th December 2007, with a formal inauguration on 2 February 2008.

• Social Security collections have begun in the Social Security Fund A/c in BoI, Sadepur.

• Pathri Project under consideration for funding by Sir Dorabji Tata Trust.

While planning the social security system model, it was observed that the Disabled were not being given any social security cover through the Insurance. This led OASiS to initiate a fight against the injustice and get the Disabled in the country their right to Social Security.

PROGRESS TILL DATE

• A sample survey was done to determine the risk portfolio of the disabled regarding hospitalization and accidents.

• In a National workshop a decision was taken to file a Public Interest Litigation in the Supreme Court demanding insurances to the disabled at par with the able bodied

• In August 2005, The New India Assurance Co Ltd, Bhopal Division–I offered Health insurance to the Disabled at standard premium, terms and conditions.

• The First Health Insurance Policy for a Mentally Retarded in the country was given through OASiS to Vivek Punj (of Parent’s Society for the Mentally Retarded) on December 1, 2005.

• This was announced by the District Collector, Bhopal in a Press conference on 9 Dec 2005.

• During the conference the Collector also declared financial support for paying the premiums required to cover all economically weaker disabled in the district by health insurance.

• A committee was formed to study all aspects and choose the right package for the same.

• An analysis of health related information and health seeking behaviour of the disabled in Bhopal district was done through a survey initiated by the Collector’s office for Bhopal Dist.

• A Presentation was made on Feb 22, 2006 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, in a meeting of all State Commissioners Disability organised by the Chief Commissioner Disability, GoI.

• A National Core Group was formed comprising of Chief Commissioner Disability, Disability Commissioners of 10 states, OASiS, and Collector Bhopal, led by Chairperson, National Trust, to recommend policy changes enabling insurance rights for the disabled and designing a Health Insurance Policy framework for the Disabled.

• In the first meet of the National Core Group on July 7, 2006, a recommendation was sent to Ministry of Finance, GoI, to incorporate a non-discriminatory clause in the Insurance Act, that would remove all disparity and bias in offering, pricing and acceptance of insurance policies for the disabled.

• The Chairperson National Trust for Disabled and President-OASiS met Chairperson IRDA on 8 November 2006 to discuss the issue and seek IRDA’s help in this regard.

• The second meeting of the Core Group representatives with the Actuaries of Life Insurance companies nominated by IRDA was held on 12 January 2007 to discuss modalities.

• A Sub-Committee headed by OASiS and comprising of OASiS, ALEgION Insurance Services Ltd, Chennai and Action for Ability Development and Inclusion (AADI), New Delhi was formed to recommend an Insurance Framework for the Disabled to the Core Group.

• The Sub Committee submitted its recommendations and an Insurance Framework for the Disabled to the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities in end December 2007.

• The National Trust for the Mentally Challenged (an Autonomous Body under GoI) launched NIRAMAYA – a pilot based on the framework in 10 states on 26 March 2008.

After becoming one of the three winners in the Global Innovation Competition organised by Changemakers andAshoka – Innovators for the Public, OASiS initiated bringing together all 12 finalists and design a collaborative Global Health Project.

PROGRESS TILL DATE

• 6 out of 12 finalists agreed to join the collaboration with OASiS.

• Drafted a framework of the collaborative project and discussed with all the collaborating organizations.

• Presented the collaborative Global Health Project at Skoll World Forum in Oxford, UK in end March 2007.

• OASiS selected as the implementing organization for the first pilot in India.

With an aim to better society by giving the right education to children of a lesser god and prevent them from becoming potential and future lawbreakers Project “PARVARISH” was conceived in March 2004.

A one year research on non-formal education models: Shanti Niketan (WB), Aurobindo Ashram (Pondicherry), Rishi Valley, Japanese system, Loreto (WB), helped in designing the outlines of the project in July 2005.

The project “PARVARISH” was launched on September 5, 2005 by OASiS’s Patron Mr Oudh Narain Shrivastava (Ex-Governor, Nagaland), Mr Sumit Bose (Principal Secretary, Finance, GoMP) and Dr D P Sharma (Ex-Vice Chancellor, Barkatullah University, Bhopal, and Advisor OASiS.

The main features of the model are:

• First Collaborative project with National Museum of Mankind, Regional Science Centre and Regional Museum of Natural History.

• An informal education model based on the belief that Nature is the Best Teacher, and the best learning can happen through exposure and observation in various surroundings.

• A sponsorship based model, where each unfortunate child is sponsored by responsible citizen in the city.

• 11 year project aimed at grooming non-school going slum children towards self-employment.

PROGRESS TILL DATE

• Project started on September 5, 2005

• Enrolled 120 rag picker and street children from 5 slums Meera Nagar, Saibaba Nagar and Shyam Nagar in Bhopal.

• The average strength of 80-90 are managed, guided and taught by 6 teachers (all educated girls from the slums itself), trained by OASiS and the 3 Museums.

• The project is guided and directed by a Social worker and Academician.

• The curriculum encompasses Behavioural changes, Basic Literacy, Exposure to various crafts, Academics (Science, Environment, Culture, Habitat and Evolution), Physical education, Sports, Adolescence education, Social work, Vocational training and Business Enterprise management.

• The project has collaborated with 2 reputed Colleges of Bhopal conducting Bachelor of Education courses and made ‘The Museum School) the location for their practice teaching.

• Project giving wonderful results speaking success of the adopted non-formal methods of education.

• The quarterly assessments have shown remarkable improvement in the behavioural aspects, discipline, cleanliness, orderliness and basic civic sense, of the children, basic literacy and substantial strength towards building an academic foundation.

• The project was taken as a Case Study in the Regional NCERT research of innovative non-formal methods of education.

• The project was also presented at a state level NCERT workshop on Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.

• Representatives from UNICEF and other organisations have visited the project to learn about the methodology and its effects.

• The collaborating Museums have been organising special lectures and exposure workshops for the children enrolled in Project Parvarish.

• A study tour of Centre for Learning, Bangalore was undertaken by the Project Coordinator to understand their methodology and incorporate the same in Project Parvarish.

• 30 children have been sponsored till date by 15 concerned citizens.

• The basic components of the ‘The Museum School’ project in Bhopal were supported by Sir Dorabji Tata Trust beginning January 2008.

• A Foundation in Delhi has offered to start and financially support ‘The Museum School’ for children of a relocated slum in Delhi. The project is expected to start in April 2008.

• Enquiries to start ‘The Museum School’ in Chennai and Bangalore have also come in.

With an aim to Building a bridge between the institutes of repute and the deprived (school dropout) children from rural areas, the rural education project was initiated in August 2004. 2 Villages – Chaan and Maksi, close to Bhopal were identified with help from MP Education Dept. for the project. A one year continuous intervention by OASiS volunteers helped in creating awareness about the benefits of education and the new methodologies that have made education much easier.

PROGRESS TILL DATE

• 50 village school dropouts taught livelihood skills over a year.

• 10 village school dropouts got motivated and agreed to appear for the MP State Open School Xth and XIIth examination.

• OASiS collaborated with a nearby private college “Institute for Professional and Educational Research” (IPER) for preparatory classes for Open School examinations.

• 50 motivated MCA and MBA students of the college taught the Village school dropouts for Xth and XIIth examination as part of social activity in their college.

• IPER College facilitated in accommodating a period everyday for social work / library.

• Preparatory classes started on September 15, 2005. The classes were conducted everyday by IPER students at IPER campus for the village students.

• 1 student appeared for the Std X examination in December 2005 and 9 students appeared for the Std X and XII examinations in July 2006 and December 2006.

• 7 students have passed the examinations.

• The model has created enough encouragement in the village and adjoining villages.

• Planning to spread the model in all institutions coming up in outskirts of Bhopal so that the school dropouts in the adjoining rural areas are brought back to mainstream education.

Livelihood being an important component of Social Security is one of the main focus areas of OASiS. However keeping in view various parameters, OASiS is trying out various small livelihood models among the slums in urban Bhopal.

PROGRESS TILL DATE

• Designed new eco carry bags from newspapers to replace non-degradable polythene bags.

• Trained 100 women in urban slums on manufacturing and organised supply chain mechanism.

• Designed a model to provide livelihood to 6000 women in Bhopal slums.

• Model appreciated by all including Govt. functionaries, but waiting for a ban on non-recyclable Polythene by the District Administration to start implementation.

   

  A MOEL FOREST VILLAGE

  Supported by Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited under their Corporate Social Responsibility, OASiS has undertaken integrated development of a forest Village Neelgarh in Ratapani Sanctuary, Raisen District, MP.

  The integrated plan developed by OASIS comprises of livelihoods in groups, reorganised farming, cattle management, fisheries, orchard management, health management and education.

  The project started on 1 February 2008 with a formal launch on 26 February 2008. In the first phase, an Ayurvedic Health Centre was established and non-conventional methods of irrigation were given.

   

  VOLUNTEER ASSOCIATION - SWANS

  Keeping in view long term Volunteer requirements for NGOs and to imbibe a sense of responsibility among the youth of our country, OASiS has formed a Volunteer Association called “Social Welfare Association of Neo Socialites” (SWANS).

  In order to give a respectable social status to the socially contributing youth, and to motivate more youth from institutions towards social work, OASiS has conceptualised a Social Credit System that would act as a bridge between the Corporate and Social Sector.

  PROGRESS TILL DATE

  • SWANS initiated in May 2007, but established as an NGO in March 2008.

  • Summer Social Camp organized in June 2007.

  • First City chapter of SWANS formed in Bhopal.

  • Associated with 5 NGOs and their projects in Bhopal.

  • Social Credit System Pilot started.

  • Mass registration of Volunteers and opening of multi City Chapters planned in 2008-09.

  • Liaison with the corporate for recognition of Social Credits has begun.