PVAF
GUJARAAT EDUCATION PROGRAM
FEBRUARY
2002 VISIONING BY
PRAJAAPATI
VISHVA AASHRAM FOUNDATION (PVAF)
The following is the VISIONING of PVAF for PVAF
GUJARAAT EDUCATION PROGRAM. This has been prepared in consultation with a number
of prajaapatio in gujaraat and outside gujaraat over the last two years:
1.
The conference agenda for the start of the PVAF/Gujaraat Taalukaa
Conference on February 10, 2002 is all that is required to get the program
going.
It is going to take quite some time to determine the needs and program needed by prajaapatio in gujaraat. Logically that should be focused on first and not how the funds are to be managed and program run when we do not have a program and we do not have funds.
Management of the funds and program will be determined after the needs are evaluated and funds are raised to meet the needs.
The present SPIEA is adequate to start doing the needs and program development study. PVAF can contribute partly for this study if specialist and qualified people are need to this this needs and development study. However, PVAF would prefer that local funds are used to do this study as that will show that prajaapatio in gujaraat are really interested as primary stakeholders in this education program by proving their needs and program with their own effort.
A program that is envisioned by PVAF is very large. Therefore it has to be planned and strategize properly before any PVAF funds goes to the program. This is important for all PVAF donors as they must have the confidence that their hard earned money is actually being property used to the intent for which they donated. For this assurance to PVAF donors, PVAF and prajaapatio in gujaraat must plan, develop and implement in a very professional manner the PVAF Gujaraat Education Program.
Therefore the activities of
Items 2 to 4 are recommended to be implemented first prior to setting up
the structure, protocol and procedures to implement the PVAF GUJARAAT EDUCATION
PROGRAM.
Even if we had 1 karor rupees now
in our hands, without the Items 2 to 4 being completed, that money will be
useless and probably wasted if spent without proper planning and development and
strategy for implementation.
2.
What is required from prajaapatio in gujaraat is answers to these simple
questions:
a)
Why does prajapati samaj in gujaraat has such a low level of educated
persons in its community? This is a historic fact: prajaapatio are always in
labour class from generations to generations….look at other gnaatio..they are
always prospering and venturing into new economy….
b)
Is the low level of education resulting into a high level of poverty
among prajaapatio because prajaapatio cannot get high paying jobs, which
requires education?
c)
Determine the present state of education and poverty in the prajapaati
family, gaam and taalukaa by the following:
i.
Survey in each gaam to determine the level of education in each family in
the gaam.
ii.
Why the level of education is low? Why so many in the family has not
completed secondary education, which is the minimum, required today. And then
why so many in the family have not gone to technical college or university to
get some certified profession?
iii.
It is a fact that prajaapatio are not giving priority to education. What
are the barriers in our community, which does not make us, believe in education:
eg. May be there is no awareness of importance and value of education, May be
there is no organization to counsel. May be there is no means to even get
counseling….
iv.
Why do we not fight for education rather than stay in poverty? Is it
because we do not have knowledge about social and political means to do this?
v.
How come educated prajaapatio do not participate in prajaapati samaaj and
give samaaj sevaa as their dharma to uplift their fellow prajaapatio who are
living in illiteracy and poverty?
d)
After we find answers to the
above, then the biggest question is: DOES EACH AND EVERY PRAJAAPATI IN GUJARAT
WANTS TO EDUCATE HIMSELF/HERSELF?
e)
If the answer is YES, then determine all that is going to be required in
the EDUCATION PROGRAM TO EDUCATE EACH AND EVERY PRAJAAPATI IN GUJARAT. This
would include but not limited to:
i.
What is available from local school authorities and the gujaraat
government for education at kindergarten, primary, secondary, university and
adult education levels? Is it sufficient to educate all prajaapatio in each of
the five levels?
ii.
If not, then what is that has to be added to the gujaraat government
system by prajaapatio themselves at each of the five levels?
iii.
How what and how much resource is available from each prajaapati family
and each gaam and each samaj in gujaraat. From this each taalukaa can have its
own estimate.
iv.
Determine what and how much will be needed from PVAF in each taalukaa.
3.
Based on Item 2 above, PVAF, in co-operation with all prajaapatio in
gujaraat and outside gujaraat, can start developing the Education Program needed
and the financial, human and all other resources needed to EDUCATE EACH AND
EVERY PRAJAAPATI IN GUJARAAT.
4.
Along with the development in Item 3 above, PVAF can then start
discussions as to how the GUJARAAT EDUCATION PROGRAM will be implemented through
proper organization at gaam, samaaj and taalukaa level.
This will include but not be limited to the following:
i.
Each taalukaa may need a separate education program because each taalukaa
may have different education system and also different economy. The education
program should be designed to provide employment in the local industry as a
first priority. The education should also be such that one should be able to get
employment elsewhere in the district or in gujaraat or in bhaarat.
ii.
Determine how the available education funds at any time can be allocated
on the basis of urgency of need and the best return on the funds spend.
iii.
Determine a long-term strategy and plan to make funds and resources
available to each and every prajaapati in gujaraat.
iv.
Determine how the education fund would stay evergreen – means it will
never be drawn down to zero. Some of the ways are:
·
Continuing aggressive fund-raising among the community, outside
the community, businesses, governments and any other viable sources with various
kinds of fund-raising campaigns running throughout the year;
·
Investment of the funds in balance for a safe and good return;
·
As samaaj sevaa each person receiving help should believe it
his/her dharma to contribute a minimum of twice of what one received during
his/her lifetime.
·
Use the resources of our traditional extended and joint family
system for education. This is not new to any prajapati in the world. This was
the way prajaapatio have ben using to provide support for families and extended
families immigrating to other countries from gujaraat for the last 200 years.
PVAF has presently 941,000 rupees in the
Gujaraat Education Fund. There are lots of prajaapati samajo outside gujaraat
who have the ability to add to this present PVAF fund. That is why PVAF has
suggested a starting fund of 1 karor rupees per year. This yearly fund will have
to increase ultimately to meet the actual need that will be known from Items 2
to 4 above.
All of the above steps should be undertaken with
proper allocation of personnel, resources and to meet definite target dates.
The above was compiled by:
Champaklaal daajibhaai
mistry
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
A Volunteer for Program and Web Site Development
Prajaapati Vishva Aashram Foundation
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