Copy editor
Mahesh Ramchandani

Editorial assistant
Aruna Surve

DTP & layout
Ramkrishna Salvi

Web designer
Hitesh Gusani

Illustrator
Farzana

Administrative Assistant
Kamlesh Dubey and Chandan Mandal

Photographs
Dinodia Photo library

Printer
V Print

Publisher
Jayesh N Shah

Manavta Kendra
National coordination team
Sonali Jain
BM Aiyyappa
Nailesh P Dalal
Lokendra D Shth
Jayesh N Shah

Bankers
State Bank of Mysore, Dalal Street Branch, Mumbai 1

Bank of Baroda, Juhu Tara Road, Santacruz West Branch, Mumbai 54

ICIC Bank Ltd, 240 DN Road, Mumbai 1

Auditors
M/s VJ Shah & Co. Mumbai 1

Address
11 Yogniti, 18 SV Road, Santacruz W, Mumbai 400 054

Tel: 022-26616197
email: humanistVsnl.com

Website: www.humanscape.org

Donations to the Foundation are exempted under Section 80G of the income Tax Act

“Namer of a thousand names, maker of meanings, transformer of the world, your parents and the parents of your parents continue in you. You are not a fallen star but a brilliant comet flying toward the heavens. You are the meaning of the world, and when you clarify your meaning, you illuminate the earth. When you lose your meaning, the earth becomes darkened and the abyss opens…I will tell you the meaning of your life here: It is to humanise the earth. And what does it mean to humanise the earth? It is to surpass pain and suffering; it is to learn without limits; it is to love the reality you build…You will not fulfil your mission if you do not apply your energies to vanquishing pain and suffering in those around you. And if, through your action, they in turn take up the task of humanising the world, you will have opened their destiny toward a new life.”

(The Internal Landscape, Humanize the Earth by Silo)

The last 13 years

The Foundation aims to realise, on the ground, the ideals of the Humanist Movement formalised in its statement of mission and vision. Over the last thirteen years it has initiated the following projects and activities:

Humanscape , a monthly magazine, was started as a vehicle to promote a current of opinion formed by those who have one common concern – the individual – and to focus on ways of bringing about positive changes in the individual and in society. Humanscape has been in publication since November 1993. Through its monthly issues, Humanscape openly disseminates ideas and facts, encouraging debate and discussion on them.
Humanscape is committed to air issues of human concern which the mainstream media overlooks. It hopes to give voice to the marginalised and the oppressed. It has covered a range of themes in its monthly issues – women’s issues, information technology, displacement, child abuse, inclusive education, right to food, genocide, earthquake rehabilitation, peace, poverty and suicide, AIDS, public health, environment, unemployment, the tyranny of time, democracy, microfinance, urban governance. The articles in Humanscape highlight the possible solutions in alleviating human pain and suffering. It is a forward-looking magazine, which hopes to inspire its readers towards positive and proactive action.
The format of Humanscape has been maintained as one that speaks of serious issues, without using jargons and terminologies akin to academic publications. The magazine continually evaluates itself in the prevailing context, to ensure it remains a relevant constituent of a larger movement for social change in the world.

The year under review

The monthly issues of Humanscape were built around various themes; while most of the articles are theme-based, news, reviews and columns too are part of the magazine.

On 30 May 2004, members of the editorial council met team members of Humanscape to review the magazine along the following lines: (a) is it fulfilling its original objective of airing opinions sidelined by mainstream media and giving space to the ‘other’ voice, (b) strengths and weaknesses of the magazine, (c) challenges in meeting the Humanscape vision, (d) specific changes that need to be made in style, format and content, (e) distribution and promotion issues. Members who could not be present at the meeting responded with feedback via email. The discussions have been registered and analysed; they are being acted upon gradually.
Humanscape was represented by its editor, Rukmini Datta, at an international workshop on redesigning social science curricula for universities in Asia, Aotearoa and Latin America. The workshop was organised by Multiversity and Citizens’ International in Penang, Malaysia from 19 to 22 November 2004. The workshop was in continuation to earlier discussions by a network of scholars from Asia, Africa, and Latin America to undertake a critical analysis of social science curricula in universities across these continents and to support efforts to transcend and replace them with material more sympathetic to their own intellectual histories and cultural traditions. The primary objective of the project is to seek to decolonise knowledge and educational practice in critical spheres. Humanscape proposes to bring out an issue on the issue.
In April 2004, the editor represented Humanscape at a consultation in Bangalore, on intellectual property rights and the media, organised by VOICES, World Association for Christian Communication, Madhyam and Alternative Law Forum. The consultation attempted to clarify the ambivalent relationship between intellectual property rights, media and communication. The discussions inspired an issue of Humanscape put together with the help of VOICES, Bangalore. The editor represented Humanscape at yet another consultation organised by VOICES on community mediaand governance, in Bangalore in March 2005. The consultation is slated to be taken forward as a core group for discussion and action on community media concerns.
During the year, the editor addressed students of journalism and media persons on disability and alternative media, at two training-workshops organised in Mumbai by Ali Yavar Jung Institute for the Hearing Impaired.

April 2004

What trash! Managing urban solid waste

This issue of Humanscape comprised articles on the extent of the problem of urban solid waste and the efforts of individuals and groups in addressing it. The stories recounted the efforts, and challenges, of residents in Mumbai, Bangalore and Udaipur, representing three categories of cities. The issue also explored the reigning concern with disposal of medical waste and showcased the case of doctors in Pune who vermicompost their hospital’s waste.

June 2004

Media and disability

In March 2004, Rehabilitation Council of India and Indian Institute of Mass Communication organised a workshop on ‘media and disability’ for mediapersons and disability sector activists. This issue of Humanscape draws from the concerns raised at the workshop and argues for the greater collaboration between the two sectors for a more democratic, and less sympathetic, approach to the disabled. The issue highlighted the efforts of organisations that are working on creating space for the disabled in the media.

July 2004

Indian handicrafts

The greater part of this issue, which focussed on developing a market for Indian handicrafts, was guest edited by Aloka Hiremath. The issue discussed the crisis of the handicrafts industry, in which artisans lament that their products are not given appropriate value in today’s market where they have to compete with cheap and machine-made imitations. Initiatives like Dastkaar, Sasha, Craftmark Initiative, among others were showcased as initiatives made to correct the situation.
The issue also carried an in-depth analysis of the post-BJP situation in Gujarat.

August 2004

Intellectual property: a human Rights issue

Drawing from a consultation in Bangalore on media, communication and intellectual property rights (IPR), this issue of Humanscape clarified the relationship between these, apparently, unconnected areas of concern. The issue was put together with the help of VOICES, Bangalore and looked at three strands of the issue – IPR in the context of trade agreements, debates of the local versus the global, and the more current concerns with “hackers” and “piracy” coming closer to our everyday lives.
Starting with this issue, Humanscape carried a column entitled Her-story, a series on the lives of women “hidden in the crevices of history”. Roshan Shahani of SPARROW – Sound and Picture Archives on Women, has contributed this column.

October 2004

The end of innocence

An investigative weekly’s expose on the seamy paedophilia links of Goa, were followed up by Humanscape, envisaging how citizens and the authorities in this ‘idyllic’ state will act upon the revelations. In conjunction, was a study of Canada that has been nicknamed a ‘haven’ for paedophiles.
Further, the issue debated the relevance of capital punishment in the 21 st century.

Democracy in India: an assessment

The bulk of this issue was guest edited by Jagdeep S Chhokar, professor at Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. He brought together the voice of a range of people – academician, industrialist, civil servant, filmmaker, among others. They voiced their opinion about the state of democracy in India and attempted to delineate the role that each of us have to play from the ‘office of the citizen’ to uphold democracy.

December 2004

Us and them

This issue drew from a film festival on gender and sexual plurality organised in Mumbai, on which it carried a report. It went beyond and picked up themes from the festival and looked at them in greater depth – disability and the queer, pride marches, film as a medium of representation for sex workers.
One of our correspondents attended and wrote on a consultation on the WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) campaign.

January 2005

This issue of Humanscape, was built around the theme of free trade and agriculture policies and how they affect small farmers and other marginalised groups. Further, it looked at the employment guarantee scheme and its provisions, taking a realistic view of what we can expect. Activists expressed disappointment on the form in which the Right to Information Bill was tabled in the Parliament.

February 2005

Bigger than the tsunami

The February issue of Humanscape was built around two, distinct yet related themes – response to the destruction through tsunami and the aid dynamics of non-government organisations. An extensive report from Tamil Nadu and an assessment of the long-term environmental hazards were included in the section on tsunami. On aid, the articles looked at the concerns that non-government organisations have with its principles and procedures, and on the socio-political and regional dynamics within them.

March 2005

The maturing of Indian microfinance

In this last issue of the year, Humanscape set out to examine critically the delivery of microfinance services for the poor. This was an urgent query into a sector which is being promoted as the panacea to economic poverty, especially in the third world. The issue did an in-depth assessment of the avowed social benefits, especially to women. Further, it looked at the policy imperatives for the sector and at its possibilities through corporate tie-ups.
Humanscape ’s correspondent travelled to Porto Alegre and reported on the World Social Forum there.

MANAVTA KENDRA
‘Give a man a fish and you feed him for now. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for life.’

The proposal of Manavta Kendras was conceived after the cyclone devastated Orissa in November 1999. Interactions with victims indicated that they did not want charity; they needed concern. Instead of doling out support, members of the Humanist Movement worked towards rebuilding the lives of people.
The Foundation began to support the formation of Manavta Kendras, autonomous village level organisations with a local cadre, through voluntary work by members, since November 1999.
Manavta Kendras are autonomous and non-violent village level organisations formed by local people who are determined to improve their living situation. They work towards taking charge of their lives and bringing about a change in their existing condition. People help themselves to fulfil basic necessities at the village level.
Local people generate resources from amongst themselves for the organisation and functioning of their Manavta Kendra. Volunteers contribute Rs 10 every month per family towards the Manavta Kendra village fund. This is a manifestation of an act of reciprocity – an expression of genuine interest and commitment towards the Kendra. It becomes a medium of support towards common objectives, goals and expenses, as well. Every family, without any discrimination, nominates one of its members as volunteer. Each volunteer does shramdaan – he/she devotes an hour in a day, or a day in a week to village welfare work. Thus, from the organisational structure to its funding, Manavta Kendras are self-reliant, independent and, in a true sense, ‘people’s organisations’.

Objectives

Way of working

Manavta Kendra at village level works for social as well as personal changes (individual development) through a simultaneous process. One of the ways of doing this is through weekly meetings, which is the essence of the Manavta Kendra process. The focus of weekly meetings is two-dimensional, personal and social.

Personal work: This includes exercises of self-reflection that help to understand the self and others and help people to come together and work for mutual betterment.

Personal work is meant to improve one’s life and social action of others. It is important for every volunteer to improve himself/herself as better human beings to be happier and more free, and do more good for others. Such practices help in a number of processes: (a) to have more faith in oneself, in others and in the future; (b) to increase one’s positive aspects and overcome negative ones; (c) to learn how to increase happiness and freedom; (d) to understand oneself better (“Who am I? How is my behaviour?”); (e) to learn how to treat others, to improve one’s communication and relationships; (f) to discover and increase the meaning of one’s life; (g) to increase one’s peace, one’s inner strength and one’s joy of living. In brief, the individual becomes wiser, kinder and stronger so as to be able to improve his/her social work.
Besides weekly meetings, intensive training on personal work for internal growth is organised regularly for volunteers of Manavta Kendras with a focus on the need for change in values, and for building new attitudes.

Social work: Discussions and work plans are on local issues and necessary measures are taken by volunteers to resolve them. Activities in fields of education, health and livelihood are carried out regularly. Manavta Kendras respond to issues related to alcoholism, women’s concerns, usury, human and political rights and of violence in different forms.

Trajectory of Manavta Kendras

The Manavta Kendras formation process is a little over five years old. It has unfolded itself during this period, achieving the growth and development potential of what it proposed at the beginning of 2000. Over this period, it has realised enhanced synthesis and a growing model. It has fulfilled the qualities for producing demonstration effect, multiplication, reciprocity, a non-paternalistic approach and teamwork. It has defined its organisational structure from the national to the village level by formalising levels of participation with minimum criteria, and scope for respective levels of participation – co-ordinators at the gram panchayat, block, district and state levels. It has also defined specific functions to be carried out by volunteers, administrative and support members at the village, gram panchayat, block and district levels. Broad guidelines have been suggested for the formation of various committees and their functioning with participation of committee members at the village level.
The national co-ordination team fulfilled the function of providing training to co-ordinators of the gram panchayat levels and above, prepared and published necessary ‘how-to’ manuals in different languages according to need. It raised the required material and technical resources for co-ordination purposes and held five quarterly national level meetings for sharing experiences, better networking and providing direction to the process.

Growth of Manavta Kendras
During the year under review, the Manavta Kendra process was underway in 386 villages in 10 districts of five states.

Manav Sahakar Abhiyan
Human Support Projects

Financial statement
Extract from audited financial statement for the year 2004-2005

The Foundation proposes to further its objectives of its mission and vision by establishing permanent and need-based research and experiment-oriented Centres for Spiritual and Cultural Development. It proposes the creation of valid reference points in the fields of culture and spiritual works capable of personal transformations, by demonstrating and sharing knowledge based on actual experiments made in these fields. It proposes to support the development of local communities at village- and neighbourhood-levels. It will support the setting up of Halls at the city level.

Focus areas/projects
Centres for Spiritual and Cultural Development
The first Asian regional Hall will be set up near Mumbai at a distance of 100 kilometres. The Foundation is looking for a suitable plot and is developing architectural design for the Hall. A team of ten members has been formed to co-ordinate acquiring the plot, developing architectural design, construction work, etc. This team consist of an engineer, architect, lawyer and others. In addition, the objective is to set up as many Halls as possible at village-, neighbourhood- and city-levels.

Humanscape magazine
Humanscape will continue to be published on a monthly basis. Efforts will continue to widen the magazine's base of readers and contributors. There will also be a focused attempt to build significant linkages with student groups so as to involve them in the Humanscape movement. The promotion of the magazine will be given added impetus.

www.humanscape.org
It is clear that the future of mass communication is greatly enhanced by the electronic media. Although the portal does not detract from the significance of Humanscape among the Foundation's activities, it seeks to extend the frontiers of conventional media. New and more recent forms of communication have to be utilised to achieve the ultimate objective of affecting a positive current of opinion through information dissemination.

Manavta Kendras
The Foundation proposes to support the qualitative growth of Manavta Kendras at the national level. It proposes to consolidate its work of the last five years. The Foundation envisages that the work done in these years will be demonstrative and will help in producing a well-experimented theoretical backdrop, which can be replicated at large by people.

Manavta Kendras will also work towards bringing specific changes in the following areas:
Social and economic changes through the implementation of human support projects characterised by the fulfilment of the basic needs of health, education, livelihood and infrastructure.
Cultural and psychological changes by promoting active resistance against social evils such as alcoholism, religion and communal divide, economic divide, discrimination against women and usury (borrowings at high interest rates).
Political change by demanding to hold and participate actively in gram panchayat and in gramsabha and by Manavta Kendra members participating as candidates in local elections.
Personal change through conducting personal work at all meetings and by holding specific meetings for training of the development of a new sensibility, for building homogeneity in the group, for increased individual and group capacity for reflection, for developing humanist thoughts and stands, for learning about humanist principles and ideas, and for better social action through valid action, by holding retreatsfor deeper reflection, mediation and study.

Human support projects
Ten Manavta Kendras would be set up in Tsunami affected villages of Cuddalore district in Tamil Nadu. The Centres will act as a platform to carry out social solidarity projects and activities by local people. The objective as these Kendras would be to facilitate rehabilitation process of the village and to unite people.

Projected financial estimates for the year 2004-2005