TRIBAL EMPOWEMENT PROGRAMMES

MASUM's work in the Parner taluka is concerned mainly with the tribals in that region. Work is concentrated in the villages around the two areas – Ralegan Siddhi and Mandwa.

The work in Ralegan Siddhi and surrounding villages attempts to empower poor rural women by focussing on increasing their access to information and resources. Initiatives in this area include –

• The rural information centre which was started in 1996 in Ralegan Siddhi. It aims at creating access to information about the various government development programmes and schemes for the people in Ralegan Siddhi. A trained local youth provides this information. On an average around 60 people visit the centre every month. Most of the inquiries are regarding bank loan proposals.
  
• Women's self help groups
  
• The rural library in Jategaon, in order to inculcate the habit of reading in the local youth so that they can gain access to information that will enable them to participate more actively in the process of development taking place in their area. A local activist manages the library.
  
• The Para-Legal Aid Centre which was i nitiated in 1996. This centre aims to generate awareness in community about women's rights and provide immediate paralegal support at the community level to women in distress. Registration of all marriages taking place in this area continues to be an important activity of the centre. This record becomes a crucial document in case of any dispute that requires proof of marriage, especially in case of violence, desertion, and bigamy.
  
  The work in Mandwa and surrounding villages revolves around the issues of tribal people and attempts to orgnaise them to assert their rights. Initiatives in this area include –
  
  
• Creating awareness about the importance of education, encouraging parents to send their children to school, starting pre schools and setting up a non formal school for tribal children. A non formal school for tribal children was started in Mandwa in response to the educational needs of tribal children who found themselves outside the formal education system. Here children are taught basic languages, science, math and geography in a way that connected to their lives to what they learnt at school. Pre schools are conducted in the interior and highly neglected areas of Bhosalmaal, Gurhewadi and Shelwaak in Parner taluka in order to facilitate school enrolment of Bhil (tribal) children into mainstream schools. The activities conducted in this balwadis include learning songs, stories, games and also basic writing skills.
  
• In the year 2000, MASUM initiated a programme for empowering children through recreational activities. The programme works with children in the age group of 6 – 12 years in order to promote the values of peace, equality, justice, co-operation and non-discrimination amongst them, to prevent the perpetuation of violence through children and to nurture their dignity so that they learn to value themselves and others.
  
• Disseminating information about government schemes
• Creating awareness about women's health issues.