F O U N D A T I O N O F H I S S A C R E D M A J E S T Y

ANNUAL REPORT 2008 -2009

No- 154, 1st street Yeswanth Nagar, selaiyur, Chennai – 6000073

E-mail: foundatationofhissacredmajesty@gmail.com

Website: www.hissacredmajesty.com

MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Social transformation is a process in which an individual alters the socially ascribed social status

of their parents into a socially achieved status for themselves, and the large scale social change

which impacts the social system. Social transformation requires a shift in collective

consciousness of a society - local, state, national or global - so that reality is refined by

consensus. This often happens by external stimulus and sometimes intentionally. Such

transformation means nothing unless it comes as a reconstruction of one’s inner convictions and

attitude. This transformation is a challenge that FHSM took in order for developing a society

which is based upon liberty, equality, fraternity and social justice as envisaged by our father of

Indian constitution, Babasaheb Dr.B.R.Ambedkar.

As being the executive director, I see FHSM is accelerating its work in serving children. The end

goal is to give people the skills to improve their lives and the opportunity to become leaders who

bring lasting change to their communities. I am delighted to report that this year we have been

remarkably successful in achieving our purpose and goals. We have spent considerable time

building our operational efficiency. Though we have just entered officially this year, I am sure

that the nurturing we have received from Dr.Ambedkar Youth Movement has accelerated our

momentum towards social development.

I must express my sincere thanks to each and every member of the staff of organization, and also

executive members who had worked tirelessly to help the organisation to meet the changing

requirements of the organisation. The following pages would describe the interventions of our

activation in detail, and I hope you will enjoy reading it in the same spirit as our work.

I have every confidence that FHSM will continue to provide giving solutions in the years to

come and will provide valuable resources to the people, and remain as catalyst for social

transformation.

Kind Regards,

ABOUT US:

The Foundation of His Sacred Majesty is a registered Non-Government Organisation which

envisages to achieve the prime objective of the society and render whatever possible assistance

within the resource of its development fund and the sources raised by the application of science

and technology, state of the art under synergic strategies by involving people's participation and

in association with Government and other service organizations in the field of rural and urban

development for social – economical – environmental and educational development of the rural

and urban areas, and thereby rendering it services to the poor, deserving and needy section

without a profit motive and without any distinction on account of caste, creed, race, nationality,

sex or religion with a mission to play a significant role in creating a better environment.

The foundation is registered in the year 2007 under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act,

1975, and has successfully completed 2 years of operation in urban and rural community

development. FHSM currently works in districts of Namakkal, Nagapattinam, and Kanchipuram.

VISION STATEMENT

To be counted among the most pioneering, innovative, people-friendly and self-sustainable

social organisation in the world; and learn to live together in the diversified world, know new

and emerging knowledge, do more complicated technological tasks and be more responsible,

independent and creative for the well being of the society.

MISSION STATEMENT

To preserve, promote and disseminate the principle of liberty, equality, fraternity and social

justice through non-formal education, sustainable livelihood, and conservation of ecology,

alternative/preventive medicines, political empowerment, social advocacy and spiritual

development in order for restoration of human dignity of the poor and marginalised.

MAIN OBJECTIVES:

To uplift the weaker sections of the society in rural and urban areas, through

comprehensive and integrated development programmes.

To enhance literacy status, quality of education, school standards, and also undertake

programmes to develop non-formal education.

To develop and implement the community based health care programmes and provide

medical relief to the poor, distressed, mentally and physically challenged.

To undertake basic research programmes on problems related to development of poor and

marginalised sections, and bring in peace-building measures.

To enhance income levels of women and unemployed youths through income generation

programme, and facilitate marketing.

To encourage the youth groups to take initiatives on their own for the development of

their community.

To create awareness on environment, and protect, preserve and promote ecological

balance.

PROJECTS OF FHSM

NON-FORMAL EDUCATION

Wall Graffiti by poor children from urban slums:

The FHSM volunteer’s team has organized a one-day program with the children of Kodandan

Nagar, Chromepet. At the U.S. Consulate building on Anna Salai, the children transformed the

plain walls into a work of art. Thanks to art director Thotta Tharani and NalandaWay Foundation

for providing such opportunities for poor children. The children painted colours to a mural

outlined earlier by Mr.Tharani. The mural project was part of the “Art, Arattai, Aarpattam”

festival hosted Nalandaway foundation in November and meant to give underprivileged children

an opportunity to have a brush with art. The children of Kothanda Nagar, Chromepet never had

such opportunities, and after this program the children’s confidence level improved a lot. All

these children had been rescued from trafficking, child labour and bonded labour. The mural is

115 feet long and 4 feet wide and set against a backdrop of famous American and Indian

landmarks. Images of the Statue of Liberty, a school and the Indian flag are portrayed in the

mural.

US Consul General in south India

Andrew Simkin who was present at the

event reported the The Hindu newspaper

agency that he was thrilled to see this. “It

is for the first time that the US Consulate

office anywhere has displayed a wall

graffiti done by children,” he said.

Ragini Gupta, US Consul for Cultural

Affairs said this was a gesture to promote Indo-US friendship. She said it was an effort to help

the children have their legacy carved here. The names of all the children who painted the mural

have been etched on the wall. Bhuvaneshwari, VIII class student was on among the children,

who painted the mural, said she thoroughly enjoyed the experience of painting.

Organized video show for the slum children:

The avowed objective of children’s film festival was to undertake and organise production,

distribution and exhibition of feature films and shorts for children, provide them healthy and

wholesome entertainment, aim to enhance their knowledge, develop their character, broaden their

perspective and help shape them into useful citizens of modern India. On 6th

of December 2008,

FHSM organized video show for children at kothandan nagar, Chromepet, Chennai. Since 6th

of

December 2008 was the last day for children’s Film Festival, which was organized by

NALANDAWAY and AID INDIA at South Indian Film Chamber Theatre in Tenampet, Nearly

52 children have participated along with 2 volunteers from kothandan nagar. This was a unique

experience among the children of Kothandan Nagar. Mr. Oliver and Mr. Sathish (volunteers of

FHSM) facilitated the program, and made it a grand success.

Awareness on Quality Education:

Education is a step beyond mere literacy. Quality education is the tool of empowerment for

underprivileged children. FHSM has taken up awareness programme on quality education in

Chrompet Chennai. Every child deserves a chance’ that the organization exists and works

towards making that possible. Children either did not enroll in school, or dropped out at a young

age choosing to seek work during the school day to earn money to feed themselves and their

families.

On 23rd

of Nov 2008, FHSM organized community gathering in kothandan nagar to discuss

about tuition centre for their children. The tuition centre shall focus on English skills, aptitude,

school subjects, punctuality, personality development, and creativity. FHSM motivated the

community people by expressing the importance of education and the future of their children.

Nearly 20 women and 10 men with 20 children have participated. The community agreed to

contribute financially for the tuition centre in kothandan nagar to meet the recurring expenditure.

Mr. Sampath, tuition master of kothandan nagar, chrompet started tuition formally on behalf of

FHSM by maintaining attendance registers for the children. Nearly 50 children are registered in

the attendance. However, to accommodate 50 children is very difficult due to lack of space.

FHSM is planning to reconstruct a two-floor non-formal education centre on the place where

Dr.Ambedkar Youth Movement had constructed a centre. The founder of DAYM,

Dr.M.Nagappan has agreed formally for the proposed plan of construction of NFE centre.

The following are the student’s detail participating in our NFE program:

S.No CLASS Boys Girls Total

1 LKG 1 2 3

2 UKG 0 1 1

3 IV 3 0 3

4 V 7 3 10

5 VI 3 3 6

6 VII 3 3 6

7 VIII 4 2 6

8 IX 0 4 4

9 X 3 4 7

10 XI 1 0 1

11 XII 0 1 1

12 College 1 0 1

Total 26 23 49

Link with EQUITAS bank:

Ms. Arokya mary is the president of a Self Help Group in kothandan nagar, chrompet. There are

three SHGs initiated by Ms. Arokya mary controlled by Municipality. With the help of SHGs,

EQUITAS bank has agreed to provide Rs.1000 per month for handling recurring expenditures.

Mr. Jeeva ozhi, the manager of EQUITAS bank at pallavaram branch, explained the SHG

president that the bank can provide certain amount as tuition teacher payment in kothandan nagar

area. Mr. Sambath who completed diploma in mechanical engineer, came forward to take tuition

for children.

Awareness on tsunami non formal education centers:

The tsunami of 26 December 2004 caused untold damage to the coastal region of southern India,

killing approximately 15,000 people, destroying more than 160,000 homes, damaging 83,000

boats, and causing the loss of income and livelihoods of at least 100,000 persons. More than 2.5

million individuals have been affected by the tsunami in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh,

Pondicherry, Kerala and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Prioritising sustainable livelihood of

the marginalised communities while rebuilding tsunami-affected communities is important, not

only to ensure their long-term survival but to provide an opportunity to address longstanding

livelihood issues of the marginalised communities in these regions. FHSM was the first

voluntary organization immediately arrived in affected Tsunami area for rescue and relief

operations.

Children are the future of a nation. For an

emerging and developing country like India,

development of underprivileged children

holds the key to the progress of the nation

itself. Education for the underprivileged

children is the key whether we are addressing

poverty, health care, population control,

unemployment or human rights issue. In order

for the post-tsunami rehabilitation process to

be effective and sustainable in the long term it is important to ensure that communities are

informed and through non-formal education. The children in our vedaranyam Non-formal

education centre are very active and have been continuing their formal education by scoring

good marks. The constitution of India for the first time in the history of India made provisions of

free primary education to marginalized communities particularly Dalits. A majority of dalit

children have to leave schools not only in primary stages but the situation becomes worst in

middle and secondary stages drop out. Dalit parents are not welcomed by the schools to get their

children enrolled in schools and also the schools fail to motivate both parents and children to

continue the studies. The prejudices and biases against dalit community continue to be practiced

in the form of discrimination. There are many provisions for encouraging Dalit children to study.

These include scholarships, uniforms, books, mid day meal (for all) etc. these are not in

proportion to the population of dalit children’s population. The access to these resources takes lot

of pain and majority do not get. Even if it reaches to them, an insufficiency prevails. FHSM team

organized a one-day program on the relevance of Non-formal education in vedaranyam,

nagapattinam district, Tamil Nadu. The kollitheevu village in vedaranyam is a dalit village which

is highly impoverished due to lack of sustainable livelihood.

AWARENESS ON WOMEN EMPOWERMENT:

Conventional approaches to women's empowerment are based on the twin assumption that

alleviation of poverty will automatically lead to their empowerment and that the major constraint

on programmes for upliftment is monetary and Conventional approaches to the empowerment of

women in developing countries tend to stress the primacy of poverty alleviation. Engaged in

providing its services to women through educations and vocational training, in order to educate

them to their rights and empower them to stand a respectable position and life in future. They do

not obtain regular salaried employment with welfare benefits like workers in the organized

sector. They are the unprotected labour force of our country. Constituting 93% of the labour

force, these are workers of the unorganized sector. Of the female labour force in India, more than

94% are in the unorganized sector. However their work is not counted and hence remains

invisible. The women groups are instrumental in educating rural folk and the improvement of

rural economy. Through them we are reaching out the outreached sections of the society.

Though the Government has implemented various programmes for the welfare of the tribal, yet

this section is still deprived of equality in society. Therefore, there is a growing realization for

the education of these people. For this purpose appropriate communication strategy has to be

adopted by the developmental agencies. Keeping these facts in view, the field study was

conducted to ascertain the level of awareness among tribal towards developmental programmes

of Government and the factors responsible for their consciousness. The field study was

conducted in kolli hills, Namakkal district of Tamil Nadu during June, 2009. It was found that

majority of the tribal were unaware of the developmental programmes of the Government.

Hence, there is an urgent need for inculcating awareness among these tribal to bring them into

the mainstream of development. Since urban people have greater access towards various

communication sources, they are more aware of the developmental programmes. For the rural

tribal, local communication sources will have to be exploited for making them aware of the

developmental programmes. The FHSM organized a program for the empowerment of tribal

women in kolli hills.

AWARENESS ON PERSONAL HYGIENIC, SANITATION AND WASTE

MANAGEMENT:

Teaching personal hygiene to children can be an ongoing challenge and you have to keep

reinforcing some messages - especially once they start school. We don't know if this is a bigger

issue with boys than girls - but certainly we have found with our children conveniently forgets to

do basic personal hygiene routines - or maybe they just can't be bothered because they are in too

much of a hurry to get back to something they consider more important. School Sanitation and

Hygiene Education, widely known as SSHE, is a comprehensive programme to ensure child

friendly water supply, toilet and hand washing facilities in the schools and promote behavioral

change by hygiene education. SSHE not only ensures child’s right to have healthy and clean

environment but also leads to an effective learning and enrolment of girls in particular, and

reduce diseases and worm infestation. India cannot achieve real development if majority of its

people particularly live in an unhealthy and unclean surroundings due to lack of access to safe

water and sanitation. Poor water and

sanitation facilities have many other serious

repercussions. A direct link exists between

water, sanitation and, health and nutrition and

human well being. Consumption of

contaminated drinking water, improper

disposal of human excreta, lack of personal

and food hygiene and improper disposal of

solid and liquid waste have been major causes

of many diseases, and the villages of vedaranyam have very poor sanitation facility. It is

estimated that around 30 million people suffer from water related illnesses. Children particularly

girls and women are the most affected. Many children, particularly girls drop out of school and

are denied their right to education because they are busy fetching water or are deterred by the

lack of separate and decent sanitation facilities in schools. Women often suffer from lack of

privacy, harassment and need to walk large distances to find a suitable place for defecation in the

absence of household/appropriate neighborhood toilet facilities. Poor farmers and wage earners

are less productive due to illness, and national economies suffer. Without safe water and

sanitation, sustainable development is impossible.

The Burden Of Sanitation-Related Disease In India

On an average, 30 million persons in rural areas suffer from sanitation-related disease

5 of the 10 top killer diseases of children aged 1-4 in rural areas are related to water and

sanitation

About 0.6-0.7 million children die of diarrhea annually

The practice of open defecation in India comes from a combination of factors. The most

prominent of them being the traditional behavioral pattern and lack of awareness of the people

about the associated health hazards. As per the latest Census data (2001), only 36.4 percent of

total population has latrines within/attached to their houses. However in rural areas, only 21.9

percent of population has latrines within/attached to their houses. Out of this, only 7.1 percent

households have latrines with water closets, which are the most sanitized toilets. In kollitheevu

village, vedaranyam one could hardly find any village sanitation.

The main objectives of awareness program on personal hygiene, sanitation and waste

management are as follows:

Bring about an improvement in the general quality of life in rural areas

Accelerate sanitation coverage

Generate demand through awareness and health education

Cover all schools and anganwadis in rural areas with sanitation facilities and promote

hygiene behaviour among students and teachers

Encourage cost effective and appropriate technology development and application

Endeavour to reduce water and sanitation related diseases.

AWARENESS ON CHILD NUTRITION AND MATERNAL HEALTH:

Malnutrition plagues a disproportionately large number of children in India compared with most

other countries. Nutrition has major effects on health. Nutrition refers to the availability of

energy and nutrients to the body’s cells in relation to body requirements. Malnutrition refers to

any imbalance in satisfying nutrition requirements. Malnutrition among children is often caused

by the synergistic effects of inadequate or improper food intake, repeated episodes of parasitic or

other childhood diseases such as diarrhoea, and improper care during illness. Malnutrition is

often cited as an important factor contributing to high morbidity and mortality among children.

Malnutrition during childhood can also affect growth potential and risk of morbidity and

mortality in later years of life. Malnourished children are more likely to grow into malnourished

adults who face heightened risks of disease and death. A number of factors affect child nutrition,

either directly or indirectly. The most commonly cited factors are food availability and dietary

intake, breastfeeding, prevalence of infectious and parasitic diseases, access to health care,

immunization against major childhood diseases, vitamin A supplementation, maternal care

during pregnancy, water supply and sanitation, socioeconomic status, and health-seeking

behavior. Demographic characteristics such as the child’s age and sex, birth intervals (both

preceding and following), and mother’s age at childbirth are also associated with child nutrition.

FHSM organized an awareness program on child nutrition and maternal health. Broadly,

the programme aims immunisation, ante-natal care, and skilled attendance during delivery as

well as for common childhood elements. Greater stress on improving neonatal care in at all

levels, hospital, homes and community needs to be paid so as to substantially reduce the infant

mortality. FHSM Programme aims at eradication of polio virus while selectively introducing

Hepatitis B in UIP package through Government hospitals. The basket and channel of family

planning services will be expanded with the help of doctors in government hospital. A variety of

delivery strategies, channels including through various stakeholders will be tried. The supporting

services will be streamlined, while social mobilisation and demand generation will be ensured

through IEC, NGO activity, improving counselling skills of workers and involvement of PRIs.

The need for bringing down maternal mortality rate significantly and improving maternal health

in general has been strongly stressed in the National Population Policy 2000. This policy

recommends a holistic strategy for bringing about total inter-sectoral coordination at the grass

root level and involving the NGOs, Civil Societies, Panchayati Raj Institutions and Women’s

Group in bringing down Maternal Mortality Ratio and Infant Mortality Rate. FHSM has chosen

kollitheevu, and also kolli hills for future such initiatives.

FHSM began to find cases of denial of maternal health services leading to either maternal death,

near-misses or prolonged illness. Contrary to belief in policy circles that the rural community

was too ignorant to access, we found in most stories that women had been denied life-saving

information from service providers, and were also denied services if they attempted to access

institutional care. Since uncovering these ground realities, FHSM has been working through

partnerships with PRIs to promote women’s right to maternal health.

Objectives

To increase community women’s access to and control over maternal health services

through advocacy and monitoring using rights-based approaches.

To promote women’s reproductive rights, including the right to reproductive health, by

engaging in evidence-based policy advocacy with state actors, donors and the media, and

monitoring the quality of RH programmes.

AWARENESS ON PREVENTION OF TOBACCO AND ALCOHOLISM:

Many people drink socially, or occasionally, and are able to stop after a few drinks. It does not

interfere with any other aspect of their life. But for some others who drink, things go awry. We

do not know for sure why some people are more susceptible to alcohol abuse than others. An

alcoholic is not just the man in tatters, knocked flat on the road after a binge. Alcoholism is an

age no bar, economic status/ social status no bar disease. An alcoholic is one, whose drinking

causes continuing problems in any area of his life (such as family relationships, job, financial

status or health) and who continues to drink in spite of these problems because he has developed

a physical and psychological dependence on alcohol.

In kolli hills, there are number of cases where tribal men consume alcohol and indulge in wife

battering. Often the reasons for murders or fatal assaults here are as mundane as someone's hen

entering the neighbour's territory or someone's refusal to lend a 'bidi' (leaf rolled cigarette) to a

friend. In all these crimes, either the killer or the victim or both are high on alcohol.

Alcoholism is taking a heavy toll on the socio-economic life of the tribal population. The age-old

problem of excessive drinking in tribal areas is affecting the new generation too.

One can see teenagers brewing 'arrack' (local brew) in front of their houses. There is lack of

conscious effort from the community to prevent youngsters from becoming hard-core addicts.

The attendance in schools also comes down when toddy tapping starts in certain regions of kolli

hills. Efforts are underway to counter alcoholism among tribals through FHSM which is very

encouraging. Alcoholism is also associated with starvation and unemployment.

Alcohol consumption and drug abuse are pervasive in tribal society; any effort to prevent

it must be operate on an equally comprehensive basis. To accomplish this goal, our basic

approach is to provide the indirect services (consultation, training, and technical assistance)

which support tribal and institutional involvement in prevention activities through education,

voluntary action and community organization.

Prevention activities of FHSM take a two-pronged approach: (1) a deliberate and constructive

process designed to promote growth of individuals and communities toward full human

potential, (2) the counteraction of harmful circumstances such as health and safety hazards,

family stresses, job pressures, isolation, violence, economic hardship and inadequate housing,

medical services, or child care. Every segment of the community has a special role to play in

prevention. Parents and schools are particularly important.

Strategies of FHSM on prevention of alcoholism:

Prevention strategies targeting youth have evolved over the past 20 years as evaluation research

reveals more about what works. Several strategies are used effectively, especially in

combination:

Information dissemination - This strategy provides awareness and knowledge of the

nature and extent of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use, abuse, and addiction and their

effects on individuals, families, and communities, as well as information to increase

perceptions of risk. It also provides knowledge and awareness of prevention policies,

programs, and services. It helps set and reinforce norms (for example, underage drinking

and drug dealers will not be tolerated in this neighborhood).

Prevention education - This strategy aims to affect critical life and social skills, including

decision making, refusal skills, critical analysis (for example, of media messages), and

systematic and judgmental abilities.

Alternatives - This strategy provides for the participation of targeted populations in

activities that exclude alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use by youth. Constructive and

healthy activities offset the attraction to, or otherwise meet the needs usually filled by,

alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use.

Problem identification and referral - This strategy calls for identification, education, and

counseling for those youth who have indulged in age-inappropriate use of tobacco

products or alcohol, or who have indulged in the first use of illicit drugs. Activities under

this strategy would include screening for tendencies toward substance abuse and referral

for preventive treatment for curbing such tendencies.

Community-based process - This strategy aims to enhance the ability of the community to

provide prevention and treatment services to alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use

disorders more effectively. Activities include organizing, planning, enhancing efficiency

and effectiveness of services implementation, interagency collaboration, coalition

building, and networking. Building healthy communities encourages healthy lifestyle

choices.

Environmental approach - This strategy sets up or changes written and unwritten

community standards, codes, and attitudes--influencing incidence and prevalence of

alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use problems in the general population. Included are

laws to restrict availability and access, price increases, and community-wide actions

Each day in India, an estimated 5,500 youth initiate tobacco use, contributing to predictions that

by 2020, tobacco will account for 13% of all deaths in India. Project of FHSM is a multi-

component school-based intervention designed to prevent and reduce tobacco use among

adolescents in Chennai and Kolli hills. The intervention was implemented over the 2008-2009

school years and involved 6th and 8th grade students in 32 classrooms. Students participated in

peer-led classroom activities involving games, competitions, and other activities intended to

target a number of psychosocial risk factors believed to prevent tobacco use among urban Indian

youth.

AWARENESS ON APPROPRIATE RURAL TECHNOLOGY AND RURAL

DEVELOPMENT:

In order to ensure sustainable livelihood opportunity for the rural poor mass, it is believed

that rural sector needs to be strengthened through policy and financial support from the

Government, and Non-Government organisation. In recent times, there is intense shift from farm

to non/off-farm pulls the small and

marginal farmers into an unsustainable,

wage and low- income based livelihood

structure. This is mostly due to the failure

to understand rural livelihood and

outdated system of practice. FHSM has

committed itself to eliminating rural

poverty by empowering the rural poor.

The project encourages the poverty-

ridden rural families in tribal regions to

lead a decisive fight against poverty. An Awareness program was organized in selected villages

of kolli hills for the same.

Development and deployment of technologies specifically designed for the 2-3 billion rural poor

can help improve their lifestyles and livelihoods while bringing them in mainstream development

process. Technology intervention will also help in rural employment generation. Thus new

technologies should encourage rural technology development and its availability on very soft

terms. Most of the technology efforts in past for providing basic facilities to rural areas have

been based on a “tinkering” approach, meaning a small adjustment here and there, and using

“low” or appropriate technology.

This approach, which has been mostly

used by aid agencies, normally resulted in

incremental changes like development of

improved cook-stoves or better bullock

carts. Tinkering, however, has barely

made a dent in the quality of life of poor

people. And often, the introductions of

these technologies brought other problems

such as increased workloads for women.

To develop kolli hills, FHSM has decided to adopt 3 panchayats namely Bail nadu, Gundur nadu

and Selur nadu which has 70% BPL. FHSM has decided to work on solar energy, bio-gas, slurry

management, horticulture, organic farming, ayurvedic/siddha medicines, natural therapy,

livestock development, and environment friendly micro-enterprise for the BPL tribal families. In

this regard, FHSM organised an awareness generation program on appropriate rural technology

which would minimize the family expenditure, generate income and protect environment.

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For further information, please contact:

Executive Director,

Foundation of His Sacred Majesty,

154, First Street, Yeshwanth Nagar,

Selaiyur, Chennai – 600 073

India

Phone: +91-44-22292569

Mobile: +91-9791239333

Email: foundationofhissacredmajesty@gmail.com

Website: www.foundationofhissacredmajesty.com