3. SCOPE Profile

PROFILE OF SCOPE
(Empowering underprivileged communities in Western Maharashtra)

BRIEFLY...The SCOPE of Pune, Maharashtra (India) was started in 1999 by Mr. Vishwas Chakranarayan left his permanent job as a Field Officer in well known Jesuit Social Organization-Social Centre ( Ahmednagar, Maharashtra) to organize community and promote Education among women and men of different religious ad caste backgrounds, the education that is at once holistic and progressive.


BACKGROUND INFORMATION OF SCOPE:
SCOPE of Western Maharashtra (India) is a non-profit making organization whose main aim is to develop village communities that have lagged behind in progress on all fronts. To achieve this, the organization ensures that its beneficiaries men, women, youth and children are trained in various community activities, which enhance their lives and that of their families. In this case SCOPE promotes and supports women and girls on priority with special attention to their strategic needs.

The SCOPE of Maharashtra (India) was started in 1999 by Mr. Vishwas Chakranarayan and a team of committed men and women who came together to promote unity in communities and progressive education in the villages on the outskirt of two Districts, Pune and Satara. As a result of this the men and women realized their other needs for environmental and economic empowerment to enable them to participate fully in the communities and families they lived in. The SCOPE then decided to establish resource centres like the Perne Phata ( Haveli Block-Taluka) in Pune and Savarigaon (Javali Block-Taluka) in Satara project centres where young and old men and women are able to gather and meet to discuss their various needs and pursue them. They are trained in SHGs (Self Help Groups), Agricultural, Recycling of Biodegradable products, Village Governance, cooperative management and Legal aides.

SCOPE VISION:The SCOPE's vision is of a fully inclusive nation where peace, justice, health, human dignity, freedom and care for the environment are promoted and sustained through women's leadership.

SCOPE MISSION STATEMENT:The mission of the SCOPE is that of a voluntary organization that focuses to unite women and youth (girls and boys) in its endeavours to develop the leadership and collective power of women and girls to achieve social and economic empowerment, human rights, health, security, dignity, justice and peace for all people, inspired by faith in Basic Human Respect (BHR).

SCOPE PURPOSE:The purpose of the SCOPE is to promote the community building of people of all religions and castes through various activities that aim to translate BHR into action for social change. Through its programmes, the SCOPE aims to improve the quality of life for all whilst strengthening the family.

SCOPE OBJECTIVE:The SCOPE aims:

i. To promote self-reliance and self-actualization,
ii. To identify leadership qualities in men and women and strengthen them to better serve their communities.
iii. To promote libraries related to the human development and village communities.
iv. To make women alert to such injustices as poverty, discrimination and violence and to transform the power into action for social change.
v. To promote understanding, co-operation and harmony among different castes communities.
vi. To promote education and environment awareness among the village communities.
vii. To promote cleanliness, hygiene and make the villages free from sanitation problems.
viii. To promote local employment opportunities to discourage migration to the cities, the cause of HIV and other illnesses spread in the villages.
ix. To promote local products.
ROLE OF SCOPESCOPE is a membership-based organisation aimed at empowering the village communities through women on issues of leadership, self-reliance and self-sustenance.

PROGRAMMES BEING IMPLEMENTED:SCOPE operates within the following strategic areas that focus on:

Pune District: Education ( Balwadis: pre-schools) and workshops and trainings on SHGs. These are in Tulapur, Nhavi Sandas, Sangavi Sandas, Dongargaon, Phulgaon, Perne, and Vadu.

1. Coloured area: SCOPE work site

http://www.onefivenine.com/images/DistrictMaps/325.jpg

Present Status: The SCOPE has begun its work in full swing in the Daund Block of Pune District. 

1. Blue space is Koyna Reservoir
2. Green Ring around Reservoir is the SCOPE  work site

Satara District: In Javali Taluka of Satara, Bamnoli,Tetli, Uchat, Morni, Akalpe, Dodani, Pimpritab, Waghavale, Andhari, Mhavashi, Shembadi, Zhadani, Kusapur, Vasota, Rule Umbari and other neighbouring villages in Satara District to the South of Pune District. These villages are situated beyond the backwaters of the Koyana dam.

http://www.mapsofindia.com/maps/maharashtra/districts/satara-district-map.jpg

Income generating projects for members in their respective villages and vastis (settlements). At Taluka (Block) level, the main office runs various courses and training programmes ranging from hygiene to self employments.

For self-sustenance, members are trained for various and appropriate skills. These skills include tie and dye, candle-making, food and fruit processing and preservation, spices preparation, nursery and wormy culture.

SCOPE also encourages members to care for the environment through maintaining their homesteads (kitchen gardens), farms, whose fruits they use when preparing different products. Other methods include the smokeless ovens for cooking, water purification methods. Farm and other wastes especially the human and animal wastes are utilized to feed the biogas-cum-toilet plants. Paper and plastic recycling are encouraged.

Advocacy for non-violence on the women and the girl child through an annual programme campaign on various occasions especially on International Women’s Day is promoted. Advocacy issues for women also center on issues that affect them daily, e.g. Drunkard husbands, deserted women, Resource allocation, land allocation, will and inheritance.

Youth programmes that also focus on HIV and AIDS, behavioral changes, Leadership training, peace building and community development. These programmes are not exclusive to the youth only but to all the beneficiaries of SCOPE.

Family health programmes, covering HIV, AIDS, Pregnancy and Delivery programme with the focus on Low Input gardening support groups for both the infected and affected, are a very important aspect in the SCOPE programmes.

PROGRESS TO DATE:1. There has been a remarkable progress in the SCOPE programmes. Students who attended the various and appropriate trainings in Perne, and Tulapur area have started supporting themselves and their families besides helping in the village community building. Through inspiration, these students have done wonders in the areas they are coming from. The various and appropriate trainings as commended by the community people are assisting a lot of other young people in the skills for them to gain employment.

2. We have Block offices for the cluster villages In Pune and Satara Districts under SCOPE care. The Block (Taluka) officers in both Districts visit the various projects, branches and enroll new members through the funds raised from the locals. These projects are also self-sustaining as they are able to serve the communities through conference facilities that they provide.

3. Members in the various villages of Pune Block have also managed to form Dairy Cooperatives that are assisting them with self-sustenance. Markets are also ready to accept some of the products that the members make. Members are now able to take care of their families even under the current harsh economic conditions.

4. The communities who have been observing International Women’s Day have received the advocacy training on non-violence on the women and girl child, positively. SCOPE gets support from the local government, the police, Panchayats (village councils), other women organizations, women and youth in general. Members have indicated that the relations between the community and their branches have improved for the better. Their community initiatives that have to do with women empowerment are receiving financial and material support from the SHGs.

5. Environment needs to be preserved. SCOPE has over the years encouraged and fostered an Environment Conservation Programmes through observation and celebration of International Days related to the environment, nominated by the International Community, and organizations like UNO and WHO. Through its skills training (appropriate technology) programmes,

In Tulapur and neigbouring villages, SCOPE conducted training workshops on Biogas-cum-Toilet schemes. So far 45 Biogas-cum-Toilet Plants have been established under the able leadership of SCOPE. Till date the plants are successfully running and helping the owners economically. Due to the scheme the people have accepted in great number the biogas plants. This has greatly reduced the deforestation for firewood. The gas is used for cooking without smoke as wells the slurry is natural and organic manure for the farming. This has also cut down the excess use of chemical fertilizers in cultivation, added to their financial savings. The web of Biogas is fast spreading also in other villages which were not under the SCOPE care earlier. By joining the toilets to the biogas plants the roadsides and other areas around the houses and villages are fairly clean and hygienic. These programmes have been greatly appreciated because they remarkably reduced firewood cutting - threat to the village environment and increased respiratory illnesses. This has also proved economically viable solution to mounting cost of cooking gas.

6. Apart from this, SCOPE has also provided and promoted Solar Lanterns which are financially less taxing and a good alternative to the erratic electrical power supply. Some SCOPE village members are earning a living from running nurseries, wormy culture, and sale of slurry as manure to the other parts of the district.

7. The leadership programmes for youth and women, has also seen a lot of young people being empowered in leadership skills. It has seen some of them holding leadership positions at local government, community or organizational level. A number of them are also role models and peer educators on issues of HIV and AIDS. Many organizations and the community at large are recognizing their skills, as some of the members are being asked to facilitate at other places.

8. Low budget gardening (Kitchen garden or Paras Bag) and home-based care training is of great benefit to the community for general health, other illnesses as well as for the HIV and AIDS infected and affected. Especially, this is valuable in Javali (Satara) area which falls under the Koyana dam waters and is declared as the wild sanctuary by the government of Maharashtra. Moreover, due to the plentiful water and special climate the natural forest is replete with medicinal plants. Herbal gardens are being promoted with herbs used by family members for different illnesses. This has also helped members to substitute the expensive medication with the herbs. Herbs are also recommended as they have the required nutritious content and immunity-boosting capacity.

PARTNERSHIPS/COLLABORATION: Over the years, SCOPE has been able to partner with the following on different programmes

PROGRAMME PARTNERS:AFARM: Administrative training workshops and organizing skills.
NDDB : (National Dairy Development Board) Training for the milk and allied product s

cooperative skills.
DRDA : Allocation of various Government schemes and the training for
the same.
SAD : (State Agriculral Department)Training and resource for the agriculture and other allied works.
GMBV : Training for women’s leadership and human rights.
LP : (Lohiya Pratisthan) Training and distribution of Solar Lanterns
AUP : (Agricultureal University of Pune) Training and resource personnel for better agricultural cultivation.

INTERNATIONAL NGO SUMMARY PROFILE – INDIA:1. Name of NGO: S C O P E (Society for Community Organization & Progressive Education)

2. Address: Ganraj Angan Society,

3. Head of Office: Somnath Nagar, Pune, Maharashtra State, 411 014

4. Contact Details Head of Office (email): SCOPE1999@gmail.com

5. Head Office Address (country of origin): India

6. Established in Pune, Satara (Maharashtra, India) since: 1999

7. Number of staff -: National: 8 Total: 8

9. Global Mission of NGO: To create a community harmonious with oneself,
with others and with the nature.

10. Global Programmatic Areas of Focus (delete those not relevant)
Water and Sanitation ------- Nutrition ---------

Health ------- Protection ---------

Food security and livelihoods -------- Sexual and Gender Based Violence

Education --------- Community Development -------Infrastructure -------- Peace Building ----------

HIV/AIDS -------- Other (please specify) --------

11. Current Programmatic Areas of Focus in Pune, Satara (Maharashtra, India):

Water and Sanitation -------- Nutrition --------

Health -------- Protection ---------
Food security and livelihoods Sexual and Gender Based Violence

Education Community Development

Infrastructure Camp Management

HIV/AIDS Peace Building

Other (please specify)

12. We specifically target the following special groups.

Handicapped -------------- Elderly -----------

Children -------

13. Offices currently located in Pune, Satara (districts – use HIC P-

codes – see attached)

1. Pernephata:- SCOPE Rural Resource Centre, Pune Region
2. Savarigaon :- SCOPE Rural Resource Centre, Javali Region ( Satara

District)3. Head Office:- Pune, Somnath Nagar, Vadgaon Sheri

14. Current Projects/Programmes in Pune, Satara (by title, donor, county, district – use HIC P-codes – see attached)

ALL YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT SCOPE

Scope LOGOz

7. SCOPE'S INSPIRATIONS

I never met her. She worked among the destitute & those rejected by the society. Gave them dignity. Gave them mother's shoulder to cry. Made them feel that they were as much important to the society as healthy and normal humans are. Notwithstanding the criticism from all quarters she taught SCOPE how to work.


http://www.google.co.in/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1600&bih=809&q=mother+teresa+pics&oq=mother+teresa+pics&gs_l=img.12...0.0.0.6634.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0..0.0...0.0...1ac..8.img.MELw1RijdPA#imgrc=rFLdC3yLYs9uHM%3A%3BIK7Slm3IqZg3aM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252F2.bp.blogspot.com%252F_CWDJCuSkRsE%252FTHY8_m5bVtI%252FAAAAAAAAACE%252Fo881aDctweU%252Fs1600%252FAug2610-News-MotherTheresa4.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Ftunecedemalissedcontraaudentiorito.blogspot.com%252F2010%252F08%252Fcelebrating-blessed-mother-teresa-at.html%3B550%3B394


Rev. Fr. Hiroyuki Ishikawa, catholic priest, hailed from Japan, Yokohama diocese. Worked tirelessly for the poor in several countries. Helped many poor in different parts of India with the typical attitude of Nishkama Karma (work without expecting fruit). I walked with him. I saw his concern for the people living on the fringe of the society. He became a friend and quiet inspiration to all. He left this world recently. with the legacy. The SCOPE picked up where he left to accomplish what he started. Thanks for the photos by Kazuha Ogasawara and the site below: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11201760@N05/sets/72157601341095488/


Mahatma Gandhi believed in Panchayat Raj, self-sufficiency, simplicity, most of all truthfulness to the last breath, come what may. SCOPE found these good implements to organise village communities and educate them in a progressive way which will render them self-dignity and self-identity. The SCOPE based itself on these inspiring values from the planet-movers like him. www.iloveindia.com/indian-heroes

6. SATARA & ITS LOCATION

Satara & Its Location In Maharashtra State:

Satara is located at 17.68° N 73.98° E.[1] It has an average elevation of 742 metres (2434 feet).

Satara is located in the western part of Maharashtra.The whole of Satara district falls within the Deccan area. It is bounded by Pune district to the north, Solapur district to the east, Sangli district to the south and Ratnagiri district to the west. Raigad district lies to its north-west. Satara District has an area of 10,480 km², and a population of 2,796,906 (2001).
Mountains Valleys: The Sahyadri (mountain) range, separates the district from Ratnagiri on the western side The black rock Mahadeo range starts about 10 m. north of Mahabaleshwar and stretches east and south-east across the whole of the district

The Rivers: The main rivers of Satara district are Koyna and Krishna. The Krishna is one of the three largest sacred rivers of southern India. Approx. 172 kms. of the river course falls inside the district. The Krishna river begins on the eastern brow of the Mahabaleshwar plateau and the source is about 4500 ft. above sea level. Kudali, Urmodi, Venna and Tarali are small feeder rivers of Krishna. Koyna is the largest tributary of the Krishna in the district. Neera and Manganga rivers are the two representative of the Bhima drainage in the north and north-eastern parts of the district respectively. (From Wikipedia)
Physical Setting; Rainfall :The physical settings of Satara shows a contrast of immense dimensions and reveals a variety of landscapes influenced by relief,climate and vegetation. The variation in relief ranges from the pinnacles and high plateaus of main Sahyadrians range having height over 4500 feet above mean sea level to the subdued basin of the Nira river in Phaltan tahasils with the average height of about 1700 feet above mean sea level. The climate ranges from the rainiest in the Mahabaleshwar region, which has an average annual all of over 6000 mm to the driest in Man Tahasil where the average annual rainfall is about 500 mm. The vegetation cover too varies from the typical monsoon forest in the western parts to scrub and poor grass in the eastern parts.

Climate/Rainfall In Satara Area:The climate ranges from the rainiest in the Mahabaleshwar region, which has an average annual all of over 6000 mm to the driest in Man tahsil where the average annual rainfall is about 500 mm. The vegetal cover too varies from the typical monsoon forest in the western parts to scrub and poor grass in the eastern parts. (from http://satara.nic.in/)
Wildlife In Satara Forests :Nestled in the beautiful Western Ghats, the sanctuary sprawls over an area of about 426.52 sq km. The sanctuary is marked by dense forests with three major sections, Vasota, Maharkhor and Indavli Met, and the rivers Koyna, Kandati, and Solashi.
The Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary in Satara, Maharashtra forms the catchments area for the Koyna River, and the Shivasagar reservoir formed by the Koyna Dam. Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary is surrounded by natural protective boundaries – Shivasagar Lake on one side, and the slopes of the Western Ghats on both the sides. This protective

cover is the reason for the sanctuary having a diverse variety of vegetation and animals. The land vegetation at Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary in Satara, Maharashtra is southern tropical evergreen forests and southern moist mixed deciduous forest. Among the large number of trees found in the sanctuary, there are some endangered species such as Dhup (Boswellia serrata), Euphorbia longan, and Elaeocarpus spp, etc. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koyna_Wildlife_Sanctuary

Fauna at the Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary Maharashtra include tigers, panthers, gaurs, sambars, barking and mouse deer, pythons, cobras, common langoors, and Indian Giant Squirrels. You can also witness different species of birds in the sanctuary like the brown-capped woodpecker, Asian Fairy Bluebird, Crested Goshawk, Crimson-backed Sunbird, Malabar Grey-hornbill, etc. Situated on the south of the sanctuary is the Chandoli National Park. (http://satara.nic.in) 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koyna_Wildlife_Sanctuary

Backwater Area: Most of the sites on Internet give full detail of the population in the areas other than in the backwater area. The tourists and other people may not find any reason to visit beyond the backwaters. The situation here is quite different.

To travel to the villages where SCOPE works takes about two -three hours by launch. After landing beyond one has to walk into the forest fora couple of hours. In rainy season this area is cut off from the mainland. Hence, there does not exist any transaction of any sort with the main land people. SCOPE started working several years ago.

The map is taken from http://www.mapsofindia.com/maps/maharashtra/districts/satara.htm

This post is under construction

1. SCOPE in Pune Outskirts

1. Cluster of villages under SCOPE had domestic cows with less milk to support the familiy economically. SCOPE educated the whole community for a long period. Brought home to the people other benefits of purchasing milk-yielding animals. These helped them to be independent and economically self-sufficient.

a. In the extreme left the new cows with the farmers are seen. b. In the right top corner a biogas plant beong consturcted through SCOPE. For fire and manure.c. Earlier cow-dung cakes were burnt for fire. After the new cows Biogas plants were built. Extreme left below.

2. a. In the extreme top left food breed of goats were distributed to the landless families.

b. Women clustered together in the top right corner.

c. Wormicompost was introduced in the villages.

d. A separate women's Dairy Co-operative started. Women themselves manage all the records and collection.

3. Inauguration of the Women's Dairy Co-operative. In the centre Vishwas is seen guiding the people. Standing next to him is the Co-operative Dairy Secreteary for State is seen.
The banner in the picture is about the gathering of the Women's Dairy Co-operative.

Thanks to the men who permitted their wives and other women in the house to participate in the co-operative movement in the vilage.

4. The service of SCOPE was recongnized & acknoledged by the Maharashtra Govenrment.

a. Top left Dr. P C Alexander is seen felicitating SCOPE through Vishwas.

b. In the extreme top right corner on another ocasion on behalf of SCOPE Vishwas is receiveing the award.

c. In the third photo SCOPE is being honoured.

d. Till the Biogas plants were started the villagers had to resort to cutting the trees for firewood. A woman is carrying firewood.

2. BEYOND THE BACKWATERS

How SCOPE Reached Beyond the Koyna Dam Backwaters?

SCOPE has been working in Rural Pune for sustainable development trough the Womens' Groups (SHGs)since1999. In the year 2003 SCOPE was working in Nhavi Sandas, one of the villages on the outskirts of Pune districts. From this village hailed one of the Governemnt's Agricultural Officials. He was newly appointed in the year 2004, as the District Agricultural Officer of Pune. Therefore, he came one of his visists to the village. He happened to encounter interaction with a group of Women who  were on that day meeting for their monthly savings and credit transaction. The official was very surprised to see the women interacting quite confidently with some certain knowledge of the proceeding of meeting. After the Group ended their meeting, the official casually spoke with some of the group members. Being more curious, he later visited the families of these women. He saw Biogas-cum-sanitation area, wormyculture and kitchen garden on the waste-water of the family near every house of the Group's member. He also leafed through the savings and credit records. Seeing men also engaged in working on the Biogas plants, he was quite impressed.  He wanted to know about the source of their knowledge of the above things. After they told him that certain NGO called SCOPE was workiing for them, having given the Phone number and the whole address, the officer conbtacted me.  As our visits became frequent, he came to know much about the wirk and the successes of SCOPE. At the end of all this he oneday requested me to work in the Koya Backwater Area of the SATARA districts. He was earnest in his request to take various Sustanable programs in the said Area. That's how the SCOPE began its work in the SATARA area. 

1.) Milk cans are brought from beyond the waters in a launch and unloaded on the mainland. In the evening the cans are taken beyond the waters for fresh milk collection for the next morning.

2.)District Milk Dairy works from the mainland to the district collection centre.


3.)Women are carrying firewood for cooking and other purposes.







4.) One can see the firewood wellstacked in this hut view of rainy season.

5.) Domestic animals like country cows and buffelows do not yield milk more than 4-5 litres of milk. Hence, they do not really addmuch to the economic leverege of a family.

5. SATARA REMOTE 1

1. SCOPE works beyond the backwater. The boat becomes a meeting place.
It took a couple of years to create confidence among the people about the steps SCOPE was about to take.

Meeting them wherever possible, regularly talking to small gatherings like this one became an effective and fruit-yielding method of instilling courage.
Only then the people give place in their huts and hearts.

SCOPE went to the people as friend. Met them at their level and on equal platform.

2. Systematically mapping the area became primary need in order to set goals, only to achieve them effectively & efficiently.
a. Indian Society is patriarchal in nature. In the decision making process, one cannot ignore the major role played by men. Hence, taking the men folk into confidence becomes a necessary obligation for any NGO to work successfully in such a society.
b. Meeting them first became the most important strategy. c. Only by concientizing the men, were we then able to mobilise the cluster of villages.

d. Sitting among them as one of them made a lot of difference.

3. It became easier later to begin the actual work. The people placed confidence in SCOPE. Co-operated. The work thereafter did not remain with SCOPE alone. It gathered a momentum and became a movement.

First we set about charting their urgent needs and not what the SCOPE had to offer them.

Addressing their needs first created tremendous interest and response on the part of the people.

Every aspect, negative & positive was brought on the anvil. Discussed in minute details its pros & cons. The people fast learned the process of undertaking any work.