Self Help Group. A non-govt.organisation

                                         Swasakthi  Seva  Samstha.


            A young man bubbling with enthusiasm asked me my opinion about his starting a NGO called Sulaksha Seva Samithi or some thing like that. I don't remember exactly what was the name he wanted to give to his self help NGO.

         I asked him to go ahead and do what ever he can but take care to be sincere and absolutely loyal to his objective and to sustain the initial enthusiasm through out without allowing the idea to peter out and disappear into thin air after some time. I also promised him to give some ideas to work on.

       Hence this endeavour to jot down certain thoughts that could perhaps be translated into action.

      The self help group must have as its core a well defined objective. What the Society needs today most. A few examples are Housing for the middle class family, Health Care at the Govt. Primary Health Centres and in Govt. Hospitals, and clean surroundings where sanitation,  garbage removal,  and road cleanliness and maintenance,  are given the due importance they deserve, and primary education at Govt. Schools.

   A square can be visualised, with the 4 corners of the Square allotted to Housing, Health Care, Municipal Civic amenities and Education. The Core idea is the Self Help relying on its Own Power, Swasakthi, to attack the problems constructively, find workable solutions and confront the Administration and the Politicians to act and solve the problems.

   This NGO must visit Govt. Health Centres and Hospitals and expose the live problems like shortage of staff,  shortage of funds,  and the prime disease of not bothering to rectify the defects even if it is within one's power. Similarly they should help Housing Societies to be formed of genuine seekers and help them to get Govt. land allotted wherever possible and get various Statutory Clearances quickly and without bribes.

Next,  visit Primary Schools and expose their problems and make the administration and local Politician ACT,  to set right the ailing system.  And make the Municipalities do their job sincerely to maintain all civic amenities and Cleanliness of their Municipality.

An active, youthful NGO getting down to these tasks will win public acclaim and the administration and the local Politician will wake up and do their job effectively. They will have no other escape if the NGO means business and does a sincere job.

Of course several other aspects can be fine tuned to make the NGO,  have really a Cutting Edge,  to make the life of the common man more pleasant.

Hydrabad, March 30, 2013.                                               Ramachandra Parsa.