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Visitors’ Report South India 2010 |
In January 2010, we once again visited our partner organisations in Cochin and Trivandrum (Kerala, southern India). During our (privately financed) journeys to India once a year we want to get in touch with our Indian partners, and we also always want to see some of the young people whom we further. This time we experienced something completely new: we were able to visit a fishing village near Trivandrum, where two groups of women were setting up - within a micro-credit programme - their small “companies". We are trying to utilise this instrument of giving micro-credits also in the promotion of training.
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The whole south west Indian coast is populated by fishermen who fish in amazingly different ways - from catching fish with their bare hands to the use of big trawlers. The fishermen are considered to be wild, alcohol addicted or dangerous, but we cannot confirm this general prejudice. Here, a boat owner is explaining very clearly to Doris the economic situation of the fishing community. Doris always asks probing questions, so we are meanwhile well-informed about the income and working conditions of these fishermen.
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During our visit to the St. Elizabeth Convent in Cochin supported by us, the nun, in charge of the school, proudly showed us the awards that pupils had won at competitions in the course of the past year. These ranged from prizes at sporting competitions to an award given to the best school for teaching in natural sciences. The awards they won covered the entire spectrum of subjects. The head mistress told us that these recent successes were made possible by the highly dedicated and committed team of teachers that she had selected. We have the impression that the atmosphere at this school has significantly improved, not least because of our long-term education programme. Now the good students also acquire prospects of going beyond the 7th class after they leave this school. |
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Here we were visiting Peter and Violette from Direct Donation - left in the picture - in the fishing village of Virinjam in Trivandrum, the local seat of ESAF (Evangelical Social Action Forum). This organization has established all over India a network of local groups (Sangam), through which micro-credits are given. In Virinjam alone, there are about 170 such groups of 15-20 members each. Four or five members join together to create a subgroup, and act jointly as guarantors for micro-credits. Thus, self-employed activities can be established, e.g. small shops, poultry, eggs or milk production etc. |
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As matter of principle, ESAF grants micro-credits only to women. If one of their husbands needs a credit for a fishing-net, then the women's group must come to a decision on this, take out the credit, and ensure that the money will be repaid in regular instalments. The pressure of the women's group also ensures that in these cases, the repayment deficit is low. This women’s group – pictured left - welcomed us very kindly, and showed us the products of their “business”: self-made soaps which are marketed through house-to-house sales. The group needs the credit for expanding their business, and according to their information, they would sell much more soap if they were able to pre-finance enough to purchase the chemical primary products. |
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Here are some members of another group during their weekly meeting, in which we were able to participate. All the women had brought along their yellow membership books, in which each credit received and each weekly repayment is entered. The woman in the picture on the right is holding her repayment money, which she will shortly give to the ESAF representative. Repayments are approx. CHF 5 per week, which is a relatively large amount for these women, as they all live below the poverty line. The idea of micro-financing is that the credits should generate income immediately, so that repayments of the instalments run smoothly. Interest rates for micro-credits are higher than normal bank interest rates, because the micro-finance organizations must build up a huge network of skilled sales people who go regularly to the villages. The banks cannot do this job; also, they are not interested in customers who cannot offer any guarantees at all. The only alternative for borrowers are traditionally the professional money-lenders, who demand huge interest rates. |
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This year too, as on every visit, we travelled with the persons in charge of the Mar Gregorios Rehabilitation Centre to the villages that they look after around Trivandrum. The social workers of the centre know exactly what the situation is in their respective village and are informed immediately if there is a needy person who has to be transported to a doctor or hospital. In addition, with our help, the centre runs an "education programme" to enable one or more children of very poor families a promising education. The picture left shows the centre's director, Mr John K., and between us, with her father, is one of the young girls who receive this furthering support. |
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Here Doris is with the female members of a family: the grandmother, the mother and the daughter, who is supported by us. All these families exist below the poverty line (BPL, Below Poverty Line). The BPL attribute is governmentally determined according to certain criteria; the per-person monthly income per household must not exceed CHF 11. "BPL people" receive rationing cards enabling them to purchase fixed amounts of basic food very cheaply in special shops where, for example, one kilogram of rice costs 2 Indian rupees instead of 15-20 rupees. |
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These seven older girls belong to a group of 12 former residents of the St. Joseph’s Girls’ Home in Trivandrum. A Swiss organization in Kriens, near Lucerne, supports the education that they are undergoing with the help of our institution. They attend the engineering college, or they study mathematics, are trained as nurses or undertake a computer training course. We were able to converse at length with these intelligent girls, all of whom speak fluent English. They all are very satisfied with the opportunities that the training is opening up for them, for which they also receive support from their family, if they have one. For various reasons, five of the twelve girls had not come to the meeting. One of the five was intended to be married off by her family - so she had to break off her education. Our own dismay about that did not bother anyone else present. |
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These two women in nurses’ uniform, standing on each side of Doris are our contact persons in the home. They have the difficult task of caring around the clock for 103 lively girls aged 5 to 16 years in the St. Joseph’s Home. In addition, there are 67 older girls from the 11th class on, who live in either school or college hostels outside of St. Joseph’s, who also need care. The transition of the home management from the Swiss founders Christiane and Gerard to the Sisters of the Order of “Daughters of Mary" ran quite smoothly, although some children certainly found it difficult to say goodbye to “Mummy “. |
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Finally, a typical picture at the school of St. Elizabeth's Order of the Franciscan Sisters in Cochin (remember: the school with the many awards).
During the breaks, the boys romped wildly around the playground, despite the midday heat, and they got even wilder as soon as they saw us. Then we had to photograph them and explain our names and backgrounds to each boy, time and again. All the children were looking well, but a closer look showed that some of them were still seriously undernourished. |
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