New Era, Old Dynamics: Silver Jubilee of Sahbhagi

"What should district level civil society organisation in eastern Uttar Pradesh do today?

There is no support for what we need to do. And donors want us to do what does not really make a difference today.

So, who will support us in this moment of dilemma?”

Nearly 200+ leaders of civil society organisations from UP, Bihar and Jharkhand assembled to celebrate silver jubilee of Sahbhagi Shiskshan Kendra (SSK) in Lucknow on April 6.

In recalling its journey, its founder director, Ashok bhai narrated early days of struggles in gaining acceptance of grass-roots activists that commitment also requires competence.  Most critically, SSK championed the methodology of participatory learning in a context where all education and training was carried out in a manner that deposited knowledge from the teacher to the student.

In recalling those early days of conducting week-long residential workshops with participatory learning methodology, several delegates mentioned their initial resistance to the process which expected them to take initiative and responsibility for their own learning.

In revisiting that history, the conversations focused on what are the ways out of the present dilemmas for civil society in the country, and more specifically in the region. Several elements of the responses:

• Focus on youth
• Leadership of young girls
• Open our minds to listen to different others---private business, for example
• Strengthen our commitment to participatory learning—with new methods that include technology
• Expand the fraternity of partnership beyond the old friendships, platforms anew

These are difficult times; these are exciting times too. Clarity of purpose and faith in the innate capacities of people to learn and act in the common public interest are essential for swimming through the currents today!

Rajesh Tandon, Founder-Chair of SSK
April 13, 2015

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