Work process are as important to us as ends or finial result. Therefore we are as particular about the way we pursue our social/developmental goals as we are about achieving them. In reflecting on our core philosophy, we have identified five areas which will be very important to how we tackle the social problems and want to see positive effect and changes. These are -
Empowerment, especially of the disadvantaged groups like women, is central to all UJS` activities. Empowerment means we strengthening the capacity and confidence of individuals and communities to take control of their future, and addressing the structural inequalities and barriers that prevent people from exercising their rights. We also work to address the power imbalance between the rich and the poor by advocating a change in the government and social policies and practices. In order to realize our vision, we implement such modusoperandi as will share the power and responsibility, and maximize the contribution of each partner to our shared programs. We also find ways to share power and responsibility among our staff across the organization and employ efforts to became a more diverse organization.
Problems in our society are so much and so complex that no government or organization can take on the challenges alone. Therefore we need partnerships coming from all available resources such as, public, private, local, national and global to tackle the problems more effectively and efficiently. We build strategic partnerships with other organizations and government departments with similar objectives and interests as ours in order to have resources for our activities. Driven by our core value that community`s participation in the process of their own development is essential for its sustainability, we do not believe in forcing ready-made solutions to social problems. Unless people involve themselves and contribute towards the attainment of set goals of a program, the outside intervention will not have a lasting impact.
We ensure participation across all the sections of the community in the process of prioritizing and implementing various development programs. Other than funds, these partners enrich our programs with their interests, concerns and perspectives. Making participatory approach integral to our work, we also get a chance to analyze problems together, find solutions and shape common plans of intervention. That our Balika Shivir Campus at Mukam has been provided by the Bisnoi community free of cost, speaks about how we put our approaches in practice.
We believe that the major role of civil society organizations and groups must be to work as a screen in which the community can view their lives like a movie. People need to be shown a window through which they will understand that they can live a better quality life by mobilizing their own state and social resources. Whatever we do, one of the core purpose remains to sensitize the community about their rights in different walks of life as assured in a democracy. Our girls education program aims to sensitize the community towards the rights of the women who have since long been suppressed. Through our Balika shivir, besides education, we want people to know that their children deserve the same quality education with a decent infrastructure in the govt. schools too. We want that our par-excellence services in eye care at Jyoti Hospital, besides restoring vision, opens the eyes of the community and make them look for facilities like this in the govt hospitals. Our humble endeavors of development also help to create a sort of pressure in the community and provide them some food for thought. We believe, at one or the other point of time people will start thinking as o why they cannot have the same service delivery from other agencies like the government. Through our work, we want to let people know what they deserve and what their rights are. In nut shell, we attempt to create a model of a `life-with-dignity and honour` so that people may aspire, mobilize and work for the attainment of such a life.
Research says that more than 80% of our learning happens during doing only. Learning is essential for all kinds of development. Change is more sustainable when it is built on the skills, knowledge and understanding acquired through experience. We resolve to learn actively, systematically and continuously from our own and others` experiences so that we can do it better the every second time.
We employ effective monitoring and evaluation techniques to identify the loopholes, if any, in our methods and put in better practices to make the best of available resources.
Other than training our staff and volunteers through HR experts, we largely believe in learning on-the-job. Rather than sticking to traditional methods of intervention, we give a lot of weight age to innovative and newer methods that are harmonious with the local environment.
We employ openness and transparency in all our practices and want to be seen as such. We know that our system is so deeply corrupted that it is very difficult to break through it. But we also believe that corruption is not inevitable and change is possible. By our fair practices we want to be like a sparkle in the darkness to make people see what lies around. We conduct monthly general review and planning meetings wherein persons responsible for various programs detail the activities of the month. Following which there are interactive sessions which include exchange of ideas about shortcomings, administrations and appreciations. Besides, there are also group meetings where people responsible for specific programs discuss the progress of the monthly activities. Our accounts and operations are open for the inspection to any of the stake holders, including general public. We also try to bring the best possible fairness in our activities by a comprehensive data and report keeping system. Some examples we are maintaining some records for openness at time of activities implementing and these are as under:
