A New Pre-school for the War Affected Children in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka, 25 June: Shanti (Peace), an NGO working among war-affected Children, starts a new pre-school in Maruthanagar in Kilinochchi with the help of the grant received from His Excellency Fabrizio Pio Arpea, Ambassador of Italy. He had announced the grant on April 20, 2012 while participating in an award function organised by Shanti for graduates.

Ranjit Yawu, Director of Shanti expressed his gratitude to the De Lima family who also contributed to this cause of Shanti along with Mr. Justin Murugesu who donated the plot for the school in memory

of his dear parents.

The Pre-school was declared open on June 20, 2012, by Mr. Lal Chandrasoma, the Superintendent of Fort Railway Station in the presence of His Excellency Fabrizio Pio Arpea.

Among the other benefactors present were Brigadier Renuka Rowel, General Officer Commanding-57 Division, Lieutenant Colonel Anil Somaweera, Brigade Commander and Major Mahinda Sarathchandra, Commanding Officer- 10 SLLI.

Ranjit Yawu, Director Shanti

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Dr. Binayak Sen Addresses Volken Memorial Lecture 2012 held at ISI-Bangalore
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The lecture will be printed and would be available for sale very soon.

ISI Bangalore: Volken Memorial Lecture is an annual event at Indian Social Institute (ISI), Bangalore in commemoration of the great visionary and founder director, Fr. Henry Volken S J.

The Sixth Volken Memorial Lecture was delivered by Dr. Binayak Sen. In his lecture titled ‘Equity, Well-being and Public Policy’, he argued that the country is facing a perpetual state of famine.

Indian Social Institute, Bangalore is organising a Course on Research Methodology in Social Sciences for researchers, lecturers and NGO personnel.

Social research is a scientific understanding of the social realities. It aims at discovering new facts and verifying old facts, their interrelationships and causal explanations.

To be effective in the field, knowledge of research is highly desirable. It helps to understand whether the services provided to the community are effective. Social research analyses the society and finds causes of social problems and indicates the direction for change.

Research is a learnt process. One can master it through training. The researcher learns how to ask questions and arrive at answers. Research develops critical thinking, an analytical mind and a disciplined approach to the study of social problems. The Researcher develops objectivity and a research mindedness.

Though the importance of research is understood by those who are in the field of development, there are few courses that are available for them. This course aims at filling such a gap.

Content

Methodology

1. Understanding of the social realities.

2. Basics of research – problem formulation to developing instruments of data collection –analysis of data.

3. Report writing skills.

1. Class room lectures

2. Field Visits

3. Workshops

The course is meant for any person who is interested in research and has research mindedness. Work experience in the field of development will be an added advantage. The participant should be a graduate and has a working knowledge of English. The number of seats available for this course is 25. The course is in English.

Resource Persons have extensive experience in field based research, teaching and are drawn from the internal resources of the Institute and from the University.

Programme Dates

September 23 – October 7,2009 - Part I

October 8 – October 28,2009 - Field work Data collection

October 29 – November 12,2009 - Part II

Duration: 6 Weeks

Registration Fee: Rs. 500.00

Course Fee : Rs. 10000.00

Venue : Indian Social Institute, 24, Benson Road, Bangalore 560 046 (Tel. 23536189 / 23536960)

The course fee covers course material, shared accommodation, food and field visit.

Kindly pass on this information among interested persons. The last date for applying is 30^th August 2009.

Apply to: Head of Research Unit, Indian Social Institute, 24, Benson Road, Bangalore 560 046 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Registration fee is to be sent as D.D drawn in favour of Indian Social Institute, Bangalore.

For further details contact Ms. Lakshmi by This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Indian Social Institute - Bangalore is a national social centre with its main focus on the training of social activists, leaders of marginal groups like Dalits and tribals. Ever since it started in 1963, ISI, Bangalore has been adapting its programmes, approaches and strategies according to the changing times and needs. Thus in 1960’s the Institute aimed at training development workers by imparting knowledge and skills in community development and cooperatives. In 1970’s and 1980’s the training content was shifted from community development to conscientization and organisation of people by means of social and structural analysis. Library and documentation worked as supportive to the training unit, and a resource centre for social activists.

In 1990’s with the drastic changes in the world situation and advent of globalisation, the focus of our training was shifted to empowerment of people’s organisations and movements of marginalised groups, through training on the issues of globalisation, human rights, communalism and gender issues. To achieve this the Institute started the Outreach programmes by extending its services to grass-root level organisations. Research and Human Rights Units also got started during this period.

Realising the sociological importance of people’s movements for social change and empowerment of the marginalised, we changed our strategy of training in the new millennium by strengthening and systematising the outreach training programmes in all the four southern states for the leaders of the marginalised groups. At present they are organised in collaboration with people’s organisations and movements, and NGO networks. By means of these outreach training programmes conducted in vernacular medium, we are able to be in touch with marginalised groups in the major regions of the four southern states. During this period we also started a Women’s Unit to work for the empowerment of women.

At present we have training both at ISI and outreaches in the four southern states, research, library and documentation, and advocacy and campaign on human rights issues in collaboration with civil society organisations.

Vision:

To create a just, humane, democratic and secular society in our country and the world

Mission:

Training

To create awareness among the grassroot and community based organisations on social realities
To support and promote advocacy in favour of the marginalised communities like Dalits and tribals
To provide space for different organisations to reflect on current realities
To make available resources for grassroot groups

Research

To undertake research with focus on the marginalised communities to provide support for advocacy and campaign
To analyse social situations for policy implications
To document socially relevant materials and make them available to grassroot level groups

Logo:

The red spots represent heads and other symbols represent hands and legs. The figure symbolises people working collectively for liberation and development. The four red lines at the bottom represent growth and progressive development of the Institute adapted to the needs of the time in its work for the human rights and justice for the marginalised.

coming Soon

Mathew Aerthayil

Director of ISI Bangalore