Parmar MayankKAPADVANJ, OCTOBER 13, 2011: DRISTI Don Bosco, Kapadvanj has formed DRISTI Action groups in ten villages to fight for their rights. These groups were formed last year. They are still in the development stage and are trying to find their own identity, vision and mission for their villages. With the help of the DRISTI staff they have regular meetings and training programs at the centre to make them vibrant and effective in their approach.
We held a number of trainings in August 2011. At one of these trainings, we helped the members to identify issues and problems faced by people and in their villages and their caste groups. We, the DRISTI staff felt the need to show them a working model and how others have succeeded in forming similar types of groups and have tackled various issues and problems. As a culmination of one of the trainings which we had in August 2011 we planned to take them on an exposure visit.
And so on October 11, 2011, we took fifty members of the Don DRISTI Action Group for an exposure visit to AVSC Daheda, Khambat. Antyoday Vikas Sikshan Centre (AVSC) is involved in forming struggle groups for Dalit people. After a brief orientation and discussion with the AVSC staff and few people, we went to Dughari village of Tarapur Taluka where the struggle group has been very active and made success stories in SMC implementation and land issues.
Interacting with Dughari struggle group, we realized that we have a long way to go. But it's better to be late than never. Our people were enthused and filled with new spirit as they are now ready to take up issues which they are facing at their local panchayat level and proceed ahead. DRISTI staff also felt that this visit has brought a change in the people's mind and they are now ready to sacrifice their time for a good cause and betterment of the village.