Although this is a fictional novel, it draws heavily from research that was conducted by Pankaj Sekhsaria. The story is set in the Andamans with the character of Harish who has a chance encounter with the Jarawa tribe and realises that he wants to do...
This article describes in detail the ups and downs of various court mandates and government decisions that are being implemented to protect the Jawara settlement in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Language – English Access Location(s) – Frontline...
Survivor International has provided apage full of details and material on the Jarawa tribe and the problems they face on a daily basis due to the construction of the Andaman Trunk road. It has provided a channel for sexual oppression, poaching and culture...
This news report by The Hindu critiques documents published by the Ministry of Rehabilitation, Government of India and establishes an alternative narrative for the Jarawas that recognizes them as being victims of a colonial government. It also links an...
This article provides four different points of view on the conditions of the Jarawa settlement and outlines various ways in which efforts could be made to help them mitigate the damage that has been caused. Language – English Access Location(s) –...
In a horrifying audio clip, a Jarawa man has spoken out about the torture and sexual oppression faced by the women of the Jarawa tribe at the hands of the tourists and settlers. He has also identified regular poachers and fishermen who enter their settlement...
Deborshi Chaki’s eye opening articles describes the various threats to extinction faced by the Jarawa tribe, right from tourism, the infiltration of an alien culture and poaching to the construction of the Andaman Trunk Road that cuts right through...
A short, satirical, animated film about the language and justifications used to displace tribals in the name of ‘sustainable development’. The film is written by Oren Ginzburg and narrated by actor and comedian David Mitchell. A slideshow...
This 12 min video is documentary proof by a foreign national about how Human Safari is being practiced by driving a bus full of tourists on a road that runs through the Jarawa reserve. It is a disturbing video that reflects the low levels we have stooped...
Set in Kanha, Madhya Pradesh – the site of a famous Tiger Park, this documentary film directed by Krishnendu Bose confronts the politics involved in conservation through a vivid account of the problems faced by the aadivasis settled in Kanha, where...
The Centre is named to honour the memory and pioneering work of the warm and wonderful Ferdinand Van Koolvijk, who, inspired by Sister Cyril’s work at Loreto Sealdah, Kolkata, established the Partnership Foundation to ensure education for girls on and of the streets of India. With a vision of establishing 50 model homes for girls in India’s Government schools, Ferd joined hands with Aman Biradari to pilot the program in Delhi in 2005. He was able to see the initiative extend to 45 homes in 7 States under the banner of the Rainbow Foundation of India (RFI). In Ferd’s passing in October 2013, many of us in RFI, CES and Aman Biradari lost a dear friend and a profound inspiration, and the street-children of India lost a stalwart advocate, who put all his energies into promoting their well-being.
CREATE
The CREATE study provides evidence that 33% of children achieve grade level competencies in Grade 3 and hence qualify as achieving “meaningful learning”, the percentage goes down to 25% in Grade 5, to 20% by Grade 8, and to 10% in Grade 12 and that these averages mask great variation between and within states. The evidence suggests high age-in-grade, an associated increased risk of dropout, and continued exclusion of girls, Muslims, scheduled castes and tribes, and that “participation and progression remain strongly associated with household wealth despite commitments to pro-poor policies and investment of resources” (p. 24) and “poorer underdeveloped areas have the worst facilities and teachers” (Lewin, 2011, p. 49)4
Starfish model of decentralized knowledge
In The Starfish and the Spider: The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations, Brafman and Beckstrom (2006)2distinguish between spider-like organizations with a clearly discernible head controlling the body, from starfish-like organizations, that have no central command, but rather carry the entire nervous system encoded in every part. They propose a model for decentralized organizations that thrive and grow, replicate and mutate as real or virtual communities organized around a central ideology that fills an urgent need: to overcome addiction (e.g Alcoholics Anonymous), for low-cost long-distance communication (e.g. Skype), to share knowledge and information (e.g. Wikipedia).They argue that such organizations are catalyzed by a powerful idea and characterized by groups that function as communities, providing autonomy and freedom from hierarchy, governed by common norms rather than rules, and often self- policing (Brafman & Beckstrom, 2006)2 .