Concept : SPAR is working directly with people of 562 villages in five geographical regions in three states of India namely Orissa, Jharkhand and West Bengal for sustainable development through  people's participatory process. Poeple's organisations have been formed in the regional project areas.  The experience of working directly with the people is shared with other partners for further spread-up effect. In these regions, SPAR works through its regional project offices, facilitates peoples' participatory process directly among the people's organisations. It has been extending technical and financial support to these P.Os  to implement  plans prepared by the people themselves. 

Thrust area of Field intervention :

1. Organising and strengthening the  people's organisation (P.O.) and Self Help Groups (SHGs) in the project working areas :

Concept :  People are being organised in the working areas of SPAR primarily in the form of self help groups and later in the form of people's organisation. SPAR gives emphasis on and plays a major role in strengthening existing people's organisation in its reference areas. The main focus of the strengthening process, is on

2. Improvement of Local Self Governance i.e. Tribal Self Rule, Gram Sabha and Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI) :

Concept : SPAR has been working both in the tribal and non-tribal areas. While working in the tribal areas of Orissa and Jharkhand, SPAR gives more emphasis on tribal self rule and traditional practices of the tribal people, whereas in non tribal areas (West Bengal) the Panchayati Raj Institutions are major area of importance. Under this strategic thrust, historical background of self governance practices, present roles, responsibilities and  rights of people with regard to PRI and gram sabha are shared with them so that they can play a positive role in their own governance and resource mobilisation for their own development.

3. Improving status of Food Security :

Concept : In the present context where globalisation is dominating the world order, the marginalized people / people below the poverty line are losing control over resources thereby causing further marginalisation. Hence natural / local resources need be promoted for the sustainable livelihood of the people to ensure food security by enhancing the human resource. 

4. Promotion of Societal Peace :

Concept : During the last one decade, the trend of social unrest in the name of caste, creed, sex, religion and accumulation of resource in the hands of a few is in steep rise along with terrorist and militant upsurge and  activities all over the globe. The reference area of SPAR is not an exception. Under this strategic thrust, social cohesion is promoted to reduce social, ethnic and religious conflicts within the society. Violation of rights, vested interests of political parties, accumulation of resource in few hands, fundamentalism, regionalism and self-centered attitude of a section of  people are the major causes  of the social unrest in the society. SPAR acts to highlight  focus on building awareness among the people with analysing the causes of social unrest and outline strategy to reduce it  in its reference areas with the participation of the people.

5. Women's Empowerment :

Concept : Emphasis in respect of strategically addressing this issue is given on organising the women and providing information with regard to their rights and  facilitates from government schemes specifically for women. Under this thrust area, women are linked with income generation activities to ensure their positive role to protect and promote their social, cultural, political and economic rights in the family and society. They are made aware of their social, cultural and political rights so that they can raise their voice to restore their rights and play their desired role in the society. Facilitation and support are offered in opening up their access to education, health, nutrition and other essential facilities.

6. Promotion of services like value based education, health and hygiene, safe drinking water etc. :

Concept: Introduction of SAP in India has resulted to drastic cut on budgetary provision on education, health & hygiene, safe drinking water and other welfare measures. Hence the related government departments are almost without any pro-people activities, making them nearly defunct. All these services are being privatised, placing them outside the reach of the vast majority. To safeguard the urgent need, of the people for their survival, SPAR gives emphasis on this strategic thrust to improve such facilities to the deserving people.

Target groups :  

Scheduled tribes, Scheduled Castes, Women, Children and other backward caste including minorities.

Objectives : 

Role of SPAR :

Role of SPAR is aimed at :

Activities :

Concept : This programme is mainly meant for likeminded deserving grassroots organisations having potentials to work for the poor and marginalised people seeking professional skill and financial resource for rendering effective and better service to the people of their referral area.

The geographical coverage of this programme : Orissa, Jharkhand and West Bengal.

SPAR identifies deserving like minded organisations state-wise through its regional programmes and capacitates them on various issues, approaches and organisational aspects. While going through this process, capacity of individual organisation along with its eligibility  is assessed and considered before financial support is extended. At present 17 organisations are getting support under this programme in Orissa, West Bengal and Jharkhand.

Objectives :

Activities :

Concept : This programme is  to address four specific issues i.e. 1) Impact of Globalisation 2) Societal Peace 3) Tribal Development and 4) Women's Empowerment and to create a space for development actors to share their opinion and experience with regard to these issues. The methods of addressing these issues are visiting the organisations  working on any of the four issues and mobilising them towards alliance building so that a greater platform is created where policy  affecting the survival of the people can be discussed and action to uphold their interest can be chalked out and initiated.

The geographical coverage of this programme: India, Nepal and Bangladesh.

Thrust area of Field intervention :

Capacitation of development Actors of India, Nepal and Bangladesh

Concept : Development actors commited to upliftment and empowerment of the poor and marginalised people in India, Nepal and Bangladesh are capacitated under this programme. The issues for capacitation are women's empowerment, local governance, tribal rights, impact of globalisation, facilitation skill, planning processes, organisational development and  human resource development etc. to improve their efficiency and effectively of intervention.

Target groups :  

NGOs, Voluntary organisations, People's Movements, People's Organisation, Activists etc.

Objectives :

To promote alliance of organisations and develop mutual understanding further on the issues like

Strategy :

Activities :

• Visit
• Workshop
• Publication

Concept : SPAR understands that to strive for truly sustainable development, it is imperative to acquire a deep knowledge about the lifestyle,  livelihood, culture, and traditional practices of the people as well as detailed information about the local resources available in the working areas. To generate such knowledge, SPAR has taken up research work involving university researchers and distinguished guides in the project areas. While this knowledge would be available and applicable to the people for their own use, it will simultaneously help other development actors to make their plan and policy more realistic and reciprocal to the expectation of the people. The research programme will also help to retrieve and renew people's knowledge.

Thrust area of Field intervention :

Target groups :

Scheduled tribes, Scheduled Castes, Women, Children and other backward caste including minorities.