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Annual report, 2006–07

The year the social security pilot took physical shape in Betul, the National Core Group went to work on insurance for disabled people, and OASiS carried a collaborative health project to Oxford.

Social security system model

The founders developed and tested a sustainable social security model for developing countries, one giving complete cover to deprived families without taxes or savings, providing sustainable livelihood security through financially assisted group and individual livelihoods; financial protection against life’s uncertainties through social insurance; old age security through pension; education aimed at grooming children towards self-employment and responsible citizenship; and social security that increases across generations.

The model was endorsed by the senior economist Dr Bibek Debroy, an advisor to OASiS, studied and permitted for implementation in the state by the Government of Madhya Pradesh, and received the Global Innovation Award from Changemakers and Ashoka, Innovators for the Public.

Madhya Pradesh

Pilot implementation started in January 2006 in three villages (Gurgunda, Chirmatekri and Polapathar) in Shahpur block, Betul district.
Target population of 3,000 people in 500 families.
Supported by NABARD, the Integrated Tribal Development Programme and Friends of Women World Banking.
NABARD sanctioned a grant of ₹8 lakh over three years for capacity building of SHGs and establishment costs. Only the first instalment of ₹80,000 had been received; the second-stage request had been pending disbursement since 30 October 2006.
The Project Implementation and Monitoring Committee: NABARD DDM, the Punjab National Bank branch manager at Bhoura, OASiS, PRADAN and insurance professionals, guided and monitored the project regularly.
Consumption surveys and analysis were completed for all three villages and shared with the SHGs.
Self Employed Groups were formed in all three villages, with activities divided among the SHGs and written consent obtained.
Land for SEG shops was allocated by the district administration in Polapathar and Chirmatekri; land was being identified in Gurgunda.
ITDP Betul began constructing the shops through Rural Engineering Services.
Friends of Women World Banking, Ahmedabad promised working capital support for the shop clusters.
Consultations with insurance companies on cover began, and the possibility of OPD and preventive services through ayurvedic doctors under a micro-insurance model was being explored.

Maharashtra

The associate NGO Jai-Jui, Solapur began replicating the model in three villages of Solapur district.
Consumption surveys were completed in two villages.
The Gram Panchayat in one village offered land for the SEG shops.

Social security for disabled people

A sample survey established the risk profile of disabled people for hospitalisation and accidents.
A national workshop decided to file a public interest litigation in the Supreme Court demanding insurance on par with the able bodied.
In August 2005 the New India Assurance Company’s Bhopal Division I offered health insurance to disabled people at standard premiums, terms and conditions.
The first health insurance policy for a mentally challenged person in the country was issued through OASiS to Vivek Punj of the Parents’ Society for the Mentally Retarded on 1 December 2005, announced by the District Collector on 9 December, along with financial support for premiums covering all economically weaker disabled people in the district.
A committee was formed to choose the right package, and the Collector’s office surveyed health information and health-seeking behaviour among disabled people in Bhopal district.
A presentation was made on 22 February 2006 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, to all state commissioners for disability.
A National Core Group was formed: the Chief Commissioner Disability, disability commissioners of ten states, OASiS and the Collector of Bhopal, led by the Chairperson of the National Trust, to recommend policy change and design an insurance framework.
At its first meeting on 7 July 2006 the group recommended to the Ministry of Finance that a non-discriminatory clause be written into the Insurance Act, removing disparity and bias in the offering, pricing and acceptance of policies for disabled people.
The Chairperson of the National Trust and the President of OASiS met the Chairperson of IRDA on 8 November 2006 to seek its help.
A second meeting with the actuaries of life insurance companies nominated by IRDA was held on 12 January 2007.
A sub-committee of OASiS, ALEgION Insurance Services (Chennai) and Action for Ability Development and Inclusion (New Delhi) was formed to recommend the framework to the Core Group.

Global health project

After becoming one of three winners in the Global Innovation Competition organised by Changemakers and Ashoka, OASiS set out to bring all twelve finalists together to design a collaborative global health project. Six of the twelve agreed to join. A framework was drafted and discussed with all collaborators, and presented at the Skoll World Forum in Oxford at the end of March 2007. OASiS was selected as the implementing organisation for the first pilot in India.

Parvarish, the urban slum children’s education project

Enrolled 70 ragpicker and street children from three slums: Meera Nagar, Saibaba Nagar and Shyam Nagar.
An average strength of 60, taught by six teachers, all educated girls from the slums themselves, trained by OASiS and the three museums.
Guided by a social worker and academician and a very senior teacher from a reputed Bhopal school.
The first six months focused on attitudes, cleanliness, manners and discouraging bad habits; the next six on physical and mental capability, basic literacy, pre-vocational exposure and establishing IQ levels; the last six on the basics of science, environment, culture, habitat and evolution through the museum exhibits.
A short collaboration with the B.Ed. department of a reputed college gave exceptional results.
Quarterly evaluations showed marked improvement in behaviour, discipline, cleanliness, orderliness, civic sense and basic literacy.
The project was taken as a case study in the Regional NCERT research on innovative non-formal education, and presented at a state level NCERT workshop on Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.
Representatives from UNICEF and other organisations visited to learn the methodology.
The collaborating museums organised special lectures and exposure workshops for the children.
The project coordinator undertook a study tour of the Centre for Learning, Bangalore.
30 children had been sponsored by 15 concerned citizens, with further funding being explored.

Rural education project

50 village school dropouts were taught livelihood skills over the year.
10 were motivated to sit the MP State Open School Class 10 and Class 12 examinations.
OASiS collaborated with the Institute for Professional and Educational Research (IPER) for preparatory classes; 50 MCA and MBA students volunteered to teach, and the college set aside a daily period for social work.
One student sat Class 10 in December 2005; nine sat Class 10 and Class 12 in July and December 2006. Seven passed; two were re-sitting dropped subjects.
Discussions began with another college, with a plan to spread the model across institutions on the outskirts of Bhopal.

Livelihood project

Designed eco carry bags from newspaper to replace non-degradable polythene bags below 20 microns.
Trained 100 women in urban slums to manufacture them and organised the supply chain.
Designed a model capable of providing livelihoods to 6,000 women across Bhopal’s slums.
The model was appreciated by government functionaries, but implementation awaited a district ban on non-recyclable polythene.
Trained 10 women in Saibaba Nagar to manufacture sanitary pads, with the Self Employed Group testing designs for acceptability and marketability.