India is land wherein more then half of the population lives in village's i.e. rural area. These areas often remain far-flung from the approach of government schemes and programmes run for the betterment of local dwellers. Hence the condition of rural India remains unchanged and of its people even worse due to lack of facilities and services required for leading a satisfactory life. Observing this situation and harsh condition of people some thoughtful persons joined together to provide these people with required facilities and opportunities to earn their livelihood. To accomplish their dream and proceed for it systematically they formed a NGO named Sewa Bharati with a mission to serve the mankind. Sewa Bharati is a registered NGO under the society registration act of 1973 of Government of Madhya Pradesh vide registration no. 346/90. It has permission from the Department of Women and Child Development, Government of Madhya Pradesh to run the projects for the welfare of the children and women. Besides, it has permission from the Department of Panchayat and Social Welfare, Government of Madhya Pradesh to operate the schemes for the welfare of handicaps, it has the permission from the Government of India under the FERA act to accept financial support from the citizens of the aboard countries. We have permission under 80-G section of Income Tax Act for the purpose of income tax rebate for the donors who donate to the organisation.

Mission of Sewa Bharati is to work for the upliftment and development of tribal and downtrodden people of the society. Its areas of functioning arrays from improving living standard of rural poor to educating them in making them self-sufficient. Children from all religion and class of society are given admission in the hostels and training centres run by Sewa Bharati. Presently it is engaged in providing education and hostel facilities, vocational training and medical facilities to tribal, backward and minority class of the society. These boys and girls come from interior places of the district. Presently, Sewa Bharati is operational in the states of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. It organizes workshops for creating awareness among the people on different topics, curricular activities for children etc.

Sewa Bharati has a Managing Committee of seven members as per the provisions in the constitution of the Sewa Bharati. Which monitors day-to-day affairs of the institutions for the purpose of the better achievement of the project / programme and constitute a project wise sub-committee for the monitoring and evaluation purposes. These committees include a member from the beneficiary groups also. Most of the workers of the Sewa Bharati are working on honorary basis to keep the administrative expenses at the lowest.

Most of the funds to Sewa Bharati comes from the public in the form of cash / kind donation. It also receives financial support from charitable trust, institutions, Government of India and NRIs. Sewa Bharatis' accounts are maintained on computers and accounts gets audited from the Statutory Auditors and annual returns as per requirement of the laws submitted to Government of India, Government of Madhya Pradesh and other Statutory organizations.

A brief of some of the programmes and activities of Sewa Bharati is mentioned in this report. This report also incorporates experiences and observations of the prominent visitors at different occasions and centres of Sewa Bharati, media coverage received for various programmes of Sewa Bharati and photographs snap at different function of Sewa Bharati.

Information of activities, programmes and projects run by Sewa Bharati for different purposes like education of rural children, hostel for poor children, vocational training centres for rural youths etc. is given as under:

Workshop with CBR A workshop was organized on 9th of September'99 by Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) in collaboration with Sewa Bharati, Bhopal. The purpose of this workshop was to discuss on the issues related to handicapps and their community based rehabilitation. Participants attended this workshop from twenty-four different organizations.

At the outset, Mrs. Indumati Rao, Coordinator of south asian region of CBR addressed the participants and said that various institutes are working for rehabilitation of handicapped at individual level. Which has lead to either duplication of the work or doesn't provide guidance to other agencies working in the same direction. And lack of coordination with policy makers and research institutes is the basic reason behind the bad condition of the todays' education system. So looking at all these problems all NGOs should stand together and work in cooperation for this work.

CBR wants that NGOs of Madhya Pradesh should develop rapport with government offices so that our goal could be achieved in unison. CBR has good experience of working with Sewa Bharati in past. So we look forward that Sewa Bharati would act as good coordination centre to carry out this task.

Shri P. G. Soti, Addl. Director, Dept. of Social Welfare in his address stressed on the education of handicapped children. These children should be identified and given attention in early days of their schooling.

Chief guest of the workshop Mrs. Ajita Bajpaiye Pandey, Secretary, Social Welfare Department, Government of Madhya Pradesh, highlighted the work done by MP government through a programme named 'Chunoti' in this direction. In which stress is given on providing them reservation in services and self-employment.

Shri Vishnu Kumarji, Organizing Secretary of Sewa Bharati in his speech briefed about the activities carried out by the organization in different regions of the state. He also mentioned that Sewa Bharati wants handicapped people to take care of their own livelihood and become independent. And wish that government officials help the institute in their mission by giving them guidance and information about the schemes and policies. Besides this, Sewa Bharati would like to establish a network with the help of CBR in this regard.

Other speakers Shri R. V. Kulkarni, Retd. Director, Social Welfare, Karnataka etc. also shared their valuable views on this occasion.

CASP is a NGO located at Pune which is funded from abroad to operationalise its activities. CASP and Sewa Bharati are jointly running a project for the sponsorship of the children from slum areas for their education and nutrition at Bhopal. Presently 200 children are taking benefit under this project. They are provided with school fees, uniform and books and also free medical facilities under this project.

A seven-day workshop in collaboration with CAPART was organized at Bhopal. This workshop was attended by the representatives of 24 different NGOs. Objective of this workshop was to acquaint the participants with the schemes of CAPART run for the help of rural people. Mr. Dutta, RM represented CAPART along with other officials. Lectures and presentations of other distinguished officials from Government department and research institutes were also held. Watershed Management, Developing Project proposal, conduction household survey, modules for evaluation and monitoring of project etc. were some of the topics that were deliberated in the workshop.

To celebrate international womens' day Sewa Bharati had organised a function wherein Dr. (Mrs.) Musaraat Shahid, Cairperson, Mahila Arthik Vikas Nigam was invited as the chief guest.

Dr. Shahid in her speech said work started with noble intentions gets support from the masses. She discussed her own experiences with the women participated in the function. And extended her support in every activity of Sewa Bharati for the development of women.

Dr. Asha Shukla, President of the function asked participants to realise their own strengths and step forward for their progress.

Prizes to the winners of the "Mehandi' and Rangoli' competitions organized during the function were distributed by Dr. Shahid. She also honored the first SHG formed by Sewa Bharati. Certificates to the students who have successfully completed the typing and computer course were given by Dr. Asha Shukla.

Other guests and speakers present during the function were Shri Bhalerao, Central Labour Education Board, Dr. Anita Verma, Vice-president, Sewa Bharati. the women in large number attended the function.

State Bank of India is always associated with Sewa Bharati and extends its support and encouragement in its activities run in different spheres. SBI has given Rs. 3.18 lakhs for starting of Computer, Typing and Embroidery classes at Matruchhaya. Mr. Dhakat, Chief GM, handed over the cheaque to Dr. Kanhare, President, Sewa Bharati in the function organized at Sewa Bharati. It has also extended its support for the major project of Sewa Bharati namely, ' Matruchaya'.

On the foundation day of SBI, Mr. R. S. Chowan, Chief Manager, SBI, Bhopal visited 'Matruchhaya'. He distributed confectioneries and toys to the children. He was highly impressed by the working culture and atmosphere of 'Matruchhaya'. He also gifted two emergency lamps and cash of Rs. 1 thousand to the centre during the visit. Several other bank officials also accompanied him during the visit. Sewa Bharati workers extended gratitude for their visit.

Pulse Polio Mission: Sewa Bharati every year actively participates in the National programme run by government for giving medicine (polio drops) for safeguarding the children from polio. This year it has given drops approximately to 6543 children in Bhopal city. It is worth mentioning that representatives of
'Voice of America' has interviewed Sewa Bharatis' officials for carrying out the Pulse Polio campaign successfully in the slum areas of Bhopal.

For providing treatment and medicines, in time, to poor people Sewa Bharati is running Mobile Medical Vans service. Presently, nine vans fully equipped with medical facilities is successfully working in the Bhopal and other tribal areas. A team of experienced medical doctors and 32 workers are working day and night for this mission. It is providing services and medicines to the needy, free of cost. Every month approximately 12,600 patients are benefited by this service.

This effort of Sewa Bharati is highly appreciated by the masses and is widely covered by media also. Different newspapers by their own have published information about this service for creating awareness in public

Formation of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) It is difficult to attend scattered mass so SHGs have been formed by Sewa Bharati in the adjoining rural areas of Bhopal. This also helps in developing feeling of coordination, cooperation and unity among the rural masses. Total 25 groups are formed and they are presently engaged in various income generating activities. Each group has 20 members. Groups have their bank accounts and are made aware to utilize their resources.

Empowerment of Women belonging to Minority and Backward Class of Society To empower and educate the women residing in rural areas of Madhya Pradesh, Sewa Bharati has opened schools and hostels. Every school has got well developed infrastructure. Details of the same are mentioned below:

Sewa Bharati besides working for the upliftment of poor and minority class also supports and helps people suffering from calamites like flood, drought etc. It had distributed and helped the flood affected people of Hoshangabad region by giving them 75 ton wheat flour and cereals, clothes, medicines and 150 packs of milk for children. It also distributed cash to the affected people to reestablish their lives. It is worth mentioning that on the appeal of Sewa Bharati masses extended their support in form of eatables, clothes and cash for the victims. Sewa Bharati separately took the charge of transporting these collections to the victims.

Sewa Bharati had send 3 mobile medical vans, equipped with modern equipments and facilities with the expert doctors and workers for the medical support of victims at Gujarat during earthquake. These vans served the victims for 15 days in the affected are of Bhuj. Sewa Bharati also send 3000 balnkets and a cash donation of Rs. 3.25 thousand for reestablishing their life.

Annexure - I

Excerpts of few are mentioned below:

Navbharat, Bhopal,

This workshop was intended to give new light for handicapped people. Experienced and keen persons from different organizations elaborately discussed on the rights of these people. This workshop gave a platform to participants from various NGOs and SHOs to share their problems and get feedback on it.

Nai Duniya, Bhopal:

CBR, a centre working for rehabilitation of handicapped has chosen Madhya Pradesh as model state for operation. CBR has selected Sewa Bharati as the execution agency for this purpose. Network of CBR and Sewa Bharati would lead to foundation of new platform and existence for handicapped people.

Dainik Bhaskar, Bhopal:

This workshop discussed and firmly adhered on the rational issues related to the problems generally faced by handicapped people. Approach to these problems were defined, by giving equal opportunities to handicapped people in jobs like any normal person, abolishing discrimination with them, rehabilitating the of families of these people is equally essential, creation of social aware towards this problem etc.
Dainik Jagran, Bhopal:

CBR and Sewa Bharati in Madhya Pradesh would establish a network for handling and rehabilitation of handicapped. This network would look after that these people could utilize their rights and get opportunities to get jobs, recognition in society etc. Respected guests from different organizations acquainted the participants with the government schemes and programmes in this direction.

Matruchhaya - An Orphanage for the abandon kids and their rehabilitation through adoption

Besides running projects in education, health and employment generating activities Sewa Bharati is working for a noble cause of giving parental shelter to the abandoned babies and henceforth their rehabilitation. This work is carried out in a building named 'Matruchhaya' i.e. shelter of mother. The babies which comes here are either comes from hospitals where they are left by their parents or through police dept. who trust on the services provided at Matruchhaya and on the healthy atmosphere maintained and required for the up-bringing of children and also from unknown people who leave the infant at the doorstep of Matruchhaya. Today strength of kids is 13. This includes infant to 3yrs old child. Babies of 1 or 2 days are also been brought in this centre for shelter and upbringing by unknown people. No checking of the identification of native place and relatives is done of the babies for their entrance in this orphanage. The baby is accepted as the precious gift of almighty.

To give homely and healthy atmosphere and affable hands to these kids Sewa Bharati has kept 9 dayas who are interested to give their services in bringing up these kids. This service of Sewa Bharati has received overwhelming appreciation from mass. It is apparent from the support and cooperation this centre is receiving. Every function like birthday atruchhaya 40 has been given in adoption. the
entire activity of Matruchhaya is done with the knowledge of Government and its agencies i.e.
police, hospitals, courts etc.

Summing Up:

Sewa Bharati has got sustainable future action plansfor the benefit of rural people, which comprise SC,
ST, OBC and minority class with no distinction onthe basis of caste, creed and religion. It is
widening its area of operation and intervening activities to cater large number of people with
different interest. Every beneficiary associated with Sewa Bharati is full of confidence that he/she
will get sustainable livelihood and respect in the society. The intension of organization is to serve
the humanity and wish to see that every human being should be happy, so it felt no need to keep any
record discriminating the humanity on the basis of caste, creed and religion even then it is said that
minimum 10% of the beneficiaries belong to minority class.