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AN ORGANISATION WITH FAITH (ASTHA) IN THE PEOPLE. 
Education is the foundation of a thriving community. Our programme aims to enhance quality education and reduce drop rates by strengthening SMCs, facilitating fellowship for underprivileged children.Astha Sansthan is also engaged in creating awareness among community about their roles and responsibilities in ensuring quality education.
Astha Sansthan began work in 1986-87 in a year of severe drought in Rajasthan, and 1990-91, again a year of drought. We worked with the rural poor people on drought relief, well deepening, watershed, soil conservation, seed distribution, afforestation and later with the Rural Development Department, GOI, (CAPART) and the Rajasthan Rural Development Department. This work was a combination of Disaster Management and Livelihood and Survival.
Currently we are active in 250 villages on Community Forest Management with an aim to protect, preserve and develop forest and promote sustainable use of Minor Forest Produce for the livelihood of the community in collaboration with tribal development department Rajasthan.
As a resource agency, Astha Sansthan organized training programmes all over the state of Rajasthan for women’s development by partnering with the Government of Rajasthan, and UNICEF. The Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas (DWCRA) was an opportunity for Astha to train gram sevikas, mukhyasevikas, APOs in women’s development and empowerment. Other women’s work was taken up in Rajsamand district with the work of the District IDARA of the Women’s Development Programme (WDP). A “Women and Sericulture Project” was joined in Jhadol Block, supporting a UNIFEM and Government of Rajasthan initiative.
Astha Sansthan is consciously focusing on strengthening women’s group so that they collectively can raise their issues. Participating in the activities of women’s group allows women to develop leadership and decision making skills. Their active involvement in the development processes has led to more equitable, resilient and thriving communities.
Currently we are focusing on tribal women issues and issues of single women like property rights; access to govt schemes like pension, palanhar etc. Astha Sanstha has also addressed issues related to social stigma and other discriminatory practices against single women. They are also being linked with MGNREGA to ensure their livelihood.
Astha Sansthan has been open to work with other marginalized people, and work has been done with the “differently abled” or “people with disabilities”. This work included linkages to welfare measures, and skill development.
They have also been organized as DPOs [Disable People organization]. They have been linked with different govt schemes for disable.Astha Sansthan has worked with them to ensure they have appropriate documents /disability certificate. We have focused on social inclusion of disable people in the wider society.
To benefit rural daily-wage labourers working in the MGNREGA projects in their communities, Astha Sansthan has conducted resource persons’ trainings and organised Training-of-Trainers for several thousand “mates” (labour supervisors) of the MGNREGA work sites. Many poor labourers got fair wages as a result of this initiative of Astha, which was done in collaboration with the Government of Rajasthan.
Astha Sansthan has facilitated the training programme on MGNREGA Act and procedures of getting work. Astha Santhan has facilitated the process of filling forms for getting work under MGNREGA;timely employment and timely payment of wages. Astha Sansthan has also been engaged in organizing training programme for mate under MGNREGA.Astha Sansthan has also facilitated development plan for MGNREGA with village assembly for submission to Panchayat. A total of 54,394 women have been linked under MGNREGA and ensured their livelihood during last three years.
Our work in South Rajasthan has focused on minor forest produce collection and income generating (Tendu leaves, etc.). A Tendu Leaf Cooperative was formed which greatly improved the income of the tribal people in Kotra, a rural Block of Udaipur District, and gave the people confidence that they could improve their livelihood with local resources. They began to improve their agriculture assets with land improvement, and watershed work.
Currently Astha Sansthan is focusing on Community Forest Management along with community so that they can access minor forest produce for their livelihood.
An important initiative taken up by the organization is about linking vulnerable community with the schemes and entitlements so that they know and access various laws, schemes, policies, rules of the government that were designed to benefit them. Not only about the laws and schemes, but the procedures by which they can access them. It has been realized that main reason these schemes/resources are not being accessed is lack of knowledge of the poor about them.
The decentralization of governance and participatory planning for development in local self-government bodies has been supported by Astha working with the people at the grass-roots. In the rural area of south Rajasthan, Astha helped the people at the village level to formulate their development plans for their communities, thereby strengthening the gram panchayat planning.
Astha Sansthan has organized several training programme for elected women representative so that they can play their role effectively. With the facilitation support of Astha Sansthan women participation in the Village Assembly and other local development processes has increased. Women are now able to raise their issues in the Village Assembly.
Astha Sansthan has played a key role in the formation of Ekal Nar Shakti Sangthan [ENSS] to address the issues of single women who suffer due to many old customs and superstitions which stigmatize them.
Astha Sansthan has done excellent work with low-income single women (widows, separated, divorced, older-never-married women). They have been helped to form mutual-help groups to help each other solve their special problems of being “single”, and to provide companionship to help single women not feel “alone”. This work has spread across Rajasthan, and has been initiated and supported by Astha Sansthan. Astha Sansthan has also supported the formation of a national forum of single women groups.
Astha Sansthan has focused on PESA and Panchayati Raj as per Rajasthan Panchayati Raj Act 1994.Astha Sansthan have been engaged in strengthening the gram sabha and elected women representative with focus on women elected representatives so that they can play their role and responsibilities effectively. With this approach community have a strong voice and active role in their development.
