social action.the journey. aug 4, 2012
TRANSCRIPT
SOCIAL ACTIONThe Journey
Definition of SOCIAL ACTION (Webster)
an organized program of socioeconomic
reform; specif : activity on the part of an
interested group directed toward some
particular institutional change
“The betterment of the world can be accomplished through pure and goodly deeds, through commendable and seemly conduct.” — Bahá’u’lláh
Effective Social Action
To build capacity in individuals and communities and institutions
Intend moral, spiritual and social improvement as well as helping people improve their physical condition.
Fully integrating spiritual principles into community development activities, ideas, values and practical measures emerge that promote self-reliance and safeguard human dignity
Avoid patterns of dependency and conditions of inequality
Many individual Bahá'ís work in these fields
A number of Bahá’í-inspired organizationshave developed proven methods and programs
Social Action & Public Discourseto address the concerns of society
Social action includes a spectrum of activity ranging from short-term informal efforts by individuals or small groups of friends…
… to complex programs of social and economic development carried out by Bahá’í-inspired organizations
Projects range from simple tutorial schools to college-level courses to village agricultural and health education projects
The Journey that began in 2005
P ro j e c t Book Ange l s
Opened more
t han 20 L i b r a r i e s
and Cen te r s
i n As i a & A f r i c a
1,500 books sent to Chamakanga Primary School in Kenya, Africa.
Tsunami Diary - February 2005
Visited Tsunami affected areas in South India, Sri Lanka
Eleven-years-old
Miss ion: Erad ica te I l l i te racy
Formed in 2005
www.hopeislife.org
Miss ion: Erad ica te I l l i te racy
Educating teenage girls in Kolkata Building Learning Centers in Cambodia
Myanmar refugee childrenHIV infected children - VietnamWest Nigeria Street kids
Burmese Refugees - Water Tower Day Care Centers in Chennai
Youth Program in Philippines
Children Enrichment Center Haiti
Estab l i sh L ib rar iesBu i ld and repa i r schoo ls in
v i l l ages in remote ares
Pangantabi village, Manipur, ImphalNortheastern part of India
143 children2000 farmers
HIV infected area
Parent Involvement Junior Youth Empowerment Program
Study Circles Devotional Gatherings
Junior Youth Program for teenagersChildren Classes for village childrenDevotional gatherings for villagers
Started a Computer
Training Centers for Village Youths
Pig Farm run by villagers to support
the school
Blueprint for the new building - 10 classrooms Cost US$10,000
The Journey Continues
to H a i t i
Trans form Day Care CentersProv ide Educat iona l Mater ia l s
Tra in teachers in v i l l age schoo ls
Day Care CentersDestroyed and in bad
condition
Today
Year 2007
Year 2012
Prov ide scho larsh ips to needy ch i ld ren in poor areas o f the g lobe.
Make sure they s tay in schoo l - espec ia l l y g i r l s
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 2009
Asmara lived on this earth for only nine days.
She was named after the capital of Eriteria, Africa - Asmara
Haiti Sierra LeoneCambodiaChennaiThailandKenyaLaos
MyanmarIndia
S i e r r a L e o n e - A f r i c a
Micro-loans for guardians to look after the education and welfare of orphans
The purpose of providing micro-loans/micro-grants to the guardians is to provide them an opportunity to learn to stand on their own feet, instead of keeping them
dependent on daily handouts.
Palm oil production, road-side food stalls,
selling fish, plastic ware, vegetables and meat
The Ultimate Goal
Build the most great peace and bring about the unfoldment of a new world order and civilization
Bahá’ís actively pursue FOUR principal lines of action: 4
Invite others to join with them in Study Circles:
designed to discipline the lives of participants and aid them in applying spiritual principles to life’s practical challenges 1
Invite others to join with them in collective
efforts:
Such as children’s classes that lay the basis for the future well-being of humankind. 2
Invite others to join with them in collective efforts:
Such as devotional gatherings, that augment our personal spiritual resources in order to motivate greater achievement, sounder relationships and greater reliance on God, 3
Invite others to join with them in collective efforts:
that include Junior Youth Empowerment Program to help the youth to foster their spiritual identity, create a moral structure for their lives and empower them to serve humanity4
“ I be l ieve educat ing g i r l s i s jus t as impor tant as educat ing
boys . The f i rst teachers o f ch i ld ren are mothers , and we
need to make sure they are educated.”
- Natascha Yogachandra
For more information, please visit
www.hopeislife.org
Thank You