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NS ISSUE 78
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| building for a brighter future |
| Sarah Louise Taylor reports on a project that links Northern Britain with Southern India |
Community Building Ventures (CBV) is an outstanding example of what can happen when like-minded people explore new ways of working together for mutual benefit. The transnational project has the main aim of creating opportunities for young people with construction experience from disadvantaged communities in the North East of England and Scotland to utilise their building skills for the benefit of communities in the South of India.
It was devised by a group of activists from the Indian and UK chapters of COMMACT - the Commonwealth Association for Local Action and Economic Development - who met during a social economy conference in Liverpool in 2004. From those early discussions about ideas for collaborative projects, a partnership was established between COMMACT members from England, Scotland and South India, including representatives from:
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| From top left: Alan Mills, Carl Ditchburn, Andrew Jamieson and Tom Garbutt from Community Campus 87 with children from the Jamboo Savari Dinne school |
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CBS Network (CBSN) - a well‑established organisation based in Edinburgh that aims to promote, encourage and support the principles and practice of community owned and controlled enterprises, enabling local communities to become more self reliant and sustainable. |
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Community Campus 87 - a Middlesbrough-based social enterprise that provides self build accommodation, training and support for homeless young people |
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HiLDA Trust (Highlands Development Association) - a non-profit organisation in Kerala that promotes self-reliance through people-centred initiatives, community participation in the development process, and the empowerment of disadvantaged rural and tribal people. |
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READ Centre - a grass-roots organisation based in Bangalore that works for the development of rural and indigenous communities in south India. |
The Renton Community Development Trust in the west of Scotland is also heavily involved in delivering the programme and its aims.
The first stage of the three year programme was carried out in 2006 where members of the partnership travelled to India to finalise the venture and identify a series of building projects which included the construction of a community centre for the emerging Federation of Akshaya groups in Sulthan Bathery and the construction of classrooms at a school in Bangalore that had links with the READ Centre.
In March 2007, the next phase took place when a group of people from both Community Campus 87 and Renton travelled to Bangalore to build a classroom and office at the Jamboo Savari Dinne school on behalf of the READ Centre. As well as completing the construction works, the groups also carried out general maintenance work on the site. Further links have also been developed as a result of the project as Community Campus 87 are now sponsoring two of the teachers at the school and community companies in Renton are providing resources for the READ Centre.
Speaking on the project, a representative of the READ Centre said: “Renton Community Development Trust and Community Campus have created a new history of friendship and goodwill among underprivileged children in one corner of busy Bangalore - the IT city. Their generous contribution and CBSN’s networking leadership has done wonders.”
The second phase of the programme is currently being organised by its partners who are also raising necessary funds. The partners are planning for further groups of young people to travel to India to contribute to the building of a community centre and some rural housing.
www.commact.com
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