Quality Hands Matter

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Quality Hands Matter

Professionals and Support Staff

Though agriculture and agricultural engineering graduates are preferred, other promising graduates – irrespective of their educational background – are also appointed. Everyone is given a thorough exposure to how DHAN works and why, and is trained rigorously to contribute meaningfully to DHAN’s programmes. The aim is to make the professionals aware of DHAN’s philosophy.

At the training programme, the professionals are placed in blocks identified for potential development.


What the professionals must do

  • screen the block
  • select local people (people functionaries) to mediate between the people and DHAN
  • organise farmers to form Vayalagams
  • mobilise funds
  • take up rehabilitation work through Vayalagams
  • monitor and review the work from time to time
  • conduct need-based training for volunteers
  • represent DHAN in various forums at the block and district level
  • plan development work with the members
  • collaborate with relevant departments and maintain the relationship
  • guide the younger colleagues and the local people
  • solve local problems, and
  • extend a helping hand to people of nearby areas

There are Team Leaders to head various sections. There are also support staffs like Programme Associates and Programme Assistants for office administration and to keep accounts. The whole programme is headed by a Programme Leader at the DHAN Foundation head office in Madurai.

People Functionaries

These people, called Vayalagam Movement Workers, are recruited at the block level. They are selected only if they are strongly motivated to serve the community. They help take the Vayalagam concept to the poor and marginal farmers, and must help do the development work at the block level. They must maintain records of their work, attend monthly Micro Finance Group and vayalagam meetings, and submit progress reports regularly.

People

People are organised round respective tanks as Vayalagams or MFGs, following the project guidelines. They have to lead the people organisations along the right path, monitor the works, plan for development and help the block level federations to maintain a good relationship with Government departments. The people organisation representatives will be in touch with the federations to give and get support and to implement development works.

Capacity Building

The training team works out a calendar to meet the staff needs at different levels for hands-on training, exposure visits and talks by experts as resource persons, which improves the quality of completed projects.

Capacity building is done both by internal and external persons through orientation programmes, technical training, training in accounts, and workshops for professionals. People functionaries are given 42 days Vayalagam Movement Workers Training for field work and attend regular refresher courses thereafter.

Need-based training is also offered like trainings on leadership skill, new projects and income generating activities are given. Exposures for other organizations are arranged regularly to deepen the mutual knowledge base.

In addition, focused training for bank managers, other NGO staff, panchayat leaders, ward members and other officials are also offered.