Peoples’ Leadership in Social Development and the Role of Voluntary Organizations in Nurturing this Leadership

Sincere regards and greetings and happy Independence Day wishes to the readers of Mukti Barta. My name is Nandita, and I am involved in the implementation of Mukti’s projects related to the appropriate applications of rights, awareness, and holistic development. I am grateful to the Mukti board members for this opportunity to write the featured article for Mukti Barta. In this article, I present to you some of my realizations from my limited experience in the field, and I hope to hear your opinions on them.

For those at least somewhat familiar with Mukti’s endeavors, it would be evident that every project is designed to safeguard human rights – be it the Kishalaya schools or the Mukti Support Schools for nurturing the children’s right to education, or the Sustainable Agriculture Movement for fortifying the rights to sustenance and livelihood. While the success of these projects is enthusiastic for Mukti, it is equally important to consider and adopt the path to sustainability for these endeavors so that greater numbers of people can benefit from them.

Elevating a society momentarily through project initiatives is an achievable feat, yet sustaining that upliftment unveils a labyrinth of intricacies. Such sustainability hinges upon multifaceted elements, each changing with time and societal shifts. Consequently, much ongoing research is devoted to the nuances of lasting development.

In my current project, the linchpin for enduring social upliftment is the active participation of and leadership by the populace. We are facilitating the development of participation and ownership amongst the people through our experimental work plans so that in the future we can have clear, practical insights into the effects of such interventions.

In thinking about public engagement in societal transformation, we must consider the following:

1. The identification of current problems, how they affect people, and whether people are aware of these effects
2. Recognizing how factors such as caste, creed, economics, social standing, gender, age, and physical aptitude may affect these problems; that is, recognizing the roots of the problems.
3. Conceiving and executing collective initiatives for collaborative solutions.
4. Active participation in ongoing program evaluation, seamlessly imbibing newfound insights into subsequent ventures.

Adoption of these four progressive stages creates a virtuous cycle of positive change, in which people will become a natural and essential component.

However, the translation of these tenets into action is complex, and demands adherence to key principles:

1. A) Initiating grassroots mobilization on the basis of common problems, as there are many barriers in the path of enduring success of individual efforts.

1. B) Even after being organized, power dynamics might develop within organized groups, which inhibit common goals. Therefore, such power-based relationships need to be mitigated.
2. C) Joint decisions should be taken with the aim of benefitting the weakest in the group. In other words, development should be inclusive of every social stratum.

How will these processes nurture leadership?

The adoption of the processes described will give clarity to each member on their role within the organization in solving relevant problems. This will give rise to a sense of ownership of the entire process. And this sense of ownership is what will lead to leadership. The ownership of problems and solutions will naturally nurture leadership mentalities without the need for external encouragement. The cycle will create the necessary leaders who will be the flag-bearers of development.

Mukti’s role in making this vision a reality is multifaceted:

1. A) Creating a safe space for unhindered public participation.
2. B) Facilitating development efforts initiated from the grassroots, with minimal well-planned interventions.
3. C) Skill development for those representing Mukti at the grassroots, so that they can be the primary facilitators.
4. D) Taking initiatives to eliminate power dynamics between the organization and the populace.
5. E) Nurturing a rights-based consciousness among the masses in an unbiased manner.
6. F) Augmenting the capacity to perceive issues and solutions from myriad vantage points.

If these fundamental principles become integrated into the daily functioning of every project, then it will be possible to compare their actions across communities and cohorts, to assess the success of these processes. Nevertheless, I believe that for a social welfare organization, sowing the seeds of social responsibility in even one soul is a more profound testament to success than the plethora of opportunities, services, and aids dispensed through projects.

I wish you all stay healthy, peruse the pages of Mukti Barta, share it with others, and enrich us with your perspectives.

– Nandita

Project Manager- Awareness and Rights