Caritas India and Indian Social Institute-Bengaluru jointly organised a virtual release of Handbook and Assessment Report on Community Mobilisation, two publications of Caritas India and Indian Social Institute, on 03 December 2020.

The handbook on community mobilisation is titled “Development Anchored in Community Intelligence” and the assessment report is titled as “Development as Community-Led Journey: Learnings from Community Mobilization Processes.”

Community mobilisation has been a very strong directive of Caritas India to bring about community-driven change in the situation of poverty, marginalization and affirming people’s dignity. Caritas Germany and Misereor, two donor agencies, have supported Caritas India in strengthening community-led processes in India for several years in many dioceses among the vulnerable communities through various programmes.

The assessment study on community mobilisation processes was conducted taking five urban and rural programmes as the base. The objective of the assessment was to develop a scientific understanding of the process of ‘Community mobilization for empowerment through the animation of the vulnerable communities’ by analyzing and compiling experiences, processes, the formation of groups, knowledge generated, methodologies deployed, inputs are given to develop skills and capacities, and outcomes realized in improving the quality of life of the communities, over a period of time. Based on the rich experiences of the community and facilitating organisations, it was also envisaged to prepare a handbook that could be used by development practitioners in future community mobilisation processes in the Indian context and elsewhere.

Fr. Paul Moonjely, Executive Director of Caritas India, after welcoming all the participants introduced the Handbook and Assessment Report and shared about their significance. He shared that the document covers Animation concept of Caritas India which is an awakening and action-oriented process aimed at social transformation especially for the poor and marginalized. It is an educative process of awakening the consciousness of the marginalized through a critical analysis towards the exploitative forces and motivating and building their confidence to come together and take collective action to transform the present social reality. He said in this process we need to pitch at the community because we believe that community is the most important reality.

Archbishop Sebastian Kallupura, Chairman of Caritas India, formally released the Assessment Report and Handbook. He quoted from the book, “Community Development is primarily an ongoing process with a common interest and common purpose aimed at the improved quality of life of all in the community. It is a ‘process’, whereby the majority of the members of the community, transcend their differences and meet on equal terms in order to facilitate a participatory decision-making process and to improve the quality of life of the members of the community.” He complimented that the community has a first-hand experience of its own improved event in the whole process of development. This process leads to the formation of CBOs and the whole process is people led which is reflected in this book. He expressed that these books will be the tools for many who want to commit themselves to the development issues of the people of India.

Dr. Joseph Xavier SJ, Director of Indian Social Institute- Bengaluru, who is the author and was leading and guiding this research, made a brief presentation on the major findings of the handbook. He also informed that the handbook will also be available in 10 different Vernacular languages.

The eminent speakers of the occasion were Dr. Vibhuti Patel, former professor of Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai; Mr. John Peter Nelson, Executive Director of Indo-Global Social Service Society, New Delhi; Dr. Anshuman Karol from PRIA, New Delhi; and Mr. Peter Seidel, Desk Officer, Caritas Germany, who provided insightful reflections and suggestions on the handbook. Mr. Joachim Plank from the Ministry for Development and Economic Cooperation, Germany also attended the book launch as a special guest.

Besides the speakers, many professors of social work department of various universities were also present in the event. Dr. Gladson Xavier, Professor of Loyola College, Chennai; Prof. Y. J. Rajendra, St. Joseph’s College, Bangalore; Dr. Joseph Marianus Kujur, Xavier Institute of Social Service, Ranchi; Dr. Vaijayanta Anand, Associate Professor of College of Social Work, Nirmala Niketan, Mumbai; Dr. Lukose PJ, Assistant Professor, Assam Don Bosco University; and Fr. Joye James shared that this handbook will be a very useful, easy to read and easy to follow tool for the students of social work and other development practitioners. They also urged Caritas India to make the handbook a training of trainer manual for the benefit of social work students and development workers.

Along with the five researchers, the directors of five organizations, where this study was conducted i.e., Seva Kendra Calcutta; St. Xavier Social Service Society, Ahmedabad; Chetanalaya, New Delhi; Kripa Social Welfare Society, Ujjain; Purvanchal Gramin Seva Samiti, Gorakhpur were also present in the event along with other notable participants. Dr. Sadanand Bag, Manager-Research and Resource Development, Caritas India, who was one of the researchers in the assessment, and also an associate member in developing the handbook, gave the vote of thanks and declared closer of the function.