Dr Belinda Bennet, Managing Trustee of PHIA Foundation and Mr Bala Gnanapragasam, Board
Member, Change Alliance visited Jharkhand to know and understand about the projects implemented by PHIA in the first week of September 2019. They were accompanied by Anand Kumar Bolimera, Honorary Director, PHIA Foundation and Jharkhand team.
This visit has helped them to understand Jharkhand’s socio-political situation and the challenges faced. They were pleased by the efforts put by the team in implementing the projects at the grass root level and the way rural communities are benefitted through governance, gender equality, empowerment through technology, digital livelihoods. It was amazing to see how PHIA has been able to partner with various stakeholders to reach out to the most marginalised communities.
They also visited Lupungpat village in Chainpur block of Gumla District where the project on Strengthening Local Governance supported by Azim Premji Philanthropic Initiative is being implemented. They got the overview of ‘Gram Sabha’ functioning in a democratic manner and how the issues of accountability and transparency are being addressed and how in turn it is making the local governance more accountable towards the ‘Gram Sabha’.
The board members expressed their gratitude to the civil society partners, social activists, community leaders, philanthropy institutions and the government officials who have joined hands with PHIA Foundation and are part of the journey along with PHIA in making the world free of poverty and discrimination.
The board members were immensely satisfied with the kind of support that is being provided to the communities to thrive despite adversities and challenges faced.
