The Five Year Plan 2001-2006 (Summary)/Social and Economic Development

[Page 73]

ll SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

HE ENDEAVOURS of the Bahá’í’

community can been seen in

terms of a number of interacting processes, all of Which trace their origins back to the time of Bahá’u’lláh Himself and which continued to gain in strength through the ministries of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi. The spiritual enrichment of the individual, the development of local and national communities, the maturation of administrative institutions, the promotion of education—these are but a few of the many processes that gather momentum as the Cause advances. The impetus lent to each is not uniform at every stage in the evolution of the Faith. One or another may receive greater attention according to the exigencies of the time. At present, the Bahá’í world is focused most intently on the process of the entry of humanity into the Cause of God by troops. Yet other processes continue to receive the resources necessary, human and otherwise, to ensure their steady progress. Social and economic development is among these.

The Universal House of Justice has characterized Bahá’í endeavours of social and economic development as an “enlarged dimension of the consolidation process”, “a reinforcement of the teaching work", and “a greater manifestation of faith in action”. “Progress in the development field”, it has indicated, would “largely depend on natural stirrings at the grass roots, and it should receive its driving force from those sources rather than from an imposition of plans and programmes from the top.”1 This sug gests that a certain degree of capacity must necessarily exist at the local level to undertake development efforts and to benefit from outside technical assistance, both ofwhich should, in turn, further strengthen the collective capacity of the community. Indeed, at the start of the Five Year Plan in 2001, the House of Justice wrote in the context of community development:

Among the initial goals for every community should be the establishment of study circles, children’s classes, and devotional meetings, open to all the inhabitants of the locality. . . . Once communities are able to sustain the basic activities of Bahá’í life, a natural way to further their consolidation is to introduce small projects of social and economic development—for

continued on page 76

Children in a tutorial class in Cambodia.

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[Page 74]The Five Year Plan 2001—2006: Summary ofAchiez/ementr and Learning

Strengthening Academic Institutions

SPECIALLY OVER THE PAST twenty to thirty Eyears, academic schools of varying sizes have

sprung up in all parts of the Bahá’í world. Africa and Asia witnessed the most notable increase, but the Americas, Australasia, and Europe saw a similar pattern. Many schools have gone beyond the initial stages of establishment, often fraught with difficult yet inevitable challenges, to infuse their programmes with elements that enhance their Bahá’í character. The presence of such a well—functioning school in a region redounds to the good name of the Faith and provides for the sound intellectual and moral development of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of young people. The following schools run by Bahá’í’s, only a fraction of the total number, are together serving more than 16,500 students:

School of the Nations in Brazil; Unidad de los Pueblos in Bolivia; Satara International School in Burkina; Maxwell International Bahá’í School and Nancy Campbell Collegiate Institute in Canada; Ecole Les Etoiles Brillantes in Chad; Faizi and Muhájir Schools in Chile; Escuela Nuevo Jardin, Ruhi—Arbab School and Simmons School in Colombia; Louis Gregory School in the Congo Republic; Townshend International School in the Czech Republic; Ecole Internationale Enfants du Monde and Les Gouttelettes School in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; Riḍván School in El Salvador; Raul Pavén Bahá’í School in Ecuador; Ani’s Zum’izr’ Bahá’í School in Haiti; School of the Nations in Guyana; Blossoms School, Brilliant Stars School, New Era High School, Rabbani School, Rúḥíyyih School, Splendour School, and Tadong Bahá’í School in India; William Foster Bahá’í Academy in Liberia; School of the Nations in Macau; Bambino Schools in Malawi; Abhá English School in Nepal; Ecole Prive’e Alliance and Lycée Enoch Olinga in Niger; New Day School in Pakistan; Badi’ School in Panama; Miki Rutan Bahá’í School in Paraguay;

Science class in Baméz'noir xecondary 56/7001.

Bahá’í Schools in Swaziland; Ruaha Secondary School in Tanzania; Santitham Witthayakhom School in Thailand; Ecole Internationale Arc—en—ciel in Togo; Ocean of Light International School in Tonga; Auntie Claire’s Kindergarten and Louis Gregory Memorial Bahá’í Schools in Uganda; Rowhani School in Vanuatu; and Banani International School in Zambia.

In many places where schools of relatively substantial size are established on a firm academic and financial footing, a natural question has arisen regarding their potential to achieve a broader purpose, and some degree of energy was directed towards seeking an answer to this question during the Five Year Plan. The vision that has emerged is promising indeed.

What has become clear is that the tendency to embark on an ambitious plan of expansion, which often requires a large outlay of funds in terms of infrastructure, should generally be avoided. As an organization concerned with enhancing the capacity of the surrounding population to participate in its own development, a school has much more effective means at its disposal. One is to introduce a service component into its curriculum, through Which students are encouraged to carry out some form of social action appropriate to their age level in nearby local communities, contributing in this way to their own development as individuals and to the enrichment of community life. Another effective instrument is teacher training. An academic school can influence

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Ybungsterx in Bambim} primary rc/mo/ eager to learn.

the progress of a region significantly by training teachers from small, community-based schools, as well as those from larger ones that are part of the official school system. In some cases, the possibility also exists for an academic school ofa certain stature run by Bahá’ís to work more directly within the educational system, particularly in the formulation of policy related to curriculum and teacher training nationwide.

This Vision has informed the guidance provided by the Office of Social and Economic Development (OSED) at the Bahá’í World Centre to academic schools during the Five Year Plan, helping each to see where it stands on its own evolutionary path. The Bambino Schools in Malawi serve as an excellent example.

The Bambino Schools, located in Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi, provide pre-primary, primary, and secondary education to girls and boys. The preprimary and primary schools were established as a non—profit venture in 1993. One year later the secondary school was added, and a hostel that accommodates 180 girls was built in January 2002. Currently, there are over L300 children and youth enrolled in the schools and a staff of 132, only a small percentage of whom are members of the Bahá’í community.

The schools are run by an individual believer who, unable to find a suitable pre—primary school for her children, decided to start one of her own. To purchase the land and construct the facilities, she used the savings she had accumulated from her doughnut—making

business, as well as a bank loan and the proceeds from the sale of the family car. In the early years, while struggling to sustain the schools’ operations, she paid the teachers' salaries from the money from her doughnut business and eventually repaid the bank loan with students’ fees.

The principles of the Faith guided the schools) operations from the outset. Not too long after their establishment, a moral education component based on The Virtue: Guide was introduced into the primary school curriculum, which served to distinguish it from other educational institutions. A service component for students was also added to the programme. In 2001, OSED was asked to suggest curricular elements that could be used to strengthen the Bahá’í character of the schools. Eventually the older students in the primary school began to study materials designed by three Bahá’í—inspired development organizations—Breezes ofConfirmcztz'on, Wl/zing t/ae Straight Path, and Drawing 0n the Power of the Wrd. YZz/ez'ngMomllnitiatiz/e, a similar Bahá’í—inspited text, was introduced into the secondary school curriculum around the same time.

In 2005, the founder of the Bambino Schools was invited along with representatives from several other development organizations to attend a seminar sponsored by OSED in Zambia for the purpose of strengthening their institutional capacity (see the article ‘71 Forumfbr Learning”on page 81). One of the issues raised there was teacher training. As a result, the schools’ founder decided to use units prepared by the Ruhi Institute for animators of junior youth groups as training materials for teachers working with that age. The initial training session was scheduled to take place just at the close of the Five Year Plan, and arrangements were under way for a subsequent session with teachers from several nearby schools, which were also eager to use the Bahá’í-inspired materials for junior youth in their programmes. All the teachers who attended the first session, almost entirely drawn from the wider community, expressed great enthusiasm at studying the institute course, and one was heard to comment that “if each one did something with a group of say 30 they would be helping over a thousand youth and they could make a difference”.

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[Page 76]The Five Year Plan 2001—2006: Summary OfAc/Jievements and Learning

A teacher giving instruction to (I group ofyoungsters in Cambodia.

example, a literacy project, a project for the advancement of women or environmental preservation, or even a village school.l

What became clear over the course of the Five Year Plan is that, in those clusters where the process ofentry by troops has sufficiently advanced, the heightened sense of Bahá’í identity needs to express itself not only in the acceleration of the growth of the community but also in the commitment to apply the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh to the challenges facing society. While the collective desire to take some form of social action may emerge naturally, without proper cultivation it will not necessarily be translated into sustainable projects and plans. Institutional capacity at the regional or national level is required to help raise the friends’ consciousness of the possibilities open to them and to place at their disposal methods and materials that will enable them

to respond to needs identified in their communities. The story of Battambang, Cambodia, illustrates how the development of a cluster unfolds in this context.

An Illustration

Following the 1991 Paris Peace Accords, which ended three decades of internal strife and economic crisis in Cambodia, the Faith was re—established in the country through widespread teaching efforts, spearheaded largely by Bahá’ís returning home from the refugee camps in Thailand. By 1994, a community of over 1,000 believers had emerged, and the National Spiritual Assembly of Cambodia was elected at Riḍván that year. While the fledgling National Assembly struggled to consolidate its burgeoning community, a group of seven believers decided to form an organization that would

dedicate itself to raising the quality of

[Page 77]life of their people. Thus was born the Cambodian Organization for Research, Development and Education (CORDE), which would, in time, be registered as a local non—profit, non-governmental organization with the Ministry ofSocial Welfare and Community Development and with the Ministry of Interior.

Since three of CORDIi’s founding members had been trained as dental aides in the refugee camps, the organization launched its operations by offering oral hygiene education. It also assisted in constructing wells for Fresh water in rural areas. Eventually CORDE began to Focus its efforts in the town of Battambang and its surrounding villages—a population of about 250,000 that lacked adequate basic education for its young people. CORDE organized a pool of teachers to provide informal academic instruction in the villages, which later evolved into formal tutorial classes conducted two hours every day, requiring a small allowance for the teachers. Twenty such classes with some 500 pupils were operating in the area by 1997.

The growth in scope and complexity of the tutorial classes placed new demands on CORDE. Chief among them was the need For capable human resources to serve as teachers. Initially the classes were taught by public school

I

teachers and high school students, using whatever materials were available to them. At monthly gatherings, they would study passages from the Bahá’í’ Writings from Books 1 and 3 of the Ruhi Institute. Gradually CORDE’s efforts in training teachers became more systematic. It adopted texts developed by other Bahá’í’ sources for the tutorial classes, later adding ones for junior youth, and began to orient the teachers in the use of the material. All teachers studied the sequence of institute courses as part of their training.

Throughout this period a concerted effort was being made to establish the institute process in the area to raise up the human resources needed for the work of expansion and consolidation of the Faith, Which was steadily gathering momentum. The teachers being trained by CORDE participated hill)! in this effort. Familiar with the books of the institute, they were encouraged to conduct Bahá’í’ children’s classes and Form study circles as part of their service to their communities. Almost invariably, those teachers who were not Bahá’í’ accepted the Faith. By the end of 2000, there were over 1,000 Bahá’í’s in Battambang, approximately half of whom had studied the

continued on page 80

SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Children in Cambadz'a gat/oer for their daily tutarizz/ clam.

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[Page 78]The Five Year Plan 2001—2006: Summary ofAc/az'wemmtx and Learning

Bahá’í’ Radio Stations

HE EMERGENCE OF THE TRAINING institute

as an agency for the development of human

resources set the work of the Bahei’l’ radio stations in Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Panama, and Peru on a new course, and throughout the Five Year Plan efforts were made to align their programmes ever more Closely with institute operations. Two conferences were held in Latin America for this purpose, one in 2004 and another in 2005. Attended by representatives of the Continental Board of Counsellors, National Spiritual Assemblies, training institutes and the stations, the conferences provided an opportunity to reach a common understanding of the role of radio programming in contributing to the process of change in a region. From their discussions emerged several principles that would guide the stations in their work. The programmes they broadcast would seek to

I. diffuse the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh and expose listeners to the Creative Word, with the aim of nurturing the process of individual spiritual transformation envisioned in the Writings of the ,Faith;

2. advance the lines of action of the training institute concerned with raising up human resources to carry out the tasks associated with the expansion and consolidation of the Faith and to promote social and economic development;

3. mobilize an appreciable number of individuals within the population served by the training institute to contribute effectively to the spiritual and material progress of their communities; and

4. reinforce the positive cultural values of the local population.

A11 throughout this period, Bisharat Media Development Associates, a Bahá’í-inspired agency established in Canada, was assisting the radio stations in matters of production and technology. Its assistance to the stations intensified in 2005 as endea

Radio station serving the Ngébe—Bugle’people in Panama.

vours were initiated to see how their programming could lend more direct impetus to the development of the clusters surrounding them. Some of the lessons learned by the stations in Latin America proved valuable in establishing the Bahá’í radio station in the Philippines, which received its license and began broadcasting in 2002.

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An Organization Upholding the Rights of Women

N 1996, A SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OID girl from Togo

landed illegally on United States soil while flee ing an arranged marriage and the threat of genital mutilation. Before she could enter the country, she was stopped and detained without the protection of law afforded to refugees in the United States. Through the efforts of a Bahá’í’ student attorney, the young woman obtained political asylum. Her case made legal history in the country by establishing a precedent for women to receive refugee status on account of gender-based persecution. This experience was the impetus behind the creation of the Táhirih Justice Center in 1997, whose aim is “to enable women and girls who face gender—based violence to access justice”. The majority of the Center’s clients come from Africa, the Middle East, and Asia—the most underserved of immigrant populations in the United States.

The Center supports three main programmes: pro bono legal representation for individual cases, public policy advocacy, and education and public outreach. A number of physicians collaborate with the Center to make medical services available without charge to those who require them. In addition, an associated referral programme offers psychological counselling, literacy classes, English instruction, day-care services, job skills training, and housing assistance. The Center has also worked with government officials and nongovernmental organizations in Australia, Brazil, the Gambia, Germany, and Ghana. Some of the activities in these countries include training legal professionals, promoting the development of legislation, fostering grass—roots empowerment of women’s rights organizations, working with local legal firms to promote

72l/Jiri/J justice Center :mflat an award} ceremony.

a practice of pro bono work, and media and public policy advocacy.

In 2002, after taking up the case of an immigrant woman from Ukraine, who was brutally abused in a marriage arranged through a broker, the Center launched a campaign to end exploitation by international marriage brokers. Until recently, the mail—order bride industry was not required to disclose marital history or criminal background information to prospective brides before contracting a marriage. Moreover, many women involved in these schemes do not speak English well and are ignorant of the United States justice system, putting them at a significant disadvantage if a marriage turns violent. In January 2006, a bill was signed into law that provides foreign women critical information to protect them from violent abuse by men through the mail—order bride industry. The Táhirih Justice Center led the drafting of the bill

and advocacy for this historic law.

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[Page 80]7726 Five Year Plzm 2001—2006: Summary ofAc/az'eyemmts [1714’ Learning

Allpeop/e. . . have t/ae rig/at to benefit flow a materia/{y and spiritually prosperous society. . .

Num/m‘ of Those W/m Completed Institute Courses in the Battambang Cluster

500 _ _ _ _ — April 2001 Apri12006 2,742 1,755 1,209 first course in the institute sequence. Attempts to move believers through the higher level courses were hampered only by the lack of translations into Khmer, a problem remedied soon after the start of the Five Year Plan in 2001, around the same time that the Battambang cluster was formed. The table above, showing the number of those who completed the courses in the sequence, indicates just how dynamic the institute process was in the cluster over the course of the Plan.

As the processes of the expansion and consolidation of the Faith began to accelerate tremendously in the cluster, those enrolled in CORDE’s tutorial classes were growing into capable young people, becoming a valuable resource for the community. They provided CORDE With a Fresh source of teachers, and from their ranks were drawn those who could serve as institute coordinators and members of the Cluster Growth Committee, which, by the end of the Five Year Plan, was administering the activities of a Bahá’í community of 5,682 individuals, more than 2 per cent of the general population in the cluster.

From the time of its inception, CORDE had received support and encouragement from the Office of Social and Economic Development (OSED) at the Bahá’í World Centre. Initially, this support took the Form of modest funding and periodic guidance which, informed by the experience ofdevelopment efforts worldwide, enabled CORDE to evolve in a gradual, sustainable manner. By 2004, it was serving the educational needs of nearly 1,000 children in Battambang through its tutorial classes, which were often held under trees or in the homes of teachers. Clearly, however, the demand was far greater. At OSED’S advice, CORDE embarked on a plan

898 3 559 385

to build Centres ofLearning throughout the cluster. While a tutorial class with a teacher could cater to 20 students, the programmes coordinated by a director of a Centre of Learning could accommodate well over 200. An educational institution of higher learning started by a group of Bahá’í’s, the University for Education and Development (UniED) began to develop an undergraduate programme to prepare those who could act as such directors. Three centres were established by CORDE in Battambang by the end of the Plan, each offering a range of educational classes to all ages of the local population.

It was evident that CORDE’S capacity as an organization had developed, and the amount of funding it received from OSED and other sources had grown in keeping with an annual plan of action and budget that reflected its more sophisticated administrative and programmatic structure. Now one of several fully fledged Bahá’í—inspired development organizations operating in Asia, it could benefit further From the various efforts being made by OSED to enhance the institutional capacity of such organizations throughout the world.

Approach

Endeavours of social and economic development play a distinct function in the life of the Bahá’í community, and the account of the Battambang cluster illustrates well some of the features of the development process.

" Among the many processes through which civilization advances, Bahá’í social and economic development

continued on page 87

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A Forum for Learning

N NOVEMBER 2004 THE Office of Social and

Economic Development (OSED) assembled at

the Bahá’í World Centre 12 friends, all with some degree of experience in development work, to prepare them to conduct a series of seminars the following year with development organizations across the African continent. Out of their experience would emerge what has proven to be one of OSED’S most effective instruments to date for helping to enhance institutional capacity, which would gradually be applied in other continents.

Early in 2004 OSED had sent a representative to Africa to meet with six organizations of relatively substantial size from Cmeroon, the Central African Republic, and Chad. The intention was to review with them several broad themes concerning Bahá’í social and economic development, as well as specific issues related to planning and budgeting. All the participating organizations welcomed the opportunity to come together in such a setting, especially to reflect on their own efforts in light of recent guidance and learning. 50 successful was the outcome of the meeting that OSED decided to replicate it on a larger scale.

The following year 50 organizations from 22 countries in Africa were invited to five seminars, facilitated by the 12 friends who were acting as resource persons on OSED’s behalf. The results were equally encouraging. At the five gatherings, the organizations studied a set of documents that helped them to think about fundamental questions like: What are some examples of activities that concentrate on delivery of services? Why are their effects on the development of the community limited? What does it mean for a community to build its capacity to take social action? Not only did the seminars provide a means for the participating organizations to benefit from the cumulative learning of the Bahá’í world community in addressing such questions, but they also offered a forum for them to exchange experience. One seminar brought together representatives almost entirely

from academic schools, and this proved especially productive. What was most striking about all the seminars was that they enabled the organizations represented to place their individual efforts in a larger context. One participant commented that they began to see how their work was “part of a global enterprise that is starting to emerge”, while another remarked, “Now there is a much clearer sense of direction as to where we are heading.”

In the months preceding the close of the Five Year Plan, OSED once again called a meeting of resource persons at the World Centre and reviewed with them the results of their efforts, refining further the seminar documents and laying plans for another round of gatherings in Africa, as well as the first in Asia.

Particzpzmts at a seminar in Zambia reflect on t/ae role

of social and economic development.

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[Page 82]7776 Five Year Plan 2001—2006: Summary afz‘lt‘hiem’mmtx and Learning

Channelling Financial Resources

AHA’I‘ SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC develop ment activities generally emerge as a response

by individual believers to needs identified in their communities, and they expand in keeping with the resources available to them locally, both human and financial. A sudden influx of funds can actually disrupt the steady progress of such an endeavour. Out of these many efforts emerge some that demonstrate the potential to evolve into fully fledged development organizations which can serve a region or an entire country, and often their continued sustained growth requires financial assistance from a wider circle of sources. To such organizations, the Office of Social and Economic Development (OSED) at the Bahá’í World Centre may provide a modest level of Funding in support of their annual plans of action. Sixty—three development organizations were receiving such small grants annually from OSED at the close of the Five Year Plan.

In principle, it would not be unacceptable for a development organization to turn to external donor agencies for assistance at this stage. Although Bahá’í’s do not accept or use funds from outside sources for the progress of their internal community affairs, funding for projects ofa humanitarian nature can be accepted from governments and donor agencies in the appropriate context. Yet experience shows that it is unwise for an organization to look for external funding sources before they have acquired the capacity to meet their rigorous demands. The financial assistance provided by OSED enables an organization operated by Bahá’ís to avoid pressure to adopt development practices that could hamper its own learning process as a means of survival.

Eventually development organizations reach the stage where they can manage funding from outside sources and can expand the scope of their programmes with grants from donor agencies. OSED’S relationship with such organizations reflects their growing

maturity, and it will sometimes offer them what it has termed “core funding”. In this arrangement a fixed amount is pledged to an organization each fiscal year, upon which it can draw as needed, depending on the availability of other sources of income. Core funding will ensure the continuity ofits most basic functions. At the end of the Plan, 15 organizations in Africa, Asia, Central and South America, and Eastern Europe were benefiting from this possibility.

Within such a scheme, OSED may introduce a development organization with sufficient capacity to one of several agencies that have been set up in Europe and North America, both by individual believers and National Spiritual Assemblies, to access funds from governments or private donors for Bahá’í projects. These include the Canadian Bahá’í International Development Agency (CBIDA), the Unity Foundation in Luxembourg, the Norwegian Bahá’í Office of Social and Economic Development (NorSED), the National Committee for Social and Economic Development Projects of the Swedish Bahá’í community, the Bahá’í Agency for Social and Economic Development in the United Kingdom (BASED—UK), and the Mona Foundation in the United States. Together, these agencies successfully secured grants for I4 development organizations over the past five years. The National Spiritual Assemblies of Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands took steps to establish similar agencies during the Plan.

The relationship between the above agencies and donors, on the one hand, and the development organizations they represent, on the other, does not adhere to practices prevalent in the development field today. A common arrangement is for a government or donor in Europe or North America to give money to a domestic agency so that it can, in turn, start a project somewhere in the “developing” world. Because the Bahá’í community is global in scope, it transcends divisions such as “North” and “South,”

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Student: at Barli Development [mtitutefbr Rural Wmen in India.

“developed” and “underdeveloped.” It is the right of every people to trace its own path of development and direct its own affairs. The Bahá’í Administrative Order safeguards this right. This does not mean that bonds of collaboration do not extend across national boundaries or that resources do not flow from the more materially prosperous countries to those with less. Yet it must be left to those directing a project to determine whether the capacity exists to utilize such support constructively. How these principles translate into practice can best be described by an example. The Barli Development Institute for Rural Women has been working in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh since 1983. Throughout the [9908, it received outside funding from different sources, as well as core funding from OSED, to meet the expenditures for its operations. In the early 20008, the National Spiritual Assembly of Sweden appointed a

committee to work with the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) in accessing funds for Bahá’í projects. Given Sida’s geographic and programmatic priorities, a relationship between the committee and Barli was a natural one, encouraged by OSED, although an initial attempt to submit a proposal to Sida did not bear fruit.

In 2002, the committee’s representatives were invited to Oslo, Norway, along with representatives from other National Assemblies in Europe, for a meeting sponsored by OSED to learn more about their potential role in securing funds for Bahá’í projects. Soon after, three of the committee’s members travelled in India so that they could better understand Barli’s work and explain its plans and challenges successfully to Sida. In this collaborative spirit a proposal for a three-year project entitled “Sustainable Community Development through Training of Rural and Tribal Women as Human Resources”, which ran from February 2003 to January 2006, was prepared by Barli. With OSED’s endorsement, it was submitted to Sida by the committee. By this time the committee had developed a warm relationship With Sida and could act as an effective advocate for Barli’s proposal, ensuring that any agreement reached would not impose unwanted requirements on Barli or compromise the integrity of its work. Eventually the proposal was approved in full by Sida, and a grant extended to Barli, to be disbursed in several payments, along with a small amount in matching Funds from the Swedish Bahá’í community.

Throughout the three-year period, the committee followed Barli’s efforts to implement the proposal, keeping Sida informed of the progress made. Together with Sida’s representative, a member of the committee visited Barli in November 2005. The visit served to strengthen further the collaborative relationship among them, and another three-year project proposal, even more ambitious, was approved by Sida for the period from June 2006 to May 2009.

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Area of Action: Empowering Junior Youth Morally and Spiritually

HF. LEARNING ACQUIRED DURING the Four

I Year and the Twelve Month Plans from a number of literacy projects worldwide gave rise

to the formulation ofan approach and methodology for endeavours aimed at the spiritual empowerment ofjunior youth, that is, those between the ages of 12 to 15. In August 2002, the Office of Social and Economic Development (OSED) at the Bahá’í World Centre drafted a document which described the background, characteristics, and general parameters of such efforts. What the document made clear was that Bahá’í—inspired programmes that seek to enhance the powers of expression ofjunior youth should go beyond the mechanics of reading and writing to awaken in them a desire to take charge of their own

A group affinimators in Haiti preparing to wor/z with junioryout/J.

development and contribute to the transformation of their communities.

The dissemination of the document gave further impetus to the work with junior youth worldwide, and a new stage in the process of learning opened. Projects for junior youth began to multiply from country to country, undertaken both by Bahá’í—inspired organizations and national Bahá’í training institutes. As efforts intensified, OSED sponsored several regional seminars in which representatives from these agencies could share their experience, receive training, and formulate plans. Two such seminars were held in Africa, four in Asia, and two in Latin America. By the middle of the Five Year Plan, the concept of a “junior youth group” had crystallized as a means for the delivery of courses, as had the role of periodic “junior youth camps”. Materials prepared by the Ruhi Institute in Colombia to equip individuals with the skills and abilities to form such groups—materials which eventually became Book 5 in the institute sequence—soon became available, and the number of

countries engaged in activities for junior youth rose dramatically. It would be no exaggeration to say that the capacity of the Bahá’í’ world to work with this

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age group increased exponentially during the second half of the Plan.

At the heart of the learning process under way in all parts of the Bahá’í world was a concern for the education of rising generations of young people. The materials that OSED had identified for use with junior youth were prepared by several organizations working in different parts of the world, but all striving to apply the teachings of the Faith to educational endeavours. As such, their materials draw as much on the Writings as a source of knowledge as they do on academic subjects. By the end of the Plan, the following textbooks were being widely used: Learning About Excellence from China, Drawing on the Power of [/76 Wzm’ from Colombia, Breezes of Confirmation and Glimmering: OfH0pe from Zambia, and Wz/kz'ng the Straight Pat}; from Macau. The work of development organizations and schools that adopted the materials in recent years leaves little doubt that governments, parents, and young people alike appreciate the benefits of an educational process that is very much Bahá’í in nature.

It is estimated that several thousand junior youth,

from all religions and backgrounds, were engaged in

educational activities promoted by Bahá’í-inspited agencies for their moral and spiritual empowerment at the close of the Plan. More than 25 such organizations were utilizing the above textbooks for this purpose, many in a tutorial system for their delivery within a region, while some 20 academic schools run by Bahá’í’s had incorporated them into their curricula. OSED expects that all these numbers will continue to grow as additional materials are developed, as methods are refined, and as the corresponding learning is systematized into an increasingly consolidated programme that prepares young people intellectually and spiritually to act as effective agents of change in society at large. Further, in many places, where primary schooling is inadequate, such a programme can serve well as preparation for embarking on secondary—level education.

Parallel to the work of development organizations and academic schools, the efforts of Bahá’í training institutes with junior youth were progressing with equal force. Most of their learning was focused on advanced clusters, where training institutes were able to gain valuable experience in raising up animators of junior youth groups and in coordinating their efforts.

junioryoutb study in t/ae United States (/efi‘) and in Australia (above).

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[Page 86]The Five Year Plan 2001—2006: Summary ofAc/Jievements and Learning

In this context, more and more institutes began to adopt the same set of Bahá’í—inspired materials for animators to use with junior youth, often complementing them with other materials, including, as appropriate, those that address explicitly Bahá’í subjects. Almost invariably—whether in India or Canada, in Kenya or Vanuatu—institutes found the Bahá’í—inspired textbooks excellent preparation for the study of the main sequence of courses, and many young people, upon reaching the age of 15, entered naturally into the institute process, some going on to become the most active supporters of the work of the Faith in their clusters.

At the end of the Plan, some 25,000 junior youth were participating in programmes carried out by training institutes, and in its message dated 27 December 2005 to the Conference of the Continental Boards of Counsellors, the Universal House of Justice urged all National Assemblies “to consider the junior youth groups formed through programmes implemented by their training institutes a fourth core activity in its own right and to promote its wide-scale multiplication”. The task, then, before Bahá’í communities everywhere is to learn to sustain hundreds upon hun

Class in Mongolia at the rompletian of the study of “LWl/eing tlae Straight Path” (right), and two your}; in Brazil begin "Breezes of Canfirmation ” (above).

dreds ofjunior youth groups at the cluster level.

To assist both Bahá’í’ training institutes and Bahá’ínspired development organizations in their work with junior youth, OSED intends to continue to sponsor periodic regional seminars around the world to train resource persons who can promote activities with this age group and to follow progress in this field of endeavour, so important to the future of humanity. Let the words of one youth who has benefited from these efforts be the measure of their potential effect. Pointing to a particular page in Drawing on the Power

ofth Word, he said:

Here it explains that one should be a person that others speak well of, who doesn’t get in trouble, who helps others, a person who participates with the community. For me, it seems important that we should see each other as human beings, in order to help everyone. . . . Just like many others, I had

no interest in helping my community, but now I think differently because of all these passages in the book like: ‘Blessed and happy is he who ariseth to promote the best interests of the peoples

and kindreds of the earth.’

[Page 87]can be considered as one concerned specifically with fostering prosperity among the diverse peoples of the world. Material well—being is clearly an objective, but it is pursued in light of the recognition that true prosperity is equally contingent on spiritual progress.

All people not only have the right to benefit from a materially and spiritually prosperous society but also have an obligation to participate in its construction, to the extent that their individual talents and capacities will allow. The magnitude of the transformation required demands that the masses ofhumanity assume responsibility as protagonists.

As in the case of CORDE, it is not uncommon for development efforts to begin in a region when individuals arise to provide some form of service to the local population—in this case, oral hygiene education, fresh water supplies, and primary education. For Bahá’ís, service is a basic principle of human existence; every act, every personal or community project, is to be carried out in the spirit ofservice. It is impossible to imagine a Bahá’í social and economic development project that does not operate on the principle of service.

While development efforts often begin by offering basic services to a population in an area or region, they cannot remain at that level, if people are themselves to be empowered to arise and participate in these very efforts. This is not to say that such endeavours are not directed towards the tangible improvement of some aspect oflife. Yet their primary concern is building capacity in individuals, social institutions, and communities so that they can become active participants in effecting change. What is most noteworthy about the story of Battambang

II: SOCIAL AN'D ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

is that the cluster is showing signs of such increased capacity.

Building capacity requires gradual, systematic effort. Endeavours must advance in a manner commensurate with the capacity available to achieve them. In general, activities should begin simply, at a level that can be sustained by the local population, and grow in scope and complexity as experience is gained and confidence built, as learning accumulates and resources multiply.

In terms of the individual, appropriate training programmes should seek to imbue participants with a sense of purpose and develop in them a number of capabilities—endowing them with the understanding of concepts, knowledge of facts, and mastery of methods, as well as the skills, attitudes, and qualities needed to lead a productive life. In the example of Battambang, an educational effort that began with a basic tutorial class has evolved into a relatively complex endeavour, one that is concerned with the preparation of individuals for many tasks in service to their communities.

Beyond the training ofindividuals, development plans have to pay attention to the strengthening oforganizational structures. Irrespective of the particular circumstances, institutions are required at all levels of society to act as Channels through which the talents and energies of individuals and groups can be expressed in service to humanity. The Centres of Learning created by CORDE are examples of such local structures, while UniED represents a Form of institutional capacity at a

higher level.

All Bahá’í development undertakings, whatever their scope and degree

continued 072 page 89

Building capacity requires gradual, systematic efibrt. . .

87

[Page 88]The Five Year Plan 2001—2006: Summary ofAcbz'evemmt: and Lmrning

Area of Action: Pre-Primary and Primary Education

RIMARY EDUCATION IS OFTEN one Of the

first concerns that a region with increasing

human resources can successfully address, and a few Bahá’í—inspired organizations around the world, especially in countries where the national educational system does not teach the rural areas, are supporting the multiplication of schools at the local level to provide pte-primary and primary academic instruction to youngsters. Much of the effort of these organizations is focused on identifying Bahá’í—inspited curricular elements, on developing programmes for training teachers, and on raising the awareness in local communities of the importance of education. Where a community feels ownership of the school and supports its establishment, both in moral and financial terms, better results are achieved. Organizations that are following this line of action include the Nahid and Hushang Ahdieh Foundation in the Central African Republic, the Heshmat Foundation and the Jayuir Foundation in Colombia, the Foundation for Advancement of Science (FAS) and the New Era Foundation in India, the Unity in Diversity Foundation in Indonesia, the Ootan Marawa Educational Institute in Kiribati, the Nosrat Foundation in Mali, and the Dawnbreakers Foundation in the Philippines.

Students, parents, and teachers gather at t/ae inauguration Ufa community school in Mali.

Noteworthy among them is the Nahid and Hushang Ahdieh Foundation in the Central African Republic, a country Where infrastructure is lacking and the most basic educational needs of children in the rural areas often go unmet. The Foundation was established in 2003 by an individual believer to address this challenge. Rather than involving itself in the management of schools, the Foundation decided it would focus on training teachers, who could start up and run their own schools with the support of their local communities. It has already trained some 50 teachers in two sessions using the books of the Ruhi Institute, as well as Bahá’í—inspired materials from the Nosrat Foundation. These materials touch on concepts related to a positive school environment and the qualities and attitudes of an effective teacher.

In a short period of time, the Foundation has made significant strides in its own learning, and its programme for training teachers has evolved considerably, as has its capacity to accompany them in the establishment of their schools. It is also learning how to conduct meetings with local institutions and the residents ofa locality to discuss the benefits of education and their role in maintaining a school. As a result, three communities have taken the initiative to send individuals to one of the Foundation’s training sessions. Already 18 new schools have been set up, offering pre—primary instruction and grade one to nearly 800 children. Additional grades will be added each year and more schools gradually established. At present, the Foundation is seeking government recognition which will enable the schools started by those trained to receive certain benefits. In order to provide assistance for these statt-ups, a task force has been appointed in the Central African Republic by the Office of Social and Economic Development (OSED) at the Bahá’í World Centre to administer a revolving loan fund on its behalf, in collaboration with the Foundation.

88

[Page 89]of complexity, represent the efforts of individuals and groups to translate into action the teachings and

II: SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMEN'I‘

reading well the reality of the sur rounding society, did not impose unnecessary restrictions on itself.

Student: in UniEDS‘ undergraduate programme in Caméodz'a.

rinci les Of the Faith. The are not , , . P p m y ' Baha’x endeavours of 500131 and eco1ntended to serve Baha lS alone but . .

. . nomlc development are not de51gned strive to benefit people of all bellefs . as a means of conversmn; they are

and backgrounds and to elicit their . . . . . . . . earned out 1n a sp1r1t of serv1ce to

part1c1pat10n. Access to the Word

of God should not be conditioned

upon acceptance of Bahá’u’lláh as a

Manifestation of God for today. His

teachings should be given freely and

humanity. However, it is equally true that, where such efforts are effective, they increase interest in the Faith and create fresh teaching opportunities. In

. , . thlS sense, soc1al and economle develuncondltlonally to humamty so that .

opment complements teaching and people everywhere have the opportu— . . . . . also contrlbutes t0 1t. mty to apply them to pressmg soc1al Issues and Improve tl’lClI‘ 1nd1v1dual

At the International Level

and collective lives.

. . . Battambang 18 but one of several clusters I It 15 left to the dlscretlon of those . , . around the world that have reached the mvolved to determine, dependmg . . . stage where the frxends are engaged 1n a 0n the Clrcumstances, to what extent , . . process oflearning about the nature of they Wlll acknowledge the Falth as . . . . . . soc1al and economxc development, ensurthe source for the 1nsp1rat10n of thelr , , . _ . mg that It evolves 1n consonance w1th pI‘OJCCtS and programmes. More often . . . . the expanslon of the Baha 1 communlty. than not, the connectlon to the Falth . . , . . . It [5 expected that an Increasmg number can be made CXPlICII. CORDE IS an

example of an organization that, , commued on page 94

89

[Page 90]7792 Five Year Plan 2001—2006: Summary ofAc/Jievementr and Learning

Area of Action: Preparation for Social Action

HILE THE WORLDWIDE EFFORT to

achieve the universalization of primary

education, Which began with such vigour in the 19705, met with a fair degree of success, the same claim cannot be made of secondary education, leaving untapped the intellectual capacities of generations of young people. What has become clear is that academic schools, with their high maintenance costs, are not a viable means alone for reaching rural and marginalized urban populations With an adequate education. Many governments are eager to lend their support to the endeavours Of non-governmental organizations that can help meet this pervasive need.

In Colombia, Fundacion para la Aplicacién y Ensefianza de las Ciencias (FUNDAEC) has been engaged in an ongoing process of action and research to address the educational needs of young people for more than thirty years. It has developed a set of textbooks that forms the basis for a tutorial system called Sistema de Aprendizaje Tutorial (SAT), Which is formally recognized by the government of Colombia as one of the options open to students for secondary-level education. Seventy—four in number, the textbooks impart an education of the highest academic standard, demanding a rigour of study, which, according to the many evaluations that have been made, matches the finest programmes in the world. Yet, what distinguishes the textbooks most is their

ability to empower young people, both in moral and intellectual terms, to contribute to the advancement of their communities.

Utilized by local institutions, municipalities, and government agencies throughout Colombia, SAT has reached more than 70,000 young people in the country. Over the years, several Bahá’í—inspired organizations in Latin America have adopted SAT and are implementing it with similar success. Most notable among them are Asociacién Bayan in Honduras, where the government has also formally recognized SAT, and Associagio para 0 Desenvolvimento Coesivo da Amazénia (ADCAM), operating in the Amazon region of Brazil.

In this context, the Office of Social and Economic Development (OSED) at the Bahá’í World Centre entered into consultations with FUNDAEC to see how other Bahá’í—inspired organizations around the world might benefit from its experience. To respond to the interest being shown in SAT, FUNDAEC modified some of the curricular elements, assembling them into a programme called Preparation for Social Action (PSA) for widespread distribution. The textbooks in the first level are now available in both English and Spanish, and the following organizations took steps during the Five Year Plan to begin implementing the programme in the regions they serve: Centro de Estudios Ambientales “Dorothy Baker” in Bolivia, Asociacién para la Ciencia y la Educacion Moral (ACEM) in Costa Rica, Fundacién FUNDAR in Equatorial Guinea, the Badi Foundation in Macau, Kimanya-Ngeyo in Uganda, and the Inshindo Foundation in Zambia.

9O

[Page 91]ll: SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Area of Action: Primary Health Care

INCE 1998, THE William Mmutle Masetlha

Foundation in Zambia has been spearhead ing an effort to systematize the longstanding experience of several national Bahá’í communities in training community health workers. What has emerged is a programme that aims at raising up human resources to bridge the gap between health needs at the grass roots and medical services of government agencies. Though in many parts of the world adequate medical provisions are in place at the local level, in countries lacking such infrastructure the Primary Health Education Programme can be widely used to develop the capacity in a region to address basic health issues. In that case, it would most likely be adopted by a national institute as a set of courses branching out from Ruhi Institute Book 2 of the main sequence.

The Primary Health Education Programme is based on the premise that those working in the field of health at the grass roots can acquire progressively more complex skills and abilities, as well as scientific knowledge and spiritual insights. At present, it provides two levels of training. At the first level, a manual called 7773 Healthy Family offers interested participants simple but important preventive health information that they can share with the members of their extended families. Topics foster a basic understanding of sanitation, immunization, nutrition, pregnancy, childbirth and caring for a newborn, along With a discussion of common diseases and simple cures and first aid. Those family health educators who are interested in learning more and taking on increased responsibilities can move on to the next level. The second manual in the series, called The Healthy Community: Basic Skills, builds their capacity to carry out various activities in the community, such as mobilizing people in a village or town to participate in a government immunization campaign. There are also several supplemental courses at the second level that provide specialized knowledge related to specific issues, including women’s health, HIV/AIDS,

Participants in community health educator training in Zambia demonstratefirst aid.

nutrition, and creating alcohol—free communities. As participants go through the lessons in the manual they have opportunities to practise in their communities the skills they are learning.

More than 1,500 individuals in Zambia have participated in the first-level course to date. Out of this number, almost half have been women. This, in itself, represents a significant achievement. Husbands who were previously unwilling to agree to their wives’ leaving their homes for the two—week training session came to appreciate the opportunity as the benefits of the course became readily apparent in the communities in the surrounding region. Here is what the head of one village wrote to the regional coordinator for the programme:

Dear Sir,

I greet you in the name of God. Most of the people in my area are requesting the health programme. More people want to be trained as family health educators. The desire and interest we have, we want to change our community.

I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Yours, Headman Mwamba

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[Page 92]7795 Five YEW Plan 2001—2006: Summary ofAc/yievemmts and Learning

Area of Action: Microfinance

IVE COMMUNITY BANKS BEGAN operating

in the Morang cluster in Nepal during the

summer of 2001, Over the next five years the number grew to more than 50, as groups ofvillagers, eager to initiate banks of their own, sought training from the Bahá’í-inspired non-governmental organization Education, Curriculum, and Training Associates (ECTA). The experience gained by ECTA was used to embark on similar undertakings in El Salvador, Malawi, Mongolia, Nicaragua, and Pakistan during the Five Year Plan. In these countries, effort is focused on learning how elements of ECTA’s community banking programme can be applied to different settings. Among the questions under consideration are two that are most central: What kind of institutional arrangements at the regional or national level are suitable for promoting the establishment of such a programme? And, more important, what spiritual and

social conditions make it propitious for introducing local banks into a village or small town?

Microfinance programmes generally involve credit, savings, and related services for less prosperous segments of society. However, ECTA’s approach does not depend on an outside lending agency and outside capital. A group of IO to 30 men and women form a local bank, which is capitalized from their savings and which extends small loans to its members. The amount of money available for lending may be small at first, but the profit earned from interest remains within the group, rather than supporting a microfinance intermediary, making it possible for the members to deposit larger and larger sums. While most of the profit is divided among the bank members according to how much savings each has on deposit, a small portion is put into a social and economic development fund for the benefit of the community at large.

A community bank is managed entirely by the

members themselves. It promotes the habit of saving and provides credit for small productive activities. The bank gives members a chance to learn skills of

92

[Page 93]II: SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

nr- --~‘~ ,

.A'.. V_ . , A

i 4

sound financial management and encourages them to develop and expand their own businesses. Further, it fosters consultation, solidarity, and cooperation within the group. The following story illustrates how the possibility ofjoining a bank affected the life of one family.

Durga Devi Tabdar, 24, is a farmer whose family lives in Shishwani—Badahara, Morang. Even though they grow enough to feed themselves, they were struggling to meet their basic household expenses. Durga Devi was always thinking about ways to earn money. She was anxious about the future of her children and wanted them to have as much education as possible. She thought about setting up her own small poultry farm, but she did not have money to do so. The small loans available from the community bank established in her village provided her with the opportunity she was hoping for. She joined the bank and made her initial deposit.

Durga Devi consulted with her husband about starting the business, and he supported the idea. Together they contacted a poultry dealer who could supply them with the necessary equipment, including

gm z a m:- a

feed and baby chicks. They estimated that they would need to make an initial investment of about NRszo,ooo (Nepalese rupees, approximately US$285). Since her husband had some money, Durga Devi took out only a small loan from her bank, and they began.

Durga Devi and her husband have done well. She buys feed and other necessities, while her husband feeds the chickens twice a day. Once the chickens are old enough to be sold, he takes them to the market and brings a new batch of chicks. Durga Devi’s economic condition is getting better. She and her husband make up to NRss,ooo every month, from which they deduct all their expenses, leaving them with a small profit. Durga Devi has paid off her first loan, and since then she has been taking small loans regularly. She uses the loans to buy feed and medicine for the chickens, and she pays them back on time.

Meeting ofa community bank in Monmg, Nepal.

93

[Page 94]7716 Five Year Plan 2001—2006: Summary ofAc/Jievemmtx and Learning

. . . development activities s/Jauld éegz'n simply, at a level that can be sustained by the local population. . .

of Clusters worldwide will soon achieve this stage. Over the past five years, much of the effort of the Office of Social and Economic Development (OSED) at the Bahá’í World Centre, which is charged with responsibility for guiding the learning process at the international level, focused on preparing the ground for this increase. Its efforts in this respect essentially took two dimensions.

One dimension involved institutional capacity building. Every national Bahá’í community, depending on its geographic size and social and economic conditions, can benefit from the existence of one or more agencies that can engage in development, learn about its nature and practice, and support fledgling initiatives at the grass roots. Non—profit, non-governmental organizations, founded by individual believers and operating on the principles of the Faith, have proven to be the most effective instrument for this purpose, and one of OSED’s chief concerns has been to strengthen the capacity of such Bahá’í—inspired organizations throughout the world. The listing found in the article “Institutional Capacity” offers a vision of their number and reach. (see page 95)

OSED’s relationship with these organizations varies depending on their circumstances. Some have received periodic guidance from OSED, as described in the articles “Strengthening Academic Institutions” and “Bahá’í’ Radio Stations”. Others have required only encouragement from time to time, as in the case

of the Tahitih Justice Center, whose work is highlighted in the article “An Organization Upholding the Rights of Women”. Some have been offered small grants to support their basic operations, while others, more mature, have been directed to alternative funding sources. The role of financial resources in enhancing institutional capacity is discussed in “Channelling Financial Resources”. Many of these organizations have been invited to regional seminars sponsored by OSED with the aim of creating a space for them to share their experiences. A description of these seminars is given in the article “A Forum for Learning”. Another dimension of OSED’s efforts during the Five Year Plan concerned the systematization of learning. Wellproven methods and materials can be assembled into programmes that can be systematically disseminated according to needs identified at the local level. During the Plan, what began as an initiative by OSED to analyse the experience of the Bahá’í community in the area ofliteracy evolved into a programme for the moral and spiritual empowerment ofjunior youth, which has been taken up by virtually every country in the Bahá’í’ world‘ The evolution of this programme is discussed in <<Area of Action: Empowering Junior Youth Morally and Spiritually”. A similar effort is under way in several other areas, including pre—primary and primary education, secondary education, primary health care, and microfinance, for each of which a brief article is included here.

C50

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[Page 95]II: SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Institutional Capacity

ELOW IS A LISTING OF SOME OF THE AGENCIES involved in social and economic development worldwide. Most the organizations included are Bahá’í—inspired, that is, organizations operating on the principles of the Faith and inspired by its teachings that have been established by individuals or groups of believers. However, a few national and regional Bahá’í training institutes carrying out development activities are also listed. While these agencies work in different fields of action and function at different levels of sophistication, in their entirety they provide a vision of the institutional capacity that exists in the Bahá’í’ world for promoting the development process. It should be noted that academic schools are not included here,

although they are considered among the organizations worldwide that form part of the overall institutional

capacity for development.

Argentina Universidad de las Naciones Integracién, Desarrollo y Ambiente (UNIDA)

Australia Naveed Foundation

Austria TWO Wings Foundation

Bangladesh Rahmanian Foundation

Belgium Fondation Samii—Housseinpour

Bolivia Centro de Estudios Ambientales “Dorothy Baker"; Radio Bahá’í Bolivia; Universidad Ntir; Universidad Tecnolégica Ptivada de Santa Cruz (UTEPSA)

Brazil Anima Mundi Institute; Associagio Monte Carmelo; Associagio para o Avango da Cidadania n0 Campo (AACC); Associagio para 0 Desenvolvimento Coesivo da Amazénia (ADCAM); Escrever o Futuro

Cambodia Cambodian Organization for Research, Development and Education (CORDE); University for Education and Development (UniED)

Cameroon Emergence—Foundation for Education and Development

Canada Bisharat Media Development Associates; Canadian Bahá’í International

Central African Republic Chad

Development Agency (CBIDA); LazosLearning Association; Virtues Project Nahid and Hushang Ahdieh Foundation

Action for the Promotion of Resources for Organizations Defending the Environment and Integrated Pisciculture (APRODEPIT)

Chile Radio Bahá’í Chile

Colombia Fundacién para la Aplicacién y Ensefianza de las Ciencias (FUNDAEC); Heshmat Foundation; Jayuir Foundation; Ruhi Foundation

Costa Rica Asociacién para la Ciencia y la Educacién Moral (ACEM)

Democratic Republic Institut Bahá’í Ola

Of the Congo

Ecuador Radio Bahá’í Ecuador

El Salvador Fundacién Prosperidad

Equatorial Guinea

Fundacién FUNDAR

France European Bahá’í Business Forum (EBBF)

Germany People’s Theatre; One World Foundation

Ghana Olinga Foundation for Human Development

Guyana Varqa Foundation

Haiti Centre d’Apprentissage et de Formation pour la Transformation (CAPT)

[Page 96]7796 Five Yéar Plan 2001—2006: Summary ofAc/yz'ez/ements and Learning

Honduras India

Indonesia Kenya Kiribati Kosovo Liberia Luxembourg Mali Macau Malaysia Mongolia Myanmar

Nepal

Namibia Nicaragua

Niger

Norway Papua New Guinea

Panama

Peru Philippines

Russia

South Africa Suriname

Sweden

Switzerland Thailand Uganda

United States United Kingdom

Venezuela Zambia

Asociacién Bayan

Bahá’í Academy; Barli Development Institute for Rural Women; Foundation for Advancement of Science (FAS); New Era Foundation

Unity in Diversity Foundation

Livelihoods Foundation

Ootan Marawa Educational Institute

Global Perspective Development Centre

Bahá’í Development Institute

Unity Foundation

Nosrat Foundation

Badi Foundation

Social and Economic Development Services (SEDS)

Mongolian Development Centre

Roumie Institute

Education, Curriculum and Training Associates (ECTA); National Bahá’í Institute

Omusema Unity Foundation

National Bahá’í’ Institute

Agence de Développement Social et Economique (ADESEC); Organisation pour la Promotion de l’Enseignement au Niger (OPEN)

Norwegian Bahá’í’ Office of Social and Economic Development (NorSED) Daga Training Institute

Fundacién para el Desarrollo y la Cultura (FUNDESCU); Institute Bahá’x’ Ngébe—Buglé and Radio Bahzi’l’ Panama

Radio Bahá’í Peru

Radio Bahá’í Philippines; Dawnbreakers Foundation

Association for Creative Moral Education (ACME); Axios International Moral Education Project; Institute for Moral and Spiritual Education; Istoki Foundation

Royal Falcon Education Initiative

Friedland Institute

National Committee for Social and Economic Development Projects of the Swedish Bahá’í’ Community

International Environment Forum (IEF)

Santitham Education and D€velopment Foundation Kimanya—Ngeyo—Foundation for Science and Education; Uganda Program of Literacy for Transformation (UPLIFT)

Health for Humanity; Mona Foundation; Rabbani Charitable Trust; Táhirih Justice Center; Women for International Peace and Arbitration (WIPA); World Citizenship Development Services

Bahá’í’ Agency for Social and Economic Development—UK (BASED—UK) Asociacién de Educacién para el Desarrollo; Instituto de Educacién Moral

Inshindo Foundation; William Mmutle Masetlha Foundation