Chethana, a network of grass root organizations in South India working against hunger and poverty, is a Joining Hands global solidarity partner of the Presbyterian Hunger Program (PHP-USA) with the Solidarity Campaign group (JHAH) in Sacramento Presbytery as its counter part network in the US that strives to address the inequities and sufferings resulting from the spread of globalization around the world, through community education, advocacy, alternative economic activities, lifestyle changes and spiritual grounding. While the world is organized around a global hegemonic neo-liberal economic order of market determinism, Chethana strives to resist it by being part of a global solidarity that strives to organize the world around Life.

Chethana is engaged with the most of vulnerable sections of Indian society (Dalits, Tribal, Women, Small and marginal farmers, Bamboo Workers/Rural Artisans, Tsunami Victims etc) and committed to the creation of a just, participatory and sustainable world order. We understand life as sustained in a delicate web of inter-relationships and fullness of life as experienced only in community with the rest of creation. In such a community, equity, participation, sharing, preferential concern for the poorest and the weakest of the earth and protection for all life forms in it are central values.

In the network of CHETHANA we have 18 Partner organisations which are spread over the 4 States in Southern part of India, with most of them being in the two states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Out of this 18 organisation 7 organisations are women headed groups. These organizations are working with such marginalized communities as Dalits, Adivasis (Tribal), Women, Small and marginal farmers, Bamboo Workers/Rural Artisans, Tsunami Victims etc. It is an autonomous entity committed to empowering them to build a just social order where human rights, concern for the marginal, preservation of the ecosystem, participatory democracy, cultural pluralism and decentralized governance are acknowledged as fundamental values.

Evolution
Chethana began as a fellowship of social action groups and community- based people’s Organizations Supported by Presbyterian Hunger Program (PHP)- USA. These partner groups and community who had met every year from since 1996 and evolved themselves in to a Network in 1999 to address the common issues by developing its own Strategic program along with Core Programs.

VISION

Mission
Enabling & Enhancing the potential of the Marginalized (Dalits, Women, Artisans, Adivasis, Small and Marginal Farmers, and minorities) to Challenge & resist homogenization of cultures &systems, to reclaim their rights- political, social economic and cultural, to take control of their lives as individuals & communities, and to evolve an alternative paradigm of life and Governance in society.

Objectives

	To carry out activities and programmes for the well being and welfare of the people of India, more particularly the poor and disadvantaged section of the society, in the areas of social, educational, economical and legal services.
	To mobilize and organize the rural poor and generate awareness through development process in the field of education socio-economic legal aid, health care, self-employment scheme with a view to making communities stand on their own feet.
	To eradicate the root causes of injustice and inequality exiting in the society and to guide the people to find solutions to problem identified and leave the actual action programs to the groups organized in the villages.
	To promote and conduct studies, seminars, workshops, conferences and the like and provide managerial and technical assistance for achieving the above objects in the field of social development in general and education, health, environment, human rights in particular.
	To offer professional and sustainable assistance to other voluntary bodies and agencies like consultancy, project analysis, monitoring, evaluation, reporting and documentation.
	To publish papers, journals, pamphlets, books and release audiovisual materials without profit motive for the promotion of the above objectives.
	To promote and undertake relief & rehabilitation assistance to victims of natural calamities and other emergencies.
	To promote and assist all activities carried on in conformity with the above objects of the Society and conducive to the welfare of the beneficiaries by any person and organization either Government or Non-Governmental.
	To cooperate with any similar organizations having similar objects as this society to enable completion of projects and activities commenced by these bodies for the ultimate welfare of the beneficiaries.
	To undertake and promote such other activities as may be conducive or incidental to the above objectives.

Governing Board Members

	V Paul Raja Rao - Chairperson
	Mathuram Shiyamala Baby - Vice Chairperson
	C.G. Jacob - General Secretary / Net-work Coordinator
	S Siva Prakasam - Treasurer
	S Susheela - Member
	Regina Mary - Member
	K Swamidas - Member
	Bishop. A. Christopher Asir - Member
	P Chenniah - Member

Structure and Functions of CHETHANA

CHETHANA is an autonomous entity and has a General Body constituted of representatives from the member organizations (NGOs) and other civil society institutions such as the church, academic institutions, social movements etc. It has a full time General Secretary. General Body elects the National Core Team, which is responsible for making administrative decisions, monitoring and reviewing the functioning of the network programs.

CHETHANA seeks to address the issues of hunger and poverty through political empowerment and alternative economic survival strategies. The focus issues are addressed through Core Programs and Strategic program Initiatives. The groups involve in Strategic programs by addressing the focus issues through collective efforts, micro and macro analysis, building community, advocacy and lobbying, non-violent and democratic forms of resistance and action, co-operative and alternative economic initiatives and by developing local, national, and international solidarity. Secondly, core programs are developed to equip the groups with knowledge, skill and perspective to carry forward the strategic program initiatives. The Core program of Chethana involves the following components:

	To prepare groups through a collective learning process for ‘campaign mode’ of addressing issues and to help them understand it’s various meanings and dimensions.
	To enable the groups to define their identity with ideological clarity and in relation to their specific area of intervention in society.
	To provide them with skills for appropriate social intervention, campaign, advocacy, political action, and behavioral change.
	To engage in socio-political analysis, study, research and documentation.
	To expose the groups to contemporary social realities and trends and to help them develop appropriate responses and collective action.
	To network and mobilize the groups for collective action based on the campaign agenda of Chethana.

The central office of CHETHANA is in Bangalore in the state of Karnataka. A Net-work Coordinator/General Secretary is a full time Staff person. He coordinates programs and also administers the organization with an office assistant. The office has basic infrastructure facilities for speedy communication and documentation. The Companionship Facilitator of CHETHANA, though operating from another state, joins the team whenever his help is required. The Coordinator organizes the Core programs and undertakes administrative activities with the help of the National core team and the Companionship Facilitator (contact Rev. Thomas John).

 
Administrative Office

CHETHANA No 601, First Floor, 3rd Cross, 7th Main, HMT Layout,  Ganga Nagar, Bangalore 560032 Telephone: +91-80-23336110 / +91-9449812910 Contact person: Mr. C.G.JACOB, Network Coordinator email: jacob@chethana.org

"We invite all those who are concerned about global realities of poverty and hunger to join hands with us."