social action.the journey. aug 4, 2012

SOCIAL ACTIONThe Journey

Definition of SOCIAL ACTION (Webster)

an organized program of socioeconomic

reform; specif : activity on the part of an

interested group directed toward some

particular institutional change

“The betterment of the world can be accomplished through pure and goodly deeds, through commendable and seemly conduct.” — Bahá’u’lláh

Effective Social Action

To build capacity in individuals and communities and institutions

Intend moral, spiritual and social improvement as well as helping people improve their physical condition.

Fully integrating spiritual principles into community development activities, ideas, values and practical measures emerge that promote self-reliance and safeguard human dignity

Avoid patterns of dependency and conditions of inequality

Many individual Bahá'ís work in these fields

A number of Bahá’í-inspired organizationshave developed proven methods and programs

Social Action & Public Discourseto address the concerns of society

Social action includes a spectrum of activity ranging from short-term informal efforts by individuals or small groups of friends…

… to complex programs of social and economic development carried out by Bahá’í-inspired organizations

Projects range from simple tutorial schools to college-level courses to village agricultural and health education projects

The Journey that began in 2005

P ro j e c t Book Ange l s

Opened more

t han 20 L i b r a r i e s

and Cen te r s

i n As i a & A f r i c a

1,500 books sent to Chamakanga Primary School in Kenya, Africa.

Tsunami Diary - February 2005

Visited Tsunami affected areas in South India, Sri Lanka

Eleven-years-old

Miss ion: Erad ica te I l l i te racy

Formed in 2005

www.hopeislife.org

Miss ion: Erad ica te I l l i te racy

Educating teenage girls in Kolkata Building Learning Centers in Cambodia

Myanmar refugee childrenHIV infected children - VietnamWest Nigeria Street kids

Burmese Refugees - Water Tower Day Care Centers in Chennai

Youth Program in Philippines

Children Enrichment Center Haiti

Estab l i sh L ib rar iesBu i ld and repa i r schoo ls in

v i l l ages in remote ares

Pangantabi village, Manipur, ImphalNortheastern part of India

143 children2000 farmers

HIV infected area

Parent Involvement Junior Youth Empowerment Program

Study Circles Devotional Gatherings

Junior Youth Program for teenagersChildren Classes for village childrenDevotional gatherings for villagers

Started a Computer

Training Centers for Village Youths

Pig Farm run by villagers to support

the school

Blueprint for the new building - 10 classrooms Cost US$10,000

The Journey Continues

to H a i t i

Trans form Day Care CentersProv ide Educat iona l Mater ia l s

Tra in teachers in v i l l age schoo ls

Day Care CentersDestroyed and in bad

condition

Today

Year 2007

Year 2012

Prov ide scho larsh ips to needy ch i ld ren in poor areas o f the g lobe.

Make sure they s tay in schoo l - espec ia l l y g i r l s

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 2009

Asmara lived on this earth for only nine days.

She was named after the capital of Eriteria, Africa - Asmara

Haiti Sierra LeoneCambodiaChennaiThailandKenyaLaos

MyanmarIndia

S i e r r a L e o n e - A f r i c a

Micro-loans for guardians to look after the education and welfare of orphans

The purpose of providing micro-loans/micro-grants to the guardians is to provide them an opportunity to learn to stand on their own feet, instead of keeping them

dependent on daily handouts.

Palm oil production, road-side food stalls,

selling fish, plastic ware, vegetables and meat

The Ultimate Goal

Build the most great peace and bring about the unfoldment of a new world order and civilization

Bahá’ís actively pursue FOUR principal lines of action: 4

Invite others to join with them in Study Circles:

designed to discipline the lives of participants and aid them in applying spiritual principles to life’s practical challenges 1

Invite others to join with them in collective

efforts:

Such as children’s classes that lay the basis for the future well-being of humankind. 2

Invite others to join with them in collective efforts:

Such as devotional gatherings, that augment our personal spiritual resources in order to motivate greater achievement, sounder relationships and greater reliance on God, 3

Invite others to join with them in collective efforts:

that include Junior Youth Empowerment Program to help the youth to foster their spiritual identity, create a moral structure for their lives and empower them to serve humanity4

“ I be l ieve educat ing g i r l s i s jus t as impor tant as educat ing

boys . The f i rst teachers o f ch i ld ren are mothers , and we

need to make sure they are educated.”

- Natascha Yogachandra

For more information, please visit

www.hopeislife.org

Thank You