SDOP approves additional funds

National Committee on the Self-Development of People approves additional funds to partners affected by tsunami and to families living in abandoned school house in Santo Domingo

At its meeting earlier in January, the National Committee on the Self-Development of People approved an additional $5,628 to the Varalakshmi Fishermen Group in Kothapatnam, India.

SDOP initially entered into partnership with this group of thirty fishermen near the Bay of Bengal in September 2003 by purchasing six fiber boats, motors and nylon netting. All of them were either damaged or destroyed in the devastating tsunami. The additional funds will assist the fishermen and their families in getting their lives back to normal.

The Committee also approved an additional $1,744 to the Welfare Association of

Men from Varalakshmi Fishermen group preparing to take boat out. Photo by Cynthia White.

View a photo album for this article.

Narikuravas. The initial partnership with this group of Indian Gypsies was in 2002 to assist them in building a community center which during the day is used as a school and trading market; during times of bad weather it is a shelter for the entire community. This is especially true during times of heavy rains as their regular “homes” are flooded and not suitable for living. The community center sustained floor damage during the tsunami. These requests are directly from the people who have lived through this terrible disaster, the people who from day-to-day are attempting to get on with their lives and livelihoods.

One of the most impacting site visits ever made was when members of the National Committee visited 36 families living in an abandoned, incomplete school that had no electricity, no running water, no door or floors. The Committee established a partnership with the group based on the government’s promise to provide houses to each family. The condition of the government was that they have the necessary funds to complete the homes. SDOP provided the funds. Unfortunately, the houses initially offered were no longer available; so to complete the houses now offered by the government the group needed an additional $14,890. SDOP provided the additional funds.

At this same meeting the Committee established partnerships with 29 other groups of low-income people working towards self-development. [2005 projects listing]

Other Meeting Highlights:
The National Committee approved changing their meeting schedule from three to two meetings a year. In 2005 the meetings will be in January and September. The September meeting will be a 35th anniversary celebration. Beginning in 2006, the meetings will be held in May and November. The National Committee also voted to end the Partnership Advocate Pilot Project in June of 2005. The pilot program was begun in 2001 to help in identifying and assisting communities of economically poor and oppressed groups of people as they apply to SDOP for grants. In ending the program the Committee thanked the Partnership Advocates for their commitment and dedication in making the program successful. It was with sadness that they acknowledged that budget restraints no longer made the program feasible. To maintain contact with communities and throughout the denomination the Committee approved two revised Position Descriptions for staff in the national office.

The Committee approved changing the number of members required on certified Synod and Presbytery Self-Development of People Committees from nine to five, with the 51 percent racial ethnic and 75 percent Presbyterian requirements remaining. Maintaining these requirements was referred to the SDOP Steering Committee for review.

The next meeting of the National Committee is September 22-25 in Sacramento, CA.