Mountain regions are especially disadvantaged in terms of development opportunities and options. The remoteness and harsh conditions, the environmental fragility, the geographical spread and low population concentration, the unique but closed cultures, severely limit the reach and effectiveness of development in these regions. In any poorly developed region, civil society forms an effective bridge between administrators and the local populace. An effective community institutional framework and NGO network leads to benefits reaching the most vulnerable sections of the population. Yet the especially disadvantaged mountain regions have but a rudimentary and not particularly effective civil society. Civil society in difficult mountainous regions, faces severe challenges - some, internal to the organisations/institutions and their capability, some to do with programme design and implementation, and some to do with the socio-political-environmental context.

The Pragya project on Catalysing Voluntarism in Mountain Regions involves research into and development of the voluntary and civil society movement in challenging mountainous areas covering two pockets in the Indian Himalayas - one in the eastern Himalayas that is socially and politically challenging, and another in the western Himalayas which is environmentally challenging.


The project has five stages:

Voluntarism Environment Research ~ The voluntary movement in the mountainous regions of India is being studied. This includes a mapping of the nature of organisations and institutions, and the geographical and sectoral spread of NGOs and their programmes. It includes a study of the longitudinal growth/change of the voluntary movement in the region, and the voluntarism motivating/detracting influence of the socio-political climate and the admininistrative and development policies. Interactions with voluntary agencies and local institutions and their target communities in these regions help analyse the challenges for civil society and the special requirements of it to make an impact in such areas. Evaluation of Local Institutions/NGOs ~ The organisations working for development in these regions are being assessed on their internal processes and structures, as well as their programmes and benefits. The study explores the patterns of success, both in terms of internal efficiency and programme impacts, deriving best practices for emulation. It also identifies the organisational and programme aspects requiring capacity building interventions. Inventorying Development Resources ~ Comprehensive directories of NGOs operating in the North-East and Himachal have been prepared. These include all categories of voluntary agencies as well as research institutions, financial institutions, apex bodies, special regional development bodies of the government, and major development and welfare infrastructure. These are to brought out in published format shortly. Training of NGOs ~ Select NGOs are being developed to improve their organisational functioning and programme effectiveness. A training programme for select NGOs of the North East was conducted to improve their organisational functioning and programme effectiveness. A similar one will be held for their counterparts in Himachal as well. Pragya is helping institute structures, systems and procedures in these organisations. Appropriate programme implementation methods and sectoral strategies are also being developed and capacity being built in community mobilisation, programme implementation and impact monitoring. Voluntarism Enhancement Measures ~ In collaboration with select NGOs and CBOs, strategies are being developed to manage the challenges for coluntarism in these difficult mountain regions. This includes voluntary sector cooperation, fundraising initiatives, awareness generating and advocacy initiatives, among others.