Sinfpad General

SINFPAD Objectives:

1.To share the field experiences, using participatory methods among practitioners, NGOs,policy makers and academics working in this area.2.To encourage the adoption of bottom up approaches in any development interventions.3.To develop understanding of and capacity in various participatory methods andparticipatory development.4.To exchange information about participatory development initiatives through workshops,conferences, publications, capacity building in various participatory methodologies.5.Connecting it with Development Practitioners, International Networks, NGOs, and Academic

SINFPAD’s Seminar Paper presented at WSF Mumbai2004

SINFPAD

Southern Initiative NGO Forum for Participatory Development

Building Solidarity through Net working

Genesis of SINFPAD:

People’s Action for Development (PAD) initiated this net work of grass root NGOs workingin the southern districts of Tamilnadu, combines 25 percentage of Tamilnadu population. aswe witness north – south disparities at the global level, these southern districts are also facinglimitations – natural as well as manmade. Formed in 2002, the SINFPAD was established asan informal network under the concept of. Tied to the idea of “winning together”, SINFPADwas function as an informal net work in the beginning.

SINFPAD and World Social ForumWSF 2004 Mumbai

In the beginning SINFPAD served as an experience sharingnetwork and the members shared their

experiences about theconsequences of Structural Adjustment Program andGlobalization, developed into an economic literacy program. The4

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World Social Forum (WSF -2004), Mumbai gave further opportunities to strengthen the solidarity among the network.Thanks to the assistance provided by HIVOS and Siemenppu,SINFPAD took 65 delegates to the WSF-2004 and organizedcultural programs and seminars. It organized a seminar on issuesrelated rivers in Tamilnadu with a specific focus on TamiraparaniRiver. The seminar was attended by more than 200 participants.

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1.A Farmer’s Leader addressing the SINFPAD Partners aboutTamiraparani River 2.Awareness Campaign by School Children3.Partners meet on Tamiraparani River

Siemenpuu

Scenes from WSF 2004 Mumbai

1.Kari Bhotos of

Siemenpuu signing the banner ‘Save Tamiraparani’ inwhich more than 10 thousand delegates signed.2. Rajan standingbehind the legendary Medha Patkar 3. Cultural show by SINFPAD Group4.SINFAD Seminar on Tamiraparani River at WSF 2004 Mumbai 5.WSFReview at the venue

The 7

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World Social Forum was held in Nairobi, Kenya, from 20 January to 25 January 2007.It was the first of its kind to be held in African continent. 10 delegates who are part of theSINFPAD Network and 3 delegates from other Networks (LEISA, TNEC & TAFSC)attended the forum as a group.

SINFPAD WSF 2007 Nairobi Kenya

Taken from Gnana Surabhi Mani’s (RCPED) WSF-2007Report

The SINFPAD (Southern Initiative NGO Forum for ParticipatoryDevelopment – Tamilnadu) Network, TNEC (TamilnaduEnvironment Council) and TAFSC (Tamilnadu Fifth ScheduleCampaign) co-organized a workshop at the WSF 22

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January 2007.The TNEC presented a paper on the environment situation of Tamilnadu and the actions necessary to safeguard it. Mr. A. Renganathan of TAFSC presenteda paper on the impact of globalization on tribal livelihoods at the WSF workshop.

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Delegates of SINFPAD proudly standing in front of Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC), Nairobi

Calling for South-South Cooperation, the SINFPAD Network, on behalf of which 13delegates participated in the forum, discussed at the WSF the issue of the Bourgeois Orderingof Public Spaces in the name of coastal zone regulation. Mr. N.Rajendra Prasad, Convener,SINFPAD, introduced the topic to the participants and welcomed them all to the workshop.The Zoning of India’s Coasts has been placing heavy restrictions on the fisher-folk whoselivelihood is totally dependent on the ocean. Prof. S. Rengasamy (Madurai Institute of SocialSciences) presented at the workshop the paper, prepared by him and Mr.N. Rajendra Prasad(Executive Director of People’s Action for Development and Coordinator of SINFPAD), onthe issue.

Standing in front of the 7

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WSF 2007 Venue Nairobi,Kenya Moi International Sports Centre