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History - The genesis and evolution of Oxfam India/SVARAJ
On September 11th 1978 Oxfam India Society was registered as a Society in Delhi by Initially managed by Oxfam GB staff in India, The brief for Oxfam India Society was to generate local funds to augment funds from Oxfam GB and support organizations and activists involved in sensitive poverty related issues..
In the mid 90’s the Oxfam India Society Board was reorganised with inclusion of Indian activists/voluntary agency leaders linked as advisors and partners with intent to move towards indigenisation of the Society. A new Board, under the Chairman ship of Mr. N. Ramamurthy, soon began to assert its autonomy viewing the India Society as ‘an organisation with Indian roots and international vision’ and to function independently from Oxfam GB. It was in 2004, the new Board felt the need for the society to have an Indian identity with its own value driven vision, mission, aims, objectives and activities. The result of long and hard deliberation began the process of changing its identity from Oxfam India Society to SVARAJ.
What SVARAJ Stands for - Society for Voluntary Action Revitalisation and JusticeSwaraj (swa- "self", raj- "rule") is a word usually referred to Gandhiji’s concept for Indian independence from British rule, whereby Swaraj lays stress on governance not by a hierarchical government, but self governance through individuals and community building . The focus is on political decentralisation leading to self governance
This SVARAJ - the Society for Voluntary Action Revitalisation and Justice, aims to build itself as a body of responsible active citizens, supporters, volunteers and staff with commonality of concerns, values, vision and engagement with communities in their fight against poverty, inequality, injustices and in the protection of the natural resources to ensure food, water and livelihood security and strengthened ecosystems services for all.
Under Oxfam India Society our aim was to fight poverty through empowering people in India and to break free from oppression and violenceUnder our new identity Svaraj we are working under and all inclusive vision
The new Vision: A just society in a just environment (A belief in the human rights as well as the rights of the ecosystem)
Our mission: To enable communities to take control of their destiny in the spirit of voluntarism, to organise and mobilize for collective action in the revitalization, protection and equitable distribution of natural resources.
