BDBV's strategies include hosting of conferences and seminars, advocacy, partnership-building activities, awareness-building efforts within the community (including workshops and printed materials), and monitoring policy developments (followed by meetings with government officials). Past projects have included:

• The Woman Empowerment Project: worked to help women gain experience with initiating self-help groups in order to provide an opportunity for new means of self-employment. Activities included marketing and outreach to identify candidates -- particularly, youth -- who met the project criteria, conducting interviews with potential candidates, and placement of candidates to foster skills related to self-help group development and public administration. BDBV also provided various kinds of logistical support and monitoring.
• The Resource Network Project: an effort to respond to global and national changes related to electronic communications and life-long learning. This initiative involved consulting with community groups and individuals to develop a report on the possibility of a Learning Resource Network. This Network would help ensure that the rural community and other NGOs had access to the tools, information, and skills needed to make informed decisions and to take full advantage of opportunities related to community development and information technology. In addition, the Network would work to raise public awareness and understanding about technology and potential economic issues.
• Building Partnerships through Corruption Prevention and Public Safety: a community outreach project that grew out of a 2000 consultation. The project officially kicked off with a Community Planning Workshop in February, 2001 that brought together about 800 community members, law enforcement personnel, and representatives from the business and education communities. Other activities have included the development of a manual on minority volunteer recruitment and management of diversity issues within corruption prevention organisations. Two final initiatives on training youth in corruption prevention techniques were scheduled to be held during the summer and fall of 2002.
• The Local Self-Governance Project: focussed on literacy -- including critical thinking and problem-solving skills -- for all Indians. The primary goals of the project were: to initiate activities to support the development and distribution of learning materials; to improve access to literacy programmes for the marginalised sector of the rural community; and to increase awareness and understanding among community residents about the importance of literacy and life-long learning. Project activities including the hosting of three community workshops aimed at increasing and enhancing the skills of tutors and volunteers to deal with diverse clientele; publication and distribution of six newsletters with specific information about literacy; and production of two training manuals as a resource tool for tutors and learners. The project also emphasised the development of partnerships with community-based and educational organisations.
• The Farmers to Farmers Promotion and Outreach Project ("Manthan") involved a short study on biodiversity and its promotion and outreach in the rural community of Yavatmal District. The goal of the study was to provide a preliminary view of agricultural issues and needs, which included a review of published and unpublished literature, as well as data/information collection through interviews. A final report was submitted early in 2002.

Development Issues

Agriculture, Economic Development, Women, Youth, Education.

BDBV consists of 27 full-time and 47 part-time staff members, and 814 volunteers.