OUR HISTORY

A STEP FORWARD - 1991 TO 2000

IGSSS transitioned from the project approach to the programme approach. Five Regional Offices, North, South, West, East and Northeast, were proposed with a view to regionalize and decentralize functions and make IGSSS more relevant and meaningful. Decision making on projects was transferred to Regional Project Committees, which were expected to gradually include persons from the respective regions. While the Northern Region was already operational in Delhi, the Western Region was established in August 1992 and the Southern and the Eastern Regions were made operational in 1993-94. The last of the regional offices, i.e. the Northeastern Region was established in 1999 at Guwahati.

The National Small Projects was gradually used with the ATMA perspective and it was proposed to revive the Fund as a Development Support Fund (DSF) with a wider perspective. The DSF as a supportive instrument contributed significantly in the change process from a project to a programme approach. The DSF supported such activities as meetings, seminars, workshops etc. Support was extended largely to process oriented projects but limited support was also extended for welfare type projects.

During this decade IGSSS conducted prefunding and/or post-funding on-the-spot studies of projects directly referred by and to be processed and funded by MISEREOR, SKN and DKA/KFB. The completion report for the residual projects was forwarded to MISEREOR and with this, the pending work of IGSSS as Trustee of MISEREOR finally ended in June 1997. scholarship assistance and replacing it with sponsorship according to which trainees would refund the scholarship assistance in terms of their service to the sponsoring NGOs/organizations.