OUR HISTORY

TOWARDS NEW POSSIBILITIES - 1981 TO 1990

There were new thrusts on Human Development. The purpose was to finance self-help development measures of a long term nature for the poor and needy, the slum dwellers and the physically challenged. Projects in the areas of food production, health care and education, vocational training, employment, rural development, small industry and community development were included under this programme.

The SMILE (Student Mobilization Initiative for Learning) programme was started in 1985. As an outcome of the Silver Jubilee Year consultations in 1986, a decision was taken for self-determination of the poor, conceptualized as Awareness, Training and Motivation for Action (ATMA). This became the foundation for all future programmes of IGSSS. During the Silver Jubilee year the highlight was a search for a vision for the future. An in-house organizational analysis was conducted in June 1986 to critically analyze IGSSS' performance and suggest measures to improve functional activities.