The 'Kripa Society', Imphal, Manipur

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Dear All,

This is a brief account of The Kripa Society, its profile and activities.

Love Dinesh For The Kripa Society. Imphal.

The Kripa Society

(Kristy)

The Kripa Society (Kristy) was established in the year 1994 by ex-IDUs together

with some non-drug users who are committed and interested to work in the field

of HIV/AIDS and drug abuse prevention programme within the community. The

society was formally registered under Societies registration act, 1989 (Manipur)

in the year 1997, April. Its registered office is at Keishampat Thokchom Leikai,

Imphal and the administrative office is located at Lalambung Makhong, RIMS road,

Imphal.

The primary objectives of the society are to bring relief and succour to

suffering of HIV positive people and their families and to prevent the spread of

the virus in the community. This may be done through behavioural intervention,

medical means and through vocational guidance and economic rehabilitation

measures, as well as assistance in the formation and

managing of self help groups to induce within the victims a positive, healthy

and productive change in lifestyle to enable them to continue to maintain their

health until the terminal stage.

The Kripa Society is having 32 full time members and a managing committee

consisting of five (5) members to look after the functioning and the management

of the organisation, they are as follows:

1. President, 2. Secretary, 3. Vice President, 4. Joint Secretary, 5. Treasurer

The organisation is having its own rules and regulation/bylaws. The president is

the Chief Functionary of the organisation. He/she handle all the

transaction of the society in consultation with the other member of the managing

committee. Since its inception the society is engaging in various

activities, particularly in the field of drug abuse and HIV/AIDS prevention and

control programme. The society is doing commendable works in terms of care

and support to people with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and IDUs by providing

psycho-emotional support and by giving income generation, vocational guidance to

the people with HIV/AIDS, specially HIV positive IDUs and their spouses and

family members by mobilising manpower and financial resources from among the

members.

RAPID INTERVENTION AND CARE (RIAC):

The Kripa Society is also a partner in implementing the Rapid Intervention and

Care (RIAC) project, a project of NACO implemented by the Manipur State AIDS

Control Society in collaboration with the NGOs. The Kripa Society is

implementing it in ward no 7, 8, 9 and 10 of Sagolband and Keishamthong assembly

constituency of Imphal west district. Under this intervention project, the Kripa

Society is giving different types of services, such as education and

counseling to the IDUs, needle and syringes exchange service, condom promotion,

home base nursing and palliative care service to HIV symptomatic clients,

etc.

As of July 2001, 933 (nine-hundred and thirty-three) IDUs has been receiving

services from the Kripa Society, 72 (seventy-two) HIV symptomatic IDUs also

receiving psycho-emotional support and care service, 153 (one hundred and

fifty-three) spouses of IDUs has been given counseling services from the

society. 105 (one hundred and five) community sensitisation meeting had been

organised and conducted during the said period. Two drop-in-centres has been

also established under this project at Lalambung Makhong, RIMS Road, Imphal and

another at Kongba, Imphal East. IDUs and their sex partners are visiting the

centre regularly.

HIV/AIDS and STD INTERVENTION:

The Kripa Society is also implementing “Intervention for Prevention of HIV/AIDS

and STDs among IDUs and their Sex Partners” in Sagolband and Uripok area of

Imphal west district, since March 1999. The project is supported with financial

assistance by the Manipur State AIDS Control Society. Under this project, as of

April 1999, two peer educator training, one capacity building programme for

girl, four focus group discussion of IDUs, and one attitude changing

programme for female have been conducted in the project area. One full time

project manager and five volunteers on part time basis are working under this

project as project team.

CAPACITY BUILDING & TRAINING OF NGOs and CBOs:

The Kripa Society along with Institute of Social Disease, ISD has been

identified by the Manipur State AIDS Control Society as training organisation to

provide skill and capacity building training to the partner NGOs of RIAC. Till

March 1998, the Kripa Society in partnership with ISD has been organised and

conducted 16 training programme for the RIAC partners with financial assistance

from the Manipur State AIDS Control Society. Under this training programme 55

volunteers, 11 supervisors, 11 health workers and 11 counsellors of RIAC project

has been imparted with various skill and knowledge in regards to HIV/AIDS

prevention programme.

The Kripa Society jointly with Psychiatry Department of Regional Institute of

Medical Science (RIMS) organised and conducted a 7-day training programme on

HIV/AIDS counselling from 1st to 7th February 1999 in Imphal. The training

programme was supported by Manipur State AIDS Control Society.

Also the Kripa Society has given training to the newly established NGOs who are

committed and willing to work in the field of HIV/AIDS programme but who does

not have the experience and the necessary skill. During the month of November

1998, a three-day state level training workshop for the NGOs was organised and

conducted by Kripa Society on 14, 15 and 16 November 1998 in Imphal.

Twenty-three (23) NGOs from different districts of Manipur participated in the

training

workshop. The workshop was inaugurated by the NGO Advisor of Manipur State AIDS

Control Society. The training workshop was sponsored by MACS.

The Kripa Society in collaboration with the trained 23 NGOs organised 23

community sensitisation meeting at different places of Manipur as a part of the

observation of the World AIDS Day 1998. The programme was supported by the

Manipur State AIDS Control Society.

The Kripa Society with financial assistance from the Manipur State AIDS Control

Society has organised and conducted Community Leaders’ Training at Andro and

Golapati. The programme was conducted in collaboration with Esewossa and

People’s Welfare Society.

WORKSHOP, CONFERENCE, SEMINAR, STUDY, ETC.:

The Kripa Society jointly with the Wide Angle Social Development Organisation

and Social Awareness Service Organisation, SASO organised a 2-day workshop on

HIV/AIDS, Law, Ethics and Human Rights on 23rd and 24th March 1999 at Hotel

Excellency, Imphal. The workshop was supported by OXFAM (India) Trust. Various

eminent human rights activists, lawyers and scholars of the state participated

in the said workshop. The workshop was inaugurated by Mr Yambem Laba, member,

Manipur State Human Rights Commission as the chief guest of the inaugural

function. Dr Khomdon m, project director of MACS was the guest of honour of

the occasion. The Kripa Society organised and conducted a One-day

NGOs workshop on Harm Minimisation Strategy by mobilising resources from among

the members of the orgainsation and other NGOs. The workshop was attended

by representatives from 15 major NGOs of Manipur such as, Lifeline Foundation,

Institute of Social Disease, Centre For Social Development, Social Awareness

Service Organisation, etc.

RAPID SITUATION ASSESSMENT (RSA) OF DRUG ABUSE IN IMPHAL :

The Kripa Society also conducted a “Rapid Situation Assessment of drug use in

Imphal (1999-2000). The report was prepared by Hijam Dineswar, President, The

Kripa Society and Mukta Sharma (external consultant) in collaboration with

SHARAN, New Delhi. It was conducted to assess the extent of drug use and its

related consequences in Imphal. A workshop was also conducted with various

members of NGOs and GOs on April 30, 2001. Various participants shared their

experience and several recommendations were made.

INCOME GENERATION AND VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE:

The Kripa Society organised and conducted various programme at different level.

The society has been able to give training to more than 75 ex-IDUs in cane

and bamboo work by organising an income generation and vocational guidance cum

production centre during the year 1996-97. The trained IDUs have been provided

with tools and equipment to start home base small-scale entrepreneur-ship. The

product of these trained IDUs, specially the cane hangers has received

appreciation from various cities of India, such as Delhi, Bombay

and Calcutta.

There are two full time trainers of Kripa Society in this area, they are giving

training to the IDUs who are undergoing treatment at de-addiction centres.

NETWORKING:

The Kripa Society is having a successful networking and referral system with

various institutes and agencies in Manipur and outside the state. The society

is associated with COCP (M) for years and provided volunteers to manned the

“service cell” of COCP at JN Hospital and Regional Institute of Medical Science

in a weekly rotation system. The society is also a member

of the NGO core group of the COCP.

The Society is also a member of the Manipur NGOs Federation on HIV/AIDS, a

common platform of 36 NGOs working in the field of HIV/AIDS in the state of

Manipur. The Kripa Society is having referral and networking support system

with Institute for Social Disease, ISD, Shine de-addiction centre, Centre for

Social Development, Social Awareness Service Organisation,

SASO and Kripa Foundation.

Among the members of the Kripa Society four were trained as HIV/AIDS

counsellors, three were trained as trainers for HIV/AIDS and drug abuse

prevention and control programme and two members were trained for

vocational and income generation activities, six were trained in the field of

nursing and palliative care. There are 14 full time staff under the Society and

10 part-time staff and more than 50 volunteers are enrolled as peer educators

who are working in the community.

For further information on The Kripa Society please contact,

Dinesh

E-mail: kristyimphal@...

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