Breaking into

The System

ANNUAL REPORT OF COVA

From 1st April 2019 to 31st March 2020

Dear Friends,

For many years now, COVA has been sharing the Activity Report of its Program for a Financial year on the 1st of April every year. But this year, due to the relief commitments we are undertaking during the National Lockdown to combat Coronavirus, we got delayed by four days.

Perhaps not many times in history that humanity has faced such a challenge and it is the responsibility for each and every human being walking the planet to fully contribute to help prevent the spread of the Pandemic and also provide whatever sustenance and emotional support that is possible from us to our fellow beings in need- with priority to the marginalized and the destitute. We at COVA are doing our bit to support migrant workers, refugees and the transgenders to face the Lockdown with dignity and have also managed to a transformation of the Public Distribution System to include the Migrant Workers.

We hope and pray that all of you will take all precautions for your own safety and the safety of your family and community and support others in need in every way possible.

Take Care and

Stay Safe.

As in the past years, we shall be sharing the Activity Report of COVA in 3 Parts. This year it will be on 5th, 7th and 9th April of 2020.

Part I will report the transformations in the systems that COVA has been able to achieve in the areas of outreach of the Government to Migrant Workers during the COVID -19 pandemic, next is working for extending the scope of syllabus in schools from academic subjects to also include exposure and engagement of students to a range of social issues through the Compassionate Citizenship and Responsible Activism Program, third is a transformation in the banking system to enable small businesses to apply and avail loans from Banks online through the eMUDRA Scheme. And finally the efforts of COVA to setup systems and simplify procedure to enable SC, ST and BC students to access Pre-Matric Scholarships.

Part II, to be shared on 7th April 2020 and titled Nurturing Citizenship will provide detailed Reports and Impacts of the Programs of COVA with students and citizens in enhancing their understanding of their rights as citizens and also fulfilling their citizenship responsibilities by contributing to improving cleanliness and sanitation in Hyderabad and in becoming active agents for water Conservation.

Part III will be available from 9th April and will cover Peace Initiatives and International Engagements

Peace initiatives will showcase the programs of COVA to check Fake News to secure cyberspace for positivity, launch of a network in Hyderabad to defuse the possibility of riots in the current scenario where the country is being polarized like never before and finally about the Exhibition on Pathbreakers explicating the exemplary contributions of Muslim women in Post Independent India to nation building and promoting gender equality and harmony.

Part IV, to be shared with Part III on Engagements with the International

comprises work on issues of SDGs and Peace. This Part will also cover the work of COVA in providing subsistence, education, health and livelihood support for refugees living in Hyderabad.

Mazher Hussain

Executive Director

COVA

Contact us:

# 18-13-8/A/508/B, Bandlaguda, Chandrayangutta, Hyderabad, Telangana 500005

Phone: +91 40 24442984

Mail: covanetwork@gmail.com

Website: covanetwork.org

Part-I

Success in Advocacy for Inclusion of the Marginalised

• Inclusion of Migrant Workers in the Public Distribution System
• Online Loan Facility for Small Businesses for Financial Inclusion
• Enabling SC, ST and BC Students to Avail Pre Matric Scholarships
• Extension of Syllabus in Schools to Engage Students with Social Issues

CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC INTERVENTIONS

Transformation of the Pubic Distribution System and Subsistence Support to Migrant Workers and Refugees

With the declaration of the National Lockdown on 22nd March 2020, COVA swung into immediate action and has started providing lunch and dinner to 1000 Migrant Workers that will be increased to cover 2000 persons from 3nd April 2020. COVA has also mobilised funds to provide Rations Kits for 800 Refugees and is seeking donations for the remaining 550 refugee families of the 1350 families that are living in Hyderabad. Distribution of Ration Kits has started.

A landmark achievement has been the success of a representation of COVA to the Government of Telangana to provide rations to the Migrant Workers through the Public Distribution System that the Government announced immediately benefiting over 325,000 Migrant Workers in Telangana State. Click Here for more.

Recommendation for Online Loan Facility to Small Businesses Sees eMUDRA

Compassionate Citizenship & Responsible Activism Program of COVA

To be in Telangana Schools

COVA has been organising the Compassionate Citizenship and Responsible Activism Program in schools of Hyderabad to take students beyond academic learning and expose them to a range of social issues to make them sensitive human beings and active citizens charged to make positive contributions to transform society.

SCERT (State Council for Education, Research and Training) Government of Telangana has endorsed and accepted the Program and it is proposed to introduce this as Pilot in 500 schools in 10 Districts of Telangana in collaboration with the SCERT from the academic year 2020-21. If the Program comes out successfully, then it could be introduced in all the 29,000 schools of Telangana State in the coming years please CLICK HERE to read more.

Creating Systems for Pre Matric Scholarships for SC, ST & BC Students

Government of Telangana has provision for Pre Matric Scholarships for SC, ST and BC Students and there was an allocation of over Rs. 330 crores during the year 2018. However only 78 BC students and 80 SC students got scholarships in 2017 and 2018 respectively. The case with ST students is even worse as only 3 of them have applied in Hyderabad District till 10th October 2019. Hence there is almost total lapse of the budget allotted by the Government for this scheme.

This is because of the herculean efforts that were required to obtain the Caste and Income Certificates and to open bank Accounts that were mandatory for applying for the Pre-Matric Scholarships. COVA realized that there were no proper systems in place, heavy corruption and no awareness amongst the students, parents and even many teachers and managements of the schools that are together contributing to the abject failure of this scheme that could be very helpful for the poor students to continue their studies.

COVA started crafting the systems and now it is relatively easier for the students to apply for the Pre Matric Scholarships. COVA’s Target is to enable all SC, BC & ST students in Telangana to apply for and avail the Pre-Matric Scholarships. To know how this could become possible please READ ON

Part II

Nurturing Citizenship

Civic Sense: Campaigns for Sensitizing Citizens to Rights & Responsibilities

Citizens Entitlements Campaign

COVA carried forward this program initiated in 2018 to enable citizens of Hyderabad and Secunderabad to avail the 56 services offered by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), Water Works and Electricity Departments. Citizens Charters of these Departments specify the timeframe for each service offered and a complaint mechanism that is available to the Citizens in case of delays. The Highlight of the program this year was the partnership of different faith groups displaying posters and banners in their places of worship and making announcements during their weekly sermons to raise awareness about the 56 services offered and the Citizens Charters. The Archbishop of Hyderabad and Secunderabad issued a directive to all the churches under his jurisdiction to make the announcements for three weeks during Sunday Sermons. READ MORE

Saaf Hyderabad Shandaar Hyderabad (SHSH) Program

Water Leaders and Conservation Alliance (WaLC)

COVA is a partner of the Water Leadership and Conservation (WaLC) network of Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB). The WaLC is a landmark initiative to bring awareness to the citizens of Hyderabad and Secunderabad on the need and techniques for water conservation. As part of this program, COVA has undertaken Door to Door Campaigns and extensive awareness programs reaching out to thousands of people in two constituencies of Hyderabad. Interfaith Forum Members of COVA also imparted awareness about the need for Water Conservation through their weekly sermons.

The Schools also provided good support in enabling us to educate hundreds of students for water conservation. The result of the program was immediate with students taking out a Rally and undertaking Door to Door Campaign as part of the program on 30th January 2020, Martyrs Day. The Program was titled “Homage to Mahatma- Our Pledge to Conserve Water”. Please CLICK HERE for more.

Part III

Peace Initiatives

CHECTIT Program to Expose Fake News and Secure Cyberspace

Hyderabad Peace Initiative

Exhibition on Pathbreakers: The Twentieth Century Muslim Women of India

Part IV

Engagements with the International

Contributions for the Voluntary National Report of India on SDGs

Jai Jagat Global March to Commemorate 150 Years of Mahatma Gandhi

Refugee Facilitation Center

FROM LOCAL

TO GLOBAL

‘Annual REPORT OF COVA’ for 2018-19

EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES – TRANSFORMING SOCIETY

Part-1

Dear COVA,

COVA is happy to bring to you again the Activity Report for the Period 1st April 2018 to 31st March 2019 on the 1st of April 2019- A practice we have been following for some years now to ensure promptness in accountability.

To facilitate ease of reading, we shall share the report with you in 3 Parts on 1st, 2nd and 3rd of April.

This has also been a very productive year for COVA with some heartwarming successes and innovations – the most notable being The #CHECKIT Program- an Initiative to delegitimise Fake News and ensure that it reaches masses through the weekly sermons of faith leaders, newspapers and television to educate members of the general public to the phenomenon of Fake News

COVA was also able to strike success in the domains of advocacy and policy transformations with the Ministry for Human Resources Development, Government of India accepting its recommendations for inclusion of lessons on entrepreneurship in the education curriculum at different levels and the government of Telangana initiating processes to facilitate BC, SC, ST, and OBC students to apply for Pre Matric Scholarships with ease based on the suggestions by COVA.

COVA continued its contributions for international peace through The Peace Wall on Facebook to provide a platform to members of the public to express themselves against war and violence and enable voices of peace to regain their space and respectability.

Parts II of the Activity Report of COVA will be shared on 2nd April 2019. It deals with a unique initiative of COVA of 3rd Generation Philanthropy that is continuing to generate good results in the implementation of programs for accessing Pre Metric scholarships, Bank Loans, and civic services programs to empower people. This Part also contains reports of the work of COVA with school and college student and Refugees living in Hyderabad.

The Final and 3rd Part will be published on 3rd April 2019 to showcase the initiatives of COVA for National, State and Local Networking for Empowering Communities and Strengthening Democracy.

We request a perusal of the Report and your continued support and partnership.

Team COVA

Contact us:

# 18-13-8/A/508/B, Bandlaguda, Chandrayangutta, Hyderabad, Telangana 500005

Phone: +91 40 24442984

Mail: covanetwork@gmail.com

Website: covanetwork.org

CHECK IT—An Initiative To Delegitimize Fake News:

The program aims to sensitize and educate people to delink the perceived legitimacy of all printed word and broadcasted messages and properly verify the veracity before accepting and more importantly forwarding it to others, especially on social media platforms. As part of the #CHECKIT Program COVA, with support from the British Deputy High Commission, Hyderabad organized One-Day Training Programs under the title #CHECKIT TechCamps at Hyderabad and Mahabubnagar districts of Telangana. Though Groups dedicated to fact check and debunking fake news decode thousands of fake news items but there is no adequate mechanism for mass propagation of the debunked material. COVA is seeking to address this gap by involving Faith Leaders who can communicate the messages about Fake News through their Weekly Sermons to reach lakhs. READ MORE..

HRD Ministry Accepts Three Strategic Recommendations of COVA to Promote Orientation for Entrepreneurship:

Transformation of the Pubic Distribution System and Subsistence Support to Migrant Workers and Refugees

In April 2018- Ministry of Human Resources Development (HRD) has accepted three Strategic Recommendations made by COVA for the introduction of orientation courses on business and entrepreneurship in curricula of general, technical and professional courses in all institutions of higher learning through the country. This could help millions of youth to consider self-employment and entrepreneurship as career options. Other nine recommendations made by COVA as part of a Study on MSMEs in BRICS Economies are being pursued with Ministries of Finance, Commerce and MSMEs. READ MORE..

Advocacy Initiatives for Pre-Matric Scholarships for SC, ST and BC Students

Advocacy on Extension of the last date for online uploading of Scholarship Forms and Representation to change the OTP Code Pattern:

COVA was able to get the last date for online uploading of scholarship forms extended from 30th September 2018 to 31st October 2018 by making representations to the officials of the Central and State Governments who have responded quickly and positively for the extension. Lakhs of students across the country benefited from this initiative of COVA.

Representation was also given to State and Center Governments to change the OTP CODE pattern from the combination of numerical and alphabets to only Numerical like before. Parents of Minority students, who are largely uneducated were facing difficulties in terms of communicating the new pattern of OTP CODEs (Numericals – Alphabets, Example: i9T5g) – which they receive in their registered mobile to the data entry operators of COVA who fill the online applications forms. READ MORE.. to read more.

COVA’s Initiative for 25% Free Admissions to Poor Students in Private Schools Right to Education:

COVA had facilitated the formation of a Joint Action Committee (JAC) for Implementation of Model RTE Rules in Telangana State comprising of over 25 Civil Society Organisations that have been struggling for the implementation of Free Admissions to poor and disadvantaged children in private schools for over 4 years. Since the state government was not responding positively for framing of Rules, COVA along with other partner organisations have filed a PIL in the High Court. Hearings are going on in the matter and judgment is expected. If implemented properly, nearly 2 lakh children from poor and disadvantaged sections of society will be able to get free admission in private schools every year. READ MORE..

INTERNATIONAL PEACE

The Peace Wall:

After the Pulwama attack, the India-Pakistan relations reached a new low with both the countries accusing each other. For the common citizens of the two countries, the tensions grew exponentially creating an environment of extreme hostilities. The media deliberately exploited the situation to create war hysteria to increase their TRPs. In this vicious environment, COVA started “The Peace Wall” as a dedicated Facebook Page with 3 objectives under the Peace Now and Forever Campaign Between India and Pakistan. READ MORE

Jai Jagat Campaign Facilitation:

Live cast of Asthi Visarjan of Kuldip Nayar in Lahore:

Asthi Visarjan (Immersion of Ashes of Mortal Remains) of Kuldip Nayar was held in Ravi River near Lahore, Pakistan on 5th October 2018 from 3.30 pm to 4.30 pm (Pakistan Time) and 3 pm to 4 pm (India Time). His Family Members traveled from Delhi to participate in the Asthi Visarjan. COVA facilitated a livecast of the Asthi Visarjan in partnership with civil society organisations from Pakistan. Many civil society organisations in India and Pakistan organised the memorial meetings in different locations to witness the Livecast and pay homage to the departed soul and his family. READ MORE..

Celebrating Madeeha Gowhar: