Peoples Science Institute

People s Science Institute (PSI), an organization of professionals with a clear and practical vision of nation-building was established in 1988. Its stated mission is, To help eradicate poverty through the empowerment of the poor and the productive, sustainable and equitable use of available human and natural resources. , In 28 eventful years the Institute has become well-known in the voluntary sector for its pioneering work in the fields of community-led watershed development, environmental quality monitoring, promotion of the System of Crop Intensification, disaster-safe housing and river conservation. It undertakes projects from a village to a district-level, innovating technologies and social processes. The Institute is recognized for its professional, knowledge-based approach to its work. The number of communities, voluntary organizations (VOs) working with them, research institutions, government agencies and donor organizations that seek the Institute s support or collaboration, continues to increase. , PSI s activities are spread all over India. Its geographical focus is on the mountain states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh and the poverty-ridden districts of Bundelkhand. , Its prominent past and recent affiliations include Sir Ratan Tata Trust, Sir Dorabji Tata Trust, Azim Premji Foundation, The Ford Foundation, Oxfam (India) Trust, WWF-India, NABARD, CAPART, The Prime Minister s Office, Department of Science & Technology (GoI), among others. , , PSI s activities are grouped under four units: (i) Natural Resources Management, (ii) Disaster Mitigation and Response, (iii) Environmental Quality Monitoring and (iv) Innovative Projects. , Each unit implements development projects, undertakes research and provides training as well as professional support. , The Institute s approach to implementing development projects is a participatory one with empowerment of the underprivileged and self-reliance as key objectives. It can be outlined as: , People identify a problem , Together with PSI they analyze it , Possible solutions are researched and the results discussed , Local people are organized into village-level institutions , They are trained to implement consensual development solutions , PSI provides technical and managerial support during implementation , Outcomes are periodically reviewed