Dalit Freedom Network

The Dalit Freedom Network partners with the Dalits in their quest for religious freedom, social justice, and human dignity by mobilizing human, intellectual, and financial resources.

DFN represents people who care. No one wants slavery to exist, except for the few who profit from it. There is strength in numbers: our Partners and Sponsors join with thousands of others around the world who are doing something to end Dalit trafficking.

Our heroes include William Wilberforce, who worked for the abolition of slavery and the reformation of society; William Carey, who worked for the abolition of Sati, the practice of burning widows on the funeral pyre of their husbands; Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and Mahatma Phule, who pioneered the movement for the abolition of caste and the Dalit quest for freedom and dignity; Mother Teresa, who showed God’s love in word and deed to the sick and dying; and Jesus, who calls us to be “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world.”

 

The Dalits: India's Untouchables

Dalits comprise a staggering 25% of the total 1.2 billion population of India. These 250 million people are the “outcastes” of Indian society – the “untouchables” – those called the “unborn,” as it would have been better for them had they never been born.

The Dalits are among the poorest of the world’s poor; they are stripped of their basic humanity, denied their civil rights, and entrenched in a hierarchalsystem that denies them equality and opportunity in their society.

Seventy percent of Dalits live below the poverty line.

Dalits Reject Caste

On November 4, 2001, thousands of Dalits traveled to New Delhi from all over India to renounce the oppressive system under which they have been living. Even though the government tried to block the ceremony, these Dalits, representing others from all of India, declared they were leaving Hinduism for religions that allowed them freedom and gave them equality. Since then, Dalits have regularly been identifying themselves with other faiths.

The Dalits are crying out for holistic reformation: ending the discrimination against them will require entire villages being transformed from the inside out. While many movements have come and gone in India, none have significantly altered the social structure of Indian villages. None have truly freed the Dalit.

The Dalit Freedom Network Begins

The Dalit Freedom Network began in 2002 to respond to the cries of Dalits for help in their quest for freedom from caste slavery. DFN has wholly embraced the idea of village transformation. Our goal is to see 1,000 villages in India holistically transformed over the next decade.

The first step in village transformation is education. Since the majority of Dalits are illiterate and most are unable to attend school because of discrimination or financial problems, few Dalit children have a hope for a better life. Dalits need English-curriculum primary schools. The Dalit Freedom Network has committed itself to building Dalit Education Centers in Dalit villages so Dalit children have hope for the future.

To succeed with their education and to find this hope, Dalit children need to be physically and socially protected. First, Dalit children need basic medical care, which DFN is establishing through local village healthcare workers and regional healthcare centers. Next, Dalit parents need economic opportunities in order to provide for their family. DFN offer these opportunities through micro-loans, economic education, and Self-Help Groups. Last, Dalit need protection from physical persecution. The Dalit Freedom Network is the only organization wholly devoted to the protection of Dalit human rights. With a presence in Washington, DC, London, and throughout India, DFN and DFN’s partners are active advocates for the rights of Dalit men, women, and children across India.

A central office in Greenwood Village, Colorado, acts as the hub to connect people and finances to the areas of need in India. DFN works primarily with the All India Christian Council** to decide the best place to utilize these resources.

It has been years since a movement with this much potential for significant change has occurred. Please consider how you could be involved with this dynamic network.

**Please note: DFN partners only with All India Christian Council (AICC) members who are actively involved in the transformation and emancipation of the Dalit-Bahujan people, not with the AICC as a whole.

 

A Symbol to Share with Your Family and Friends

In 70% of India’s villages, non-Dalits will not eat or drink with Dalits. It is this societal distinction, and the discrimination that accompanies it, that has led us to adopt the Clay Cup™ as our symbol.

Traditionally, when Dalits enter a tea shop and request a cup of tea, they are served in a clay cup rather than a glass or metal cup that others receive. After drinking their tea, they are expected to crush the cup on the ground so that no other person risks being polluted by their cup.

Today, clay cups are commonly used in many parts of India and are no longer exclusively limited to Dalit use. Dalits, however, are still rarely served in glass or metal cups which could carry their “untouchability.”

CLICK HERE TO ORDER A CLAY CUP™ FOR YOUR HOME, SCHOOL, OFFICE, OR CHURCH.

Clay Cups™ are used creatively by DFN supporters:
· Campus representatives use the cups at special events to serve coffee or chai.
· Churches use the cups at special communion services.
· Our Social Justice team has gifted each Congressional Office in Washington, D.C. with this special symbol.
· Couples have used the cup at wedding receptions for serving chai or as a wedding favor.

Note: If you would like to order a large volume of cups (25+) for use in your church, school, office, etc., please call our Denver office toll-free at 303-221-1333. You may order an unlimited number of cups; we simply ask that you cover the cost of shipping.

 

About the Dalit People

 

Definitions


 

What Others are Saying about the Dalit Freedom Networ

The Dalit Freedom Network has a variety of proponents around the world. Here is what some of them have to say about DFN and its work among the Dalits.

 

Dalit Freedom, Now!!!!

At the height of slavery and apartheid in the West, it would take five generations for someone with African blood in him or her to be legally declared a White. Remember those obnoxious words – Mulatto, Quadroon, Octoroon? It was evil, but it could end.

But if one were born into a Dalit family, even a thousand generations would not be sufficient to dilute the taint, to wipe out the stigma, to soothe the pain of being forced to live, literally, on the margins of society, forever downwind from those of the upper castes lest your body odor pollute them, or your shadow contaminate their holy ancestry.

Untouchability hunts you in life, and hounds you in afterlife. Even in the house of God, there is no place for the Dalit. When the arch nationalistic and fundamentalist Hindutva groups launched a pogrom to forcibly re-convert Dalits and indigenous so-called low caste families to Hinduism, they had no place for them in the existing temples. All they would promise, as a colleague termed it, was “low cost temples for low caste people”.

This is not a battle the Dalits can fight alone by themselves, though the legal guarantees of democratic and independent India provide them some political space. The 250 million Dalits still find the law being bent against them, affirmative action withering away, the instruments of power far from their reach.

Having seen the battle at close quarters in the last quarter of a century, I am convinced that it requires a Herculean international effort to encourage India finally to provide the level playing field – nay, the level living ground – which will allow the Dalits, the Broken People, to find their place under the Sun.

The Dalit Freedom Network is helping Indian Dalits broadcast their struggle globally, even as it encourages the West to understand the penetrating horror of a caste system that will not allow a human being to enjoy personal dignity.

DFN must become a global movement. Nothing less will do

John Dayal
March 7, 2006
New Delhi

 

Click on a question to view the answer.

Who does DFN work with in America?   return to top

We work with interested individuals, schools, universities, churches, businesses, governmental agencies & leaders, and other not-for-profit organizations. We are continuing to explore and dialogue with possible partners. If you represent an organization that is interested in helping the Dalits, please contact us today.

Do you help Dalits outside of India?   return to top

At this point, DFN’s main focus is on helping Dalits within India. However, the overall philosophy of DFN includes securing freedom and human dignity Dalits and other minorities of all kinds around the world. As resources, priorities, personnel and opportunities allow, DFN hopes to get involved with Dalits around the world.

What is the Dalit Freedom Network?   return to top

The Dalit Freedom Network (DFN) seeks to aid in the social, economic, and spiritual freedom of every Dalit. DFN works with individuals, foundations, and organizations outside of India to knit together their combined resources on behalf of the individuals, foundations, and organizations within India that are working hand in hand with the Dalits. These are the areas in which DFN is currently involved:

When and how was DFN founded?   return to top

After years of research on the Dalits and exploratory trips to India, dozens of concerned Americans joined with their Indian partners and friends to found DFN in 2002 to act as an international advocate for the Dalits. DFN received 501 (c ) 3 status in 2003.

Does the Dalit Freedom Network have a religious affiliation?   return to top

DFN works with various civil society groups and does not discriminate against any religions or people groups. DFN partners with people of goodwill around the world – no matter what their religious affiliation – to provide hope for the hopeless. DFN invites those from all faiths and cultures to partner with us on behalf of India’s Dalits. We are fighting for the religious freedom of the Dalits to be able to choose the religion of their choice.

We at the Dalit Freedom Network value the contributions of others who have gone before us, and through those efforts made the world a better place. Therefore, we seek to carry forward the legacy of William Wilberforce who worked for the abolition of slavery and the reformation of society; the legacy of William Carey who worked for the abolition of Sati, the practice of burning widows on the funeral pyre of their husbands; the legacy of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and Mahatma Phule who pioneered the movement for the abolition of caste and the Dalit quest for freedom and dignity; the legacy of Mother Teresa who showed God’s love in word and deed to the sick and dying; and to follow the command of Jesus Christ who called us to be ‘the salt of the earth’ and ‘the light of the world’.

What are DFN's short-term goals?   return to top

DFN’s short-term goals include:

What are DFN's long-term goals?   return to top

The long term goals of DFN include:

What makes DFN unique?   return to top

We have a focus on the Dalit people, but beyond that, we were founded as a response to requests by India’s citizens. We continue to only go and work where we are invited by Dalit community leaders.

Who does DFN work with in India?   return to top

Partnership is a core value for DFN. We believe that partnering with individuals, churches, and organizations around the world that share our values and mission accomplishes greater work, establishes accountability, strengthens our advocacy voice, and results in additional resources. We operate within a broad coalition of U.S. and international partners committed to Dalit freedom.

Our major partners are Operation Mercy Charitable Company (OMCC), the All India Christian Council (aicc), and the All-India Confederation of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Organizations (SC-ST Confederation). These long-standing partners in India make up an expansive network of national workers who provide the expertise and power to implement highly successful programs in Dalit communities.

Does DFN work in other countries?   return to top

DFN USA has a sister organization in Canada and has a sister concern in the UK related to child sponsorship. DFN is in process of inaugurating offices in nations in Europe and Asia. See Contact Us for their website addresses. All of these organizations are coporately and financially separate. The common link we have is our mission and the partners we have in India, namely the aicc, the SC/ST Conferderation and OMCC. We have donors that are sponsoring Dalit children from all over the globe.

How is DFN funded?   return to top

DFN is funded through the generous donations of individuals, corporations and foundations in a variety of nations from around the world. For more financial information, please click here.

Where are the DFN offices?   return to top

DFN’s headquarters is in Greenwood Village, Colorado, USA, a suburb of Denver. For specific contact details and our international office information, please click here.image

How many people work for DFN?   return to top

DFN has a growing administrative center in Colorado, as well as a growing network of people in the US and around the world who are part of the Network and want to see Dalit Freedom in our generation.

How can I get involved with DFN?   return to top

Anyone can get involved with DFN on a variety of levels. Get Involved

Who are the Dalits?   return to top

The Dalits, also called the “untouchables,” “outcastes,” and most recently “slumdogs,” comprise nearly one quarter of India’s society, with population estimates of 250 million people. The term “Dalit” means “those who have been broken and ground down deliberately by those above them in the social hierarchy.” Dalits live at risk of discrimination, dehumanization, violence, and enslavement through human trafficking every day. By all global research and reports, the Dalits constitute the largest number of people categorized as victims of modern-day slavery.

 

Dalit Freedom Network Board of Directors

Peter Dance
India Director-OM USA
Operation Mobilization
Tyrone, GA

Dr. Joseph D’souza
International President
Dalit Freedom Network
Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India

Ken Heulitt
Chief Financial Officer
Moody Bible Institute
Chicago, IL

Gene Kissinger
Chairman of the Board
Outreach Pastor
Cherry Hills Community Church
Highlands Ranch, CO

Kumar Swamy
South India Regional Director
OM India
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Dr. Ana Aspras Steele
President
Dalit Freedom Network
Washington, D.C.

Cliff Young
Lead Singer
Caedmon’s Call
Houston, TX

 

Advisory Board

William Armstrong – Former US Senator from Colorado

Stuart Briscoe – Pastor Emeritus, Elmbrook Church, Wisconsin, USA

Luis Bush – Transform World Movement

Baroness Caroline Cox – Deputy Speaker, House of Lords, England

Dr. Mark Foreman – Calvary Chapel, San Diego, California, USA

John Gilman – International President, Dayspring International, USA

Professor Kancha Ilaiah – Osmania University, Hyderabad, India

Thomas McCallie – Maclellan Foundation, USA

George Miley – International President, Antioch Network, USA

Udit Raj – President SC/ST Federation of India

Reverend Dr. G. Samuel – General Secretary Baptist Fellowship of India

Bob Schneider – The Chapel, Akron, Ohio, USA

Paul Willoughby – Crossroads Media, Canada

 

Media Kits

DFN is the authorized U.S. partner of the All India Christian Council (aicc)**, the Confederation of Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe Organizations (SC/ST Confederation), and other Dalit-Bahujan groups in India involved in the emancipation of the Dalits.

To request media interviews, extend speaking invitations, or participate in DFN events, please contact Gina.

**Please note: DFN partners only with aicc members who are actively involved in the transformation and emancipation of the Dalit-Bahujan people, not with the aicc as a whole.

 

Stewardship Philosophy

DFN values the generosity of our private contributors by approaching finances with wisdom and frugality. We understand that resources are gifts and that each of us must wisely use what is entrusted to us – as givers and recipients. That is why we consider it a privilege and a responsibility to be the channel between champions of the Dalit cause and the ground-level work that is transforming villages all over India.

To demonstrate our commitment to stewardship, our 2008 audited financial statements and Annual Report are available below. Again in 2008, 90 cents of every dollar donated to us was applied toward programs that improve the lives of Dalit children, women, and men. In addition to this high level of efficiency, DFN is accountable to the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) and honored by Charity Navigator with its highest four-star charity rating.

Thank you to all of our financial partners! Your support is changing the world.

2008 Use of Resources:

Programs: 90%
Fund Raising: 4%
Administrative Expenses: 6%

Click here to request our 2008 Financial Statement, audit or Form 990.

DFN is also committed to donor privacy. Please download and read our Donor Privacy Statement and Donor Bill of Rights available in the sidebar of this page.

If you have additional questions about our financial integrity, we invite you to call 303-221-1333 to speak with a knowledgeable staff person or email the accounting department. To contribute to the Dalit cause with a financial gift or by volunteering your time or services, contact us so we can connect you with the appropriate staff person.

Dalit Freedom Network is registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service as “Dalit Freedom Fund.” Our E.I.N. is 41-2075995.

 

International President

Dr. Joseph D’souza leads multiple organizations both in India and internationally. He is the International President of the Dalit Freedom Network and is particularly concerned about human rights issues in India and other parts of Asia. He has spoken at both the United Kingdom and Hong Kong Human Rights Conferences. He has spoken at the Human Rights Commission meetings in Geneva and has had discussions with Mary Robinson, the previous United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR). In addition, he has been a delegate at meetings with members of Parliament in Switzerland, Germany and the United Kingdom, and Congressional leaders in the United States.

D’souza is also the President of the All India Christian Council**.

In 2005, Dr. D’souza published his first book, Dalit Freedom Now and Forever. It traces the history of the Dalit quest for emancipation and the response of the Indian church. It gives a strong challenge toward the elimination of caste discrimination around the world.

Dr. D’souza lives in India and operates out of London and Denver.

Email Dr. D’souza:
Joseph’s Blog site: http://www.josephdsouza.com

**Please note: DFN partners only with All India Christian Council (AICC) members who are actively involved in the transformation and emancipation of the Dalit-Bahujan people, not with the AICC as a whole.

 

DFN Offers Solutions

DFN’s mission is to empower the Dalits in their quest for social freedom and human dignity by networking human, financial, and informational resources.

It has been years since a movement with this much potential for significant change has occurred. Please consider how you could be involved with this dynamic network.

DFN has four main areas of focus:

Education
Economic Development
Healthcare
Social Justice

 

DFN Main Focus: Education

Change the future, one child at a time!

Testimonies from students, teachers and sponsors
Sponsor a Child Now!
Frequently Asked Questions – Education

Dalits want their children to be educated in English-language schools, recognizing that the greatest opportunities in Indian society and around the world are offered to those Indians that have been educated in English, as well as in their own local dialect.

Indefensibly, Dalits rarely have the opportunity to be educated in English-language schools. As a result, the educational discrepancy between the English-educated Brahmins and the illiterate Dalits only serves to widen the socio-economic gap between the castes.

Therefore, the Dalit leadership has invited concerned parties to provide the Dalit children with a quality, English education in a worldview based on human dignity and self-worth. In response to the Dalits’ quest for freedom, DFN’s partner organization, the All India Christian Council (AICC)**, now runs the first of 1,000 Dalit Education Centers (DEC) throughout India. These centers provide the primary educational needs for an average of 250 children per center.

Education is given to the children regardless of caste, creed, skin color or faith. This education is built on high academic standards and is based on values promoting socio-economic equality. Each DEC has a highly trained team of competent Indian national teachers with educational experience, as well as experience in holistic, transformational activities.

The schooling is subsidized, but fees are charged at nominal rates, thereby creating a sense of ownership and accountability in the lives of the students and their parents. Children receive financial assistance to attend a DEC through DFN’s child sponsorship program which provides books, uniforms, and a midday meal (where necessary) to enhance the learning environment. In addition, teacher’s salaries, facility fees, and administrative costs are also paid. If you would like to sponsor a child, or designate funds toward the construction of a DEC, please indicate your interest by email to:

**Please note: DFN partners only with All India Christian Council (AICC) members who are actively involved in the transformation and emancipation of the Dalit-Bahujan people, not with the AICC as a whole.

 

DFN Main Focus: Economic Development

Support human dignity, one family at a time!

Donate to Economic Development work
Success Stories of DFN-sponsored Self Help Groups
Frequently Asked Questions – Economic Development

A key way to empower the Dalit community is to help them gain employable/marketable skills with which they can break free from oppression and earn an income for their family.

The Dalits of India will need an investment of time, personal attention and finances to accomplish this type of empowerment as they seek their own personal liberation from caste oppression.

DFN believes economic development is one of the best ways to invest in Dalit lives to help them stand independently, support their family, provide education for their children, and find personal freedom.

This economic development strategy has two main efforts: micro loans to qualified individuals, and vocational training in marketable skills, both of which are monitored by a national board of directors for financial accountability.

The micro-enterprise (or micro loan) movement was initiated over 30 years ago to break the cycle of poverty and slavery. Today, worldwide, small self-help groups (15 to 30 members) of the poor are being trained in organizational skills and business best practices. Capital in the form of loans ranging from $40 to $200 is made available at reasonable interest rates. Locally trained loan officers train individuals in financial accounting principles and offer mutual support along with a spirit of community, trust and personal care. These self-help groups are open to both men and women—however, the majority of the groups right now are completely organized and run by the women of the Dalit community.

Statistically, many global organizations running micro-loan / self help groups show a 97% payback rate – better than the Western commercial sector. There is an immediate increase in family income of 25% – allowing families to feed their children better and pay basic school fees for the first time. One additional job is created for every two loans made – the two families feed themselves, and another family feels the impact of economic improvement. The cycle of change is powerful and persistent!

In addition to micro-loans, vocational training is provided for older teenagers and adults—men or women—who want to learn income-generating skills. These training classes include such trades as tailoring, driving, carpentry, cycle repair, ironing, and electrical work. Having the ability to earn their own money provides hope for many who are otherwise hopeless and without any other options. Skills are offered to Dalits and other oppressed/poverty stricken people of each community. In addition, the gaining of marketable skills allows greater chance of caste-integration in communities around the nation.

If you would like to contribute toward this program of Dalit self-sufficiency, thereby breaking the cycle of poverty and oppression, please email: .

 

DFN Focus Area: Healthcare

Improve community healthcare, one individual at a time!

Sign up for a DFN Heathcare and Cultural Exchange Trip
Donate toward a DFN-sponsored Medical Clinic
Sponsor a Dalit Health Care Worker
Read about the DFN Health Care Initiative
Frequently Asked Questions – Medical Resourcing

Dalits are often unable to receive proper medical care due to insufficient finances, caste discrimination, or a lack of knowledge about proper health and hygiene. A natural complement to the Dalit Education Center initiative are DFN’s Medical Resourcing Trips and DFN’s Medical Clinic Project. To offer fully holistic help to the Dalit community, DFN seeks to diminish the great health inequities the Dalits face.

Because India’s Dalits have little access to medical care, their children receive no vaccinations, and preventable infectious diseases like Tuberculosis, Malaria and Hepatitis spread rapidly. DFN wants to provide Dalit communities with basic public health awareness, vaccinations, and simple medical interventions such as antibiotics which will change the standard of health for the Dalits in those communities forever.

DFN seeks funding to build and maintain a medical clinic for each of the 1,000 Dalit Education Centers nationwide, and to staff the clinics with trained community health workers. Medical care may include: medical checkups, vaccinations, free/subsidized medicines, major surgeries, and preventative health and hygiene awareness seminars. DFN partners with these clinics to conduct traveling medical camps equipped with visiting health professionals from the West, as well as to provide needed medical supplies and equipment.

In addition to these permanent on-site Medical Clinics, DFN also sponsors Healthcare and Cultural Exchange Trips to India at least twice every year. This is a working trip where teams travel to different Dalit villages and have the opportunity to treat thousands of patients. DFN is actively seeking participants—both medical staff and non-medical personnel—to join these trips. You’re sure to get more out of this experience than you give. We hope that you will catch the vision and join us as we seek to reach out to the Dalits.

If you are interested in participating in a medical camp, donating medical equipment, medical supplies, or funds to buy these things, please indicate your interest by email to Amy Stanford.

 

DFN Main Focus: Human Rights and Advocacy

Defend the defenseless, one injustice at a time!

Latest Dalit Human Rights News from India
History of Dalit Oppression in India
Frequently Asked Questions – Social Justice

Serving as an international advocate for Dalit rights is the heartbeat of the Dalit Freedom Network. The Dalit Freedom Network represents Dalits internationally in Washington, DC, London, at the United Nations, and at major conferences on human rights and religious liberty. DFN seeks to raise awareness and find relief funding for Dalits across India.

The Indian constitution guarantees equality, justice, and human dignity for all people and bans discrimination based on one’s caste. However, slavery and oppression based on the philosophy of the Hindu caste system is very much alive in India, especially in rural areas.

Ultimately, DFN seeks to bring an end to caste-based discrimination and the resulting oppression the Dalit community experiences. If you would like to participate in this process, or help provide funds for those that do, please indicate your interest by email to:

 

How does sponsorship help a child in India at high-risk for human trafficking?

Information coming soon.

 

Click on a question to view the answer

Education FAQ's

Economic Development FAQ's

Healthcare FAQ's

Social Justice FAQ's

Education

What is a SSLC and why is this important that my sponsored child obtains one?   return to top

The SSLC, or Secondary School Leaving Certificate follows pattern of 10+2+3.

It means ten years of school education ( primary and secondary ), two years of intermediate or pre-university education and three years of university education. Ten years of schooling is basis for selection of higher education in India. Ten years of schooling means ten standards or ten class or ten levels in schooling.

At standard ten (Class tenth), a public examination is conducted by secondary education board to asses the students of whole state. The marks obtained in this examination forms basis for entry into higher examination. Hence it is first important examination of student.

The Karnataka state secondary education board conducts public examination at the end of class ten or standard ten. Students studying in schools affiliated with this board are required to pass this examination to get SSLC certificate. This certificate indicates marks obtained by the student in each subject studied, his date of birth and school in which he or she studied. SSLC (Secondary School Leaving Certificate) is an important document in one’s life. Later the students go to Higher Secondary or Pre-University.

There are many child sponsorship programs out there. How can I tell which ones are the good ones?   return to top

Unfortunately, there are a wide variety of “schools” being touted for Dalit children. These range from after-work literacy classes that meet for a couple of hours each day and teach basic reading and writing to full-fledged schools that produce educated and empowered children ready for higher education opportunities in India. If you are sponsoring a child in another Indian child sponsorship program, here are some questions that you might ask to help you evaluate what kind of education your sponsored child is getting:

1) Do the graduates receive an SSLC (Secondary School Leaving Certificate)? This certificate is required to move onto higher education; 2) Is the school registered and approved by the Indian government? 3) Is the school an English-medium school?

We are proud to be able to say that all of our DEC’s meet the preceding standards! We also offer computer training in almost all of our schools.

Why did the Child Sponsorship Rate increase on September 1, 2006   return to top

Since the inception of our child sponsorship program in 2003, we have always had the monthly child sponsorship commitment at $20 per month. After much analysis, and deliberation, we have raised the rate to $28 per month effective September 1, 2006 for new sponsors. In order to continue to provide the highest quality education for these children, it is time we bring our rates up to reflect today’s economy. India’s economy has been skyrocketing and we are having increased costs for items such as books and uniforms, teacher and staff salaries, and school building maintenance. In bringing our rates up to $28 per month, we will be able to continue to provide a full program of the highest quality English-medium education to your sponsored child, as well as grow our child sponsorship program to help reach thousands more of India’s needy children.

We are now operating 67 SCHOOLS WITH OVER 10,500 CHILDREN and we are moving towards our first goal of 100 schools and then the larger goal of 1000 schools. The Dalit Education Centre project is having a major impact on the life of the children, the community and even the larger national Dalit movement. The vision and the concept and now the implementation of the education project is stirring up a lot of questions and issues in Indian civil society and the Indian Church related to Dalit oppression, empowerment, dignity and freedom. All of this is possible because of your participation in the child sponsorship program.

If you are currently sponsoring a child at the lower rate, we would ask you to consider increasing your sponsorship to $28 per month by January 1, 2007. Of course, you are not obligated to increase your sponsorship amount. We certainly do not want this increase to be a hardship which causes you to discontinue your valued sponsorship. However, we will be asking all of our current sponsors to consider helping us by giving an additional $8 per month to reflect our new rate.

Thank you again for your generosity and compassion. We are already seeing a difference in India as the Dalits are benefiting from our work.

P.S. If you would like to talk to one of our staff about this amount change, or to increase your sponsorship to $28 per month, or for any other sponsorship issues, please call 1-866-921-1333, Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm MST. You can also email your questions or comments to childsponsorship@dalitnetwork.org

How long will my child attend school?   return to top

The Dalit Freedom Network seeks to establish relationships with Dalit children that will last for eternity. The majority of schools will offer education through Tenth Grade. This is the Indian standard for what the American educational system would consider “High School”. Some children, however, due to extenuating circumstances, may not stay in school through Tenth Grade. Our hope is that you as a sponsor will stay committed to your child until your child no longer needs your support. If your child leaves our program for whatever reason and you still wish to support a child, we will quickly match you with a new child in need of your support.

How often will I receive updates about my child?   return to top

Updates will be sent twice a year, and a new photo will be sent annually or as we are able to get them taken.

What is the difference between online sponsorship and sponsorship through post mail?   return to top

We would prefer for sponsors to work with us online as much as possible. Sponsors can pay via our secure credit card system. Quarterly payment is the best option to help us keep the overhead costs to a minimum. If online communication and/or credit card payment is not an option, we are certainly available to take checks and communicate with you via post mail. In terms of the programming for your child, both options will result in the same high quality English-medium schooling for your child.

Why is English-medium education important for the Dalits?   return to top

Dalits asked that their children be educated in English-medium schools, recognizing that the greatest opportunities in Indian society are offered to those Indians that have been educated in English, as well as their own local dialect. Indefensibly, Dalits rarely have the opportunity to be educated in English-medium schools. As a result, the educated discrepancy between the English-educated high caste and the illiterate Dalits only serves to widen the socio-economic gap between the castes.

How much does it cost to sponsor a child?   return to top

Because DFN focuses on India and is responding to the pleas of the Dalit leadership, DFN can limit sponsorship costs to US $28.00 per month per child.

Where does that money go?   return to top

At DFN, we seek to be the best stewards of the monies entrusted to us. That is why in 2006, 87.9% of all of our expenditures went into programs. The monies that go into our Education Program help to provide high quality English-medium education with a Christian worldview based on human dignity and self-worth. The education expenses include curriculum, uniforms, midday meal (where or when necessary), teachers and administrator salaries, as well as facility operational costs. The costs of keeping records, translating and forwarding letters, providing case workers, and meeting emergencies are also covered.

Who are the DFN national partners in India?   return to top

DFN works in partnership with the All India Christian Council (AICC) and the All India Confederation of SC/ST Organizations. The AICC is a coalition of over 3,000 independent and mainline denominations, organizations, and federations from across India. The AICC seeks to be proactive, not reactive, with regard to the interests of Christians, Muslims, Dalits, Tribals and Backward communities. The AICC stands for freedom of religious choice, as well as justice in the Indian society. In a landmark meeting of the AICC in September 2001, AICC leaders met to affirm their stance of solidarity with the Dalits. These leaders heard pleas from Dalit leaders who longed for Indian Christians to come alongside them in solidarity to help rescue their people from oppression. All India Christian Council members immediately accepted the invitation by the Dalit community to educate their children. This English education based in a worldview which promotes human dignity and self-worth to bring a deep and durable life change the Dalits have never before experienced.

This international partnership between the All India Christian Council and DFN gives India’s Dalits a social, political and spiritual voice around the world. These partners pledge solidarity with the Dalits. Together they are confident they can bring a notable transformation that will last forever and will produce a powerful impact and durable life change.

Where in India do Dalits live?   return to top

The oppressed of India can be found in every village, town, and city of India. DFN, with its AICC partner is placing Dalit Education Centers wherever the Dalit leaders of India deem it most important to place a school.

What is the Dalit Freedom Network?   return to top

Created in 2002 and registered in 2003 in the United States, the Dalit Freedom Network’s (DFN) mission is to partner with Dalits in their quest for social justice, human rights, and religious freedom by networking human, financial and informational resources. DFN seeks to work with individuals, foundations and organizations outside of India to knit together their combined resources on behalf of the individuals, foundations and organizations working for the emancipation of Dalits within India. DFN is a clearinghouse of information on activities involving the Dalits. DFN has components working in education, medical services and supplies, economic development, and social justice advocacy.

Will my child have more than one sponsor?   return to top

No. You will be the only sponsor for your child in India.

What are the various ways I can sponsor the education of Dalit children?   return to top

The best option for sponsoring the education of Dalit children is through DFN’s online child sponsorship program at http://www.dalitchild.com. In addition, individuals, groups or organizations may sponsor the operational expenses of entire schools. Please contact for more information.

What makes Dalit Education Centers unique? Why were they started?   return to top

DFN’s Dalit Education Centers were started at the invitation of India’s Dalit leadership. They asked DFN and its partners to start schools that are based on a worldview promoting human dignity, self-worth, and equality. It is this worldview and overall sense of hope for the future for Dalit children that makes these Centers unique.

What is my role as a Dalit child sponsor?   return to top

The role of a Dalit child sponsor is to provide consistent financial support for the Dalit child’s education through the online sponsorship program (http://www.dalitchild.com). Secondary roles include sending cards and letters to your sponsored child, sponsoring class parties, and in limited cases, visiting your child’s school.

What is my role if I support a DEC?   return to top

The role of a DEC supporter is to provide consistent financial support for the school. Another primary role is creating awareness about the school and about the Dalit issue in your own community. Secondary roles include sending special gifts to the school, sponsoring additional furniture and equipment for the school, and in limited cases, visiting the school.

What specific benefits will children in the DECs receive?   return to top

Dalit children in the DECs will receive an English-based education in a loving atmosphere. They will receive an equal opportunity to have a positive, employment-filled future. They will have the opportunity to break the cycle of poverty in their family and community. They will get school uniforms and shoes. They will get school books and notebooks. Where most needed, they will receive a healthy midday meal.

How will I receive news about my sponsored child or the progress of DECs?   return to top

Sponsors will receive news about the sponsored child online at DFN’s child sponsorship website (http://www.dalitchild.com), as well as in hard copy reports on the schools sent via normal postal service 2-3 times per year.

What happens if I must discontinue my support? How long should my commitment last?   return to top

Ideally, DFN would like all sponsors to make a 10-year commitment to see the Dalit child through his/her entire academic career. If sponsors must for some unforeseen reason discontinue support, please notify the DFN office by phone and DFN staff will assign the child to a new sponsor as soon as possible.

How does my gift reach my sponsored child/my DEC? What is the DFN financial policy?   return to top

Financial gifts are directly transferred from DFN to its partners running the schools in India on a monthly basis. DFN’s administrative costs has been 6% of all cash gifts.

How can I learn more?   return to top

To learn more, surf the rest of this website or contact with your questions.

What educational opportunities already exist for Dalit children?   return to top

Dalit children are denied access to almost every form of education because of economic and socio-political reasons. Some Dalit children can go to government-sponsored schools, which are often sub-standard and do not offer an English-language curriculum. For very young Dalit children, some play groups and nursery schools are available, but again, most are sub-standard and do not offer English-language curriculum.

Economic Development

How do you make sure that investors are repaid? How do you ensure accountability?   return to top

Where do you get the funding for micro-economic projects?   return to top

Are you doing relief or development? What is the difference?   return to top

Relief work means help in times of crisis. Development work is meant for long-term transformational solutions to community problems. DFN does relief work with its Indian partners (the AICC** and the SC/ST Confederation) on the occasion of natural disasters within the nation. Past experience includes the 1999 Orissa Cyclone, the 2001 Gujarat Earthquake, and the 2004 Asian Tsunami. DFN does a wealth of economic development work and its entire mission is targeted at holistic life transformation which naturally includes development work on all levels. DFN’s economic development includes self-help/financial savings groups, vocational training, and micro-enterprise ventures.

**Please note: DFN partners only with All India Christian Council (AICC) members who are actively involved in the transformation and emancipation of the Dalit-Bahujan people, not with the AICC as a whole.

Where in India will you focus? How do you determine whether or not to work with a certain community?   return to top

Who actually lives in India and checks on the new businesses?   return to top

How do you avoid dependency?   return to top

Will my gift be considered a loan that is repaid or a donation?   return to top

How can I learn more and get involved?   return to top

Healthcare

What are the distinctives of DFN's Health Care program?   return to top

DFN Healthcare program is an initiative to specifically address the health needs of the Dalit people in areas where DFN/OMCC are developing projects and schools (DECs).The Healthcare program seeks to deliver quality, affordable, accessible and sustainable health care to the Dalit people in the initial selected project areas and eventually help create a healthcare delivery system that addresses both preventive and curative health needs all over the country.
Specific distinctives-

1. System specially focused on the Dalit people of India.
2. Holistic healthcare-doesn’t merely deal with the issue of poor health, but the underlying cause of poor health. Since it works in line with the other initiatives of the DFN Movement it helps address why the Dalit people have such high health needs rather than merely trying to solve the health problems.
3. Has fulltime Community Health workers who are paid a reasonable salary rather than volunteers who need to look for other sources of income.
4. Strong interpersonal networking with CHWs around the country to create an environment that encourages the CHWs and as well as create an accountable system.

Is DFN's Healthcare intiative just medical work?   return to top

DFN healthcare Initiative (DFN HI) is not merely medical work. Health is empowerment. Health is social justice. DFN health initiative realizes that good health is a basic human right. The Dalit people of India, approximately 1/4th the population, have been denied basic human rights for centuries and there is a strong system that perpetuates the cycle of poverty, illiteracy, hunger and poor health. The DFN HI seeks to break this vicious cycle that denies man of his God given dignity through a health care system that doesn’t merely offer technological solutions but seeks to challenge and transform the socio-political ground that breeds this injustice.

How is a pursuit of freedom for the Dalits integrated into your physical work?   return to top

Poor health translates into bondage of ill health that prevents growth, development and productivity and which perpetuates the cycle of poverty, hunger and disease.
Primary health care, as described in the Alma Ata Declaration of 1978, is a comprehensive process whereby people work together to improve the total situation of communities, and to deal with the underlying causes of poor health. It fully recognizes that, “Basic changes are needed in the social and economic situation of the poor. “Such changes are related to issues of social justice, equal access to available resources, and just return for the work that people do.”
By seeking to address the socio-political grounds of poor health, one of which being the caste system we hope to work in line with the DFN motto of pursuit of freedom for the Dalit people of India.

Where is/will the Health Care work be focused in India since the need is so vast?   return to top

DFN has approximately 81 Dalit Education Centers (DEC’s) spread all over India. The DEC’s were easy to establish because of the years of partnership with the local community OMCC has had. It was therefore decided to take advantage of this existing open community and to develop the CHW programs in areas where there are existing DECs.

Is Healthcare really being used as a strategy to make more Christians?   return to top

Healthcare is not being used as a strategy to make more Christians. Rather it is a result of the challenge to respond as Christ would that we would like to make quality healthcare for the Dalit people of India a right and not a commodity.

How can I learn more?   return to top

Contact either our DFN Healthcare Coordinator, Amy Stanford at astanford at dalitnetwork.org (note: please replace ” at ” with the @ sign) or the DFN office at info at dalitnetwork.org

Social Justice

How can I learn more and get involved?   return to top

Contact us! We need all kinds of talents, from great writers and designers to loud voices willing to stand up for Dalit rights. This is a grass root effort that needs the time, energy and action of many people around the world. Use your skills to help us be a voice for the voiceless in India.

What human rights violations do Dalits experience? How do you define human rights?   return to top

Dalits experience a broad range of human rights violations that change from community to community. Dalits are still forced to bow to higher caste people, drink from separate wells, and clean human feces out of obligation. Many Dalits are slaves or bonded laborers. Dalit women experience sexual assault or rape and have little or no entrée to the authorities to report these abuses. Dalits are denied access to temples but are increasingly prevented through hostile laws from embracing non-Hindu religions. Most Dalits do not receive an education beyond the first few years and hardly any receive a quality English education that would allow them to take advantage of India’s new economy. Most Dalits have no access to modern health care causing thousands to die each year from easily preventable or treatable illnesses. These are just a few examples of human rights violations faced by Dalits. Many more have been documented by human rights organizations such as Human Rights Watch.

Isn't India a democracy that gives freedom to all?   return to top

India is a democracy, but there is a difference between having fair laws on the books and enforcing those laws. A democratic rule doesn’t necessitate freedom for all people. India is a decentralized democracy that gives a good deal of power to each state or territory and, unfortunately, some local authorities don’t enforce the laws with equity.

Why do you as a US-based org have the right to interfere with another country's affairs?   return to top

The Dalit Freedom Network only works in India based on the invitation of Indian nationals and Dalit communities. Run by DFN partners, Dalit Education Centers offer quality English education in locations the Dalit leadership has chosen. DFN does not seek to interfere in any country’s affairs. DFN does press the United States government to include the Dalit issue in policy formation since US citizens have a voice in our government’s affairs as tax dollars are used to fulfill national and international commitments. DFN does believe that India’s stability, security, and a solid US-Indo relationship can only be improved by meeting the needs of a large segment of India’s population for economic development, education, and healthcare.

Human rights is a vast topic, so what exactly are DFN's human rights goals?   return to top

Specifically, the DFN hopes to accomplish the following:
1. Ensure the Dalits have equal access to quality English education, including higher education.
2. Ensure Dalits are given fair treatment under the law and that laws protecting Dalits are enforced by police and the courts. Similarly, unjust and inconsistent laws must be combated and aid prioritized for Dalit communities.
3. Ensure Dalits have access to modern health care and are empowered through economic programs to help provide for their families.
4. Seek formal recognition of the Dalit situation by the US government and other governments so the plight of the Dalits can be prioritized accordingly.

If the caste system has been in place for thousands of years, why do you think it will change now?   return to top

Dalits are increasingly recognizing their status as human beings equal to every other human being on the planet. Globalization means that even Dalits without electricity in their homes have heard about the freedoms they are entitled to. The last few years have witnessed the emergence of powerful Dalit political groups. Dalits who have come up through India’s reservation (affirmative action) system, established in the 1950s, are now in leadership positions. The UN is exploring the reality that casteism is equal to racism. This is a unique time in history and perhaps one day soon the system of categorizing people by their birth will cease as a form of oppression.

 

Map of Schools

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Thank you - US Senator Rick Santorum

The former US Senator Rick Santorum helped sponsor a Religious Freedom Day on 20 June 2006. Joseph D’souza was one of the key presenters on Capitol HIll that day. Read the letter of endorsement by clicking on the link Religious Freedom Day Letter.pdf

 

The Dalit Education Center at Barabanki

 

Dalit Freedom Globally and In This Generation!

I welcome the partnership of the Dalit Freedom Network with the Dalits of India and beyond. We need nothing less than a global movement that works to end caste discrimination. Western nations must insist on true progress, development and growth in the Two-Thirds world. For India, this means that Dalits must be empowered to embrace socio-spiritual emancipation in this generation.

I’m grateful for my experiences, from the grand halls of India’s government to the humble homes of village Dalits in rural India. It is clear that education, health care, advocacy, and economic development are the needs of the hour. I’m pleased that DFN is tackling these issues in the great country of India. The Dalit-Bahujans welcome this input and NGOs like DFN are needed to fill the gap of public, affordable services, especially in rural India.

Dalit liberation is the passion of the staff at DFN. I personally vouch for Dr. D’souza and have enjoyed his unwavering support since the great historical events of November 4, 2001 when hundreds of thousands of Dalits, including myself, exited Hinduism. Dr. D’souza and his colleagues at DFN have expressed solidarity with the Dalits in spite of personal risk. It is simple to write about a topic, but more difficult to become an activist and achieve practical results.

As a Buddhist, I’m saddened by the false accusations of India’s upper castes and Hindutva promoters. They believe that conversions are the agenda of every Western non-profit group. They condemn the helpful activities of DFN and other groups which include non-Christians as well as Christians who are striving for freedom of religious choice, social justice, and upliftment of the oppressed. Why can’t these accusers see the goodwill and generosity of people like those in the Dalit Freedom Network? They are blinded by their greed and jealousy.

Most of the time, Western interest is purely economic. Globalization often makes the poor only become poorer. But I believe—and DFN projects prove—that development does not mean forsaking the rich heritage and culture of India’s majority people. Not all Western groups have a selfish agenda. And DFN’s work in our communities is equipping my people to benefit from globalization.

Further, much of the charity efforts and development monies of the West are not ultimately reaching the Dalits. They are swallowed up by the affluent castes. We welcome DFN projects into our communities because we see the gifts of friends in the West directly impacting and improving the daily lives of our fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, and children.

The West must wake up to the fact that caste continues to dominate and oppress millions. May DFN inspire many people to participate in the noble task of ending descent-based discrimination. Together, we must pursue human dignity, freedom of conscience, and the end of caste.

Dr. Udit Raj
June 21, 2007
New Delhi

 

Get Involved

General Information
toll-free 866.921.1333

Other ways to connect:

in the U.S.
in our Denver office

money or services to the cause

If you’re unsure about who to contact to connect to the cause, just give us a call toll-free at 866.921.1333 or .

 

Strengthening DFN for Greater Impact in India

A cornerstone is a component of the foundation of a building that determines the standing of the entire structure. Similarly, The Cornerstone Fund will uphold the momentum that DFN has experienced since its founding in 2002. These necessary funds will support the infrastructure that keeps the DFN office operating efficiently so that we can increase our impact in India. Gifts to The Cornerstone Fund will also be used for capacity building, development initiatives, and organizational expansion. The metaphor of the cornerstone reminds us that the fortitude of The Cornerstone Fund is proportional to the overall fiscal and giving ability of the organization.

 

Strengthening the Washington, D.C. Office to accomplish lasting change

DFN’s social justice work, headquartered in Washington, D.C., is critical to the big-picture goal to bring justice and freedom to the Dalits. The Social Justice team advocates for positive change at the highest government levels, drafts legislation that will bring transformation and ensure significant freedoms for the Dalits. Gifts to The Social Justice Fund directly contribute to this essential task.

 

Freedom through Transformation

The India Freedom Fund is a group of funds consisting of five options for designating gifts more specifically to our Community Transformation programs in India. The India Freedom Fund is the foundation from which our programs in India launch, expand, and are sustained.

The Education Fund
Gifts to this fund are directly applied to Dalit Education Centers and associated education needs in India, such as building and expansion costs and academic tools.

The Economic Development Fund
Gifts to this fund support economic development programs in India, including micro-loans, Self-Help Groups, and Vocational Training Centers.

The Healthcare Fund
All gifts designated to The Healthcare Fund support our comprehensive healthcare programs in India, which include Community Health Workers, who monitor nutrition and growth in children at Dalit Education Centers and provide preventative care, such as immunizations, at the village level; clinics and hospitals for Dalits; feeding programs for Dalit children in our schools; and innovative HIV/AIDS programs.

The Women’s Empowerment Fund
Gifts designated to this fund are applied toward special programs, such as The Lydia Project, which trains Dalit women in professional tailoring and the manufacture of accessories and home goods; Self Help Groups, which allow Dalit women the opportunity to establish their own businesses and enter onto the pathway of economic and social empowerment; and Women’s Empowerment Conferences, that teach and equip women with an understanding of their rights and value as individuals.

The Ambedkar Urgent Need Fund
Gifts to this fund are reserved for an unforeseen, urgent need in India. This fund is named in honor of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, a Dalit hero. In the mid-twentieth century, Dr. Ambedkar launched a campaign for freedom of conscience for every person in India, including the Dalits. He was influential as the framer of the Indian Constitution, the document that declared India a democracy in 1947, and he included freedom for all people as a fundamental right. Dr. Ambedkar pioneered the modern Dalit movement by laying the foundation for the work that the Dalit Freedom Network and our Indian partners are accomplishing today. More than sixty years later, a global-scale effort to impact India by investing in Dalit children and giving them the tools to live free, dignified lives is changing the face of India.

 

Dr. Joseph D'souza Speaks about Dalit Issues on TV

Click here to go to YouTube and view the seven minute interview on the Canadian talk show “Full Circle.”

 

President

Dr. Ana Aspras Steele has directed government relations and the social justice movement for Dalit Freedom Network in the United States since 2006. In the 110th Session of Congress, she spearheaded the team efforts that resulted in the first legislation of the U.S. government to address the practice of untouchability perpetrated every day in Indian society against the Dalit people, House Concurrent Resolution 139, passed on July 24, 2007. In January 2009, Ana accepted the role of DFN’s Executive President. In November of 2009, the DFN Board of Directors appointed Ana as the new President of Dalit Freedom Network USA.

Before advocating for Dalit justice and joining the staff of Dalit Freedom Network, Dr. Steele taught at Harvard University for 10 years, where she received several distinctions for excellence in teaching. For eight and a half years of her Harvard appointment, she taught foreign leaders, physicians, corporate executives, journalists, scholars, and researchers at Harvard Law School, Harvard Business School, Harvard Medical School, the Kennedy School of Government, and the Harvard Nieman Foundation of International Journalism. She holds a bachelor’s degree, Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude, in Russian and Chinese, two masters and a Ph.D. in Italian, and has studied Greek, Latin, and Spanish. In addition to teaching at Harvard University, Dr. Steele has taught at Georgetown University, Johns Hopkins University, Loyola, Notre Dame, the Smithsonian, and the World Bank.

Ana also dedicated ten years of her career to international humanitarian and faith-based initiatives and directed, monitored, and assessed multiple global programs that tackled poverty in Peru and the slums of Nairobi, AIDS in Africa and the Bahamas, clean water in Mexico, early childhood education in Hungary, the orphan crisis in Romania and Uganda, the health needs of displaced Tibetans in China, and the trafficking of children and women in the Philippines. She has spoken at conferences and mass gatherings in India, England, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Italy, Germany, France, Holland, China, South Africa, the Bahamas, Mexico, Croatia, and the United States.

Ana is currently leading DFN’s advocacy work in the Executive and Legislative branches of the U.S. Government with a goal to increase the awareness of our nation’s leaders and lawmakers about the trafficking and enslavement of Dalits. She is also working with members of Congress on efforts that will require greater accountability on all stakeholders’ part to end the human trafficking and all forms of modern-day slavery still scourging the nation of India.

She brings to Dalit Freedom Network a commitment and an invitation to others to engage faith and justice in the present ground-swelling, worldwide campaign for Dalit freedom.

To request Dr. Steele as a featured speaker for your event please email Gina or call us at 202-375-5000.

Click here for a PDF version Dr._Ana_Aspras_Steele_Bio.pdf

 

DFN represents people who care.

No one wants slavery to exist, except for the few who profit from it. There is strength in numbers: our Partners and Sponsors join with thousands of others around the world who are doing something to end Dalit trafficking and make slavery history in India.

Our heroes include William Wilberforce, who worked for the abolition of slavery and the reformation of British society; William Carey, who worked for the abolition of Sati, the practice of burning widows on the funeral pyre of their husbands; Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and Mahatma Phule, who pioneered the movement for the abolition of caste and the Dalit quest for freedom and dignity; Mother Theresa, who showed God’s love in word and deed to the sick and dying; and Jesus, who calls us to be “the salt of the earth” and the “light of the world.”

 

How does sponsorship work?

Information is coming soon.

 

Bio - Kumar Swamy

Kumar Swamy, who followed Christ out of a Hindu background, joined OM India for a three-month project in 1973, and re-joined long term in 1977. Today he is based in Bangalore, Karnataka, and is the South India Field Leader overseeing the ministry of more than nearly 1,000 OM India workers based in the South Region.

Kumar holds a degree in Psychology, and his main job involves leading all the ministries of OM in South India, including the Good Shepherd Community Church pastors and church planters, the Dalit Education Centers, the Good Shepherd Urban slum ministries, as well as work among the Muslims of South India and the women’s work called the Arpana Women’s Prayer Network.

Kumar is the Karnataka State Convener of the All India Christian Council, as well as the State President of the Communal Harmony Committee. He also serves with the Karnataka state Human Rights Commission. Kumar is involved in the Dalit empowerment movement across India working for the betterment of the Dalit Community. He is on the Board of Directors of the Dalit Freedom Network, USA.

Kumar has traveled extensively around the world and has spoken to audiences in universities, government bodies, churches and professional organizations. In addition, he has been featured at summer music festivals and major missions conferences, especially in the United States.

Kumar is married to Jeeva who was born in Malaysia but grew up in India. At present, she is involved with OM India’s emerging work in anti-human trafficking among women and children. Kumar and Jeeva were married in December 1987. They have two children – son Abishek (age 20), and daughter Arpana Ruth (14).

To contact Mr. Swamy, please email him at or call 866.921.1333.

 

Kancha Ilaiah

Dr. Kancha Ilaiah is a Professor and former Head of the Department of Political Science at Osmania University, Hyderabad, India.

Dr. Ilaiah is the author of Why I am Not a Hindu: A Critique of Sudra Philosophy, Culture and Political Economy, published in 1996. He has also published God As Political Philosopher: Buddha’s Challenge to Brahminism, Democracy In India: A Hollow Shell (co-authored), The State and Repressive Culture, Manatatwam (Our Philosophy), and Buffalo Nationalism: A Critique Of Spiritual Fascism.

In 1985, when starvation deaths occurred in a poverty-ridden district called Mahabubnagar, Andhra Pradesh, India, he established free feeding centers for the starving masses, started a massive campaign against caste atrocities in India, and campaigned against state repression of the Dalits and other lower caste people in India.

For the last 25 years, Dr. Ilaiah has campaigned against the practice of “untouchability” and illiteracy in India. He lives in Hyderabad.

 

Bio - Moses Parmar

With more than 25 years experience in holistic, transformational work, Moses Parmar is the North India Regional Director for one of DFN’s India-based partners, OM India. He oversees a huge staff of Indian national workers serving among India’s Dalit community, bringing high quality English-medium education to Dalit children. Additionally, Moses and his team focus on empowerment for Dalit women, and indigenous expressions of worship for Dalit believers. Moses also serves as the North India Public Relations officer of the All India Christian Council (AICC). Moses has traveled extensively internationally and spoken to groups ranging in size from of 50 to 50,000. He is an excellent story teller as he relates what is happening in India and around the world in a manner in which all audiences can relate.

To contact Mr. Parmar, please email or call 1-866-921-1333

 

WE'VE MOVED!

Dear Dalit Freedom Advocate and Partner,

I have just returned from Berlin, West Germany, after the official launch of Dalit Freedom Network Germany with Mr. Wolfgang Schwarz as the DFN Director. We attended the 15th Berlin International Gathering of politicians and leaders and were able to present a summary account of the triumphant first decade of the Dalit Freedom Movement. Yes, we are into our tenth year, and we can only thank our God and, of course, all of you for the incredible victories and milestones in what is now a worldwide Dalit emancipation movement.

Before flying into Berlin, I was with Dr. Ana Aspras Steele, the new President since last November of DFN USA. She is an amazing answer to prayer for our movement. Dr. Steele taught at Harvard University for 10 years, eight and a half of these at Harvard Law. She also brings to DFN vast intercultural experience and 10 years of international missions expertise that came out of her position at Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale in the Missions Department, where she ultimately served as Missions Director.

I first met Ana in Fort Lauderdale in 2005 at a briefing where I spoke, and as soon as she heard about the plight of the Dalits, especially Dalit children and women, she knew God was calling her to this movement. Ana served as our Washington, D.C. Director for two years becoming our Executive President; and then the U.S. Board appointed her as President of DFN last year.

Ana is a passionate leader for the cause of Dalit Justice and a gifted communicator on the issue of Dalit Freedom.

She ably led her team of DFN Social Justice Advocates and was instrumental in much of our success in Washington and in getting the issue of Dalit Freedom in front of U.S. lawmakers. We are thankful to God for House Concurrent Resolution 139 passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in July 2007.

We have always had the dream to be located in Washington, D.C. as a Dalit advocacy movement. Finally, now, we have moved to D.C. Our new headquarters is: 631 Pennsylvania Avenue S.E. Suite 2, Washington, D.C. 20003.
Our new number is 202-375-5000.

We are thankful to all our Denver friends who gave us the support and help as we launched DFN in the USA. Without doubt, we are thankful to each one of you as we complete the first decade of the movement.

Just think: we will be into our 100th Dalit Education Centre (Schools) in India with nearly 20,000 children freed, empowered, educated in English-medium instruction, and equipped to be the leaders of this generation. The Andhra Pradesh State Government becomes the first Government to give us subsidized land for 5 of our schools.

Ten years into the movement, thousands of women and children across India are being freed from the evils of human trafficking. We have launched our biggest effort with our motto for this decade: End Dalit Trafficking, Make Slavery History. Our healthcare initiative is in 50 of our centres and impacting over 1,000 villages and communities and the lives of women, men, and children. We begin work on our nursing and community health workers’ college this year.

Our advocacy work for true Dalit Freedom continues as strong as ever. Dalit Freedom Networks are now fully operational also in Canada and the UK, and offices are opening in Australia and a number of other nations this year. The issue of human trafficking, especially Dalit trafficking, is acknowledged by the Indian Government, which is seeking how best to tackle this monumental problem that directly and indirectly involves 100 million Indians.

Well into our tenth year of the movement I continue to believe that Dalit Freedom in our generation is indeed possible, that this long standing system of discrimination will come to an end, and 250 million Dalits will find true and lasting freedom and experience the Kingdom of God.

Thank you for joining us in this journey of freedom.

Dr. Joseph D’souza
International President
Dalit Freedom Network

 

Partnership is a core value for DFN.

We believe that partnering with individuals and organizations around the world that share our commitment to justice and freedom for the Dalits accomplishes greater work, establishes accountability, strengthens our advocacy voice, and results in additional resources.

Our major partners are Operation Mercy India Foundation (OMIF; formerly Operation Mercy Charitable Corporation), the All India Christian Council (aicc), and the All-India Confederation of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Organizations (SC-ST Conferedation). These long-standing partners in India make up an expansive network of national workers who provide the expertise and power to implement highly successful programs in Dalit communities. We also operate within a broad coalition of U.S. and international partners committed to Dalit freedom.

 

Mission Statement

The Dalit Freedom Network partners with the Dalits in their quest for freedom, justice, and human dignity by mobilizing human, intellectual, and financial resources.

 
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