Akshara Network for Development Support Services, a non-for-profit development support organization, is initiated by practicing development management professionals to provide affordable and timely professional support to organizations, entrepreneurs and individuals. Its agenda is to ‘professionalise the management of development efforts in general and the efforts for enhancing the livelihoods of the poor in particular, by various individuals and agencies’.

Specifically Gurukulam aims to:
1. Provide fresh professionals for the development efforts in general and for enhancing livelihoods of the poor in particular;

2. Build the competencies in terms of knowledge, skills and motivation of the existing human resources including the poor themselves, the professionals and support functionaries in governmental and civil society development organisations engaged in the development efforts; and

3. Offer a variety of platforms and opportunities for improving their professional competencies and fostering requisite value orientation.

Management Appreciation Program for Livelihood Practitioners – Livelihood intervention and projects would involve interaction with market and state. Any transaction with these institutions requires effectiveness and efficiency. Building this dimension in the intervention requires managerial skills like market research and analysis, financial analysis and fund management, building and managing teams, managing multi-stakeholder based projects, monitoring and evaluation, management information systems and planning skills. This 4-day program is addressed to middle and senior level managers of livelihood programs. The objectives of the program are –
a. To expose to the basic concepts of management in the core sectors – finance, marketing and human resources.
b. To help, appreciate and build personal/organizational vision of the participants and build the skill required in planning.
c.    To induct on the systems that would be required for monitoring the plans developed.

Participants: Practitioners who are either team leaders of livelihood projects or managers of the people institutions and are specifically interested in the economic development. Middle level managers working in the non -government organizations, government functionaries directly involved in implementation, people representatives with an orientation to support, professionals from various foundations/donors/corporate organizations, freelance development professionals with an interest to work on improving the program/project efficiency and effectiveness.

Course Details:
Dates 19th to 22nd July 2004 (4 days)
Venue St. John’s Regional Seminary
Besides Ramanthapur Church,Opp. Parke Davis,
Ramanthapur, Hyderabad – 500 013
Tel – 2720 1427, 2720 0370 Fax – 2720 9505

Program Cost The Management Appreciation Program costs – Rs 5000.00 per participant (includes cost of food, accommodation, material and program resource fee) for confirmations done before 10th July 2004. Rs. 5,500.00 per participant for those who confirm after 10th July 2004.

These amounts may be paid by DD favouring ‘Akshara Network for Development Support Services’ payable at Hyderabad or by cash.
Methodology Learning Methodology, which combines participatory learning processes, with analytical/conceptual inputs, case studies, reflection, thinking, teamwork, simulation games and review.

Resource Team Experienced/practicing livelihoods professionals including faculty from the top management institutes as visiting resource persons

Contact Details
GV Krishnagopal,
Program Coordinator
HIG – II B-15, F-8, APHB Colony,
Baghlingampally, Hyderabad – 500 044
Mb: 9885443006/1/2/3
e-mail –gvkgopal@rediffmail.com,  aksharanet@yahoo.com