Annual Report 81

The Annual Operational Report

 of the Society for the Protection and Assistance of Socially Disadvantage Individuals (Ehya) for Year 1381

(March 2002 - 2003)

 The NGOs’ interactions with governmental institutions has caused the government to adopt certain democratic polices thus accelerating the movement towards civil society.  NGOs create an opportunity for government officials to coordinate their activities and plans with those of the international, regional and national organizations.  As independent organizations, NGOs utilize the grass roots involvement of the public and provide various volunteer services.  This has made the NGOs a powerful extension of civil societies and international organizations.

 Ehya is a non-governmental and non-profit organization that offers various Community Based Rehabilitation services (CBR) aimed at containing social injuries and enhancing effective emergency involvement services.  Based on its articles of association, Ehya pursues the following four general guidelines:

1. To increase awareness in the society and to disseminate information in society.

2. To motivate and actively engage people in order to contain social ills and injuries.

3. To promote cooperation amongst people, governmental and international based organizations.

4. To conduct scientific research and studies on social injuries, on ways and means of preventing such injuries and on timely involvement to control such injuries.

 Executive Activities in Ehya

1. The Launching of the Ehya Hot Line

In its fourth year of activity and in order to further achieve the goals state in its by-laws, Ehya commenced operating an emergency counseling telephone hotline.  The hotline service with a capacity of five telephone lines strives to disseminate correct and timely information to the public in order to prevent social injuries before they materialize.  Over thirty qualified counselors and experts (psychologists…) work on the hotline project.  The hotline project is completely free and its services are available daily, from 8:30 am to 8:00 pm.  Ehya has sought to improve the quality of its hotline services by advancing the skills of the hotline counselors through holding weekly meetings and inviting experts and university scholars to specific training workshops.

1.1.  Weekly Meetings

In order to improve the quality of hotline services, the weekly meetings are held to discuss related issues, to identify necessary skills or resources and to voice suggestions and criticism.  In addition, every week, a scholar of a particular field is invited as Ehya’s guest in order to convey to the counselors any new developments and to respond to their inquiries.

1.2.  The Training Workshops

1.2.1.      The Training Workshop on “Involvement in Suicide Related Emergencies”, November 28 - 29, 2002

This workshop was directed at training Ehya’s volunteer counselors to correctly and professionally assist those clients that are susceptible to committing suicide.  In addition to the volunteers who attended the workshop, the following guests were also present:

-         Mr. Andrew Greenstock, the British Embassy

-         Ms. Janette Scherpenzeel, the Royal Netherlands Embassy

-         Dr. Motamedi, chief officer of Behziti’s department for social ills

1.2.2.      The Training Workshop on “Psychological Counseling Regarding AIDS and Other Contagious Diseases”, December 19, 2002

This workshop was manage by Mr. Farzadi (Expert, Psychological Clinic, Navab Safavi Hospital, Tehran) for Ehya’s volunteer counselors in order to enable the counselors to better understand and address issues related to AIDS and other contagious diseases, before and after discovery of the illnesses.

In addition to the volunteers who attended the workshop, the following guests were also present:

-         Dr. Goya, Head of the Management Center for Illnesses (Ministry of Health)

-         Dr. Mir Haghani, Medical Doctor in charge of the Western Tehran Mosala Clinic.

-         Mr. Simon Shercliff, Second Secretary, the British Embassy

-         Ms. Martin Von Bijlert, First Secretary, the Royal Netherlands Embassy

-         Ms. Fariba Soltani, Head of the HIV/AIDS Department, UNODC

-         Ms. Mitra Behnam Mojtahedzadeh, HIV/AIDS Information Distribution Department, UNODC 

1.2.3.      The Training Workshop on “Involvement in Drug Addiction Related Emergencies”, February 5, 2003

This workshop was managed by Mr. Norouzi for Ehya’s volunteer counselors in order to enable the counselors to better understand and address issues related to drugs and drug addiction.

1.2.4.      The Training Workshop on “Mutual Dependency”, March 6, 2003

This workshop was managed by Ms. Salamat (Translator of “Mutual Dependency”) and Mr. Norouzi for Ehya’s volunteer counselors in order to enable the counselors to better understand and address issues related to mutual dependency.

2. Organized and Executed the “Training for Solving Conflicts, Constructive Methods for Establishing Communications Between Individuals and Ways to Confront Stress” project.

This project was organized to train mothers with elementary school level children in Southern part of Tehran on ways to address stress and solve conflicts.

      Some of the goals pursued by the project were as follows:

a.       To elevate the mental health of mothers of students in order to improve the mental health of students.

b.      To improve mother’s individual relationship with other members of the family and to increase her self-confidence and social interactions.

c.       To reduce stress in families and increase peace and harmony.

d.      To improve children’s education by betterment of mother’s communication capabilities with the children.

In order to implement the above-mentioned project, Ms. Sagri Ebrahimi Ghavam, a scholar and a member of the scientific board of the Allameh Tabatabaii University was selected to train the deans and teachers in the schools.  After training the deans and teachers, over 350 mothers were identified as the targeted group and also trained for 60 hours.  The statistical results of this project were published in February 2003 in a book titled; The Educational Skills for Establishing Constructive Relationships with Other and Reducing Stress in Women in Southern Tehran Regions (Gharchak, Varamin, Shahr Rey).

3. The Communication Skills Taught to Women by Telephone Project.

This project trains women to have effective communication skills to address social ills in their lives.  The project introduces specific models to assist women to play a more active role and also identifies those models that hinder this objective.  This project has been presented to and approved by the office of women’s affairs at the President’s Office.  Work on this project should commence in 2003.    

4. The Scientific and Executive Enrichment of Ehya Emergency Hotline in AIDS, Drug Addiction and Prostitution Areas Project.

This project was implemented in order to achieve the following objectives:

a.       To further develop and improve the Ehya Emergency Hotline and the emergency intervention counseling service.

b.      To extend Ehya Emergency Hotline’ operational hours to 10:00 pm.

c.       To purchase 2 additional telephone lines and to increase available telephone line to 7.

d.      To attract additional volunteers to answer the telephones.

e.       To implement training programs for counselors in order to make them more effective and beneficial when addressing social ills and difficulties.

f.        To establish professional relationship with the police force, the fire department and emergency service providers.

g.       To implement social work programs outside the center (home visits).

h.       To implement exhibits and training workshops in order to familiarize governmental officials and the NGOs with hotline’ services. 

5. The Training Workshop for Emergency Intervention Project.

This project was implemented to achieve the following objectives: to train the volunteered women in the field of emergency telephone intervention, to provide effective services to women in danger, to increase women’s capabilities to cooperate with the hotline and to strengthen and positively impact the opinion of the women who contact the hotline by identifying the best ways to serve them (70% of those who contact the hotline are women). 

6. The Study of Social Ills Through Analysis of Ehya’s Emergency Hotline Statistics Project.

The goals of this project were as follows:

a.       To analyze social and psychological problems in the society.

b.      To collect daily information on the social ills.

c.       To utilize this information in order to make social, health and psychological plans.

d.      To develop a profile of the society considering the social ills.

e.       To utilize this information to identify the society’s need for personal or telephone services.

f.        To plan for providing specialized services in order to prevent, intervene or treat social ills.  

7. The Prostitution Anonymous Project.

This project was implemented to deal with the growing number of prostitutes in the society and was modeled after Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous.  Those prostitutes that are personally ready and willing to adopt alternative ways of making a living, after agreeing to follow a specific program designed to help them change profession, will be assisted in the transition period.  The assistance given to the eligible women is in the form of financial, job training and other useful services.  In early March 2003, the first women to graduate from this program got married.   

8. The Anomic (fractured) Society and Identity Crisis of the Young Project.

This project was a one-day workshop headed by Dr. Piran.  The workshop took place on May 18, 2002 and the discussed research done on a group composed of 210 young men and women.

The workshop analyzed historical background of the terms “Anomic” and “identity” that have been the cause of much discussion in the realms of social science and psychology.  It was also suggested that a movement to rescue youth should be created modeled after the existing women’s movements.  A report on this workshop was printed in the Voice of Partnership magazine’s September 2002 issue.

9. The Photograph Exhibition on Social Ills. (October 24 – 27, 2003)

This exhibition was organized in order to better inform the public regarding the social ills existing in the society.  It was hoped that the exhibit would heighten public sensitivities in regards to social ills and result in a mass resolve to address this matter.  The following artists assisted the exhibition by making contributions: Mr. Masoud Khamipour, Mr. Nasrollah Kasraeian, Ms. Jilla Dajem, Mr. Hafez Al Koran and Mr. Hojatollah Sepahvand.

10. Cooperation in implementing the Narcotics Anonymous Meetings at Ehya

The meetings held for youth were scheduled on Sundays between 4:00 pm and 6:00 pm.  The meetings for elders were scheduled on Sundays and Tuesdays between 6:00 pm and 8:00 pm.

11. Established the Ehya Web Site

Ehya’s web site, with 10 pages of contents, went on line in May 2002.  The site’s content includes written information, photographs and videos.  The site has been so designed to accommodate volunteers who wish to communicate, assist and cooperate with Ehya whether they are nearby or far away.

12. Published the “Roots” Magazine

The first issue of the magazine was published in November 2002 and included articles on the following issues:

·        Run away children.

·        Drug addiction and prevention.

·        Sexual child molestation.

·        Ehya’s 1380 (March 2001 – 2002) annual operational report.

·        Introduction to the Ehya hotline.

·        Interview with Mr. Omid Memarian.

·        Together with NGOs.

·        A Review of the movie called “the Prison for Women”.

Executive Activities outside Ehya

1.      Participation in the “Discussion and Cooperation Amongst Women Organizations” Conference.

This conference was held in Almaty, Kazakstan on October 25 – 27, 2002.  Women organizations from Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan and the Central Asian Republics descended on the conference in order to explore and discuss educational, agricultural, economics and administrative matters.

Transfer of experience, regional cooperation and creation of a regional network were the other goals pursued by the women organizations.  The sponsors of the conference were NGOs such as; CDG from Germany, ABWK and Kit Consult from Kazakstan.  Five people representing Iranian NGOs, including a member of Eyha’s board of directors, Ms. Fatemeh Farhangkhah, and two Iranian government officials participated in the conference.

2.      The Trip to Egypt.

In July 2002, the American University of Cairo organized a one-week training seminar on the Rights of Refugees.  Representatives from Iran included: One governmental official, 4 individuals representing NGOs and a representative from UN offices in Iran.  Mr. Hani Mansourian, Ehya’s external affairs director, represented Ehya at the seminar.

3.      As an Honorary Guest, Delivered over 34 Lectures in South Tehran School.

These lectures were organized for the parents of school children, teacher and deans in south Tehran in order to inform and familiarize them with variety of grave social illnesses that threaten children.  Another goal of the lectures was to build grass root participation in order to revise and change laws and regulations in order to prevent or better control social ills.   

4.      The Trip to Kerman.

On December 24 – 25, 2002, a seminar was held in Kerman in order to strengthen connections and cooperation between NGOs and the government, municipalities, city councils and local organizations.  The Saman Al Hojaj institution, the governor of Kerman, the Medical Science College of Kerman, the UN, the International Population Council and the Municipality of Kerman, supported this seminar.

A number of NGO from Tehran and other major cities were present at the seminar which addressed the following issues:

·        Cooperation and communication between NGOs and the government.

·        Communication between grass root organizations and the government.

·        Exploring ways to expand the cooperation amongst the government, the civil society and international organizations.

·        Poverty reduction and the role of grass root organizations.

Ms. Fatemeh Farhangkhah, a member of Eyha’s board of directors, represented Ehya at the seminar.

5.      Participation in Numerous Seminars and Meetings with Other NGOs.

·        Participation in meetings with the cultural and social department of the disciplinary forces (the Police) in order to increase their understanding of the role of NGOs and Police  - NGO cooperation.

·        Participation in the “Initial Prevention of Drug Abuse” training workshop. (Sazeman Behzisti Kesvar)

·        Participation in the “National Operational Plans for Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases and AIDS using Objective Oriented Project Planning” training workshop. (Health Ministry)

·        Participation in committee meeting to follow up on  the manifesto on the rights of children. (Sazeman Behzisti Kesvar)

·        Cooperation with other organizations to commemorate the International Day for Peace.

·        Participation in the meeting to commemorate the International Day for Children. The meeting was held on October 8, 2002.

·        Cooperation with Iranian civil society organizations’ rehabilitation centers.