This document contains summaries of interviews conducted with 23 respondents about their experiences with the Hope Project organization in Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti, Delhi, India. The respondents discuss how Hope Project has supported them through education, healthcare, social services, vocational training, loans, and community development over periods ranging from 3 to 28 years. While largely appreciative, some note issues with increasing fees and loan interest rates. The interviews provide insights into how Hope Project has positively impacted lives and the community over long periods of involvement.

1. Voices of Hope [2014] 1
Voices of Hope
An Impact Evaluation Study
Hope Project
Kokab Aleem
B.A. (Hons) Sociology 3rd
semester
Mayank Singh
B.A. (Hons) Sociology 5th
semester

2. Voices of Hope [2014] 2
“Instead of lamenting your fate, create your
world.”
Hazrat Inayat Khan

3. Voices of Hope [2014] 3
Executive Summary
The management of Hope Project, allowed an end semester
assignment in its ongoing project activities in Hazrat Nizamuddin
Basti. After initial orientation of a week, a concept note was submitted
to Mr. Samiur Rehman, which was approved in humble way.
A qualitative checklist was developed and field-tested to capture
responses from the key informants who have contacts with different
interventions at Hope Project. Altogether 23 interviews were
conducted with key informants recruited randomly in a span of two
week’s time.
These interviews were conducted following ethical norms with a
‘informed consent’ and proper information to each of the selected
respondents. All interviews were conducted considering the
comfortable level of respondents.
We express our sincere thanks to Mr. Samiur Rehman who supported
this work whole-heartedly. A generous thank to Hope Project Team
including Mr. Masoom. Ms. Anjum, Ms. Usha and Ms. Asha deserve
for making this work smooth and meaningful.
Last but not the least, we dedicate this report with a special thank to
all the respondents who agreed to talk and share their valuable
experiences with Hope Project.

4. Voices of Hope [2014] 4
Voices of Hope
1
“I had been in contact with HOPE PROJECT for the past 15 years. We
are a family of 5 members with 3 sons and 2 daughters. It has been quite a
long time that we became a part of this huge group. Some of my sisters are
also pursuing education from non-formal school run by HOPE.
This organization has always been a supporting hand in educational and
healthcare field. Though I reside in okhla but we usually come here for
healthcare, the reason being trust and faith that has bounded us to this
organization. I have been helped in many ways through the social
counsellings they organize. It is a complete awareness program, which brings
us various new facts that otherwise wouldn’t be in our knowledge. I feel
happy to be a part of this useful organization.”
- A 26 years old male respondent from Okhla
2
“It has been 20 years now that I feel HOPE as my second home. Since my
childhood I have been a regular student of variety of courses that HOPE
offered, be it (Cutting and tailoring, cooking, drama class, sport class and
furthermore). I have been benefitted by each of them. Now I’m married
women with 3 children but I still trust Hope and derive benefits for my
children especially in family healthcare.
HOPE has always taken care of the basic requisites of life particularly the
nutritional aspect of food. We were given basic quantity of milk and other
grain-rich diets. Since I lived near by i.e in nizam nagar I spent my
childhood under the nourishment provided by it. It has always been a boost
and great help to know and thrive through the atrocious environment
outside. I would like to continue my contact with HOPE and be at the
receiving end of profit.”
- A 25 years old female respondent from Hzt. NIzamuddin Basti
3
“Life hasn’t been kind to me in many ways. I lost my husband few years back
and I am left with just one daughter and a pension-holder aged father. In all
we are three members of the family. There is little or no income in our
household. I have a meagre earning through the anganwadi centre I work in.

5. Voices of Hope [2014] 5
It is approximately 10 years now that we know HOPE. This organization
has given us health aids and medical benefits. I used to receive free medicines
for my family from here.
It has always been a boon to be a part of this project as we were assisted well.
Utility of resources was made possible through hope. But I only feel pained at
the present condition as we have to pay amounts for buying medicines, which
were once free. That is the only thing that stings us otherwise we have always
been happy and mirth with the treatment received from HOPE and its
officials.”
- A female respondent from Hzt. NIzamuddin Basti
4
“My association with HOPE is from the past 3 years. I’m living with my
husband and 2 children. My husband is the only bread earner, being a tailor
whatever he gets is a bit less than what we require to run the living.
But HOPE has always helped me with the access to many services, which are
usually out of my range. At first the primary healthcare services provided by
HOPE have helped me to get the expensive medical facilities for my family.
Apart from the support in family healthcare, HOPE has also given me the
opportunity to attend some workshops related to family planning,
HIV/AIDS, Adolescent Health etc. They have in turn supported me to opt
for the right decision-making in these fields. During the time of my
pregnancy I came here for the vaccination which is required during the time
of pregnancy and I was also provided with other facilities.”
- A female respondent from Nala Pushta, Alvi Chowk
5
“Khushrau Nagar is nearby locality in Nizammuddin. It seems as if this
area is not properly looked after. Problems like sanitation and cleanliness are
often encountered. There are various health related issues which take a toll
on peoples’ health and leads to major epidemics. Hope had a major role to
play here. The health department of this organization has reached every nook
and corner of the locality and provided people with various facilities. I am
one of those who received medical aid from their store. Five years ago, I
became a member of this project keen to uplift the under nourished
communities and help people fight fatal diseases. We are 10 members in the
family.
Low-income is the major problem we face day and night. It is no less than a
nightmare to earn a day’s bread. The only source of earning in our family is
my husband who is a duty guard. Amidst all these problems, HOPE helped
us with different services be it education, health or any other sector.

6. Voices of Hope [2014] 6
Hence this organization has been kind to us when it comes to solving our
problems. Come what may, we would always be standing there for HOPE.”
- A male respondent from Khushro Nagar
6
“We have an old bond with the HOPE PROJECT. 28 years from now I
came to this group and got my kids admitted to crèche and elder children to
the Non-Formal school. They received their education here under the
guidance of teachers provided by Hope. I was also given medical assistance. I
have 3 sons and 5 daughters and all of them one or other way came here and
got benefitted.
Financial support was also extended in the form of loan. Today my
grandchildren are also pursuing education here in crèche and school. I feel
privileged being its part. But the only loophole I find today is that though we
are benefitted thoroughly yet certain activities bring us trouble. The interest
on the loan and fees for kids is something we find difficult to pay back.
This should be mended and we should be free of those bondages. Apart from
it, Hope is a wonderful medium of education and awareness. It always heads
us towards a progressive development.”
- A male respondent from Hzt. Nizamuddin Basti
7
“Migrated from west Bengal, the bereaved lady views back the losses she bore
in life and then the struggle to get through.
It’s nearly 25 years of contact that I share with HOPE. This team came as a
blessing to my wrecked world. I have a big family of & a drunkard husband.
He used to abuse and assault me physically.
Peaceful life was something I had lost dreaming of. That is when HOPE
came in and rose my hopes of living a stable and steady life. My children
were made to join Girls Non-Formal School. After that they began doing
vocational courses like beauty culture, Cutting-tailoring and many such
activities. This helped them a great deal to be a earning hand in future. I
have a rented home and today all my expenses along with the household
expenditure is handled by my daughters and I accredit this wholly solely to
HOPE.
My daughters got married with the loan sanctioned from here and today
their children too have joined crèche. This gives me immense happiness to see

7. Voices of Hope [2014] 7
my children working on their own by the grace of education provided by
Hope. My daughters work as teachers and can somehow afford living. I have
been given medical facilities too.
Everything was well assisted but the only trouble I came upon was the
amount of money needed to be paid in health Centre and secondly the interest
on loan. If these two things are enhanced, people like us would on a greater
profit scale.”
- A female respondent from Hzt. Nizamuddin Basti
8
“It’s more than half my age the contact I developed with HOPE. Though I
am an anganwadi worker today but started from the pre-primary school in
the organisation. The next step was a way forward, I entered Hotel
Management field, did a course on it and stared working. Meanwhile we
were aided well by the Hope people. Medical and social awareness was
something really needed and important too. So many meetings were held
regarding different problems faced by girls and women and I attended
almost all of them.
I also underwent training and received help from other trusts. But Hope was
the first step of ladder of my life where from I climbed other stairs of success.
I acknowledge that it had a really important role to play in my family as well
as my life.”
- A 44 years old female respondent from Hzt. Nizamuddin Basti
9
“What could be of more joy than to be a worker of an association where you
had your initial studies and orientation made possible. Today it is a thing of
Honour to be a staff member of HOPE after being a pass out of the same
institution. I joined vocational courses here (Mehndi, cutting-tailoring) and
eventually joined Non-formal School. Suddenly I fell in with some problems
and had to leave School. But then the seed of study was sown in my heart and
I was that inquisitive child to learn new things.
So I came back and joined school again, completed my 12th
class. Soon after
that I started working in crèche, for about 8 months I enjoyed with kids and
then shifted to health sector. I did not know that this department would suit
me so well that it’s been 7 years now me working here. My link with hope is
more than 20 years now. But it still feels so fresh when I look back to those
days when I used to come here for classes .It was a beautiful journey that I
cherish for my future.

8. Voices of Hope [2014] 8
Hope has also been so open handed when it comes to financial help. We are
just 4 members in the family and my husband is a seasonal worker. So he
doesn't have any stable income. It is me alone who handles family expenses
and I could do it possibly well because of assistances provided by the HOPE
PROJECT.”
- A 37 years old female respondent from Hzt. Nizamuddin Basti.
10
“I live in the vicinity of HOPE i.e. Nizam nagar. From my very birth I
have been known this place and developed a different kind of attachment. I
have 23 years of contact, now you can imagine when would I have had a
beginning here. If I go back to the old days, it all began from the pre-primary
school, then i received my higher secondary education, finally I entered
medical and healthcare field and presently work here. We are 6 members in
the family and 4 of us i.e all of my sisters are HOPE Non-Formal School
pass-out. I attended various workshops on health issues and actively
participated in the discussions.
Be it crèche, pre-primary or Support class, I have given my blood and sweat
to it while working. I consider HOPE to be a boon of my life as we were
blessed in a number of ways. It is because of Hope today that we are earning
well and can run our livelihood sufficiently. The trainings it gave us are
going to be life-long helpful for us.
We were taught baking and catering because of which our working efficiency
increased and we started getting orders on a large scale for cakes and other
savories. It sometimes seems that all that we dreamt has been put forward in
front of our eyes. Thanks to Hope for being so generous and caring .I never
thought of coming this far but it was made possible by the help of HOPE.”
- A 29 years old female respondent from Hzt. Nizamuddin Basti.
11
“It has been 10 years since I came to HOPE. My younger brother and an
aged mother stay with me in Nizam Nagar. Our interaction with HOPE
was mainly in the vocational training, English Speaking, and Computer
Course also, after completing these courses HOPE offered me a job, which I
did for a while.
Apart from the professional courses, which HOPE has provided, I have
attended number of workshops and counselling session for sanitation,
community development, sex education etc. The certificates which I and my

9. Voices of Hope [2014] 9
brother got from HOPE helped us a lot in getting into the preferential list of
organization in which we applied in.
I and my brother both are currently doing business. And side by side I’m
pursuing L.L.B from Chaudhary Charan Singh University from Meerut.”
- A male respondent from Nizam Nagar
12
“I think so far in my life HOPE is the most auspicious thing ever happened
to me. It was 1989 I still remember when I first came to HOPE for Girls
Non-Formal School for higher secondary education. I reason I got associated
with was first my mother had previously enrolled with it in many services,
and secondly was my school before coming to HOPE which was quite far
from my place, so it being a nearby place I enrolled myself up.
And just before coming to HOPE I was constantly forced by my parents to
get married, but I wanted to study and to earn a respectable amount of salary
to run my household. And finally I ended up being trained in the health sector
of HOPE which I started as a volunteer. And lately but thankfully I was
appointed in the same sector which is still a big support to my family.
Family of 4 with two daughters and my husband I reside in Gali Goga Bai.
Now both of my daughters are also introduced to HOPE through crèche and
computer class etc. All my hopes for HOPE is to be a bigger renowned
organization.”
- A female respondent from Hzt. Nizamuddin Basti.
13
I’m the only source of income in my household total of 6 member. It has been
mainly around 25 years since HOPE has been known by me.
Since the starting of my interaction with HOPE it has been in the field of
family health care etc. But as soon as I started exploring the services provided
by HOPE I enrolled my children in the mehndi course, vocational training
and support class etc.
I work with Aga Khan Trust Medical Centre, Nizamuddin and able to earn
enough to bare my daily expenses. HOPE has always given me ample of
emotional support in some cases in which I had hiccup, and this help has come
to in the form of counselling, community development workshops etc.
- A male respondent from Hzt. Nizamuddin Basti

10. Voices of Hope [2014] 10
14
“10 years of my association with HOPE has led to many changes in my life
and my family. I’m currently living with my family of 5 members. My
husband is the sole bread earner in my house.
But talking about the immense support emotional and in any form of service
HOPE has always stood next to me.
My children are regular students of the pre-primary section (Crèche and P1
level). And apart from the education sector my whole family is dependent on
HOPE in the Family Healthcare field, for my entire family.”
- A 40 years old female respondent from Alvi Chowk
15
“It’s more than 30 years that I have been in contact of HOPE. Resident of
BAZAAR, Nizamuddin in a family of five. The source of income in my
family is my Elder son. I first came to HOPE in Medical Centre for family
health care for each and every member.
I have been long associated with this medical center and I have it developing
day by day, but the only factor that grown uneasy for me in this center is that
they have started to charge for daily dose of which once used to be free of
cost.”
- A respondent from Hzt. Nizamuddin Basti
16
“Since past 6 years I’m regularly interacting with HOPE one or the other
way. Firstly, I live in the vicinity of HOPE and secondly after I got married
in Nizam Nagar following my family I also started coming to HOPE for
medication.
My children are not the part of the crèche, I wanted to enroll them in but they
require a working or normally both the parents working. But they haven’t let
me down, I get invited to every workshop for community and family
planning, but I attend them seeing my feasibility. My husband is the only
source of income in my family.”
- A female respondent from Nizam Nagar

11. Voices of Hope [2014] 11
17
My elder son first told me about the HOPE support class, and that was the
first time I actually came across the services provided by HOPE, before I only
heard about HOPE from neighborhood. And Nizam Nagar next to HOPE
compound makes it easy to interact with them. My husband is the only
breadwinner in the household.
Mainly the medicines, which are quite expensive are easily available in
HOPE with reasonable amount of price. Not only that the affiliation of
HOPE with other health centers have led to the easy accessibility of medical
support. Once on HOPE’s recommendation I got a chance to have
consultation about my teeth from Jamia College.
- A female respondent from Nizam Nagar
18
“It has been 8 and half years that I’m working with HOPE PROJECT,
HAZRAT INAYAT KHAN DARGAH as a supervisor in the
administration.
After my husband died I went to depression, and was constantly giving a
thought on what to pursue next, then I was appointed in HOPE as a
supervisor, which gave me ample of support for my family. I started sending
my children to crèche and then support class for educational support.
I’m currently living in Kot Moholla, Nizamuddin with two of my children.
And I’m the lone breadwinner. HOPE has never given me chance to consult
any other medical center for medical support. But the paid medicine started
has left me thinking twice before going for medical support.”
- A respondent from Hzt. Nizamuddin Basti.
19
“The place we are now sitting in (Health Center) once used to be my house,
and my husband was a part of the milk program run by HOPE in there
orientational days. My husband used to provide milk to them for the further
distribution. 20-22 years I have encountered different phases of HOPE. My
father-in-law first introduced me to HOPE in the family clinic.
We are a family of 7 member with my husband working. My husband also as
I said had quite an old relation with HOPE. After we moved out of our old
house then HOPE compensated us by provided a full-fledged house in Sarai
kale khan, but later we moved to Nizamuddin itself.

12. Voices of Hope [2014] 12
Not only are my generation connected with this organization they are in a
way promoting it by ramifying ties. Likewise I have had my children
enrolled in variety of programs and different courses in HOPE (Crèche,
support class, health care clinic etc.).”
-
A female respondent from Hzt. Nizamuddin Basti
20
“The basic necessities of life such as Food, Well-being and clothing are a
matter of great concern for any living being who is not financially efficient to
meet the demands of life and that too in such an expensive era. I reside near
Qureshi masjid and being the lone earner of a family of six, I often
encountered such problems that brought me bad times. 22 to 25 years of
dealing with HOPE is no less than a favour to me. I started with the
medical aid and then vocational courses (Mehndi, Support class, Vocational
training).
I also joined family health programs, got to know about intricate health
matters such as care during pregnancy, tubectomy and how women health
should be taken care of .It was of great importance that the awareness made
me keep good care of my offspring’s and their health. Side by side I continued
working in different sectors of anganwadi and ended up joining Agha Khan
trust. Today I can feed my family properly and the reward goes to HOPE.
Now talking about emotional support, it has always been really kind of
HOPE to be emotionally co-operative with all its members and people who
visit this association. The hospitality and generosity among the workers
usually attracts the attention of common being to join it and receive benefits.
I can proudly say today that the Hope Project has been benevolent in Its deeds
and in providing people the path of light and guidance. I feel gratitude some
towards this organisation and owe all my social and mental growth to
them.”
- A respondent from Qureshi Masjid
21
“Hope has been part of my life for last 15 years .The association took place
through medical care, I started buying medicines, came for check-ups and
gradually got involved in variety of other programs. We also had provision
to save money through the bank accounts made available to us. It helped me
great deal to manage my finances. I joined tuition here along with the
vocational courses to build my career. It all proved very beneficial as i began

13. Voices of Hope [2014] 13
to learn being independent and started growing in educational sector to be
better citizen tomorrow.
The thing that interests me the most is their patient understanding and
affectionate behavior with our kids in the crèche. Moreover the health
facilities are helpful for the needy and poor, the premium to be paid here is
comparatively lesser than the one in different private policy schemes. Overall,
everything is up to the mark and I am satisfied to have availed the benefits of
this social organisation.”
- A respondent from Hzt. Nizamuddin Basti
22
Happy and cheerful were those days when I used to go to school, spent time
with my friends and enjoyed all those times that blooms a young students life.
But who could think that such pall of sadness would someday hide that
happiness and turn it into a saga of pain and suffering. Two years ago, I
came across this disease of mine i.e T.B. and felt totally broken as it was
diagnosed bit late so I had become more vulnerable to its effects. Infection
was getting severe and I did not know what to do. Meanwhile I got to know
about HOPE and its medical centre particularly DOTS. Within no time, I
got myself enrolled here and my treatment started off. Doctors were too polite
and treated me like their own child. I was on medicines and a healthy
treatment was taken care of.
I began seeing changes in my health. The deteriorated condition before was
much better now. The medicines did not cost me much and I was really happy
after the treatment. HOPE had started lightening my dull and bleak life. I
began breathing desires, dreams and air full of enthusiasm to live. This is
how I got associated with Hope and things started getting better since then .I
would not hesitate calling them messiahs of my family.
- A respondent from Hzt. Nizamuddin Basti.
23
“I was hardly 3-4 years of age when my parents sent me to HOPE for
crèche. And after completing my primary section in school I again got
enrolled in support class. I’m a resident of Qureshi Masjid with a family of 6
members and I and my father are the breadwinner.
Most of the times I visited HOPE it was for my dental care service.
Although the courses run by HOPE all intensely helpful but the lacking
element according to me is the presence of a proper schedule for the arrival
and departure of the concerned doctor’s. Because it leads to concerned patients
unattended for hours, and one more thing to add is that I’m a little upset
with the price hike in the rate of medicines.”

14. Voices of Hope [2014] 14
- A respondent from Qureshi Masjid
Interview Schedule
Introduction
Assalamualaikum
We Kokab Aleem & Mayank Singh are B.A. (Hons) Sociology, 2nd and 3rd year students
at Jamia Millia Islamia University. As part of my academic curriculum we are
conducting a qualitative study for better understanding on of the changing situations of
families and individuals in transition phase in a heterogeneous setting. I would like
to inform you that this interview will take approximately 15 minutes. Though some of the
questions are very personal, I would appreciate it if you could answer as openly as possible.
Some of the questions will ask you to think about your experiences or behaviors over the
last few years or months.
You may feel uncomfortable in telling me about you, your thoughts and your activities. You
may refuse to answer any question which you do not like. All information that you will give
us as part of this survey will be kept completely confidential. We will keep the
questionnaires in a safe place and only the survey team will be allowed to look at them.
Your name or other personal information that might identify you will not be collected and
as such will never appear in our data or when we report the findings of this survey.
You may choose to opt out of this survey at any time. Participation in this survey is entirely
voluntarily and does not affect your access to any services.
Please feel free to ask any question you have?
Would you like to participate in this survey? Yes [……] No
[……]
( )
Signature of interviewer
Section A: Demographics
A 1. Age of respondents:
A 2. Area of residence:
A 3. Source of Income:
A 4. No. of family members/dependents:
Section B: Service Access
B 1. When was the first contact with Hope Project?

15. Voices of Hope [2014] 15
B 2. Program in which contact was made Before After
B 2.1. Education
i. Formal Education
ii. Non Formal Education
iii. Vocational Education
iv. Special Education
B 2.2. Health
i. Primary Healthcare
ii. Specialist Healthcare [TB, etc.]
iii. Referrals to hospital based specialist treatment
B 2.3. Family Specific Services
i. Individual Counselling
ii. Family Counselling
iii. Domestic Violence
iv. Others
B 2.4. Others [Please specify]
i. Vocational Training
ii. Support Class
iii. Crèche
iv. Pre-Primary
v. Girls Non-Formal School
B 3. Length of contact with Hope Project
i. 1 to 3 months
ii. 3 to 6 months
iii. 6 months to 1 year
iv. More than 1 year
Section C: Gaps
D 1. What services did you perceive from Hope Project?
D 2. Did you actually receive those services?
D 3. As per you interaction with Hope Project, what are the service gaps
you think are there?