Sharana Social and Development Organisation, is the first Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) in Pondicherry SouthEast India to produce and distribute its own Spirulina. This algae based, natural healthfood product was the first photosynthetic lifeform on earth and its alliance with Sharana NGO reflects a

collaboration between the so-called ‘Superfood’ and the social sector. After extensive six year research into its scientific benefits and an NGOs potential to similarly produce its own, Muriel and Robert Baube of Sharana France, created ‘Sharana Spirulina’. The cultivation site is situated in Aranganur Village 25km South of Pondicherry, in an ideally protected environment.

Through a grassroots NGO such as Sharana, Spirulina is positively placed within a wider social, economic, environmental and awareness raising context. Its benefits should be explored as more than just a dietry health food product, but as a means for NGOs to create global awareness, environmental initiatives, economic independence and women’s empowerment for local people. When understood in this multi-faceted context, Spirulina is arguably the ideal tool to ensure an NGO’s grassroots goals and visionary ethos are met, benefitting at both a local and global scale.

An internet search for the ‘Spirulina Novice’ will raise a multitude of sites based on scientific research and for some, technical jargon overload. This is reassurring for the credibility of Spirulina as ‘superfood’, but fails to show the wider social picture with which this article will aim to explore. Dietary health to the forefront There is plenty of research to support Spirulina as beneficial to many aspects of human and animal health. It is the best source of vitamin B-12 and iron, contains essential vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, is an easily absorbed nutrient and is known to boost the immune system and attack the AIDs virus, cancer and heart disease. One spoonful of Spirulina per child per day can prevent malnutrition. The children who attend Sharana’s evening ‘homework club’ and English tuition sessions are provided with Spirulina each evening free of charge.

Environmental Initiatives/Sustainabilty

Sharana Spirulina is actively seeking environmental initiatives for both the methods used to cultivate Spirulina and the marketing products used for its sales, information giving and distribution. This has meant research into the use of wholly organic systems to replace the artificial nitrogens added to the Spirulina after harvest. Increased costs to the NGO and complexity at production level are of course implications in turning organic. Sharana is still collaborating with local organic producers and conducting research into future possiblities. However, Sharana Spirulina has come out very highly in recent quality proof tests, mainly due to the quality of water, hygienic conditions and respectful solar drying process.

Alongside this, recyclable materials (paper and plastics) have been investigated for use for information leaflets, brochures and labels. The process takes time, particularly in a country like India where environmental initiatives are rarely the priority of an organisation or individual. Positives can be drawn for the effort to ensure these environmental initiatives, in terms of raising awareness about environmental issues and acting as a positive role model for other organisations to take a more ‘green’ approach. One positive is that Spirulina production in India is relatively cheap, allowing room for the NGO to invest in the future possibilty of creating organic bags.

Spirulina itself has environmental benefits which Henrikson of ‘Earth Food’, explores in relation to the unsustainable way we produce food and the poverty issues occuring from the expropiation of resources. Spirulina unlike many other food sources, in particular meat, does not cause any environmental destruction or exploit the earth’s resources, humans or animals (through loss of rainforests, pesticides, animal antibiotics, inefficent use of energy and so forth). In fact it can aid the economic and evironmental revival for villages and regions. Spirulina thrives best in developing countries where it is most needed and family cultivation is plausible. Spirulina is cross-culturally adaptable to different climates and cultures, allowing Sharana to be a possible role model for NGOs in its fight against malnutrition.

Spirulina as a whole has global economic advantages in that it is restorative and sustainable to the environment and can help with the appropiation of resources to fight malnutrition. For one, its productivity yields 400x more protein than soybeans and 400x more than beef. This speaks volumes for both it health and its benefits for global resources (to go in ‘fact box’ beside article).

Economic Independence/ Women’s Empowerment

As well as promoting good health in the fight against malnutrition, Sharana has utilised Spirulina as a tool to bring economic independence to indivuduals and empower rural women through both their employment at the level of cultivation and for the ongoing production process to stitch cotton bags for distribution. The job is sustainable in respect that demand is ongoing and workers are continually needed on a monthly basis. In comparison to rice paddy work, the job is not dependent on good weather conditions or an intermittent employment basis.

Women work at the rural cultivation site nearby to their local villages and are paid a fair wage (about double in comparison to rice paddy workers). The job is not physically strenuous, nor do women workers have such a hierarchal work based pressure throughout the day. Individuals claim a sense of responsibility and self-reliance, whilst receiving regular thrice weekly advice from Muriel and Robert. Alongside aiding rural women to become financially independent within their own communities, Spirulina can play a big part in the production of food for the local economy if replicated through this method of localised cultivation sites.

Awarenesss Raising

Sharana Spirulina is sold at full retail price to local boutiques and supermarkets as well as overseas (mainly to France and Africa), to both organisations and individuals. Along with proceeds raised to fund future nutrition programmes in schools and villages, Sharana Spirulina is aided in becoming self-sufficient. Alongside this, individuals, particularly from the West, are made aware of what the organisation does and the global/development issues attached. Whilst their money contributes to Sharana’s fight against malnutrition, they are also taking a step to ensure they look after their personal health in a nutritionally depleted western world. Global issues such as poverty and malnutrition are highlighted, with the possible solutions attached, to buyers of Sharana Spirulina, through leaflets and a link to Sharana France’s informative website.

A Spirulina stall was also setup at the ‘Marché de Noel’ Christmas fayre at the Lycée Francais, where western and Indian buyers supported the organisation through buying Spirulina and various other Sharana products ie christmas cards and books written by Robert himself. The day encouraged a true sense of global citizenship- western people were not just engaging in issues of their own personal health but with the aims of Sharana’s Spirulina project in the context of a non-governmental organisation. The day also helped spread the credibilty and effectiveness of Spirulina, particularly as it is still a product many are unaware of. Buying from an NGO will hopefully educate people to look beyond Spirulina as just a health supplement, engage them in global issues and allow individuals to look at its benefits in the wider social context.

Sharana as role model

Another way the Spirulina project reflects positives, is through its links to other Pondicherry organisations. Alongside distributing Spirulina to the homework club children, Sharana provides its Spirulina to other NGOs and associations at a cut-price charge, supporting a variety of projects through its provisions of the health product. These institutions include ‘Arul Ashram’, an HIV/AIDs home, ‘Lead Society’, an educational/arts society for local slum children, ‘Hearts Home’, a christian community based organisation for the sharing of love, friendship and daily life and ‘Cert India’, a hospital for patients of leprosy/school for physcically and mentally impaired children. Spirulina has become an important part of these organisations and Sharana’s constant ties with them has built a support network across the social sector in Pondicherry which includes regular visits to these differing projects.

Elumalai of ‘Lead Society’, reports increased energy, endurance and concentration among the slum children of his educational centre. Due to the deprivation among the children and poverty in their homes, Spirulina is often the most nutritious and only meal they will receive each evening. Positive effects have come from recent blood tests with HIV positive children at Arul Ashram. After recent blood analysis, white blood cells has shown an increase among the children. Similarly a creche Spirulina was supplied to for over two months, reported an increased count of red blood cells, increased receptivity and concentration in recent tests. Arguably, Sharana is a good model for other small orgnisations wanting to put nutritional health at the centre of their aims and also reproduce it themselves. This would mean more economic and womens empowerment and positive steps towards the environment and good nutrtional health.

It is early days for Sharana Spirulina, but since its launch in February 2008, results have been positive.

Challenges for the future

Future nutrition programmes are vital for raising awareness and gaining acceptance for integration at a local level. Apart from programmes already in place within organisations, discussions are currently in play with the Ministry of Education, for Sharana to expand on its programmes. There are hopes to bring Spirulina to schools followed by its duplication to other villages in the region. Angulakkupan village is an example of a place where Spirulina consumption was introduced. The possible problems come with sustaining programmes in villages where cultural attitudes towards to food are deeply ingrained in the minds of rural people.

This brings to light notions of cultural sensitivity- how is an NGO expected to enforce Spirulina and its benefits without appearing imposing or going against the wishes of the people? I would argue that the grassroots approach of Sharana as an organisation will help this. Work at a grassroots level is often more time consuming, but sensitivity remains in tact and the needs of the people at the basis of all decisions. Similarly social workers can bridge cultural and language barriers and community meetings are held to ensure decisions are made by the people themselves for every project that Sharana puts forward. Time and trust is the essence for Sharana and it is this that makes the association so unique and effective. Spirulina within this NGO sector, highlights this further, reflecting the organisations ethos and holistic approach to expand Spirulinas benefits throughout the social realm.

Amy Sheppey, DiA Volunteer 2008