Where?
Hoikhonei Multi Purpose Hall, Thangkanphai, Saikul, India
Speakers
Paomin (Program Manager)
Hejang (Program Director)
Context of Location
According to Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), of 69,000 South Asians displaced in 2023 – 67,000 are from Manipur in Northeast India, bordering Myanmar. The Manipur displacement has been a significant consequence of ongoing ethnic conflicts, particularly between the Meitei, Naga and Kuki-Zo communities.
The IDPs are living in temporary relief camps with inadequate access to basic necessities such as food, water, healthcare and education. The situation is further complicated by the state’s remote location, limited infrastructure and the complex interplay of ethnic identities.
Violence and clashes have forced many to flee their homes, exposing the failure of the state where the identities of different ethnic groups have been weaponized to serve interests of a powerful few. The region has multiple conflicting claims to land and resources, with armed insurgent tribal groups to defend those claims.
Workshop objective
The main objective of this event was to create awareness and provide training of trainers (ToT) on the concept of Social Capital Credits (SoCCs) for local community champions, village leaders, youth leaders and children’s club leaders, to foster self-reliance, inclusion and community development.
The humanitarian sector often views displaced people as a homogenous group, however there are distinctions, this term can encompass various categories, such as refugees, migrants or internally displaced persons. Displaced people face challenges in resettlement and integration because of the way they are identified and labeled. This event aimed to transcend these labels and divisions, fostering empowerment, self-reliance and inclusion for displaced people
from various categories and migratory backgrounds.
Displacement is just one aspect of their identity, the workshop’s goal was to enable positive expression of other parts of their identity such as being a mother, artist, entrepreneur, digital nomad or community leader. This event was focused on empowering forcibly displaced people in one of the remote parts of Manipur, particularly children and youth leaders, by unleashing their social capital, creativity and guiding their agency to build on their multiple identities and skills. Displaced communities often possess rich social capital but face barriers in accessing financial capital or legal employment in their host countries. Through Social Capital Credits (SoCCs), displaced people can access, measure and create income-producing opportunities.
SoCCs transactions can also help them barter their skills, eg. translating, language teaching, cooking, childcare, art, sports or digital literacy, when they do not have money to access from the open market.
Event Key Learnings and Outcomes
SoCCs in Manipur
This session explored the concept of SoCCs, highlighting its alignment with traditional social support systems. Key components were presented: Earning SoCCs: Participating in community service activities. Redeeming SoCCs: Exchanging credits for goods, services, and opportunities (e.g., digital learning, skills training).
SoCCs Action Planning
Participants were divided into groups for discussions on community needs and potential SoCCs activities. Each group mapped and voted on earning and redemption options specific to their villages. Examples included: Earning: Cleaning initiatives, tree planting, helping the elderly. Redeeming: Computer classes, water pumps for farming, libraries, vocational training.
SoCCs & Livelihood Programs:
This session connected SoCCs to existing livelihood programs, promoting sustainable practices:
SoCCs & Organic Farming: Individuals can earn SoCCs for organic gardening, receiving high-yielding seeds as redemption.
SoCCs & Double Cropping: SoCCs can be used to acquire water pumps for winter farming, enabling double cropping as an alternative to poppy cultivation.
Outcomes
A project with the 70 participants was planned to implement SoCCs in their villages. This initiative aims to cultivate a culture of maximizing social capital and contributing through social action.






