I fully agree with Vicram and others who feel its only fair that we give the new organisation a chance to do good and succeed.
Dhaval & Aravind, you are both right & wrong. You are right that large parts of the India Program's strategic decisions went wrong and should bear the major blame for the organisation's failure, but it is equally true in the debate which followed, no matter how justifiable, a lot of negative energy entered the atmosphere, making things difficult and disheartening for anyone who wanted to work sincerely. I'm sure I must contributed some of that negative energy myself too. So without trying to blame anyone, what Ravi said was essentially true also.
But let us not allow the sad failure of India Program to deny us the new hope! Let us hope this program with new people heading it, lead to new opportunities, new challenges and new successes!
Lastly, I would request the new A2K Program people to ignore the tone of some of the messages and instead concentrate on the kernel of truth that some of these messages concern -
- that the community is suspicious of programs where not enough Wikimedians/people who are editors have been employed or made part of the process. The Wikimedian community is uber sensitive to non-Wikimedians coming in with their initiatives and good intentions, no matter how genuine. Sometimes, we Wikimedians tend to throw the baby out with the bath-water. Cant help it, once burnt, twice shy. - that while a part of the Wikimedian community is right now in support of A2K just based on pure faith, the A2K can build up that support base of the remaining community enormously by engaging the community and its concerns and by a solid track record of work done and promises fulfilled. - that many Wikimedians are protective of the Chapter and feel that it has been neglected or treated badly by the WMF. We need the A2K to build a healthy, complementary relationship with the Chapter - not a competitive one. We need the A2K to have a close fit with the Chapter, taking up initiatives where Chapter and its volunteers find it difficult to succeed, and avoiding the space meant for normal wikimedians. - Though the grant to A2K is from the WMF, the Wikimedian Community feels it is the judge and jury as to deciding whether the money has been spent well or frivolously. Lots of honest communication is required all the time. Remember that WMF grants are not the Foundation's money, but donations by tens of thousands of the supporters of the movement all over the world.
On my part, I pledge my cooperation to A2K, as I have done to the Chapter, and to India Program in the past.
Lastly, I request my fellow Wikimedians that any further queries to A2K may be started on a new thread and in neutrally phrased language so that the A2K gets a fair chance.
Happy editting all!
AshLin