Madhya Pradesh tops the chart of Economic growth and contribution of Caritas India in it !

Madhya Pradesh tops the chart of Economic growth in India!

This is Headline in Today’s Times of India that “Madhya Pradesh tops the Chart of economic Growth topples Bihar” ( source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Madhya-Pradesh-topples-Bihar-new-No-1-in-economic-growth/articleshow/19282822.cms )

Madhya Pradesh dislodges champion Bihar from its numero unoposition in terms of highest growth of gross state domestic product. The provisional data released by the Central Statistical Organisation for 2012-13 for states shows Bihar's growth has slowed, slipping from an impressive 13.26% last year to a single digit 9.48% this year as against 10% clocked by MP.In Bihar's case, the phenomenal economic expansion it had clocked in recent years shows signs of deceleration. It added Rs 13,679 crore to its GDP, taking its economy from Rs 144,278 crore in 2011-12 to Rs 157,957 crore in the current fiscal. In comparison, MP has fared better, adding more than Rs 20,000 crore to its economy during the last one year, and expanding its GDP from Rs 2,01,290 crore last year to Rs 2,21,463 crore this year.In comparison, Jharkhand and MP have seen its per capita income rise by more than Rs 2,000. In the past five years, Bihar has been on a high growth path, consistently recording double-digit rate: 12% in 2008-09; 11% (2010-11) and 13% (2011-12). The only exception was 2009-10 when the state's GDP grew by a modest 7.09%.MP has been another consistent performer. It grew by 12.47% in 2008-09 .The following year it defied downturn to post a respectable 9.88%. Though it came down to 7.13% the next year, it bounced back to double digit by managing a rate of 11.81% in 2011-12.

Now see how with two project Caritas India along with its 9 Partner Organisation team has contributed in the said economic growth!

Contribution of Caritas India in Madhya Pradesh in last two years ( through JEEVIKA and HARIT PRAYAS) for economic growth ( Source Annual & Half yearly & other reports):

1. Target to whom? •Caters about .75% of tribal households ( Korku, Bhil & Bhilalal)

•Caters about 11398 BPL SC/ST/OBC HHs

•Operates in 168 villages, 115 Panchayats and 10 districts ( includes 8 tribal districts and 6 BRGF districts)

•Caters for most backward region of Madhya Pradesh-Bundelkhand ( Chatarpur, Shivpuri & sagar), Nimad ( Khandwa),, Jhabua-Dhar ( with 50 of tribal population).

Source: Baseline report and Census 2011.

2. Agriculture:

•Contribution in agriculture production is .01338%” ( considering only HARIT PRAYAS field)

•Secured sustainable livelihood of 6700+ SC/ST and OBC HHs

•Enabled 6 villages to adopt 100% organic cultivation by 100% HHS

•Reduced input cost in agriculture by average 80% and increased production by average 35%

•Two women farmers collective in operation with Highest Production of Wheat in Bundelkhand region

•About 4500 HHs received services through KVK after exposure and training under Caritas India project.

3. Citizen Collectiveness

•Formed 98 Farmers Club ( with average 20-25% of women parmers membership) and out of it 44 are approved by NABARD

•Formed 145 Women Collectiveness and out of it 11 are approved by NABARD and 21 are engaged in Income generation activities and average income is about 900 per month ( with part time)

•About 40% of members in SHGs/Mahila Mandals are able to maintain financial records and and about 65% are able to operate through bank ( Source: a simply enquiry from the field staff, is tentative)

4. Governance •93% increase in gram Sabah meetings

•Average Participation on gram Sabha up to 45%

•78 Prastav in gram Sabha

•Enabled 6400 HHs to access NREGA up to 69 days as an average in a year

•76 RTI been filled by community members

5. Income •Average increase in income per HHS per month is 480 ( approx)

•Enabled 6500 HHs to access govt schemes

•Build up the capacity of 7438 Individuals on sustainable income source

•78 youths trained on skill specific trades and are able to earn average of 2200-3500 per month.

•Reduced migration till 20% -25% in compare to average 50-60% of total HHs in 64 villages of Bundelkhand region

Overall result in Madhya Pradesh in last two years: 42% growth ( in compare to baseline survey). This 42% is cumulative of result achieved under HARIT PRAYAS and JEEVIKA project in 168 project villages of 10 Districts.

Caritas India is bringing a New dimension to the development of Madhya Pradesh (with specific to poor and marginalised and ignored) and generating a feeling amongst community to feel a respect for Madhya Pradesh as My Pradesh not a so called BIMARU state.

For any clarification or detail, feel free to get in touch or write to me or log on to the blogs of JEEVIKA 9(www.jeevikacaritas.blogspot.com ) or HARIT PRAYAS (www.haritprayas.blogspot.com) or on www.caritasindia.org or be the friends on facebook or follower on Twitter or watch moving visuals on online channels. Almost everyday updates of Caritas India development initiatives in Madhya Pradesh is available in front of you.

You can watch promotional films of Projects of Caritas In Madhya Pradesh

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szLAVyC6EhA&feature=youtu.be

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDPMC6hORBI By Caritas India JEEVIKA & HARIT PRAYAS team

Field visit plan of Caritas India officer to JEEVIKA field of Jhabua!

3rd April 2013: Travelling from Delhi by Sarvodaya Express

2nd April 2013: Reaching to Meghnagar (morning) : meeting with Director and JEEVIKA team plan for next two days and visit to two project villages

3rd April 2013: Discussion on progress of JEEVIKA & Workshop on "result based monitoring and analysis of the same with JEEVIKA team & will also glance the financial status in compare with result & travelling to Ujjain

PRBHAV-making impact to make change visible: Learning review meet of JEEVIKA In Madhya Pradesh ( 19th-21st April 2013)

Prabhav is a Hindi word meaning impact! The word has been used a s positive sign for indicating change process sthrough genuine interest and passion. In history the word has been effectively used by iron man of India Sardar Ballabh Bhai patel , indicating change process in India through continious effort by freedon figheters. In the same way with JEEVIKA from the beginning of its thought we are able to generate Prabhav ie.e. impact and thus the forth coming review meet will indicate the impact generated by JEEVIKA in last six months.

1. Objective of the meeting:

•To review both the JEEVIKA project in terms of result achievement and process adoption

•To enhance the cross learning amongst the teams of JEEVIKA, Caritas India and community members from the field are of JEEVIKA. 2. Expected outcome:

Both the project JEEVIKA teams have shown the desired result achievement and get capacitated for better performance of the project.

3. Process: (tentative)-could be planned with exact timing also. Day 1:

•We would be starting the day by 9.00 am.

•Presentations of all the five team (JEEVIKA); presentations would be result & process specific. It would be better if the teams would come with some innovative style of presentation (not necessarily power point). On the basis of presentations there would be discussions & inputs from the teams, Caritas India

•Presentations by the team would focus on the last 6 months progress i.e. Oct 2012-March 2013). This would be over by afternoon of the first day and than, there would be discussion on the monitoring tools (which has already prepared by the team) and the application of same in few villages.

Day: 2: (Field visit)

•The purpose of field visit to understand the progress, process and practice at the field level through the application of monitoring tools. It would involve FGD, interview schedules and individual interactions apart from transect walk and observation.

•Field visit to the two villages of JEEVIKA project (at Dhar)-this would involve meeting with CBMOs ( Community Based & Managed Organizations), farm field visits, and interaction with PRIs.

•In the night small cultural programme by the team members of JEEVIKA Day 3:

•Sharing, discussion and recommendations on the basis of field visit

•Discussion on 12th five year plan

•Developing plan for next 6 months ( based on the set results and targets).

4. Gallery walks:

In continuation with the forthcoming Joint meeting Prabhav-making impact to make change visible, we are planning to organize a Gallery Walk during the event.The gallery walk would help the partners to showcase their successes. Apart from this we are planning to present a working model of Village Information Center (VIC) any of the partners interested in working on it could voluntarily come foreward for the same.

5. Who all would be the participants?

From JEEVIKA team: All the team members of JEEVIKA (including field staff, Coordinators & supervisors) along with the Directors would be the participants in the review meeting. Everyone’s participation is must, not mere for the purpose of participation, but for the purpose of learning, sharing and better implementation.

Two/one community members (either CBMO leaders or PRI representatives) from each partner would also be the participant in the review meeting.

Other representatives would be from: Caritas India & NABARD

JEEVIKA Blog crossed 60000 viewership in just 133 days!

www.jeevikacaritas.blogspot.com- India's most read development project blog on Sunday , 24th March 2013 has crossed viewership of 60000 in just 133 days of its initiation. The only key reason for daily increase in viewership is almost daily updates on JEEVIKA blog regarding the 'change based happenings' in the tribal pockets of Madhya Pradesh.

JEEVIKA is an initiative of Caritas India along with Caritas Spain in collaboration with NABARD, KVK and PRI to ensure sustainable livelihood for tribal communities in Madhya Pradesh!

By Caritas India JEEVIKA Programme management team

Empowering korku tribes with RTI@JEEVIKA Khandwa

The Right to Information Act 2005 (RTI) is an Act of the Parliament of India "to provide for setting out the practical regime of right to information for citizens." To strengthen this JEEVIKA KDSS-Khandwa team has facilitated a training on RTI we conducted in village Deolikala center on 9th Feb. 2013.in this training 35 community members participated from different villages together with Jeevika Project staff. For this training we prepared module, collected material for training, selected two or three participants from all 15 villages, handholding support in application process and some RTI reports from community members and staff members that given by Panchayat through RTI filling. Training conducted by Project coordinator and some RTI filling experience shared by project staff members and community members.

After a month of this training 6 RTI applications been filled by community on NREGA and pension.

By JEEVIKA KDSS-Khandwa team

Strengthening NREGA with JEEVIKA approach in tribal pockets@JEEVIKA Shivpuri

21/03/2013 Shivpuri: On one side some of us thought that today will be ends like usual days; than again a new day with same/may be different schedule but on the other hand community people of Kharaibhat and Khorghar villages planned there today a day/more days before. It’s possible with efforts of Community members, Sarpanch – Mr. Arjun Singh Rawat, Secretary, Panchayat members and of course Balveer Singh (Cluster Coordinator in JEEVIKA-GCSS). In a row of Wednesday’s Jan Samasya Nivaran Divas (It is an initiative started after a proposal in 1st Gram Sabha of this year for hearing and solution of problems of villagerst) at Khorghar Panchayat Hall, yesterday community members orally put their proposal for work under MNREGA (community people discussed about work under MNREGA in previous Wednesdays also) in their village. After discussion Sarpanch decided that villagers who really want to work should work on Dhakrona pond and they will be paid according to MNREGA schemes.

On next day (21/032013) Sarpanch reached at village at 8:30 am in morning and grouped community people to work on pond. People seen very happy and enthusiastic, nobody took time and 70 people left villages with Tractor-Trolley and by walk around 9 am with their lunch. Sarpanch explain them about work and 62 community people from youth to elder male-female started working there. Some of them are digging mud with sharp hoes and others are busy in collecting mud with help of mattocks in shiny pans. Arjun Singh is closely watching and encouraging them for work. Some youths have seen playing songs on their mobiles for time pass, some community people passing light jokes on each others. It created a happy environment there. At afternoon the Sun was on its peak and trying to slowdown them with straight heat but they have shown thumb at nose to Sun with their unstoppable hard work. Mr. Balveer Singh found busy with writing their names. I (Nagendra Chaturvedi) stayed there till their lunch and talked with some community people about today’s work. They said they are very happy to work with in village and if it continues like that than why they will go to work outside.

With a positive smile, hope and empty stomach I went back to Shivpuri and had lunch.

*Note*: 20th March 2013 was 8th consecutive Wednesday in a series of Jan Samasya Nivaran Divas after 26th January’s Gram Sabha of this year at Khorghar Panchayat.

This is Nagendra Chaturvedi (Project Coordinator at JEEVIKA-GCSS, Gwl). We will meet soon with more new stuff. Thanks …

Empowering tribal women farmers through largest agriculture university in Madhya Preadesh@ JEEVIKA Umariya

19th March 2013: Today, JEEVIKA pali ( Umariya, Madhya Pradesh) team has visited the JNKVV (Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Jabalpur. For more on this log on to http://www.jnkvv.nic.in/. JNKVV is the largest agriculture university in Madhya Pradesh ) campus to see various scientific method of Agriculture on farm as well as organic farming technology.

So, first of all, we have visited the Director of Extension, where Dr. Y.N.Sharma give information in detail about organic farming and after that visited the Medicinal and Aromatics garden where we see thousands of medicinal and aromatic plant species which are very important uses in daily routine life, after that we go to Breeding farm, there Dr. S. K. Rao give information to didi (tribal women) about how to produce self seed and methods of hybrid seed production of paddy, gram, wheat and lentil and give information about use of hybrid and improved seed and there benefit.

After that we have visited the fisheries farm where Dr. Mahajan suggested to didis that how fisheries along with agriculture is beneficial to the farmer and how it will increase our income and reduce the risk in agriculture.

In the afternoon we visited the horticulture farm where we see the live demonstration of intercultural cropping system, mix crop and vegetable production in green houses and poly houses and last in evening we visited vegetable farm where we see insect and disease management in crop like chilly, brinjal ,tomato etc. by organic methods and by the using organic manure like vermin compost, culture and how production can in increase.

In this whole day visit didis ( tribal women’s from villages) are very inquisitive and ask there queries without hesitation and participated very actively and are very happy.

Soon we would signing an MoU with JNKVV to support JEEVIKA project on regular basis!

By JEEVIKA JDSS Jabalpur team while travelling from Jabalpur to Umariya ( night 10.30 pm)

TRAINING ON SHGs : Concept at Village Level@JEEVIKA Umarya

17 March 2013 Pali/Umariya (Madhya Pradesh): Self Help Groups are our primary unit of social mobilization at the grassroots. Over the long term, we expect these SHGs to provide an enabling and supportive environment in which women from marginalised communities are able to dream, plan and their situation. In our understanding,these long term gains are only possible when women meet regularly over the long term,and have some experience making small practicable improvement in their lives around the economic and social realm.

We therefore invest significant time and energy to develop robust, high performing groups. This process starts with joint development, acceptance and internalization of SHG rules and norms. An early focusis also on savings and credit, which is an everyday need for most poor families.

JEEVIKA team organised community meetings on today in JDSSS Jonal Office Kumardu village to interact with the 27 women’s of Kumardu and Malyaguda village and discuss the issues, their concern and the opportunities available so them. Mr. Umesh Soni from PRADAN, Mandla was the Resource Person of this Concept Seeding programme .The concept of SHG was shared with the community and finally they make SHG and Jeevika team is leading the roll of capacitating them.

By JEEVIKA JDSS Jabalpur team ( reporting from Pali, late evening 17th March 2013)

Change for generations-through JEEVIKA@Shivpuri

Shivpuri (Madhya Pradesh, Feb 2013): When there are community members in some villages taking regular benefits under Mukhyamantri Awas Yojna (MAY) and Indra Awas Yojna (IAY) ready to live in their new houses; Neemdanda is a village who haven’t seen a house constructed under both schemes. They are living in small mud houses for years with 6-8 members or more in a family. This we are seeing for last 5 months. But our 5 month of hardship of fetching faith of community not went in vain. Till February most of community people are scattered and not uniting for a cause but in first week of Feb they unite for their rights and a group of 20 community people submitted an application in Public hearing for District Collector on not getting benefits of MAY and IAY. It fetched Collector’s attention and he planned a camp in Neemdanda village on 21st February 2013. Before that visit, all other govt. officials reached there for knowing the actual situation of village and checked all documents of Sarpanch and Secretary, School, Anganwadi etc. Sarpanch distributed 50 job cards for beneficiaries. Patwari and Tahsildar measured actual land for villagers and shown community 25 Beegha land for shifting there village. But in between Commissioners and Collector’s visit cancelled due to certain reasons.

Copy of land reords of NEEMEDA village.

Now community is thinking about shifting from there on their own land and when ever they are ready process will start. They thanked us for uniting them and we are thanking them for their courage and unity. “Together we stand alone we fall”.

Patwari Mr. Manoj Khateek showing us proposed land for shifting Neemdanda Village

By JEEVIKA GCSS-Gwalior team

This is called a change! an impact by JEEVIKA on empowering community to strengthen Gramsabha and make public work done @Ujjain

In the month of January Kripa has organized awareness Programme on Gram Sabha and Conducted rally in Surasa village and Baba Badarka village. Awareness programme and rally really helped the people to think about to participate in the Gram Sabha. As result 30 women participated in the Gram Sabha from Baba Badarka and Surasa. Surasa village have the panchayat bhavan and the PDS shop and people from three villagers are buying ration form this PDS. The road to the panchayat bhavan and PDS shop was kacha and filled with dirt. In the rainy session problem was in the extreme level which people find difficult to walk. People used to fell down in the road and some times they lost their wheat and other things. So the people decided to present the issue in the gram sabha meeting and gave application to repair the road. On 26th January 2013, 30 people from Surase and Baba Badarka village went the gramasabha. People were patiently waiting for sarpanch till 2 PM and at last they submit the application through secretary. So panchyat president had to start the CC work of the road. He had finished the work with in one month. After the incident women got confidence among themselves and they understood the importance of participating on the gram sabha meeting.

By JEEVIKA Kripa Ujjain team

JEEVIKA bringing social change in Ujjain!

This is one of the the key challenge in the project villages in Ujjain :

Lack of unity among villagers is the main problem to work in Panvihar Village. Men flock do not allow the women to attend the meeting conducted by the staff in village. Staffs are continuing their interaction among the people especially with the men. Men demand that we are ready to form the self help groups provided the organisation has to give Rs. 50000 to each member as loan with 50% subsidy. Alcoholism is a main problem for the smooth implementation of the project in the villages. Male members of the villages are going for the work but they do not use their earning for their house hold purpose they use the entire money for purchasing alcohol. Quarrel among the husband and wife is a very common in this villages because male members not allow the females to mingle with the outsiders and other male people those who are living in Panvihar village. Effort of the cluster coordinator is continuing to motivate the people and to make them understand the nature of the project and its result.

And considering challenge what we have initiated is:

Buchakhedy is one of the villages coming under the Jeevika project. Kripa was finding great difficulty to open its self help groups in this village. The main reason for the slow process of getting support from the people was alcoholism. 100% of grown up men in the villages are addicted to alcohol. They begin their day by taking the alcohol. As the team started its intervention team could realise that the change in the life style of the people in this village is depending on the habit of alcoholic. Kripa should take some step to aware the people on the bad effect of the alcoholism. So on 18th February 2013 Kripa arranged an awareness programme in collaboration with the social justice department. Kala Pathak Del from Social justice department came with staff to BuchakhedY for the programme. Kala Pathak Del sang various songs on the theme of alcoholism and its bad effect. Mr. Shilendra Bhutt and Mrs. Rajani gave classes to the people about the alcoholism. There were 109 people (male- 73, female-36) for the programme. Mr. Andhersingh, secretary of the panchayat appreciated the programme. After the programme Mrs. Ajodhiya Bai, Mrs. Reena Bai and Mrs. Kamala Bai tolled that we should give complaint to police to stop illegal sale of alcoholism in the village.

By JEEVIKA Kripa Ujjian team

Using local media to bring out change in society@JEEVIKA Jhabua

A street play had been organised in village Rojiya and Chota Jhulwaniya on the date 26/02/2013 for addressing the issue of Mal Nutrition and role of Anganwadi and PDS, in which total 300 respondents were taken participation in this event.During street it was observed that people know anganwadi and PDS just for taking benefits or we can say taking food items from it. They even don’t know what are its importance in their daily life?, How it functions?,even don’t know who is Anganwadi worker of their respective villages.

Firstly, we had done street play in village named Rojiya around 12pm where total 150 respondents take participate in which 80 men and 70 women alongwith youths and childrens were present there.Play start with the traditional folk song comprises importance of PDS and Anganwadi.Then slowly shifted towards the act play for addressing the above issues.The players play a significant role in solving the problems of village for not understanding about role of Anganwadi and PDS in their village.After the end of the play villagers had been asked by our colleagues that what they have understand from the play?and the sabha is open for discussion.Answer that comeout from them was very surprisingly. They tell that nobody had tell them before like this about anganwadi and PDS in a way that we are telling them.They said that the tool that we are using for creating awareness was very good and which makes villagers to be in a comfort zone for understanding the problems and its ultimate solutions for the well being of the village.

Secondly,we went to village chota jhulwaniya at 7pm where 170 people were the key participants in which 90 women and 80 men were present there.The same line up also followed here,starting with folk song and all........ .The main thing that to be focused there is that the village is very near to thandla block with only 5km even though the understanding of men women both towards Anganwadi and PDS was very poor.They even don’t know for what? they have to go for anganwadi. The main reason behind is that the whole village is effected by groupism between the leaders of the village.

In spite of that they had paid very keen interest towards the play and act as a patience listener.During discussion they had also told that the information given by our team was very much useful for them and they will definitely implement the knowledge which they getting form the play in their families and personal life.

By JEEVIKA Jhabua team ( Pragati Sansthan)

Bringing institutional change through community empowerment@JEEVIKA Jhabua

This is a case of a village Rojiya where a group of 50 peoples had given an application for the construction of deceat Pond to the Devka panchayat during gram sabha and after one month the requisition for the pond is granted from the the Janpad Panchayat.For this, the project staff along with the villagers were worked very hard for the requisition. Now the work for the layout process and construction was started.For Proof we are attaching scan image of Letter proof given by Devka Panchayat:

Layout Process been done with the help of Janpad Panchayat Engineer at village Rojiya

By JEEVIKA Jhabua team

Enabling community to access government schemes through Antodya mela@Dhar

Mela was organized by District & Block authorities at Mhow block, to give opportunity to large number of villagers to interact with various Dist. & block dept authorities so that linkages are established and people become aware of various and how to access such central and state govts. Schemes easily. Infact this was a very large scale gathering which is very useful for the villagers. The interaction with higher level of govt. authority encourages the villagers to proceed ahead without much doubts and suspicions.

There were nearly 3500 tribal and other backward class people who were informed by District & Block authorities about the “Antyodaya Mela” and the developmental opportunities and how to get it through proper channel. We took initiative and motivated 60 farmers club and SHG members from our Jeevika target villages. All of them were enriched by great experience and promised to motivate others for the access of various schemes.

As a lead the coordinator interacted with the authorities from Agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry, forest dept, block panchayat officials and other district / block coordinators and guided how to collaborate and make good rapport with officials as well as how to linkage with our project Jeevika activities with other departmental programming’s.

By JEEVIKA Indore team

Strengthening People Led Development Approach through JJEEVIKA@Dhar

At Kaparkheda village the hand pump which was the only source of drinking water for almost 35 families. All of sudden it was stopped pumping water, the suspected reason was due to ground water level had gone down. Since this was the only source available, so most of the village women were badly affected and worried. The leaders of farmers club and women’s group members gathered together and decided to approach PHE department at Manpur. So much so they made a collection to put petrol in the vehicle of the sent representative and made sure that work should be done by all means.

Since the appeal was so strong that the technicians from PHE dept. immediately followed-up and extended the 10 iron pipes of 100 feet deeper, which resulted sufficient water supply to the community for drinking facilities. Indeed all of us felt that it is a very good example of the effect of PLD (People Led Development) approach by the village leaders. In near future too we shall promote such effort.

By JEEVIKA IDSSS-Indore team

Creating a platform for sustianable livelihood for Korku tribes@JEEVIKA Khandwa

With JEEVIKA we also believe and strengthen the concept that learning must be shared and reach to the masses, keeping the same concept the results of the JEEVIKA in Khandwa ( with Korku tribes) in terms of access to NREGA, promotion of sustainable agriculture and accessing information on govt. schemes. The work and impact of JEEVIKA is so intense that all the major media houses have covered the impact of JEEVIKA on Korku tribes.

With JEEVIKA Korku tribes of Madhya Pradesh are getting a better and sustainable livelihood options!

Korku is a scheduled tribe (ST) community predominantly found in the East Nimar (Khandwa and Burhanpur), Betul and Chhindwara districts of Madhya Pradesh and adjoining areas in Melghat region of Maharastra in India speaking the Korku language, which is a member of the Austroasiatic language family. Korkus have derived their name from the combination of the word ‘koru’ meaning man and ‘ku’ which makes it plural meaning tribal man (Russell and Hiralal, 1916).The Korkus are a branch of the great Munda tribes and are placed here in the vicinity of the great tribe- the Gonds (Deogaonkar et al., 1990). Korkus are initially believed to be a hunting gathering community dwelling in the forests of Satpura ranges on either sides of the river Tapti. The Korku tribe lives in small groups of huts made of grass and wood. Every household has elevated stage like structure in the front side of the house. This elevated stage is used as a storage space of farm produce such as cattle feed. They socially consume liquor made from the flowers of the Mahua treewhich is prepared in almost all the houses. Predominantly, a rural-based community with 98.74 per cent living in rural areas, Korkus are primarily cultivators. Whilst they share the love of the forests with the Gonds, they are also excellent agriculturists and in Bhainsdehi tahsil of Betul district have pioneered the cultivation of potato and coffee. According to the 1981census, 46.42 percent of them are workers. Of these, 48.38 percent are cultivators, 46.47 percent are agricultural labourers, 2.30 percent are engaged in rearing livestock, forestry, fishing, etc. The remaining 2.85 percent are engaged in various other occupations such as mining and quarrying, household industries, construction, trade and commerce, etc. They have achieved a literacy rate of only 6.54 percent as recorded by the 1981 census. While 11.68 percent of their males are literate, among females the literacy rate is 1.24 percent. Women play significant roles in the economic life of the society as they work as agriculturists and agricultural wage laborers. The community is the home to a unique and distinct culture, possesses a rich heritage of age old traditional systems more pertinently in terms of indigenous knowledge, beliefs, customs and social system. Traditional representative body of the society known as ‘Korku Panchayat’ is found in many villages. Headed by a chief known as Patel, other members in the Panchayat includePadihar (priest), Kotwar (Chaukidar) and ten to twelve older male members of the community known as Panch. It plays a decisive role during traditional occasions mainly in festivals, marriages and intra and inter-village conflict resolutions. Notoriously known for many reasons like widespread poverty, hunger, malnutrition, mass scale exploitations by moneylenders and traders, the community confronts with numerous socio-economic challenges in the day-to-day life partly due to the poor natural resource bases. Agriculture though the primary source of livelihoods for most of the community members, many of them earn their livelihoods seasonally employed as agricultural labourers.

For more on JEEVIKA log on to www.jeevikacaritas.blogspot.com or watch JEEVIKA on JEEVIKA MP Channel

Empowering marginalized tribal women to ensure and secure their livelihood!

With JEEVIKA in Madhya Pradesh Caritas India and its 7 partner organisations are enhancing the capacities of women and creating a platform for them to share their concerns and get their rights. In connections with the same in 7 districts of JEEVIKA ( Umariya, Shehore, Shivpuri, Khandwa, Dhar, & Ujjain) women's day ( specifically with marginalized tribal women) has been celebrated with community on 8th March 2013. Important to notice that celebration was not in the way of just celebration, but focus has been given on making women to realise their potential, being and active member and community in gram panchayat and gram sabha, recognising women farmers and ensuring women specific livelihood opportunities in the local context. In total almost 972 women have participated in all the 7 districts. Below are few photographs from Umariya district (Madhya Pradesh).

JEEVIKA is a joint initiative of Caritas India and Caritas Spain along with KVK, NABARD and PRI.

By JEEVIKA coordinating Caritas India team