Strengthening democracy through JEEVIKA @Umariya

As we know the month of November was full of campaigning for election. Vidhansabha election in MP was on 25th of November. The political parties were deeply involved in attracting the voters to vote for their party and their candidates. Election Commission has run the awareness for larger amount of voting this time in this context the women of SHGs have also been motivated by the jeevika team to vote as it is their right. Members of SHGs have been encouraged at all the villages for lager participation in voting.

The women have also ensured to encourage others also to vote as it is their right.

For more on Caritas India JEEVIKA log on to www.jeevikacaritas.blogspot.com

By JEEVIKA Umariya (JDSS-Jabalpur team)

Strengthening Aanganbadis with Bal Vikas of JEEVIKA @ Umariya

One of the major acheivemnt is the commencement of Bal Vikas at the project area. This program is supported by Women and Child Dept. Bal choupal will be conducted on 25th of every month at the aaganwadi centre of the villages. The objective of the program is to teach 8-10 good habits to the children of 0-6 age group at the aaganbadis. In this month 16 children and 13 women were participated in the Bal-Choupal. Sr. Mukti and Pratap from jeevika team were present at aaganbadi of village Maliyaguda. The means of transport have been discussed in the Bal Vikas in this month.

By JEEVIKA Umariya ( JDSS-Jabalpur team)

First step towards the success@JEEVIKA Umariya

Village- Timani

Laxmi Swasahayata Samooh

The SHG members of Laxmi Swa Sahayata Samooh are united with each other through monthly meeting. It allowed them to thinkover for helping one another and to grow in different way of livelihood earning. As a result of this they got the fantastic idea to buy an Udanpankha for their SHG which will be used to refine the paddy from choppers easily in less time during harvesting. They decided to buy it from market but jeevika team advised them to approach agriculture department for the equipment rather than buying from market. The members of SHG visited to agriculture dept. Pali and got the udanpankha in Rs. 700/- only which has more than 1000/- rupees price in the market. The Fan is being used by the members in turn. They are very happy after using it as it saves time and labor both.

They pay Rs.25/- as rent and depositing the money into SHGs account. Again few members thought to give it to others also and charge Rs 50/- per day as rent and deposit the received amount into Laxmi SHG account. The SHG members are planning to start a seed bank through receiving 1-2 kg of different seeds from the users of udavani pankha despite receiving them money which will help in establishment of seedbank also and farmers will get local seeds from the seed bank in reasonable rate. It is all about the efforts and hard work of the Laxmi Swa sahayata Samooh which is on the way of strengthening themselves. The women are helping each other and they don’t need to go to Sahookars and Mahajans for financial support.

By JEEVIKA Umariya (JDSS-Jabalpur team)

WHO is VIP?-Suitcase, high level people or poor & marginalized?

Yeh mudda Varchasv ka...ya phir Naam ka...ya samman ka...ya kisi ke adhikaar ka?

Recently heard about VIP (Very Important Person) culture and difficulties to common people because of VIP culture or movement… since my childhood days...i am listening this so called word VIP ( although initially I was confused with VIP suitcase).....still I do not understand how with position one can become VIP.....

....I think people who are deprived , socially excluded and marginalized are VIP’s....they actually need attention and support…they are more important.....

....in my opinion VIP should be the next term to be used in development sector and in policies for deprived and marginalized...as its the term for Very Important Person...it means someone who need special care and attention…someone who need special space on roads….someone who needs special priorities in meetings….someone who need special treatment in and need to be called in big parties…interestingly none of the marginalised and deprived are VIP’s….and they are in other cadre-LIP’s ( Least Important Person) …..

...We need to see who actually need to treated as VIPs? I believe deprived and marginalised people need it more than those who actually called as 'VIP' or avail facilities of VIPs.....

By Vinod Pandey Caritas India

PRABHAV-2 : JEEVIKA review cum learning cycle meet@Ujjain ( 11th-13th Dec 2013)

Prabhav (Impact) is been named for Caritas India JEEVIKA review and learning cycle meet-where in partners of JEEVIKA programme of Caritas India along with their entire team, community members from the project villages and government officials and team members of Caritas India participate and share their experiences of working/implementing/knowing JEEVIKA and taking learning’s to contribute for the development of Madhya Pradesh.

Prabhav – 2 review meet cum learning cycle has been a beautiful journey for analyzing the true impact of JEEVIKA development initiative by Caritas India with support from caritas Spain. After one year successful implementation of JEEVIKA Project, our responsibility for social development has more increased, which could be realized more effectively during this occasion. Through a series of enlightening activities and presentations, a consensus of more effective and impactful social intervention has been developed, with a promise to bring joyful smile on community faces.

Although our process of this review was not constraint to any limit or particular agenda, but some of key areas have been selected to meet present needs and national scenarios, like:

• To learn from the process and results of 1st year JEEVIKA implementation

• To plan out and strengthen the implementation of second year activities

• To capacitate Partner organization and Project teams on new Acts (NFSA, Land Acquisition)

• Enhanced capacity of the JEEVIKA team to achieve desired result of the project

• Improved competence of JEEVIKA staff for better performance

• To make a consensus for more effective social intervention

• To plan out the strategies of Prabhav – 3 review meeting.

Prabhav – 2 review meet, as imagined, started like most awaited occasion of year. Participants’ faces were full of joy and confidence, which enforced us to believe on sustainable impact creation through JEEVIKA. Blessings of Most Rev. Bishop Mar Sebastian Vadake , Ujjain, thoroughly filled us with positive energy. Respected directors, government officials, PRI members and CBMO members also joined us to make this event more worthful.

This 3 – day review meet was divided in few activities, started with partner presentations and concluded with some most remarkable achievements, overall, as:

• JEEVIKA has been created a positive impact on sustainable agricultural practices, through organic farming, SRI and other modern cum environment healthy farming, better water and soil management practices,

• Impact of JEEVIKA on MNREGA, RTI and Gram Sabha has been also underlined by growth in average number of working days/payments, increased RTI applications and participation at Gram Sabha meetings, etc.

• Thematic presentations made it possible to see JEEVIKA’s impact more thoroughly and to plant out their strategies for creating a sustainable impact,

• Various community members and government officials also appreciated JEEVIKA’s performance and prayed for continue such an important initiative “JEEVIKA”,

• Exposure of Ujjain project area, remarked some of most sustainable achievements of project, like organic farming, CBMO formation, government linkage, etc.

Cross learning was also an important reason for conducting Prabhav – 2 review meet. Directors, community members and project staff shared their experiences and made it possible. Some of key learnings are:

• Better understanding of Land Acquisition Act and NFSA (National Food Security Act) has been made and staff were suggested to include it in their project activities,

• Staff understood the importance of evening cum night meetings and promised to use it,

• Partners made consensus on exit strategy for CBMOs, so that CBMOs can be sustain their growth,

• Project staff understood the importance of government schemes and skill building linkages for sustainable development, Prabhav – 2 meet was not just limited to JEEVIKA activities, it spread its circle and understood the very shame of Mal-nutrient and unavailability of sufficient food. All project staff and community members pledged to fight against it collectively and create a supportive environment to overcome it.

Second year planning has also been planned out during this occasion. Partners have been suggested to use their unmatchable experience and knowledge to effectively implement this project.

At last, award ceremony has been organized, in presence of Bishop Swami ……….., Ujjain. Although efforts of all JEEVIKA members were unmatchable, but to recognize some efforts and motivate others to do same, some JEEVIKA members has been awarded for their remarkable achievements, on the basis of last six-month performance. Award category and winners are:

• 1st Best Performing Partner organisation to implement JEEVIKA : Pragati Jhabua

• 2nd Best Performing Partner Organisation to implement JEEVIKA: Kripa Ujjain

• Best Director: Fr. Simon Raj (IDSSS-Indore)

• Best Project Coordinator: Mr. Nagendra Khanabadosh (GCSS-Gwalior)

• Best Field Coordinator: Mr. Arpit Kadam (IDSSS-Indore)

• Best Cluster Coordinator: Ms. Saima (ANWC-Bhopal)

Partners appreciated our effort and thanked Mr. Vinod Pandey, Program Officer, JEEVIKA Project, for his continuous guidance and support. Kripa Ujjain has been appreciated for their well-managed event, which made it possible to carry forward the journey of Prabhav – 1, Indore.

As concluding remarks, Mr. Vinod Pandey, thanked all directors, JEEVIKA staff and community members to participate at Prabhav – 2 and heartily wish to continue this journey with hope and extraordinary passion.

....No mall but today we have local haat because of JEEVIKA!

In cities we have big malls and multiplexes where we can shop ..we have online platforms to buy anything anytime…....

but…..

Imagine…

A village where there is no market place….

People have to walk kilometer to buy small things….

Now think…

How people survive with difficulty in access to basic commodities …

With JEEVIKA in Umariya district..SHG members ( formed under CARITAS INDIA JEEVIKA ) thought on this mobilized all local vendors…met with Bazar (Market) Samiti ( Institution) members and now its first time that in Timini village of Umariya district a village haat (local market) has started from 1st Nov 2013… The Bazaar samiti has been formed in the village. Mr. Biharilal Gupta is the president and Harshvardhan Singh is the secretary of the samiti. Two women of SHG have also their shops in the Bazaar : One with her manihari things and another with grocery (Kirana) shop.

We cannot imagine the happiness of people having their own local market in their own village…villagers get almost all commodities of their regular use from vegetables to clothes, from agriculture equipment’s to spices, from kitchen items to carpets in their own village and is possible to SHG members of Timani village !

Filling of organic pits with earth worms@JEEVIKA Jeevika Shivpuri

This is ongoing activity of demonstration of organic pits in which we pour worms in pits. So that process of making manure will start. We poured 21 pits with 1 Kg worms/pit.

With this process community people will get good quality manure and use it in their farms. It will cut off their expenses in farming. And it’s a start of moving them towards organic farming. By which more farmers will move towards organic farming.

JEEVIKA Shivpuri (GCSS-Gwalior) team attended One day workshop on linkages of SHGs with Banks organized by NABARD-Shivpuri

This is a one day workshop session on linkages of SHGs with Banks organized by NABARD-Shivpuri in which 3 GCSS team members represented NGO. In this meeting 30 Branch Managers, Area Officers, Assistants from all RRB banks of Shivpuri Dist. were present there. We told them about our problems related to account opening and linkages of SHGs with banks. They also given us some suggestion for easy process and assured for full help.

LDM-Mr. Ashok Kothari, DDM-Shivpuri-Mr. B.S. Wakchaure and Mr. N.N. Sharma-Credit Manager, Mr. Gupta-Regional Manager facilitated workshop session.

Yes we can!:@JEEVIKA Shivpuri (GCSS-Gwalior)

When we went to Sikrawada on 14th of this month almost 30 women and some males of community were arguing each other on an issue. When we asked them what’s the matter? Mr. Kamlesh Tiwari (Coordinator) at DPIP told us that “we are planning to start a Stitching Training Center here for 3 month in which 2 Professional trainers one Madam from Gwalior and one from Shivpuri give them training. As well as certificates and Swinging machine will be given to each member. But problem is that neither they are getting ready to go in nearby community nor agree to start it here itself”.

Than we talked to women they said we’ll not go there because if we go there we must have to go with naked feet and carry slippers in our hands because they belongs from upper caste. So we don’t want to participate in this training.

Than we talked them about possibilities of conducting training at here itself in between our community people, so they said its dirty room without plaster at walls and floor, how we can do it here. After long discussion with community members, other caste people and Coordinator of DPIP; we decided to start cleaning of Room and Place. At beginning nobody took interest in cleaning of place but Jeevika Team members started by themselves, seeing us working for them after a minute, one after one all women unite and cleaned that place and room just in 30 minutes and 1st day of training started with members from Sikrawada and Sikrawadi village.

At last most of them said: we wasted our 3 hours in arguments and over all process took only 30 minutes. Now we are feeling happy and we will learn together.

JEEVIKA project villages of Jhabua and November 2013!

In India November month is well known for its harvesting season and religious festivals. A light of hope and joy can be easily seen on community’s brighter faces. Farmers seemed busy for harvesting during this whole period. Markets seemed very crowded because of money flow in community’s pockets. Money from khariff season doubled their joy of festivals, which resulted as unexpected hike of commodity prices.

Legislative elections during the month also kept busy people in healthy political discussions. Even after election people seemed interested to talk about possible winning of their favorite candidates. Community also looked frustrated about unreasonable delay of administrative processes, due to elections.

Community started their practices to preserve food for future purpose. Preservation of food grain was on top priority. Some villagers also preserved vegetables by drying it in sunlight. Community understood the effect of climate change and trying to mitigate it by adopting such practices.

Reduction is the amount of rain, also motivated villagers to start again their MNREGA work. They looked happy after getting local job opportunities, which filled their pockets with money, once again. There was some road maintenance work has been completed during the month, roads, those shape has been completely vanished during mansoon season, came back in their actual shape.

Farmers seemed busy in farm preparation for Rabi season. Heavy rain, in past few months, has given a hopeful prospectus of good agricultural production. Agriculture department also understood the need of season and introduced new schemes. Farmers seemed busy, and were visiting agriculture department, for quality seeds and technical support.

Women plays a very important role for cultural flow, it can be easily seen throughout the month, where women were busy in various activities, from agriculture to festival preparation. Children were feeling relaxed, due to festival break, from studies.

Skill Building Workshop for Jeevika Staff@JEEVIKA Jhabua

After one year implementation of Jeevika project, we organize a workshop cum review meeting at Pragati office, Meghnagar, from 18 November-13 to 21 November-13. During this six day workshop, Jeevika project has been reviewed completely and consensus has been made.

After review and skill assessment of staff, it has been decided to train staff on some development issues, like RTI, Social Audit, Micro Planning and MNREGA. Workshop has been organized, in such a way so that they can share their field experiences, on the spot, and get appropriate solutions. Staff has been motivated to analyse jeevika project themselves and perform some innovative activities. They have been encouraged to increase community participation at Jeevika activities. Some strategic innovations have been decided and included in planning, at workshop.

Bringing women leadership@JEEVIKA Caritas India

Sunni Malla Singh lives in Chotajulwaniya, which is 5 KM far from Thandla Tehsil, Jhabua. She has 2 bigha agricultural land, which is very less for having a prosperous life. She had 5 children and whole family depends on agriculture for their livelihoods. When Jeevika team first started its activity in Chotajulwaniya, Sunni was very shy and hardly participated in its activities. But after continuous motivation, she found it interesting and started to participate in each activity of Jeevika.

After joining Jeevika, she formed her SHG and started taking new initiatives. She was so motivated for model farming, which enforced us to select her as model farmer. She also motivated her husband Mr. Malla Singh to join Kisan club of Chotajulwaniya. She showed her leadership skills, when she went to Jhabua jansunwai for submitting application for well, Hand-pump and village road. She has also planted fruit plants at their farm land. She told us that she will plant more fruit plants in next season, because it will give her more sustainable income.

She has been also started to take benefits of government schemes and keep herself regularly in touch of agriculture department. She has also started to adopt organic farming in this month, on small scale. She told that since it is very risky to adopt organic farming completely, because her livelihoods completely depends on it, but if it will give them positive results, she will adopt it completely. She is illiterate, but after listening Radio at VIC, she found it useful and decided to buy her personal Radio. She also motivates others to buy one, so that people learn useful things about health, education and agriculture. Her positive attitude, to learn new things and readiness to adopt it, always inspires others.

1st 100% Solar village in Indore through JEEVIKA effort!

Climate Change Survey at project villages@JEEVIKA Jhabua

Jhabua is a hilly region, which is very exposed to climate change. To find out the impact of this climate change, we conducted a survey and we found very heart-breaking results from it. We found climate change has been is very big hurdle for development of region. Since Jhabua is a hilly region, which make it more sensitive to heavy/low rain or summer or cold. It made it unable to predict or plan any activity for local community. Agricultural has been facing more worse results about this, because here agriculture completely depends on climatic situation and slight change in climate directly affects their agricultural production, so as their annual income.

Introduction of Jeevika Patal@JEEVIKA Jhabua

In project villages, it has been found that most of the farmers or community members can’t attend our all meetings, due to their personal commitments, which make them unaware about various useful information and lead them nowhere. Also very few people own TV or radio, having electricity problems, which cut-off them completely from outer world. To solve this social problem, we came up with the idea of Jeevika Patal, so that people can read useful information at Patal and take benefit from it.

Jeevika Patals have been introduced, all 12 project villages, as a communication tool. We are planning to establish it, at all 14 project villages. It will be utilized as all communication purpose, related to Jeevika activities, government schemes, PRI information cum announcements, employment news and other important activities.

Jeevika staff has been told to promote Jeevika Patal, as much as possible. We are planning to promote it at all levels, including community, government departments, PRIs, schools and other institutions. Project Coordinator Vishwa Raj Singh told to link all Jeevika Communication Platforms (VIC, MNREGA Pathshala and Jeevika Patal), so that when people know about one platform, he also become interested in other platforms and reap complete benefits from social activities. It has been promoted like a important place, so that villagers become habitual to come there, daily.

We are planning to make Jeevika Patals at each faliya of each project village. We are very careful about the location of Jeevika Patals. It has been already instructed to place Jeevika Patal at visible and crowded area, in faliya/village. It is a start for complete social mobilization, let us see when community understand its importance and become habitual of it.

Raising Awareness about Voting Rights@JEEVIKA Jhabua

This time highest voting in Madhya Pradesh elections in Nov 2013-how JEEVIKA contributed for it at Jhabua?

Read this.....

November had been a month of legislative election; our coordinators were busy for raising awareness about community’s voting right and motivating them to vote. We told them to select eligible candidate, because one eligible candidate can lead them towards a brighter future. We did aware them about harmful effects of selfish voting and giving importance to caste, money, etc., in voting. People shared their experiences about corruption and illegal practices of their past leaders. They told how these practices changed their lives. They understood the importance of correct and responsible leader, and promised us to take care of our suggestion during voting.