Dear Sir,
SLAJUS is a Non Government Development Organization having initiatives, at par our capacity, in three districts of Koraput, Khurda & Kandhamal, Orissa. We integrate our program on people’s empowerment & transformation process, Rights of Child, Reproductive Child Health, Non formal Education, Disaster Mitigation, Forest and Wildlife Conservation, Micro Enterprise Promotion & Training / Capacity Building program with Rights Perspective Approach focusing women and children as primary stakeholders.
Our involvement in this Adivasi dominated, inaccessible hill and forest bound Paburia Gram Panchayat of Tikabali Block, Kandhamal district experiences the acute situation relating to denial of rights and entitlements, community food and nutrition security, health, communication, education and human sufferings where whole of the panchayat people face since decades.
We have initiated process of empowering people and their organizations by orientation, IEC material distribution, problem sharing and identifying related to different sector. This process has made us vulnerable by not giving access to avail mainstream support on many programs. We have not compromised but raised voice wherever necessary and empowered people to act upon.
Iwith.org is supporting the underprivileged women and girls for their empowerment; the underprivileged women in this inaccessible tribal grampanchayat who go starved to bed without peace, with a dream for peace in the next morning by earning and feed her family - to provide education to children - to heal the ill and malnourished children in the next morning, are looking for some solutions to their situation.
We seek your support to adding extra energy for a synergetic pull to our initiatives for which organization like Iwith.org could extend support hand so that the processes get a lifetime and at the same time we have the opportunity to place the attached proposal for your kind perusal, which costs total of Rs 27,49,290.00 and includes the support sought for the first year Rs 8,70,000.00.
Seeking your kind cooperation & feedback on our proposal.
With regards Yours Faith fully
Pratap Kumar Pradhan
Encl : Project proposal Secretary
FR-87/1,Phase-II, Sailashree Vihar, Bhubaneswar, Orissa,
India, 751021, email-
PART II
kANDHAMAL DISTRICT AT A GLANCE
The KANDHAMAL in the present state constituted w.e.f 1st Jan. 1994. It is located in the heart of Orissa stretching between 19’34 & 20’36 north latitude and 83’34 & 84’34 east longitude with an area of 7649 sq.km. Administratively it constitute with 2 sub-divisions, 12 Community Development Blocks, 2 Urban Level Bodies, consisting of 153 GPs and 2515 villages. Physiographically the entire district lies with high altitude zone with inter-spreading inaccessible terrain of hilly ranges and narrow valley tracts, which guides the socio-economic conditions of people and development of the district. More than 50% of population constitutes ST community of aboriginal tribal races. Overall, the district is rank as a backward district in the state of Orissa, India.
The people of the target villages come under the Adivasi / tribal category of “ DESIA KANDHA” & Scheduled Cast category of “PANA”
PABURIA GRAM PANCHAYAT AT A GLANCE
District Block Gram Panchayat Villages & Hamlets
Kandhamal Tikabali Paburia 50 numbers
SL / REVENUE VILLAGE /Hamlets
/ Total Households -746 / POPULATION / SEXSC / ST / OBC / SC / ST / OBC / Total / M / F
1 / Bariguda / Badajhari, Bandhanpaju, Menumancha, Karadabania, Rangamatia, Jhilimilia, Teluasahi. / 14 / 103 / 1 / 76 / 514 / 4 / 594 / 348 / 246
2 / Paburia / Sikadi, Ludludi, Kumarpada, Kanpenu. / 08 / 70 / 2 / 42 / 414 / 9 / 465 / 253 / 212
3 / Adasuga / Tutumsingh, Kilu, Khalikan, Chechibali / 17 / 47 / 1 / 79 / 269 / 2 / 350 / 190 / 160
4 / Bagapada / Burdu, Kirima, Patalsuga, Sakadi, Tundreju, Mahapatrabasa, Arama / --- / 65 / -- / -- / 385 / -- / 385 / 201 / 184
5 / Kelebali / Dadaganda, Badenigocha, / 11 / 51 / --- / 57 / 264 / -- / 321 / 165 / 156
6 / Sapaganda / No hamlets / 13 / 39 / --- / 66 / 252 / -- / 318 / 163 / 155
7 / Malerimaha / Nikininda, Kutibari, Tikirasahi, Kusumsahi, Ghodapathar, Ghatitala, Ghatiupara. / ---- / 80 / ---- / --- / 430 / -- / 430 / 225 / 205
8 / Sinduri Gada / Kurumuni, Kaspinjal, Gamardhani, Matighati / 7 / 68 / --- / 32 / 398 / -- / 430 / 212 / 218
9 / Kusadandi / Dangabasa, Sraba / 17 / 58 / ---- / 82 / 415 / -- / 497 / 262 / 235
10 / Pipala Sahi / Maniakathi, Jogimatha, Gumi / 11 / 60 / ---- / 49 / 426 / 475 / 242 / 233
TOTAL / 104 / 641 / 4 / 483 / 3767 / 15 / 4265 / 2261 / 2004
Name of the GP / TOTAL # of villages / Hamlets / Annual income / # Of Hld. / Population / Total / SC / ST / OBC / SC % / ST % / OC %
M / F
Paburia / 50 / Below
Rs. 4000/- / 746 / 2261 / 2004 / 4265 / 483 / 3767 / 15 / 11.13% / 88.61% / .25%
Cast
/Literacy
/ OccupationM / F
Scheduled Tribe & Scheduled Cast / 23% / 18% / Agriculture, daily labor, NTFP collection, animal husbandry
PART III
socio-ECONOMIC STATUS / ANALYSIS of the project area
Rights Of Child:
Poverty, illiteracy, lack of awareness and attitude has been the source cause of denial of right to children. Gradually children becoming laborers (we have identified 578 children of the panchayat who are working in different forms) migrate to urban areas of different parts of the district and state as well for employment being deprived of education & family support, of whose girl children are most vulnerable. At every sphere rights of child is violated what ever may be the form (restaurant boy, NTFP collector, household work, care for siblings, animal herding, etc).
“ Every child out of school is a street and working child”- childright mean it.
Livelihood, Natural Resource, Agriculture practice & Women:
97% of the total families are Below Poverty Line. Most family have small sizes of land holding which is not sufficient for sustenance depending on agriculture / farm based activities only. Hills and forests surround the villages with rocky inaccessible tracks for which transportation of agricultural means and produces has been a difficult task for the people since decades. Modern agricultural tools and practice have not reached them, as their agricultural produces cannot be transported so they are gradually not indulging in agricultural activities. The land holding pattern & the frequency of drought in this rain fed district do not help feed families throughout the year.
Agricultural produces lasts hardly for 3 months depending on the production, which is very low. The traditional forest and agricultural economy has been ruined. Most of the areas are not irrigated though the under ground water table is well maintained. Due to lack of modern agricultural technologies, communication and attitude, the overall productivity is at stake. Management of natural resources is of great priority in these areas. The people have livelihood in unorganized agriculture sector; selling forest produces (timber and non timber) and lives life of exile.
To whole of the agriculture economy women contributing every thing starting from seed collection to next harvest neither she is recognized as a farmer nor exposed to modern and sustainable farming. The pressure of food insecurity directly affects women and her intrinsic development.
Poverty, Hunger, & Women :
Our primary data shows that 23% - 27% households of every village do not cook in the night, it does not mean they prepare dinner during daytime, they go bed without food, and they starve. In such situation the nutritional and psychological status of women and children could well be understood which has linkages to their survival and development. We astonish experiencing their coping mechanism in all the seasons/ when asked about, they reply, “ sometimes we take “Torani” (the water mix with cooked rice) and very often drink water and go bed”. There is no system at the village level to address though they concern for such situation. Public Distribution System totally fails in this area. It is very difficult, except 6 villages, to carry PDS rice after crossing a distance of hilly and rocky hilltop road of 12-18 kms on an average. Even, people do not have the required amount of money to purchase the PDS rice.
Credit Access & Exploitation by Moneylenders & Women:
Basically the poor people, particularly the women among them, are dependent on those who exploit them. Because of dependence on the daily market regulated & controlled by the non-adivasi people (middlemen) even on the daily wage work, which they cannot control. Most of the poor families do not meet daily minimum needs and borrow money from the moneylenders who charge high rates of interest. The Middlemen fix minimum fare wages and price for the agricultural produce. This leads people to a situation in the state being poor and creating poverty and hopelessness. People have not been able to access the formal banking system. Poor marketing system, exploitative nature of the middle men, lack of transportation and communication, all limit their bargaining power, leaving them with no profits out of the ventures.
The complex policies and procedures of Banks and other financial institutions discriminate against the poor Adivasi women. In spite of submission of required papers, the poor Adivasi are excluded to avail credit from these sources because they considered as noncredit worthy. Most of the time, these people exploited by the middlemen and the corrupt officials at the time of availing credit, if possible. But usually, the poor Adivasi helplessly returns to their home without avail credit from any Bank.
Market and women:
People have to walk around 20 kilometers for their marketing and shopping. No transport means is there and also scope for this is a far cry. Women spend nearly 8-10 hours to and fro walk, loosing entire day’s opportunity cost, while going to weekly markets for selling their produces and shop their daily rations and requirements, crossing the difficult rocky footmark ways inside the hill bound forest areas. Mostly they are wounded hurt while crossing the rocky paths, which restrains them, go for wage earning up to healing of such wounds on the foot and leg. It affects mostly women performing household and outside job responsibilities attached to homes. There are tiny shops in some villages that do not cater the need (as capital money is very low) of all the households for which people are bound to visit weekly markets even for one or two items. For almost all of the villages people walk 14-18 kms to catch a motor, which is not available for hours together.
Violence against Women:
We mean violence against women not only physical assault but by not providing them:
· The opportunity to work / employment
· Earn food for her family
· Scope and platform to share feelings
· The skill to manage and maintain livelihood
· Opportunity to save and earn
· Socio-political inclusion and recognition
· Opportunity to educate on different social and economic matters
· Recognition their work and domestic contribution
· The opportunity to live as a married person with dignity after the death of her husband (Making of widows).
School Education & Girl Children: Women in Literacy
Children do not attend school because:
· No teacher comes to the school
· Inadequate number of teachers
· Absence of study environment (good school building, garden, wall charts, recreation opportunity, quality and regular teaching, teaching and learning materials, school uniforms and bags, health and sanitation measures
· The distance of school from houses.
· Parents cannot afford cost at out side school / boarding school.
· No light system in schools and households. (Children suffer from vitamin A deficiency and families cannot afford alternative source to provide light to studious children which results poor performance and low enrollment into schools. Children loosing their study hours due to absence of light. Families also cannot afford lanterns and high priced kerosene to their children. The interest for study gradually lowering down)
· Ashram hostel has no scope for girl child and sanitation arrangements. Malaria disease frequently causes problem and hinder study of the inmates. Food supply is not up to nutrition standard.
Local Self-Governance System & Women’s Voice:
People’s voice against the complacent attitude of the mainstream agencies related to many needs and difficulties of the Panchayat may it be road and communication, health, education, livelihood, basic rights, water, etc, since centuries, inculcated no meaning.
In this regard the role of people’s representatives is not seen. Their voices are not heard. They are not included into all the planning process setting aside the actual need of their villages. The representation of women into Pallisabha a Gramsabha is nil due to lack of political awareness. Though women represent some seats they are used as stamps. Male dominancy often suppress women legislative power and rights out rightly.
Though women’s participation into to PRI system is increasing but they are used as rubber stamp. Their husbands take decision over all Panchayat matters including planning, monitoring and budgeting for their constituency. Husband dominate everywhere acting as people’s ghost representatives, it is a phenomenon. Handful of miscreants use these number of women and most of the times the women members are neither contacted nor informed about many important decisions related to village development activities, they always grieve over this.