Micro credit projects in Bihar:
IDS has continued to support micro credit projects. During the last two years we have continued our support of the two micro credit projects in Bihar and one in Madhya Pradesh. The support for the two organizations in Bihar has been to upscale their activities. The IDS grant has helped both the NGOs to upscale their micro finance initiatives. The project has provided the NGOs the much needed support for the formation, monitoring and supervision activities of the (Self Help Groups)SHGs. The effective rotation of savings, bank linkages and on lending have helped the poor and needy from getting trapped in the vicious circle of loans and exploitative rate of interest, and organizing their own corpus for meeting small consumption loan. The net earning out of the loans given within the group has helped initiate activities that build the total corpus of funds, strengthening the less privileged. The NGOs were also oriented to macro level changes taking place in the micro finance sector through well designed reading materials and by way of attending training programs. Due to various inputs provided during the project, qualitative improvements could be noticed in expansion strategy, operational systems and procedures, MIS and book keeping, capacity of staff, development of business plan which resulted in significant leverage of fund from the mainstream financial institutions. The overall improvement in the quality of SHGs and transparency demonstrated through a well developed MIS, have resulted in recognition of SHGs as well as the promoting of NGOs by the district administration and other apex bodies. Below is a short summary of their activities.
Location: Muzaffarpur, Bihar
Category: Micro credit
Brief description of the project: Bihar is a very poor state with 43% of people living below the poverty line. This organization was doing some micro credit programs earlier but they needed to improve their functioning with more technical skills and to expand their program. With the IDS support, the aim was to provide proper management and capacity building so that more women can participate and more Self Help Groups can be formed. The women in the SHG will carry on several different activities for income generation such as growing lychee, farming, marketing vegetables etc. The project also aims to ultimately link the SHG women to banks for future borrowing.
Impact of the work: With IDS support, so far 491 groups have been formed with 6817 women members who have benefited in 422 villages. About 75 of these groups are able to establish linkages with banks.
Case study:
Successful Enterpreneurship
Krishna Devi is a Kushwaha (OBC) caste woman of village Sustaraatwara, panchayat Sustaraawara of Muzaffarpur district of Bihar. She is a member of the Vikas Mahila Mandal, promoted by KSA. She received training under the livelihood promotion trainings of SHG members conducted by KSA on Lac bangle making. After receiving the training she took a loan of Rs.2000 from her SHG and started her business in lac bangle making. Initially she could earn Rs20-30 by selling 4-5 sets of bangle @ Rs.30-35. After her first breakthrough in business she availed a second loan of Rs.5000 from her SHG. The second loan helped her to expand her business in a systematic manner, keeping in view the market demand for the product. She now owns a small shop cum production centre in Muzaffapur .Her average income per day ranges from Rs. 150-250. During festive and marriage season this goes up by several times. She has chalked out a future plan for herself which is to earn a minimum of Rs.300/- per day.
Funds provided by IDS and for how long: IDS has provided Rs 262,000 (approximately $ 5000) since 2006, and we will continue our support through 2008
Contact information for the organization:
Mr. Subrat Singh Deo, Development consultant. Madhyam Foundation,
N3/202 Ekamra Kanan Road,
IRC village,Nayapalli,
Bhubaneswar, 751 015, Orissa
Photo gallery:
Location: Rohtas district, Bihar
Category: micro credit
Brief description of the project: SURAJE was set up in 1985 to address issues of rural regeneration along the work inspired by J.P.Narayan. and has started with the SHG and microfinance work since 2002-2003. The work involves microfinance work in 44 villages, and working to link the SHGs with the banks
Impact of the work: With IDS support they have formed about 77 groups with 1111 members, most of whom are poor rural women. Initially their work was in 44 villages and now they cover about 70 villages. The loans are used for agricultural activities, dairy, piggery, shop extension, vegetable cultivation. etc. They have achieved a remarkable growth in the last two years.
Funds provided by IDS and for how long: IDS has provided Rs 158,000 since 2006 and we plan to continue the support through 2008.
Contact information for the organization:
Mr. Subrat Singh Deo, Development consultant. Madhyam Foundation,
N3/202 Ekamra Kanan Road,
IRC village,Nayapalli,
Bhubaneswar, 751 015, Orissa
Location: Madhya Pradesh
Category: Micro credit
Brief description of the
project: Mahila Chetna Manch is a women's
development organization committed for social, economical and political
empowerment of women. Mahila Chetna Manch is serving the underserved extensively
in Madhya Pradesh, apart from other states. The main focus is on mobilization of
women into groups and developing their networks and capacities .We are involved
in women mobilization , skill development , micro credit, livelihood and
research activities.
Impact of the work (to include number of people who will be benefited, gender benefit, environmental benefit, etc)
Funds provided by IDS and for how long: $3000 for one year
Contact information for the organization.
Mahila Chetna Manch
Kalyani Working Women’s Hostel,
Near Saraswati Vidya Mandir
Shivaji Nagar
Bhopal - M.P, INDIA 462011
Email
mcmngo@yahoo.com
Other projects supported by IDS:
Location: Krishnagir district, Tamil Nadu
Category: income generation and women’s empowerment.
Brief description of the project: The George Foundation has purchased/leased 250 acres of land. An executive committee comprised of representatives of The George Foundation, village panchayath, and agricultural consultants has been formed. Under its direction, the soil is being prepared for crop cultivation. Superior seeds of selected crops have been purchased. The panchayath members are highly motivated about this project. People from the surrounding villages are participating in the preparation of the land for farming. Women workers will be planting bananas and also growing grapes. Once they are able to generate enough income, they will be able to purchase up to half of an acre of the land on which they are farming.
Funds provided by IDS and for how long: IDS support for this project runs from 2006 to 2008 for $5000 a year for three years.
Contact information for the organization.
Dr. Abraham George,
121 Hawkins Place, PMB 192,
Boonton, NJ 07005, USA
Photo gallery:
Name: HUM(Handspun for Urban Markets)
Location: Kutch, Gujarat
Category: income generation/ skill development
Brief description of the project: HUM works with poor rural women, training them in developing their handicraft skills and then linking them with urban markets.
The aim is to ensure livelihood to poor women to improve their own lives and to improve the lives of their families and to support and empower the women to learn to market their products.
Impact of the work: With the support from IDS, HUM has trained 60 women so far in the villages of Ramvav and Vasantva. These women are now able to earn RS 1000 per month as regular income
Also about 120 highly skilled women workers are being organized into producer programs with the help from another organization, and to link them with self help groups and ultimately to link them with banks to see if these women can function independently. Women are now also addressing community level issues and are successful in getting well organized and getting their demands met.
Funds provided by IDS and for how long: IDS has supported them from 2004-2006, with annual amount of $5000/year.
Contact information for the organization (name and details of the coordinators, website, phone number,)
Location: Gujarat
Category: Water resource management
Brief description of the project: The organization has been working in four water stressed and resource poor districts, comprising of about 108 villages, in Gujarat for the past twenty years.
Impact of the work: With IDS support, Utthan has been able to help women and local labor build inexpensive earthen check dams on river beds. This work has helped to raise the water tables and recharge the well water. This availability of the water around the year for the families, fodder for the cattle and drips for the farmers, the area is turning green. Utthan has now built about 28 check dams. Their work has helped more than 11000 families to get access to water for drinking, sanitation and for irritation purposes
Funds provided by IDS and for how long:
$5000 for three years beginning 2005
Contact information for the organization: Ms Nafisa Barot
Utthan
36, Chitrakut Twins
Nehru Park, Vastrapur
Ahmedabad 380 015
Web address: <www.utthangujarat.org>
Location:: 20 villages of Wardha District
Category Women Empowerment, Agricultural/Environment
Brief description of the project
· Long lasting solutions With a particular group of farmers as demonstration for coming out of the present agrarian crisis, aspects which make the farmer and the women self-reliant
· Women empowerment for agrarian crisis
Impact of the work
· To create alternative sustainable development models and demonstrations in agriculture and women empowerment for security of food, nutrition and livelihood
· Funds provided by IDS and for how long; $5,000 per year for the next 3 years
Contact information for the organization (name and details of the coordinators, website, phone number,)
Name: Manav Khidmet Foundation (International Village Clinic)
Location: Marufpur village, UP
Category: Health and disease management
Brief description of the project: Dr. Abul Sharah, retired from his work in Minneapolis from a corporate position, founded IVC in October 1999 to help the poor in his birth place in India. He established International village clinic here in the USA with the aim of helping the poor to improve their health and to provide medical services. The organization in India is Manav khidmet foundation where he has been spending his time since he started with this work.
In February 2002, IVC established a pilot project consisting of a curative program and a prevention program. The curative program was to serve six to ten villages, with a total population of approximately 20,000. The prevention program was to serve one village. In a short period of three years, the program has grown in all dimensions. They are now serving over 60 villages in our curative program and 5 villages in the prevention program.
Impact of the work: The program provides for treatment of common diseases, provides better nutrition to mothers and babies, arranges for transportation of very sick patients to nearby hospitals, monthly clinics with specialists, health education, and vaccination and has 24 /7 emergency services at the clinic. They have also now built a small inpatient unit for serious cases, and provide some other diagnostic services such as ultrasound, and x-rays.
Funds provided by IDS and for how long: 5000 for 3 years
Contact information for the organization: Dr Abul Sarah, email: <ivc@villageclinic.org>
Website :<www.villageclinic.org>
Location: Tamil Nadu
Category: Water resource management
Brief description of the project: In 50 words or less please describe your project and its goals.
This project aims at providing safe drinking water to the village community by way of renovating village pond (Ooranis), which would recharge the drinking water bore wells around the pond. Waste land would be brought under cultivation by taking up some land development activities such as clearing of Prosopis juliflora jungle, eradicating Morinda tinctoria and Cynadon dactylon weeds. Dryland horticultural activities has been proposed in this project to demonstrate a viable cropping system in the project area for ensuring sustainable income to the rain fed farming communities
Impact of the work: close to about 5000 people from 3 villages will get the benefit.
Funds provided by IDS and for how long: $5000 for a year.
Contact information for the organization: Mr. K Saravana Kumar, Project coordinator, DHAN Foundation, 18 Pillayar Koli Street, S.S. Colony, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India
Tel: 91 452 2610805
E mail: shan@md3.vsnl.net.in
Name: Samaj Parivartana Samudaya
Location: Nichchavvanahalli (8 villages) & Tavadur (11 villages) gram panchayats, Harapanhalli Taluka, Davanagere District, Karnataka
Category:Empowerment through income generation/environmentally-friendly activities
Brief description of project:
The goal of the project is to organize & build the capacity of rural poor (families of landless laborers, small/marginal farmers, SC/ST; with priority for women) to implement NREGA (National Rural Employment Guarantee Act). The activities include increasing awareness, understanding, and utilization of opportunities available to the rural poor through gram panchayats and similar institutions. The project aims to accomplish these activities while developing activities that will improve local ownership and management of natural resources and also help establish income generation activities that will be sustainable while promoting environmental awareness (e.g. non-timber forest produces) and agricultural yield.
Update for first year’s work: As a result of the organization’s work in the areas described, 672 families in the target group benefited from the activities, of which 80 families were able to come out from below the poverty line.
Impact of the work:
Number of beneficiaries: 1893 families (with special focus on SC/ST backgrounds)
Gender benefit: priority to be given to women for planned project activities
Environmental benefit: soil conservation, afforestation (de-siltation), silvi-culture, water preservation, etc.
Funds from IDS & length of support: $15,000 for 2006-2009 ($5,000 per year)
Contact information for the organization:
S. R. Hiremath, Executive Director
Samaj Parivartana Samudaya
“Ashadeep”, Jayanagar Cross
Saptapur, Dharwad – 580 001
Dharwad District
Karnataka, India
Email: sr_hiremath@rediffmail.com
Phone: (0836) 2774472 (office), 2777430 (residence)
Cell: 94481-45930
Name: Maternity and Child Welfare Center
Location: Binodpur, Easter Bihar
Category: Health
Brief description of project:
This project is located in and around the village of Binodpur, in the district of Katihar, in an impoverished area of Eastern Bihar. The project’s primary aim is to provide medical help for the “special risk group” of women and children in order to improve their general health and reduce infant and maternal mortality.
It has an outdoor dispensary and an indoor delivery room where deliveries can be performed 24/7. It provides health education and yoga classes to improve awareness.
Funds from IDS & length of support :IDS has been supporting this for project for the last three years with a grant of $3,200 per year and we have already seen improvements in both infant and maternal mortality.
Impact of the work:
In addition to saved lives, better health leads to better employment opportunities and less vulnerable to catastrophic medical expenses.
IDS HELP for the TSUNAMI VICTIMS: After the Tsunami disaster of December 2004 in India, affecting the large costal area of the southern Indian states, IDS got involved to rehabilitate some of the victims from the Tamil Nadu area. We worked with two organizations, Working Women’s Forum, and ASA.
IDS sent a total of $20000 to these organizations for immediate relief work as well as for the rehabilitation.
Working Women’s Forum initiated rehabilitation work in several villages in the Tamil Nadu area and working in about 17 villages, provided repair, replacement and reconstruction of 73 homes.
IDS funds provided to ASA helped for immediate relief in about 15 villages in the Tamil Nadu area. In the rehabilitation process, ASA provided micro credit and also provided funds for micro credit operations to benefit several of the victims
IDS launches a new program: IDS Fellowship to provide funds to graduate students pursuing rural development.
IDS is committed to improving the lives of the underprivileged in India and we believe that a great way to do this is to get our educated youth involved because they are the future of India. To help support this effort, IDS offers a Fellowship program to support any individuals who have a vision of improving the lives of the rural people in India. These individuals must show leadership skills and have a plan for creating opportunities for development and positive change for rural communities.
IDS have offered this scholarship to two students per year. Applicants must be graduating with at least a bachelors Degree in Rural Development, and want to work in the rural area to improve the lives of the people. The three students who are granted the fellowship will receive Rs. 7500 per month each for a period of two years. The students must write a progress report every 6 months updating IDS on the work that they have accomplished in the previous 6 months and include pictures of their work.
During the last two years, we have supported 4 students, Ms Jeniffer Mujawar , Mr Mayank Sinha, and Mr Anshuman Singh. These students were highly recommended from their institutions, and they were selected from the Rural Institute of Development in Anand and from the Tata Institute of social sciences in Maharasthtra.
The students have been working in different areas including micro credit, women’s rights and gender issues and governance. They have been working with mentors from different parts of India and their reports from these young fellows have been very informative and inspiring. We are hoping that these young fellows will be the leaders in development field in the future.
Jennifer Mujawar in white with the local women.
Annual Seminars:
We continue with our tradition of holding an annual seminar on development related issues. In 2006 April we had a seminar on Rural development: challenges and opportunities
Our speakers included Dr. Abraham George, from the George Foundation, Mr. S. R. Hiremath, of the SPS and IDSindia and Mr. Venkatesh Raghavendra from the Ashoka Foundation. The presentation and discussion centered around the issues of social development in the rural area with the contrast of a booming urban economy.
In October 2007 IDS and India Development Coalition of America jointly held a seminar on : Sustainable Development. Our speakers included Mr. Satish Kumar, editor of Resurgence and director of Schumacher College, England, Mr. Bunker Roy, founder of the Barefoot College in India, Mr. Manoj Dabas from Atri, Dr. Madhu Suri Prakash from the state University of Pennsylvania, and Ms Sai padma Bellana from Andhra Pradesh, working with disabled women. The presentations all highlighted different issues related to sustainability in the development and what are the possible solutions.