|
Vimukti : Ujire
Dayalbagh Rural
Development Programs is an entity of Social work in Belthangady
Taluk. Since 1969 it has initiated its effort for
 the
development of the economically poor and the backward people,
irrespective of their caste and creed. Ever since, it has been
working without stop for the development of the poor by considering
the different issues, programs based on the need of the people at
different stages. Integral development of the family is the goal.
Development of the family, a major part of it can be realized
through the women. Hence keeping the concept of Self Help Group the
project has started to form the SHGs and as a result of our efforts
the first group was started on 26th Feb. 1999. This provided a
impetus for formation of SHGs and within a year 100 groups were
formed in 28 villages of Belthangady Taluk. As a result of the
coming together, the SHGs arose and the VIMUKTI WOMEN'S FEDERATION
of over 2000 women was inaugurated on 26th February 2000.Today the
federation has 19 units of 150 Self Help Groups who function on
their own leadership and maintain micro finance activity, financial
savings over a crore rupees and making a loan transaction of above
three crores. Programs on Health, Education, seminars, training,
awareness programs and entrepreneurial activities are undertaken by
the women as the empowerment process.
VIMUKTI SHG FEDERATION:
Formation, nurture, promotion and strengthening of the SHGs are
the main activity of the society for the last 10 years. The SHGs are
the basic structure for all the developmental activities of the
society. Under the patronage of Vimukti there are 150 SGHs in 33
villages. The total number of members of women has crossed 3000. At
present all the SHGs are functioning under the banner of VIMUKTI.
THE STRUCTURE OF THE FEDERATION:
The Clusters are the bridge between the SHGs and the Federation.
Once in 3 months, the cluster meetings are organized to share their
proble ms
and their achievements. The SHGs meet with the intention of the
overall development of the members and to share their problems.
There is common discussion among the SHGs. During the meeting the
project team will give the possible solution for their problems,
appraise their achievements and give some awareness on related
topics. The Vimukti women federation is growing and extending its
branches day by day. The women have realized that the collective
action leads to better and lasting results. Hence the women take a
very active role in the developmental issues and other related
topics.
Ongoing training and awareness programs on health, education, self
employment and other micro finance activities motivate the members
to develop their families as well as the community.
All the developmental work is financially supported by the Child
Fund India. Vimukti was affiliated to CFI in the year 2000 and now
800 children are benefiting directly. This organization has no
caste, creed, religion or color barrier. Everybody is equal when it
comes to help child, family or community. The main mission statement
of CHILD FUND INDIA is that ''it creates an environment of hope and
respect for needy children of all cultures and belief in which they
have opportunities to achieve their full potential, and provides
tools for positive change to children, families and communities. The
organization receives support not from the rich but from the middle
class people and students from America, Canada, Germany and some
other Asian Counties. It is their sacrifice, generosity; love for
the unfortunate has kindled the hearts of millions of children all
over the world. The programs are divided into 6 sectors like Health
and Sanitation, Nutrition, Early Childhood Development, Basic
Education, Child Participation and Protection, Livelihood and
Economic Enhancement programs.
The main activities undertaken during the last ten years:
-
Health and
Sanitation:
The overall goal of the health programs is to enhance
the capacity, knowledge and skill of various stakeholders like
the community, service providers etc and also to create
supportive environment by the strengthening health facilities
for overall development of children. The Project is mainly
concentrating on HIV/AIDS and Reproductive Health Care. The
following are the other major activities under Health sector:
-
Adolescent camp
(Boys and Girls)
-
Training for
Eligible couples
-
Breast feed
campaign- Awareness, Group discussion
-
Training on
Hygienic (Malaria, chigungunya, swine flu etc.,)
-
HIV /AIDS
Rally, awareness to community and schools
-
Support for
Sanitation, Clean Kitchen, and Safe drinking water
-
Assistance for
RCH (Reproductive Child Health)
-
Insurance for
Women through SHG- National Insurance Scheme
-
Voluntary Blood
Donation and Grouping camp
-
First Aid Kit
distribution to Schools
-
Preparation for
adolescent stage
-
Dental checkup
and denture distribution program
-
House visits-
counseling, personal health and hygiene,
-
Street play on
solid waste management
-
Gynecological
camp to meet the medical needs of the women was held in the
Community.
-
Medical
assistance was paid to the severe cases
-
Construction of
community well
-
Quit plastic
Program to eradicate the plastics by using cloth bags.
-
Nutrition :
The second major area of focus is the nutrition o f
the child. It has been observed in the Project operational area
that due to poverty and lack of economic resources the
nutritional level of the child remains below standard. To bring
about a considerable change both in the nutritional and
attitudinal standards, the Project emphasized on imparting right
nutritional habits among the children and their mothers. Issues
like economic status lack of accessibility of health services,
food insecurity and misconception related to food, poor hygienic
practices, limited knowledge of parents in terms of child care
especially about nutrition and management during illness need to
be handled effectively. The Project selects malnourished
children and mothers to give more attention on their health. The
programs under the nutrition are as follows.
-
The Project
maintains the health of each child and monitors the
nourishment of the children in the preschools.
-
Demonstration
on low cost nutritious food preparation to pregnant and
lactating mothers
-
Double
fortified salt distribution to the schools.
-
With the
slogan" clean and green" the SHG women are participating in
shramadhanas (Voluntary Labour Service).
-
The kitchen
garden facilitates the production and use of vegetables and
nutritious plants. This is also called as the Vanamahotsava
program.
-
EARLY CHILDHOOD
DEVELOPMENT
Qualitative education is the requirement of every chil d.
The Project along with Childfund India tries to implement
programmes, imparting knowledge through formal and non-formal
education. The Project ensures the active participation of the
parents, school children and the community at large.
-
The four
Anganawadis run by the Project in the areas Mura, Muguli,
Kellakere and Belalu are a boon to majority of the children
for whom schooling remained inaccessible.
-
A training
program was conducted on the topic of 'Child care and
Development' and puppet making for Government and project
run preschools
-
Regular medical
check up has been arranged at 4 preschools of the project in
collaboration with Fr. L. M. Pinto Charitable Hospital,
Badyar. It has created awareness among the parents and
enabled them to keep regular touch with the health of the
child. To monitor the stages of child development, height
and weight measuring machines have been provided to the
preschools.
-
Preschool
children were taken out for out door environmental exposure,
which helped the children to get recreation and learn
behavioral aspects like adjustment, mannerism, love of
nature etc.
-
Annual day
celebration was held at 4 preschools and it created a
festive mood, it has given ample scope for the children to
exhibit their talents.
-
Play materials,
cupboard, water tank, charts and flyers, were provided to
the government preschool so that the every child would enjoy
their childhood.
-
Home based
care: First three years of a child's life are crucial to its
later development and personality formation. Since children
under three years spend most of their time in the family,
the family environment is crucial for their overall
development - this not only means the physical environment
but more importantly the nature of the interactions between
adults and children. Awareness given to the mothers of
preschool children regarding child care and development at
four clusters. Importance of breast feeding, weaning
practice, low cost nutritious food preparation, immunization
etc., were taught during the training. Mothers too are
motivated to compulsory birth registration, to avail
facilities from the Government like madilu kit, Bhaygayalxmi
yojane etc.,
-
BASIC EDUCDATION:
Education programs are focused on facilitating qu ality
education services. So that children could gain learning and
life skills, building capacity of families, communities and
their institutions to respond to the education needs of
children. The following activities were undertaken to provide
quality education to the children.
-
Those who are
poor and good in studies are encouraged by the project by
providing, School materials college fees and professional
courses.
-
In addition to
facilitate the qualitative education, the project has
provided infrastructures to the schools. To encourage
academic and sports activities, playing materials and
learning materials are distributed to promote a conducive
and stimulating environment for the children.
-
The Project has
appointed teachers to government school where there are
insufficient teachers; these teachers focus on the overall
development of the child. They are also helping the children
in their studies as well as in extra curricular activities.
-
SQIP:
(School Quality Improvement Program) School is the base
for converting the children as assets through entire
education. SQIP was introduced in 6 schools with following
objectives.
-
Improving
Classroom processes
-
Improving
learning levels of children in core curricular subjects
and also in curricular areas
-
Improving
community participation and ownership
-
Improving
infrastructure facilities
-
RIP (READING
IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM):
To improve the reading skills of the children, reading
improvement program was implemented in government schools
.14 weeks training was given to those children who are not
able to read, and pronounce the alphabets and to frame the
sentence properly.
-
SIM (SKILL
IMPROVEMENT IN MATHEMATICS):
SIM program was introduced in government schools of 5th
grade children with the objective to correct concept
building of fundamental operation with whole numbers,
fractions and decimals. This procedure included, start with
known and then proceed to unknown, easy to difficult,
concrete to abstract through activities and micro teaching
methods. With these programs children are able to understand
numbers with correct place value, simple operations.
Students are more confident now and take active
participation in maths class.
-
Training to
SDMC:
Schools are not only the property of teachers and the
education department but the community too. There is no
doubt that development of school will take place when the
community continuously takes active participation in the
process of school development. To encourage the SDMC members
to render their best services for their school training was
given to members.
-
Mother
committee meeting:
Once in three months parent committee meeting is
organized to plan and to review the programs. 33 members
actively participate in the discussion. They too participate
voluntarily for the project program and render their best
services.
-
Creative
Teaching:
The Project has organized training program to the para
teachers on creative teaching. Teachers were trained on
different subjects through games and by using locally
available materials. This type of teaching will increase the
interest of the children and they can grasp the things
easily.
-
Tailoring
Class:
To encourage the women for self sustainability and to
support the young women in income generating activities the
project started tailoring class for 90 members
-
CHILD
PARTICIPATION AND PROTECTION:
-
Street play
training to Youth Club:
Project trained
 15
youths on street play. This team will give awareness to the
community about the child rights.
The Project trained 15youths on Nirthya nirupaka on the
impacts of MSEZ to mark the all India Anti SEZ Day. The show
covered all the aspects such as the poor family working
condition, forceful acquisition of land, violation of
environmental laws and the violation of human rights by
MSEZL.
-
Child Well
Being Committee:
The Project formed 12 Child well being Committees at
project level with objective to reduce the violation of
child rights and create an enabling environment that
supports children's positive development. They were trained
about their duty and responsibility on Child Protection and
participation.
-
Training on
child rights and Gramasabha:
The Project organized awareness program at schools on child
rights and Gramasabha to the children, SDMC and to the
school teachers.
-
Children
Clubs:
To give an opportunity to improve the capacities of
children, clubs are organized once in two months at four
clusters. In these clubs awareness is created on personality
development, child rights and child participation. Formation
of Children's committee is in the progress to promote
community participation in protecting the rights of
children.
-
Children
Camp:
Children's holiday camps have been playing a vital role
in the development of personalities of children. A summer
camp was organized with the collaboration of local people.
Camp includes sessions on Leadership qualities, personality
development, stage art, and training on child rights,
plastic eradication, and preparation for the examination.
Indoor and outdoor play was conducted and during the stage
program children were honored with prizes.
-
World Day
for the prevention of Child Abuse:
World Day for Prevention of Child Abuse was organized to
give awareness to the various communities. The objective of
this program is to give more attention, efficient protection
skills and preventive measures to be taken at family, local
and community level. Government officers and people are made
aware about child rights, to play a major role to take
preventive measures on child abuse.
-
Formation of
Plastic Houses:
To create awareness on the dangerous of plastic usage,
the Project supported the children for the formation of
plastic houses. So that the children are aware of the
dangerous of plastics. 25 plastic houses were formed in the
schools to campaign against the usage of plastic, 4000
people supported this program. The children when they come
to the school will bring the used plastic and put it in the
plastic houses. The rural illiterate people too come to know
about the harmfulness of the plastics.
-
Child
Resource Center:
To provide ample opportunities to nurture the talents
and to give space for their talents, the project has
established a child resource center. To make best use of
this center outdoor and indoor play materials, lab
equipments, charts, musical instruments, library books are
provided to children. The Project has provided an
opportunity to learn computer and typewriting through this
center. Every Saturday and Sunday nearly 50 children come
and make best use of this center. Special attention will be
paid on the less fortunate children. The Centre also
provides enough space for the children to come and practice.
There are also tutors to train the children according to
their talents.
-
Training on
Carrier Guidance:
Students will be confused while selecting the course for
their higher education. It is necessary to know the goal and
objective of the education as it generates a bright future
for them. The Project organizes carrier guidance to the
youths to select the best course for their higher education.
-
LIVELIHOOD AND
ECONOMIC ENHANCEMENT OF THE POOR (LEEP)
A new beginning towards self-dependence
LEEP is playing a vital role in the development of the
SHG women. The micro finance institutions have helped women to
come out of their economic shackles and emerge as
self-independent women. As a prime unit of Vimukti, LEEP is
supporting women to take-up self-employment and income
generation activities. The LEEP program is interlinked with
Vimukti Women's Federation through which the dreams of economic
empowerment are realized.
-
Major
activities:
Dairy and Agricultural Development:
-
Dairy:
Loan for cattle rearing:
With the vast availability of grass and fodder, rearing of
cows is the best economic activity for the women of the
rural areas. The Project has provided loan facility for
cattle rearing. This enables the women to tap the naturally
available resources. And due to the high returns the
repayment of the loans is realized in a steady process
-
Milk
collection unit:
The milk collection unit is installed at Guripalla and
necessary infrastructure with machinery like Chilling, fat
tester, Milk cans, measuring instruments etc., has been
installed and the unit is running smoothly.
-
Animal
Health Care:
For easy access to animal health care and time-to-time
follow -up, a Veterinary Care Center has been set up with
the services of an expert. The beneficiaries avail the
resources of the expert at a very low fee.
-
Cattle feed:
To give quality feed to cows, the diary management has
taken initiative to supply the quality feed directly to the
beneficiaries' house which has resulted in high production
of milk and the cattle is well fed and healthy.
-
Agriculture:
Agricultural loans were given to the beneficiaries to
depeen the wells and install sprinklers in the farms.
Families were also given assistance to plant areca saplings
and extend their cultivation.
Conclusion:
The Organization has invested lots of efforts in making women strong
and independent. On the way of becoming independent, they have to
look for self employment. Woman is far behind a man mainly because
she appears to be weak and fragile. In some of the villages people
still think that woman has less capacity for work when compared to
man. So these days rural women suffer from unemployment, torture
from husband and family members. But if she starts earning, she will
be able to face the world. All that she needs is proper direction,
which is given by the Organization. If more than 50% of the women
start self employment activities this year, the above desire will be
full filled as early as possible. The Capuchin Krishik Seva Kendra
is grateful to those who joined hands with it in the empowerment
process of women, children and society at large.
|
