Integrated Tribal Development Project in Bagaha-II Block of West Champaran District

 

This Project was sanctioned by NABARD and the project had started in the month of May, 2013 and ended in year 2019 second phase started in 10 new villages in the year 2020. The motive of the project is to uplift 500 families of Bagaha Block covering 18 villages at Bhitaha cluster combining various activities.  It is to ensure that each participant is able to earn enable income for better life. The project is to improve quality of life of Tharu and Santhali (Oraon) tribes’ families with the help of sustainable agricultural practices focused on best management practices (BMP) of cash crops of Oilseeds, Pulses, Vegetables and Spices.  

 

1.The first component of the project is to address the local communities to build their competence which would ensure the participation of each family in the programme. Gradually these groups would be taken through intensive training and exposure on improved Best Management Practices of high market potential crops and find a pathway of their sustainable livelihood.

 

2.Second component is to cover one acre of each family to integrate agricultural programme, which is being based on a suitable farming system approach that includes Horticulture, agronomical approach with solo and intercropping system. The approach would ultimately lead to increased agricultural production, augmenting food supply, best market value crop production and nutritional diet for tribal families. With the help of pulses, compost utilization helps to increase soil fertility and its health.

 

3.Third component is to give emphasis on community, particularly women through creating awareness around community health, broader wellbeing of the community, community level drinking water facilities, creating employment opportunities in farm and non-farm sector as well as to lease small plots for nursery raising.

 

  

Integrated Tribal Development Project in Ramnagar Block of West Champaran District

This Project was sanctioned by NABARD and the project had started in the month of April, 2022. The motive of the project is to uplift 500 families of Ramnagar Block covering 10 villages of the done area combining various activities.  The main components of the project’s are:

1. Lemon plant plantation and vegetable intercropping for 100 farmers.

2. Mango plant plantation and vegetable intercropping for 100 farmers.

3. Beekeeping and vegetable for 100 beneficiaries.

4. Mushroom and vegetable for 100 beneficiaries

5. Goatry and piggery units for 100 beneficiaries.

 It is to ensure that each participant is able to earn enable income for better life. The project is to improve quality of life of Tharu and Santhali (Oraon) tribes’ families with the help of sustainable agricultural practices focused on best management practices (BMP) of cash crops of Oilseeds, Pulses, Vegetables and Spices.  Gradually these groups would be taken through intensive training and exposure on improved Best Management Practices of high market potential crops and find pathway of their sustainable livelihood.

The project is to give emphasis on community particularly women through creating awareness on community health, broader wellbeing of the community, community level drinking water facilities, creating employment opportunities in farm and non-farm sector as well as to lease small plots for nursery raising.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Children in 9 villages of Bagaha-II Block, West Champaran District lead dignified and safe lives.

 

Children are called the future of the country and farmers are the food providers in the country. But according to mythological civilization these two points were never paid attention to. Due to which the condition of these two pillars kept deteriorating day by day. To improve the condition of these two main points, the government launched many schemes so that every person can be benefited from it. But change in mythological tradition or civilization is not possible due to any one person. This is possible only when every person of the society considers it as their responsibility.

The project was implemented in total 9 villages of Belhawa Madanpur Panchayat of Bagaha-2 block, provided by KINDERMISSION and with the help of BDSSS organization.

Intervention Logic

1. Goal: Children in 9 villages of Bagaha-2 block, west Champaran District lead dignified and safe lives.

 

1. Intermediary Objectives

1. Boys aged 6-14 years are less vulnerable to being send outside the village to work.

2. Targeted household earn additional income through livelihood strengthening.

 

Activity

1. Identify 10-15 volunteer community members to work for the protection of their children as members of the committee.

2.  Partner training of VCPC members on roles, responsibilities, and government scheme options.

3. Share the integrated plan with PRIs, block and district level.

4. VCPC members training on child rights and child protection.

5. Wall writing (and related schemes) include name of officers with cell numbers and are visible in important places in the villages.

6. Identification of a location for village information center (Suchana Subidha Angan) and display project-specific and other related information.

7. Sharing meeting held with targeted fathers /mothers.

8. Stage the role plays (Nukkad Natak) two times in a year.

9. Identify 10-15 boys from community to volunteer to work for the protection of other children as members of the peer group.

10. Training of peer group members on creating awareness, positive motivation, and alternative options to outmigration.  

11. Support peer group members in holding interactive sessions (with games and activities) with other boys from community.

12. Partner staffs orient SMC members on their roles and responsibilities under the Right to Education Act and the process of developing a school development plan.

13. Showcase achievements of children who are enrolled in school (including drawings/creative writings) and share them regularly with parents during parent teachers meetings organized by SMCs.

14. Goat De-worming and vaccination in nine villages

15. Demonstration plots established to with good variety of seeds, technology and methods.

 

 

SAKSHAM III

 

The SAKSHAM III project is run and managed by the Bettiah Diocesan Social Service Society since April 2022 to till now and this project is running in 15 wards of Ramnagar block. This project is based on the awareness of marginal farmers and families to increase their knowledge of good Governance and sustainable farming system through ward-level training in targeted villages.

 

    Project Goal: - Livelihood and Food Security with Good Governance & Localized Farming Systems.

    Project Objective: -

Stronger demands by empowered and capacitated community collectives for the realization of welfare and development entitlements for 2191 households and greater accountability and transparency in governance and scheme administration.

Greater sustainability and resilience to farming and food systems contributing to greater        Agriculture Sovereignty and Food & Nutrition and Livelihood Security of 1460 households.

 

Outcome of our activities

1. 35 issues raised by communities and its solved on governance and decision making platform.

2. Villagers, especially women are participating in local self-governance. Communities are now aware of their role and responsibilities in local self-governance and have started participating in gram-shabhas, and kishan samuh meetings

3. 510 persons out of 2191 are getting benefits of schemes and programmes like livelihood, social security and agriculture.

4. 877 application submitted in Gram-Sabha.

5. 507 HHs out of 2191 HHs started sustainable farming practices including organic farming systems.

6. 122 Personal Seed bank systems are functional for easy access of seeds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Global Programme India.

 

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The Global Programme on Poverty Reduction and Food Security, Promoting Social Inclusion of Particularly Marginalized Groups and Increasing Resilience to Disasters in High-Risk Areas will make a sustainable contribution to SDG 2 (Ending Hunger, Achieving Food Security and Better Nutrition and Promoting Sustainable Agriculture), SDG 10 (Reducing Inequality within and Between States) and SDG 13 (Sustainable Measures to Combat Climate Change and Its Impacts).

East champaran districts are situated in the north of Bihar.  The rivers namely, Gandak and Sikarahna affect the target areas. East Champaran District has been experiencing flood for many years. The flood regularly    damages the wealth and assets of thousand people, mainly the poor.  Thousands of people are forced to leave their homes and took shelter on the embankments of different rivers.

If we talk about the location at where we are doing our Global programme India programme is also comes under the flood prone areas. Our two blocks namely Areraj and sugauli is also affected by flood water every year. Two major rivers like Gandak and sikrahna both became very dangerous for the villagers; unpredictable flood also is a threat.  Less communication between the local Panchayat and the duty bearers’ is reason behind making the villagers to suffer more.

The area is very backward on socio-economic indices. Approximately 80% of the population is of poor backward castes. Literacy rate is below 22% and women condition is very bad. 82% of the population is dependent on agriculture for their livelihood and major crops are Paddy, wheat, maize, Sugarcane. Young people use to go out to earn for their survival, in Normal conditions they harvest two crops in a year otherwise they harvest only one crop of wheat in a year.  65% of the population is dalits, who are agricultural labors, means they are landless and work as “daily wage” worker on landholder’s farms.  

In 1 and half year of programme implementation we have conducted several activities to reduce the risk from the natural as well local disasters.

All our activities helped targeted community to identify their risk from disaster and how they can overcome and reduce the number of damages as compare to before the project cycle. Periodically we have involved school going children’s for awareness campaign on disaster risk reduction. With them last year we have celebrated flood safety week from 1st of June to 7th of June.

We have formed DRR (Disaster risk reduction) committee in each of our targeted villages, for the capacity building of the committee we have organized different capacity building activities at village as well outside level. For strengthening the groups sometimes we send community people outside for their capacity building, in the same regards we have organized Mason training for safe building of the house, we called community leaders and DRR members to the district head quarter GO/NGO and community coordination meetings. We have also formed task force groups in all our targeted areas, for their technical training we have organized technical training from the trained resource person and not only that we have provided task force lifesaving equipment’s and villagers along with TF groups regular doing the mock drills for better adoption of the techniques.

Regular interaction with IAG members is the key strength of the programme success. Last year with the help of BSDM (Bihar state disaster management authority) we have organized training for the masons; agenda was to orient masons of safe building of houses.

One major event was also held in last year, which was reviewing of the DDMP of east Champaran district in the same DDMA officials and other stake holders from different line departments along with IAG and participants from programme region.

We for resilience campaigns helped community to know more about the different disasters risk reduction techniques.  Poster campaign in village level boosted CBOs and community to the next level adoptive practice.

As a result we have found no life loose incident happened in the last year from the natural disaster in our Global programme region.

 

Preventing Child Migration and Enhancing dignity among families and youth (PCMED – III)

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Bihar is the third most populous state in India and home to 47 million children.  Bihar's children make up 11 per cent of India’s population.  Bihar is one of the poorest states in India with over 33% of the state’s population living below the poverty line. 88.7% people in Bihar live in villages. The state is characterized by widespread poverty, deep-rooted socio-cultural and gender inequalities, caste divisions, poor infrastructure, lack of basic services and recurring natural disasters.

 

Bihar has the third largest number of child labourers and one of the highest rates of child marriage in India. Migration is a key survival strategy for the poor rural families in Bihar that has the second-highest outmigration rate in India. Outmigration is predominantly for work. A study on patterns of migration from rural Bihar found that outmigration was higher from the relatively backward districts and short-term migration was dominated by migrants from the poorest regions, agricultural labouring class, the landless and those at the bottom of the caste and class hierarchy. The district of West Champaran is no exception. West Champaran accounts for 55 percent of the child migration from the state. 60-70% households in West Champaran dependent on seasonal migration for sustenance. Majority of the migrants are men/boys but occasionally, women also migrate for agricultural work in Nepal (at times with their daughters).Child labour is rampant and so is child marriage.

 

A rapid assessment conducted (by CRS recently) to understand the impact of COVID on child protection issues in West Champaran found that the COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted the health and livelihoods of already vulnerable families. Lack of alternative economic opportunities for families dependent on migration for survival has pushed them further into poverty.

 

Children have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic that has exacerbated their pre-existing vulnerabilities, with children who have lost either or both parents hit hardest. Prolonged school closures coupled with lack of movement and peer interaction have negatively impacted their emotional well-being and increased the risk of discontinuation of education. Girls are at increased risk of early marriage. The financial strain and tensions have increased spousal fights and parenting stress, negatively impacting the relationship between parents and children. Mounting economic distress, indebtedness, lack of access to government social security schemes, uncertainty about the future, heightened family stress and tensions have all compromised the well-being of children and pushed many into child labour to support their families.

 

Phase II of PCMED tried to address some of these issues and contributed to some significant positive changes including strengthening the community level groups (Hamlet Child Protection Committees and Peer Groups) to sensitize parents on the child protection issues, strengthening family bonding and the relationship between children and their parents/siblings through life skills/parenting skills, and increased involvement of children in decisions regarding their education and other family matters. Livelihood interventions (vegetable and sugarcane cultivation and goat rearing) helped protect the income flow, thereby preventing families from resorting to child labour to meet their basic needs and helping children stay in schools.

 

The Phase - 3 PCMED project will build off the results achieved in Phase II and continue the interventions to achieve the desired changes with a particular focus on addressing the impact of COVID on the well-being of children and their families. The project will continue to adapt to the changing face of the pandemic.  The phase - 3 PCMED project aims to cater 750 economical and socially backward households in 15 new hamlets in two new blocks (Nautan and Bairia), in addition to the 500 households supported in 15 hamlets in the Bagaha II block during Phase II. Thus, the project will cumulatively cater 1250 HHs in 30 villages into three blocks in West Champaran.

 

Goal: Children of West Champaran lead dignified and safe lives in resilient families.

Objective 1: Children have improved agency and well being (education, recreation, protection, well being, life skills)

Activities under strategic objectives-1

1. Map and promote school enrolment and attendance

2. Develop and promote school-based recreational and learning interventions

3. Engage children in various mobilization interventions (street plays, one on one discussions, meetings) on child protection  

4. Organize study circles in the hamlet with support of youth/animators/peer groups to address disruption in schooling

5. Engage positive deviant youths as champions to mobilize the community

6. Orient children on life skills (decision making, negotiations, communication, knowing self and empathy)

7. Create opportunities for children to exercise/use these skills.

8. Engage SMCs in promoting education of children especially during school closure

9. Engage with families of children 14-18 years, especially girls for continuing their education/education related activities during school closure

 

Objective 2: Families have improved income and relationships to support children (livelihood, parenting skills, relationships)

Activities under strategic objectives-2

1. Awareness building through demos and BMP sessions for on farm and off farm interventions.

2. Facilitate access to quality inputs and services through PSPs.

3. Community level training on goatery management practices (BPP sessions)

4. IEC printing  on livestock management practices, sugarcane and vegetable farming

5. Vaccination, de-worming camps, Artificial Insemination work.

6. Demonstration of improved shelters, fodder and practices for goats and inputs for vulnerable HHs

7. PS-LS refresher training on best management practices

8. Demonstration of sugarcane and vegetable farming

9. Farmer training on sugarcane and vegetables.

 

Objective 3: Public and community institutions offer enabling and protective environment for child development. (Protection Committees, School Management Committees, peer groups, influencers)

 

Activities under strategic objectives-3

 

1. Form the Community level groups in the new project areas, including Peer Groups, Hamlet Child Protection Committees (HCPCs) to work on child protection issues like building awareness among communities, vigilance, facilitate access to safety nets.

2. HCPC felicitation - Appraisal of HCPC members and selection of HCPC members for felicitation, organise Block level Felicitation event for HCPC members.

3. Training of HCPC on Various theme (JOL, RTE/, JJB /ICPS, Prohibition of Child Marriage Act and Protection from Child migration, communication and Facilitation skills)

4. Monthly meeting of HCPC and PG.

5. Training of PG (CTS, RTE/, JJB /ICPS, Prohibition of Child Marriage Act and Protection from Child migration)

6. Mapping and activation of SMCs in new project areas and meetings with SMCs in Phase-II villages

7. Orientation of teachers and SMC members on child abuse and child protection issue through SMC meeting

8. Build capacities of SMCs on their roles/responsibilities and child protection issues for school and community level actions

9. Promote interface between HCPCs/SMCs and PRI/block/district level authorities

10. Linkage meetings with PRIs and government officials of key departments at Block and district level