Impact of HARIT PRAYAS on migration@Chatarpur

The two sided  impacts of the Harit Prays project is visible in the project area of SSSS is as;

A. The paddy cultivation was not in practice in our project villages before Harit Prayas project or from last 5 years. This season 11 farmers have gone for paddy cultivation. The paddy cultivation is fully organic and it will increase the livelihood of households. Though the number of farmers involve in paddy cultivation is less, but every change is small at its beginning!

Name of the farmers cultivated Dhan after 5 years:-

In this village the farmers were not cultivating paddy (Dhan) for the last 5 years due to various reasons. But this year, by the intervention of the Harit Prayas group these people started cultivation of the Dhan in Organic methods.

S.no.	Name	Village	Purpose
1	Sukaniyan Ahirwar	Kawar	Dhan
2	Laddubai Ahirwar	Kawar	Dhan
3	Sarju ahirwar	Kawar	Dhan
4	Mahadev Ahirwar	Kawar	Dhan
5	Bhola Ahirwar	Kawar	Dhan
6	Kula Ahirwar	Kawar	Dhan
7	Durjana Ahirwar	Kawar	Dhan
8	Gubra Ahirwar	Kawar	Dhan
9	Sarman Ahirwar	Kawar	Dhan
10	Hardas Ahirwar	Kawar	Dhan
11	Hardeen Patel	Majotta	Dhan

    B. Lehar is one of the project villages, where rate of migration is relatively high. The team members of Harit Prayas project discussed this with the village pradhan and motivated him to take pro-active steps in this direction, and the Harit Prayas project will support the efforts of Panchayat. It consists of  proper and timely implementation of MNREGA, ensuring proper implementation of social security schemes such as Old Age pension schemes, Widow pension scheme etc. We are happy to share that 10 people who had migrated to different places, last year, did not migrate this year.

List of the people who didn’t migrate this Year:-

S.no.	Name	Village
1	Kudda Bansal	Lehar
2	Munna Bansal	Lehar
3	Dhaniram Bansal	Lehar
4	Golibai Bansal	Lehar
5	Santu Bansal	Lehar
6	Dilli Bansal	Tapra
7	Maltu Bansal	Tapra
8	Kattubai Bansal	Tapra
9	Batibai Bansal	Tapra
10	Malthu Bansal	Tapra

 Source: HARIT PRAYAS monthly progress report

Linking youths with NRLM ( National Rural Livelihood Mission)

From 29 November to 2 December there was a campaigning like mobile training programme on capacity building on National Rural Livelihood Mission at Dangariya, Bamer, Rajapur village. Here we have taken one step further as we are not limited to awakening the soul of youth and their bright future to get them trained under NRLM schemes but also we contacted training institute which were providing training under NRLM like TARAGRAM, IL&FS, ERA COMPUTER INSTITUTE, AISECT etc and in training programmes. Mr. Navneet Nigam, IL&FS, Mr. Pradeep Pandey , TARAGRAM were present for imaparting the information about all facilities and procedure of NRLM , SGSY, programmes and their availability in concerned institutes which are offering programmes – Welder, Fitter, Mechainic, computer courses, self employment oriented courses. In total 106 candidates availed training Team HP had spent night in villages as all it happen mostly in evening and night.

 Source: HARIT PRAYAS monthly progress report of Nov 2012

HARIT PRAYAS IMPACT: Increase in production through organic way!

It is the success and joy of the farmer of Ghisoli village of Babina block. The farmer Mitthan lal is a member of Ambedkar Kisan Club. Farmers had trainings for better farming methods and were asked to have soil test. The training enlightened Mitthan lal as well as other farmers. They gave their soil for test and after testing, it is found that gypsum is required in his field and he took precaution required for field and he applied all methods- Amrit Pani, Vermin Compost etc. for his groundnut cultivation. The effect was seen in the plants and finally the fruits shown the result of organic farming. The cultivation was more in comparison to last year he had 1.5 times more cultivation with healthy and thick fruits. The same happened with Tulsiram of Bamer and Madhav of Chamraua village and many more example are available in fields. Now organic farming is getting popular and in use because of cheap input and better output and it is happening because of movement for Harit Prayas in Jhansi through Team HP @JCSS, Jhansi.    

HARIT PRAYAS

A community monitored & audited project

India’s 1^st social audit[1] report of any development project

 (Of any development agency)

Social Audit is one of the innovative concept as well as approach in terms of strengthening the development projects. Its mainly a concept of auditing with participation of beneficiaries and the other stakeholders rather than being done by an individual stakeholder or a finical firm. It give a scope and space mainly for the beneficiaries to know the process, expenditure, work done and in relation the benefits reach received to them. In India till now the practice of social audit is mainly for the government programme like NREGP (National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme) and in recent past we have read and hear on NEWS a lot about the findings of social audit in NREGP and indeed in many places especially in Rajasthan ( with initiation from MKSS-Mazdoor Kiassan Shakti Sangathan) we have noticed a remarkable change in better implementation of NREGP.

Considering the importance of social audit for the development project , Caritas India along with its three partner has taken an initiative to generate the concept of social audit for the development projects supported by Caritas India and in this the first initiative has been taken with the HARIT PRAYAS project, where first of all community has trained on the social audit process and then later on community from 64 project villages of HARIT PRAYAS project ( in Bundelkhand region-Jhansi, Chatarpur and Sagar) has taken initiative to do the social audit of HARIT PRAYAS project .This is first time in India that community members along with other stake holders have done social audit of any development project being implemented by any development agency. It took almost 2 months for the community to evaluate the project in terms of expenditure, activities carried out and result/benefits (change) to the community from the project. The initiative of social audit has given a way in the Budelkhand region to make development programmes more strong in terms of reaching to the community and bringing out change in the system of implementation of development projects. On 17/12/2012 Caritas India Executive Director Most. Rev Fr. Frederick D’souza along with the Caritas India team has released the combined report of social audit of all 64 villages (in Hindi-mainly the compilation of reports from all the 64 HARIT PRAYAS projects villages) in New Delhi. He has thanked community, the partners and the Caritas India team who has involved in this type initiative to make programme more strong and look in to the prospect of value the programme from the community prospective on finance, implementation and results.  

You can read the process and key finding of social audit report in the attached summarised report (in English). India’s largest circulated Hindi daily news paper “Dainik Bhaskar” has covered it as a story of change in development sector and importance of  social audit of development project in bringing out the change in development sector.

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[1] Dainik Bhaskar, www.nrega.nic.in  

Musical album of HARIT Prayas: By community

Musical album of HARIT PRAYAS-Now HARIT PRAYAS is the part of culture of the community and in evening they sit and sing songs on HARIT PRAYAS and its process part. On 7th Evening caritas India Chairman has released HARIT PRAYAS musical album, consisting of 7 songs in Bundelkhand language and sung by the communities living in project villages. 

Caritas India Chairman Visit to HARIT PRAYS project villages in NEWS!

“Development yatra”  of caritas India Chairman-To HARIT PRAYAS villages!

Nearly two year back HARIT PRAYAS project has initiated in 64 villages of three districts (Sagar, Jhansi & Chatarpur) of Bundelkhand region. The basic purpose of the project is to uplift the life of poor and marginalised (mainly SC & STs) and make them capable to have sustainable livelihood options in the form of low cost sustainable agriculture (Considering the highest rate of farmers suicide in India in Bundelkhand region) , access to entitlements and skill development of youths. In view of this HARIT PRAYAS has started with partnering 3 diocesan partners (SSSS-Satna, MVSS-Sagar & JCSS-Jhansi) in the Bundelkhand region in Jan 2011 and within two years the project has taken the shape of community movement, now HARIT PRAYAS is community movement in the Bundelkhand region and is transforming the lives of community mainly in terms of reaching to unreached and bringing out a model of sustainable agriculture.

Considering all this in June 2012 in annual PSC meeting of caritas India caritas India Chairman Most. Rev Bishop Lumen Monterio has expressed his interest to visit the field of HARIT PRAYAS and feel and learn from the change process happening at field and at partner level. In view of the same a “Development yatra to HARIT PRAYAS” has been facilitated from 5^th-9^th December 2012 which has included a team of Caritas India Chairman,   Asst. Director of Caritas India Fr. Paul, HOD of Caritas India-Mr. Nelson along with  the project officer and  has visited the 6 villages of HARIT PRAYAS in all the three districts.

During the visit there Most Rev Bishops of Satna, & Sagar has also joined along with the entire diocesan team.  The visit has mainly focused on interaction with the Most rev. Bishops, diocesan directors   and HARIT PRAYAS team and taking it as a model at the partner level not only to contribute changes at community level, but also to strengthen the capacity of the concerned dioceses.

In four days visit the team has visted 6 villages (-Kota &HARIT PRAYAS Majhota of Chatarpur, Dhobi & Parsai Khurd, Bamer & Chamurwa of Jhansi district), interacted with 300+ community members, discussion with 11 CBMOs ( Community Based and Managed Organisations), 8 farm field of farmers practicing 100 % of organic cultivation and caritas India Chairman has inaugurated -100% organic village –Kota (at Chatrpur), Musical album of HARIT PRAYAS ( at Chatarpur), Collective women Income generation shop of Agarbati-HARIT PRAYAS Majhota village ( Chatarpur), Community initiated Village Information Center-Parsai Khurd ( Sagar), HARIT PRAYAS news letter-Bamer village ( Jhansi) & HARIT PRAYAS Media coverage book-Chamruwa village (Jhansi)

Caritas India Chairman has appreciated the work taken by the HARIT PRAYAS project partners and shared that changes are visible in the field , where on the other hand Most Rev. Bishop of Satna and SSSS-Samaritans has shared that HARIT PRAYAS is role model project for their dioceses and is the best implemented project till date in Satna dioceses and now the dioceses is take it as base for developing and implementing other projects. Most Rev. Bishop of Sagar and MVSS-Sagar director has considered HARIT PRAYAS as a project which has enhanced the visibility of the context, community and the partner organisation and is systematic approach with a sound handholding support from Caritas India. In end sharing Asst. director of Caritas India Fr. Paul  focuses on moving foreword in terms of certification of organic cultivation and visualised the entire Bundelkhad as a organic cultivation belt, Mr. nelson has focussed on more strengthening the governance system through HARIT PRAYAS project and empowering the community to participate in gram Sabha and accessing the government services meant for the people.

The Development yatra has came to end with a good note that HARIT PRAYAS will always remain ever green as HARIT PRAYAS and keep on working with communities and partners to empower their capacities!

Aatam Manthan-2: HARIT PRAYAS REVIEW MEET!

With Dec 31^st 2012 we would be completing the 2^nd year of HARIT PRAYAS and from 1^st Jan 2012 we would be entering in the 3^rd year of the HARIT PRAYAS. I these two years we have reached to the level of bringing out change although still there are many areas where we can improve especially in terms strengthening “governance system”.

Considering all this and taking the learning’s of last 24 months foreword and with a purpose to strengthen the HARIT PRAYAS project, review meeting of HARIT PRAYAS has planned as:

Date:  22^nd-24^th Jan 2013 at MVSS-Sagar.

                                            

Participants: As earlier all the Directors, HARIT PRAYAS project team ( including Coordinator, Field Coordinator , accountant and Cluster Coordinators) , along with  one each PRI member would be the part of the review meeting.

For more on HARIT PRAYAS log on to www.haritprayas.blogspot.com 

3rd Issue of HARIT PRAYAS news letter!

We are please to share the 3 issue of HARIT PRAYAS news letter from the HARIT PRAYAS team of JCSS. The news letter has started with the purpose to accentuate the happenings in the project field and in relation the changes coming out. Initially we have started it at the interval of 6 months, but now we have made it on every three months.

The features of the 3rd issue of HARIT PRAYAS NEWS letter are:

• The USP of the news letter is that its in Hindi and is being designed and developed by the community and HARIT PRAYAS project team at JCSS-Jhansi
• 4 articles in the NEWS letter are written by the target community members belongs to (SC and ST category)
• The newsletter is shared with government offices, CBMOs-Community Based & Managed Organisations, Panchayats, Block officials, village schools and with the local NGOS and with partner organisations of caritas India in northern region

We hope this news letter will make you all closer to the Bundelkhand situation and endeavours of HARIT PRAYAS in bringing out the change!

  For more on HARIT PRAYAS log on to:

Blog: www.haritprayas.blogspot.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/harit.prayas

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HARITPRAYAS

HARIT PRAYAS online channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/haritprayas

HARIT PRAYAS is a development movement supported by caritas India, caritas Spain& caritas Italian in Bundelkhand region (India)

The biggest impact of HARIT PRAYAS!

Kota ( Chatarpur)  has become  1^st 100% Organic Cultivation village with efforts through HARIT PRAYAS project of Caritas India  

This is not me, but a leading new national news paper ( Nai Duniya) which has covered a story on Kota village is stating it and after that other media houses are also covering it!

With HARIT PRAYAS we are able to bring a new side of development….a project with a movement of change, let’s believe a change!

A brief about Kota village:

Kota is the far most village of HARIT PRAYAS in Chatarpur (Madhya Pradesh), its around 100 kms from Khajuraho (our cluster office). Also its quite difficult to reach Kota, as to reach Kota one has to cross a river and dark forest.; generally an outsider prefer not to go to Kota and non of the organisation or any other government institution has ever shown any interest in the development of Kota. HARIT PRAYAS team at Satna included Kota in the project as a challenge to work in the village and to bring out the change.

In Kota there are altogether 35 SC and ST families and population is around 200. People living there depend on agriculture and used to practice synthetic fertiliser based cultivation, When HARIT PRAYAS project has started there our cluster Coordinator Mr. Virender sen (of HARIT PRAYAS Satna team) started staying there in the village facing all the difficulties and slowly-slowly started guiding village community on organic cultivation. He has visited and stayed in all the 35 families and with slow process of motivation, series of trainings and demonstration in Kota.

Unbelievable Change!

• Today Kota has become the 100% organic cultivation village  and hope fully it’s the 1^st in Madhya Pradesh. Here important is to note that organic cultivation has not only become the practice but it has become the thought process of the community.
• Yes till certification has not yet started in this area, but certification is not only the criteria of organic cultivation, HARIT PRAYAS team along with Caritas India support has gone beyond certification and worked on changing thought process of the community on organic cultivation from synthetic fertiliser based cultivation.
•  It is also important to note that earlier (baseline line status) say that in Kota 100% farmers  ( those who used to used to practice agriculture) used to practice synthetic fertiliser based cultivation.  
• The most important thing HARIT PRAYAS is not only focusing on agriculture part, but with a minimum focus the team is able to bring pout the change, and its remarkable. The credit is mainly to the team working there.

To bring out this change entire credit goes to the cluster Coordinator Mr. Virender and the HARIT PRAYAS Team at SSSS-Satna ( please find a video of Interaction of Mr. Virender and Project Coordinator Ms . Preeti with Kota farmer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQUrV58WbJ0&feature=youtu.be )

What this 100% organic cultivation is actually giving benefit?

Now community members are happy with the concept of organic cultivation and are able to reduce the input cost in agriculture by 70-90%. The best part is that saved amount they are using for the development of their houses from Kutcha to Pucca houses and also contributing some amount for the development of village to make it neat and clean.

Benefit in agriculture has reduce migration up to 100% in the village ( watch attached video) baseline report states 40% of total HHs migration.

My own recent experience ( Caritas India Project Officer for HARIT PRAYAS)

I have visited Kota on 22^nd Nov and last time I have visited it in 2011, I find a big change not only in organic cultivation, but in the behaviour, the hygiene and sanitation and indeed the well being of the village.

Its good experience to see such changes. Also Kota is now like a hill station, and those who earlier do not want to visit it , now because of HARIT PRAYAS intervention, many government institutions are visiting it and there is planning to have a small bridge over the river near by Kota ( which cuts Kota from entire other villages in rainy season).

I suggest that HARIT PRAYAS Kota village at Chatarpur could be one of the ideal village for exposure on organic cultivation, so we can suggest to some opf the partners to visit there for exposure in other projects!

Let’s believe Change!

For more on HARIT PRAYAS log on to www.haritprayas.blogspot.com, or follow on facebook (http://www.facebook.com/harit.prayas) or follow on Twitter (HARIT PRAYAS) or watch HARIT PRAYAS channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/haritprayas

सिर्फ़ हंगामा, खड़ा करना, मेरा मकसद नही

sirf hangama, khada karna, mera maksad nahi

सारी कोशिश, है की ये, सूरत बदलनी चाहिए

saari koshish, hai ki ye, soorat badalni chahiye

मेरे सीने में नही, तो तेरे सीने में सही

mere seene mein nahi, to tere seene mein sahi

हो कही भी आग लेकिन, आग जलनी चाहिए

ho kahi bhi aag lekin, aag jalni chahiye

Poet Dushyant Kumar wrote above lines on bringing change-describes that its not only we talk about change…but instead we must bring change!  And with Caritas  India HARIT PRAYAS project we have  tried to bring  change at community and at all stake holder levels.