WSHG Kankakumar-02 : A Success Story

encouragements from BISWA to ahead. The group owned six machines to make cups from natural leaves after availing their fourth loan amount. In due course they accumulated sufficient experience to tackle their day to day problems and come out successfully. Their production used to hamper due to shortage of raw materials in lean days. Then they became wise to maintain a buffer stock of raw materials that enabled them for regular production & earn goodwill from the market. It is not that they are now BISWA Kankakumar 02 is a Self Help Group based in the village Kankakumar in Laikera Block of Jharsuguda district. The Group was awarded as the Second Best among all the self help groups of BISWA on the occasion of its 15th Annual Day Function on January 7th 2009. The prize packet was received by the group members in the leadership of its group president Ms. Gouri Chhatria & secretary Ms. Hulati Naik from Mr. K.C.Malick, Chairman BISWA in a thick gathering of more than 5000. Both the Area Coordinators, Mr. Deepak Sunani & Mr. Rajendra Sa shared the glory of the success of their formed group as they were present on the dais on that occasion. The group consists of thirteen members and was formed on 10.11.2003. The group has availed loans on four occasions after successful paying back the earlier loan and set an ideal example for other groups. After successful formation of the group they were taught how to make regular savings and keep it in a bank account. It also taught them how to operate their bank accounts at Utkal Gramya Bank Chandnimal that obviously boost their confidence. The initial loan amount was Rs. 6000/- only, which went on thickening subsequently after its timely payback as Rs. 10,000/-, Rs. 54,000/- & Rs. 1,19,000/-. These loan amounts were properly utilised by the group in their entrepreneurial activities that enabled them for its successful payback and that too in time. With the sanction of their first loan the group decided to start a leaf cup-plate making unit. Their desire materialised as the group took a proper training on how to operate the machines to bring out the products. Initially the group was trained at Bamra that enhanced their confidence. With each payback of loan amounts the group got appreciations and

International Conference on Climate Change & Urban Poverty

urban poverty by the year 2020 in the line with the UNO Millennium Development Goal." This was the gist of the presentation made by Mr. Arun Kumar Das, Manager-Programme BISWA in the International Conference on Climate Change & Urban Poverty Infrastructure of Development at BRAC Centre Auditorium, Dhaka, Bangladesh on February 28th 2009. Its inaugural session was organised in the chairmanship of Prof Jamilur Reza Choudhury, Vice Chancellor BRAC University. Mr. Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, Minister of Finance, Government of Bangladesh & Mr. Fazle Hasan Abed, Founder & Chairperson BRAC participated in as the chief guest & guest of honour respectively. Prof Syed M. Hashemi, Director BDI presented his paper on Overview of Rajendrapur Conversation, Dr. Atiq Rahman, Executive Director, BCAS presented his paper on Climate Change in Bangladesh: An Over View, Prof Ainun Nishat, Country Representative IUCN presented his paper on Bangladesh's Path to Climate Resilience & Dr. Caroline Moser, Director Global Urban Research Centre, University of Manchester presented her paper on Towards Pro-Poor Adaptation to Climate Change in Urban Centres in the inaugural session. There were six more sessions took place on that day and each of them was of equal importance and presented by internationally acclaimed personalities from countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, South Africa, Germany, Switzerland, United Kingdom & United States of America besides international agencies like GTZ & CARE etc.

free from all problems rather they still have to face a major problem of power cut that badly hampers their steady production. Then the group decided to find alternatives resources to maintain a steady flow of income for sustenance. They decided to grow seasonal vegetable to cater the local market as they had lands as well as work hands for it. The group started growing seasonal vegetables like brinjal, pumpkin, cauliflower, cabbage, tomato & ginger. Their well grown fresh vegetables had a good demand in the markets of Bamra, Jharsuguda, Rajgangpur & Rourkela. Vegetable vendors and traders from these used to come to them very often to procure their vegetable produces that very much encouraged them. As a result to it their problem of arranging transportation was over as the traders came with their own transport to carry the vegetables. In these days they came to know themselves what is a team spirit. Such a realisation brought many benefits for them. All the group members need not engage themselves always in the group activities only rather some of them were able to find spare time for their other necessary social works. Thus the group members are now more social with their steady flow of income.

"More accommodation in less space pilots erratic connection of water pipes and sewerage system in the slum areas. Rapid sprawling of urban slums in outmoded areas of cities and absence of good governance practice compels the slum dwellers to get the unauthorised connections through illegal ways ensuing unhygienic urban environment. A lower degree of coverage results in lower degree of revenue recovery leading to nonsustainability of the systems and consequent deterioration of the service levels. Reconstructing and relocating urban slum settlements, inter and intra physical infrastructure linkages, improvement in the micro environment, intensive peoples' participation for promoting community based profit centres as self managed maintenance system, public private community partnership (PPCP) are some of the approaches through which the problems related to slum settlements and inconsistencies in water pipes and sewerage systems can be minimised. Adoption of these approaches will make a significant improvement in the lives of million slum dwellers by ensuring high quality environment, inculcating good sanitation practices, improving in health condition, providing education and creating employment in a sustainable manner and thus eradicating

E ditorial
Poverty Eradication & MDG

Dhokra Cluster launched

Jagadalpur of Chhattisgarh to have comprehensive ideas about craft development and adoption of modern technique and method of production. Sri N.K.Singh, General Manager District Industries Centre Deogarh, Sri A. Minz APD DRDA Deogarh, Sri P.K.Jena Additional LDM Deogarh, Sri U.Mishra IPO Deogarh, Sri Fakir Pradhan Member Zilla Parishad Deogarh, Smt Rebati Pradhan Sarpanch Jharkhandal, Sri C.S.Pradhan District Coordinator BISWA & Sri Jayant Swain Programme Manager BISWA etc participated as officials in the inaugural function.

Youth Awareness on Red Cross

& a State Level Resource person in disaster management of Red Cross read out his paper on Global Warming, its cause and remedies. He tried to link the global problem with the local context and how it could be prevented if there will be awareness among us

Uncontrolled growth of slums not only

in cities but also in all urban sectors has become a real problem for policy makers & planners around the World. It results in unhealthy habitats & surroundings that adversely affect health of the whole urban area. This pressure of more accommodation in less space could be realised in system failure in water supply and sewerage or waste management ensuing unhygienic urban environment. The local governance then stigmatised as bad governance even though it has to bear the brunt of revenue loss as one of its manifestation. This revenue loss leads to non-sustainability of the system & subsequently deterioration of urban basic services. In such a situation the planners think intensive peoples' participation for promoting community based profit centres as self managed maintenance system with public private community partnership (PPCP) could be some of the approaches through which the problems related to slum settlements and inconsistencies in water supply and sewerage system could be reduced. Even though there are high cost involvement in it, adoption of such approaches would ensure significant improvement in the lives of million slum dwellers with an assurance of better environment with good sanitation practices. Obviously it may improve the health condition of urban habitants' alongwith providing proper education to children and creating ample employment opportunities in a sustainable manner. This could be an ideal approach to eradicate poverty by 2020, as outlined in the UNO's Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

A Dhokra Craft Cluster programme is launched by BISWA at Jharkhandal village in Barkot block of Deogarh district. Its inaugural function took place on February 25th 2009. BISWA is the implementing agency of this programme, supported by District Industries Centre (DIC) of Deogarh district and sponsored by Directorate of Handicrafts & Cottage Industries of Orissa. The cluster programme covers 75 artisan families, whose livelihood depends upon the traditional Dhokra craft. Prior to it a baseline survey on these families was conducted by BISWA. It was found from the study of the survey report that the range of their Dhokra product is very limited, the technology and technique used by them are obsolete & primitive, they lacked the design improvement & desired diversification measure, there is very dearth of raw material & working capital and above all the very nature of production is much unorganized. After a detail study of these problems, BISWA envisaged to intervene the cluster and help the artisans to overcome these hurdles. Accordingly intervention measures planned and assistance sought from Director of Handicraft & Cottage Industries. The duration fixed for this cluster development programme is one year and within this period the artisans will be given skill improvement and design development trainings from reputed master craftsmen. Modern hand tools will be given to these artisans. They will be made to visit

A Training Programme on Inclusion

training programme was organised at BTI for mainstreaming & exclusion to inclusion of disabled, HIV & AIDS patients. The training took place for two days, on 25th & 26th February 2009. BISWA has taken a decision at its management level that a new strategy should be adopted on inclusion; it has been felt that exclusion to inclusion is the most important problem in the society, faced by all SHG members. It prevails not only all over Odisha but also in other part of the country. It can be only possible to bring this change through activity from grassroots level to remove some stigmas which has pre- occupied their thoughts about disability and HIV/AIDS. The foundation was first established in the mainstreaming of community organiser of Sundargarh & Sambalpur districts those who are directly in contact with villagers at grassroots level. So the training was conducted for community organisers of these two districts. The resource persons of the training programme were Dr. Diptibala Patnaik & Mr. Ken Snow. All the trainers had been divided in to four groups and each group was given a topic for discussion. The four topics with respective trainers are 1. Fundamental knowledge about Disability and the facility provided by Government
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The Youth Red Cross wing of Bhima Bhoi College Rairakhol organized a one day programme on "Red Cross Activities" on February 24th 2009, wherein representatives of almost all the colleges of Rairakhol subdivision participated. Sri Pradipta Kumar Pattnaik District Magistrate & Collector Sambalpur inaugurated the programme as the chief guest, whereas Sri Subodh Kumar Dash Principal of the college presided over the function. Sri Sharat Chandra Mishra Sub Collector Rairakhol & Sri Joy George Honorary Secretary of District Branch of Red Cross graced the function as guests of honour. In the first round of the technical session, Sri George shed light on how the Red Cross movement started its evolution, its international & national structure and roles at different sphere. Ms Gitanjali Mohapatra Programme Officer of Sambalpur District Social Welfare Office explained on various programmes launched on women children by the government. She also informed the house on approaches of the government on domestic violence and how to curb it. In the post lunch session, Sri Shiv Prasad Meher Manager Public Relations BISWA
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on this issue. Then there was a session on Right to Information that was jointly shared by Sri Bhawani Shankar Mishra Manager Health BISWA & Joint Secretary of district branch of Red Cross and Sri Harish Das. The Closing ceremony was presided over by the principal of the host college, whereas Dr Santosh Dash of Government Women College Sambalpur participated in as the chief guest and Sri Bhawani Shankar Mishra as the guest of honour. It was organised by joint efforts of Prof Anjan Kumar Mishra Advisor of Youth Red Cross in that college, Prof Arun Kumar Sasani & Prof Supriya Mallick, where as all the teaching staff of the college took active participation in it.

Free Eye Camp at Handpa

A free one day eye camp was organised by BISWA BKMM Rotary Eye Hospital at Baladiabandha, Handapa Dhenkanal. Prior to this, an awareness meeting was held on the previous day to sensitise the villagers, so that more and more persons with eye ailments will attend the Camp. The venue, date, day and time was repeatedly announced by the loudspeaker. Leaflets were also distributed to inform people. On the day of the Camp; the Eye Hospital personnel reached the spot at around 8 AM. They came all the way in the Hospital Bus. Banner was fixed. The distinguished persons from the village like the Sarpanch, Ward members and intellectuals were invited. The Camp started as scheduled in their presence. The team of officials

from the Eye Hospital included Mr. Pradipta Sahoo, Ophthalmic Assistant, Sridhar Naik, Camp Officer, Bholeshwar Hota, Shashmita Mohanty and Itishree Nayak, both Technical Trainees. Mr. Ranjan Kumar Baral, GM (Operations) accompanied them. First the patients were made to stand in the queue. Then Mr. Hota registered them one by one. Then they were checked individually by Mr. Sahoo. In case of minor problems; he prescribed medicines. In case of critical cases; the patients had to undergo specific tests. The critical patients were allowed to sit in a specified group. Such patients along with their relatives were counselled to go to the Eye Hospital today itself. They were clearly told that all the expenses in connection with the transportation, tests, operation and logistics will be taken care by the Hospital. After operation; they will be brought back to the Hospital by bus. Follow up check ups were done free of cost. Then they were given sufficient time to come prepared to stay for one day at Eye Hospital. In this camp, 110 patients turned up. After checking; 25 were found critical and were brought to the Hospital. One school girl came with complaint of pain in her right eye. The eye specialist brought out a black-pointed particle from the eye in a minor operation. Relieved from pain; the girl left for home happily. Aged ladies like Draupadi Sahoo, 88 years and Anita Sahoo, 35 years from village Katanga came to the Camp. They were Mother and Daughter. In fact, they were unable to see. So special care was taken for them. After thorough check up; Mr. Sahoo observed that operation is not possible in their case due to their old age. He further remarked that we can operate with a high risk because chance of restoring vision is quite bleak. Then all the 25 patients were brought to the Hospital in the bus. Since most of them were aged; utmost care was taken by the staff members for their comfort.

and the trainers are Mr. Sanjiv Purohit and Ms. Swapnamayee Dash, 2. HIV/ AIDS and the trainer are Mr. Alok Dash, Ms. Sarita Mohapatra and Ms. Magdali Barla, 3.Human Rights approach and Mainstreaming and trainer was Mr. Shiv Sankar Panda 4. Review of the program through feed back and the trainers are Mr. Ajoy Shroff, Mr. Ramesh Satpathy and Ms. Mamata Mishra.