Economic Growth India Project #1900

Empowering Villages in Rural India

by Seva Mandir

Project Report | Dec 31, 2018
Empowered Village Committees Ensuring Human Rights

By Atul Lekhra | Manager- Resource Mobilization

Season’s Greetings to you and your family.

Indian government has been running many social welfare schemes since the last two decades that are directed to benefit the poorest of poor households. Through these schemes the government intends to provide benefits to the old aged people, widows, disabled, orphans, school children, diseased, accident victims and families etc. Under these schemes some monetary benefits are provided by the government as pensions, insurance covers, scholarships etc. which can greatly help the weak households. But due to low levels of literacy and awareness as well as lack of required efforts from the local governance systems, there is a huge gap in taking this information to the target population leaving them deprived of all the benefits. As a result many a times the budget allocated to local administrative levels for these schemes is not even utilized.

Seva Mandir has been working to bridge this gap by training village level institutions – the village development committees, about the existing schemes and their provisions. As a result, these village institutions become empowered knowledge sources for the people and are able to proactively link the needy with appropriate schemes. Hence, these village institutions support not only as information centers for grass root level but also for implementation for the welfare schemes, enhancing the access and outreach of these schemes.

Kumbalgarh tehsil comes under Rajsamand district of Rajasthan and is situated 80-85 kms away from Udaipur district head quarters. With a population of 144,231, it has a rich historic and cultural heritage and has been organization’s focus area since the last ten years. After knowing the fact that a lot of population is still deprived of the benefits of available welfare schemes, Seva Mandir has been extensively training communities on deepening the understanding on different government schemes and required procedures to avail these benefits. This is also done through providing support in organizing rural camps or linking people with the government camps where large number of villagers can be assisted in filing applications for the same. This involves filing the application and constant follow ups of the application status along with updating the beneficiary as the government procedures are hectic.

Hence Seva Mandir motivated the village level leaders to take up advocacy roles and empowered them to work closely with government institutions. Village institutions in Kumbalgarh have been able to successfully link 641 applications for disadvantaged households under various schemes for farmers, old age, orphan, destitute women, girl child, etc. during the last six months. Through these government schemes, the village leaders supported people in providing assistance in education at primary and higher levels, health and nutrition for all, insurance for crops production, compensation for death while working on agricultural farms and many more. Due to their continuous efforts, in total these households have received earnings of Rs 10,06,100 ($14,387). This has greatly impacted and supported daily lives of these rural people majority of whom are below poverty line. The ongoing efforts from village development committees in Kumbalgarh have ensured that every needy household is connected to the benefits received from state. This has also ensured that village committees recognize and ensure their rights of being entitled to benefits.

At one level, individuals trained by Seva Mandir become useful village resources for getting information, at another level they become crucial change agents assisting the state to enhance its reach. With multiple follow ups and trainings, these individuals have also become important political influencers in the area over years.

We would like to thank you deeply for your continued support which has enabled us to keep supporting people in our villages.

We are proud to share that Seva Mandir has been featured in a The New York Times article! One of our GlobalGiving campaigns has been selected as an alternative way to give a gift this Christmas. The link to the article is https://goo.gl/sCxFGC

Also, all recurring donations up to $200 will be 100% matched throughout the “GlobalGiving’s Year End Campaign”, and whichever organisation achieves the most funds during the campaign will receive $2,000 from GlobalGiving!

Help Seva Mandir achieve these goals by donating on our GlobalGiving page!

Thank you so much.

Regards

Atul Lekhra and the Seva Mandir Team

Links:

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Oct 2, 2018
NARO KA KHEDA- A STORY OF PERSEVERANCE AND TRUST

By Atul Lekhra | Manager- Resource Mobilization

Dear Friend,

Strong village institutions are the nucleus for all of Seva Mandir’s work. For over 50 years, Seva Mandir has slowly built its alternative village governments into spaces where people are able to participate actively and ethically in the decisions which affect their lives. Our Village Development Forums and Village Development Funds manage local development projects, co-fund projects and act as pressure groups on the state. At a deeper level, they build community ownership of the development process, unite communities and ensure the long-term sustainability of Seva Mandir’s work.

Naro ka Kheda, a village in Badgaon block, is situated 20 kms from Udaipur. Naro ka Kheda first got associated with Seva Mandir with adult education program in the year 1979 and the association continued with the formation of Village Development Committee, development of 2 pasturelands, wasteland development, watershed, 3 water harvesting structures, Non formal education center, Balwadi (pre-school), Self-help groups and a Trained Birth Attendant.

In the year 2014-15, Seva Mandir got a project under Clean Drinking Water (CDW) program for which Naro ka Kheda was one of the villages where the project was to be implemented. In the village there was only one source of water-an open well- which was located 800m downhill. As per the CDW program of Seva Mandir, the water from the source is pumped to a reservoir where it can be chlorinated. The only obstacle in starting the work was the unavailability of electricity in the village. Out of concern the community members applied for electricity connection to the panchayat (local government body) and regularly followed up. Seeing their continuous follow-up, Seva Mandir went forward with the well restoration and tank construction work. In the meanwhile, Seva Mandir was writing proposals to funders for installing a solar powered pump.

The community members felt that a water tank is an asset to the village and it will be used by future generation as well, so 6000 litres proposed under the program would not suffice and so they decided to construct a 10000 liter tank and the extra cost that would be willingly incurred by the community. However, the tank could not be used unless an arrangement was made to pump water to it, but there was no certainty when it would happen.

Two years passed, the people didn’t get their electricity connection but Seva Mandir in the meanwhile got funds for installing a solar powered pump in their village. In no time, community members voluntarily dug pits for the pipelines from the well to the tank and for the stand posts. They also voluntarily did all the masonry work for solar plate installation and refused to run a muster roll for labour payments. They instead asked Seva Mandir if that money could be transferred to Village Development Fund so that they will have enough money for other development works and for their future generations.

Naro ka kheda is a perfect example of a village taking responsibility for their own development and of participatory action.

We would like to thank you for letting us meet our commitments at the field. All this has been possible due to your consistent support and trust in us. Together we can make a difference for these villages.

Best Wishes,

Atul Lekhra and the Seva Mandir Team

Links:

Seva Mandir's Facebook Page

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Jul 5, 2018
Local Leaders Rescuing Children from Trafficking

By Atul Lekhra | Manager- Resource Mobilization

Semla, a small rural village in southern Rajasthan, is home to some extraordinary people. Earlier this year, village leaders and committee members of Semla rescued four children aged between 12 and 16 from being trafficked into child labour in the neighbouring state of Gujarat.

Child trafficking is a growing issue on the border between Rajasthan and Gujarat. Children are tricked into the hands of traffickers by being presented with a job opportunity, when in reality, upon arrival, they become enslaved and forced into begging, sexual exploitation, drug dealing or worse. Despite the determination of the children’s families and neighbours, sometimes they are unable to bring them back.

The children from Semla village were told that they could earn good money working in a cotton mill across the border in Gujarat and be able to send their wages back to their parents in Rajasthan. But they were lied to. They were forced to work long and hard hours, unable to contact their parents or the outside world. The community of Semla acted straight away after the children’s disappearance, contacting family, friends and other communities.

Eventually, through sheer determination, the village leaders were able to find out the location of the children and immediately contacted the owner of the mill, demanding to send them back home. He refused at first, until the village leaders threatened to contact the police, at which he sent the children back to their parents – with no wages for their work. Once the children reached the security of their families and homes, they spoke about how they were beaten during the time at the cotton factory.

Since their return, the children have returned to school, and the village leaders and committee members are now working to create awareness trainings and events to make families aware of the dangers of trafficking.

Thanks to the hard work of the village leaders and the committee members, who are facilitated and trained by Seva Mandir, the children were brought back home safely. We work with the village communities of southern Rajasthan to train them on the dangers and risks of trafficking, and what to do when it happens.

We would like to thank you for letting us meet our commitments in the field. All this has been possible due to your consistent support and trust in us.

Remember, together we can make a difference for these villages. We look forward to your continuous support. If your travel brings you to this part of the world, please do visit us.

Thank you

Atul Lekhra and the Seva Mandir Team

Follow us on www.facebook.com/sevamandir

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