::: MAHITI :::

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Social and economic inequalities are running parallel to each other in this region. People of lower caste are suppressed of any economic opportunity. The unwritten law in Bhal is that they are supposed to be poor and should not carry out any successful economic activity. Class and caste are muddled up and social advancement is not possible without economic advancement. However the livelihood opportunities need to be secured, accessed and practices by poor for survival. No element in a democratic set up has the right to curtain these opportunities. Unfortunately very few efforts are made by State and civil society organizations to improve livelihood of women and poor. In these circumstances, MAHITI proposes to take up activities that impact social and economic sphere of poor. The bone of contention here is to decrease the scale of socio-economic inequalities and increase resource opportunities and avenues to survive.

To reduce the scale of discrimination

Despite the ban social evil of untouchability still exist in Bhal region on large scale. People of lower caste are forced to live a life far below human dignity. Development of lower caste people is a distance dream and upper caste communities find all way to block your way. It’s a hart terrain for people who believe in social equality and justice. All menial jobs are forced upon these communities and they are not allowed to look for other economic options on this soil. As a result some of them permanently migrated to other parts of state

MAHITI proposed activities to reduce the caste discrimination on the top priority.

Objective/Activities	Indicator
Objectives: To decrease the scale of caste discriminations.	Caste discrimination will be reduced in program villages of MAHITI.
Activity – 1: Reduce the scale of caste discrimination through people’s gatherings and awareness camps.	Reduced caste discrimination in 75 villages.
Activity – 2: Publication of booklets related to caste discrimination and related issues.	Yearly publication and distribution of 5000 copies.

Advancement of backward caste/class through natural resource development

Relationship between human beings and nature is important aspect in livelihood of poor. In this context, developement and sustainance of the natural resources is critical and of great importance. MAHITI has experienced that the powerful and the rich control the local common resources and exploit them for their own benefits. Poor and the marginalised denied access to the little available resources. MAHITI intends to develop natural resources of Bhal in a way that the poor and marginalised have complete access and get the maximum benefit out of it.

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Objective/Activity	Indicator
Objective: Improve living condition and cope with disasters through natural resource based livelihoods	Access and development of natural resources by marginalized section of Bhal region.
Activity – 1: Revitalisation of Saline land	Increased land productivity (increased area and yield).
• Revitalize saline land through watershed approach and Integrated Wasteland Development Programs (IWDP).	Qualitative improvement in 2500 Hectare of land and its productivity benefiting 5000 families.
• To promote seed bank in Bhal region to secure food grain for poor and vulnerable in disasters.	Fully functional Seed Bank managed by Cooperatives to benefit more than 500 families each year.
Activity – 2: To promote afforestation	Afforstation to reduce the impact of disasters on poor and vulnerable and improve livelihood opportunities.
• Afforestation of saline and marginal lands by cooperatives with salt tolerant species.	Afforestation will be done in 25 Hectare of land.
• Demonstration of salt tolerant horticulture crops.	Demonstration plots will be developed.
• Demonstration of agro-forestry models by four zonal offices.	Demonstration plots will be developed in four operational zones of MAHITI.
• Horticulture plantation by vulnerable/poor families.	Plantation of 40,000 saplings among 1500-2000 families.
Activity – 3: To promote animal husbandry and related activities in Bhal region.	Improved livestock raring practices to cope against disasters.
• Registration of thee milk cooperatives.	Three Milk cooperatives managed by women.
• Exposure visits for members of Milk cooperatives.	Increased understanding on livestock raring activities among members.
• To promote Fodder Bank in Bhal region.	Fully functional Fodder Bank managed by Cooperatives to benefit more than 500 families each year.
Activity – 4: To develop village level water sources	Awareness and self-reliance in drinking water.
• To launch water committees and training members to manage water efficiently.	Water committees will actively function to manage drinking water & related issues.
 Training and Consolidation of existing water committees	Active and functional water committees in each and every village in project area.
 To launch new water committees and training for the same.	Active and functional water committees in each and every village in project area.
• To arrange exposure trip for members of water committee	Incorporation of new / innovations in water management.
• To make people self-reliant in drinking water facilities.	500 in-accessible families become self-reliant in pure and safe drinking water.
• Advancement of existing water sources.	Re-using 5 existing plastic lined ponds thus solving drinking water problem in 5 villages for another 10 years.
Activity – 5: Capacity building trainings for Natural Resource Management (NRM) related issues for staff members of MAHITI.	10 staff members fully trained in NRM according to yearly Action plan.
Activity – 6: Follow up of planned activities.	Necessary follow up, visits, documents, records, reporting, monitoring and guidance will be carried out.

Promotion of mass awareness to decrease the scale of social evils

Bhal has very complex nature of social network where superstition, child marriage, dowry system, alcoholism, drug abuse are perpetual. These evils are part of routine life people. Low education standards and lack of awareness lead to higher influence of these evils on the lives of people. Vested interests survive on these evils and regularly promote them. People spend more than 30% of their earnings on these evils. For example, instead of visiting a PHC women in need of critical medical help are taken to witches. Local leaders turn the customs in their favor to mint money from their communities. Such people in the shadows of religious beliefs and customs systematically promote child marriages and practice of dowry.

In cases like alcoholism, drugs and superstitions they land up in deep debt trap and finally commit suicide. Scrupulous elements corner such vulnerable family members and carry their business. They also connive local police and administration. MAHITI believes that mass education is the only resort to these social evils. Continuous efforts are needed to bring in needed change. Following activities are proposed for next 5 years in this region.

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Objective/Activity	Indicator
Objective: To decrease the scale of superstition and social evils prevailing in society.	Communities in 75 villages will become aware about adverse effects of evil customs and superstition in society.
Activity: To organise awareness camps and change people’s outlook towards dowry system.	Camp will be organized in 75 villages and at least 10 cases will be demonstrated.

Infrastructure facilities are in very bad shape in Bhal. Health facility is one of the areas where basic infrastructure is deficient. Government infrastructure is grossly inadequate and what ever exist is in very bad shape. Private Doctors took fullest advantage of this situation where they misguide and exploit people. As a result medical facilities have by and large remained out of reach for poor.

There are village where a pregnant women could never reach hospital. Even if she reaches she could hardly attended with basic amenities. There could be hundreds of patients suffering from various diseases/virus yet un-detected and not treated. They could transmit these diseases to others in ignorance. Timely availability of medicines in remote areas is another biggest challenge. In this condition, alternative health facilities are inevitable. By promoting health programs, MAHITI will not only provides alternative facilities and link them with existing health services but also create awareness about basic health related issues.

Following activities are proposed for next 5 years.

Objective/Activity	Indicator
Objective: To promote better health services in Bhal region.	75 villages of Bhal region get basic health services.
Activity – 1: Promoting village level women health workers.	80 villages will have Village Health Workers to take care of basic health needs.
• Capacity building of old health workers.
• Training for new health workers.
Activity – 2: Promoting village level Daies.	50 Daies will function in 75 villages.
Activity – 3: Organising multi disease/virus diagnosis camps.	10 multi disease diagnosis camps will be organized.
Activity – 4: Linkage of health worker with PHCs.	40 health workers will work in coordination with PHCs
Activity – 5: Awareness camp on reproductive health related issues.	Awareness camps will be organized in 100 villages.
Activity – 6: To promote Mobile hospital facility (mobile van) for remote villages.	Mobile van will function in 75 remote villages of Bhal region.
Activity – 7: Distribution of medicine stock.	All programme villages of MAHITI will get sufficient medicine stock.
Activity – 8: Capacity building trainings for health related issues for Programme related staff members of MAHITI.	Training will be organized according to yearly Action plan.
Activity – 9: Follow up of planned activities.	Necessary follow up has been done.