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In 1978, Government of Gujarat (GoG) launched a scheme
to survey backward areas of the state. Professionals
from Utthan (Ahmedabad based NGO) took the
responsibility to survey drought prone areas of
Dhandhuka Block, which is part of Bhal region. They
collected information on the prevailing socio-
economic and political condition. A detailed report
was prepared reflecting serious backwardness of the
area and submitted to the Government. Successively
Utthan launched MAHITI project to disseminate
information on various development activities and
programs. Local groups and committees were formed to
undertake various activities such as drinking water,
afforstation, wind energy, mangrove plantation etc.
The focus was on empowering oppressed rural
communities with a special emphasis on the women. In
the early stages itself the project team realized that
women are an inevitable part of development process.
Their courage, patience and hard work put them ahead
of men. They have had no inhibitions to confront
exploitative caste structure. In the early stages
Mahiti initiated two saving and credit groups of women
in Bhangadh and Mingalpur villages of Dhandhuka Taluka.
Later on the MAHITI project concentrated on diverse
issues and one of the basic issues was that of
drinking water. Women are the first victims to
drinking water crisis. Mahiti Project team
successfully took up this issue at government and
non-government forums. With continuous efforts,
several changes were made to government’s policy for
drinking water. As part of the effort 20 plastic
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ponds were constructed in Bhal region having
capacity to meet drinking water needs of more than
15000 families. ‘Agriculture films’ (plastic sheets)
used as layer in the construction of these ponds.
Successively the project has constructed more than 450
RRWHS (Rain Roof Water Harvesting Structure) for
remotely located households. |
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| In 1994, recognizing the strength of Mahiti team,
UTTHAN decided to withdraw from the region and
establish Mahiti as an autonomous organization. On 9th
August, 1994 MAHITI formally registered with Bombay
Trust Act, 1950. |
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| Devuben took the leadership of the
organisaiton who hails from Bhangadh village and a
senior member of the team. She took charge to build
MAHITI as an independent and committed organization to
fight the causes of marginalised sections especially
women. Sooner Mahiti spread its activities to more
than 75 villages. |
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During the formative years, MAHITI addressed various
issues of poverty and underdevelopment of the Bhal
region. MAHITI adopted cooperation as approach to
organize communities/groups to retain formal status.
Two district level cooperatives of women – “the Bhal
women’s saving and credit cooperative of Ahmedabad”
and “the Bhal Women’s Jagruti saving and credit
cooperative of Bhavnagar” (Annexure – 1) were formed
to curb exploitation by moneylenders. More than 3000
women joined these cooperatives so far where the
recorded financial transactions are more than Rs.50
lakhs per year. Apart from micro financing these
cooperatives support women groups in various social
and economic activities.
Community health intervention was promoted by MAHITI
to develop the village level health system and link it
up with the primary health centers (PHCs) run by the
Government. This is successfully promoted in more than
50 villages. Sanitation, childcare, maternal health,
emergency services are some of the activities that
Mahiti continuously supports and strengthens. Whole
cadres of volunteers were developed in the remotest
corner of earth.
Mahiti undertook land and water management
interventions by watershed approach in 22 villages
with the financial assistance from Department of Rural
Development in Ahmedabad and Bhavnagar districts
covering more than 10000 hectares land. Various
activities under this intervention helped in improving
soil fertility, minimizing salinity affects on crop
productivity and augmenting fresh water in saline
tracks of Bhal. Mahiti also promoted Integrated
Wasteland Development Programs (IWDP) in 6 villages to
improve natural resource condition.
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| From the date of its inception, MAHITI has constructed
498 Rain Roof Water Harvesting structures (RRWHSs) to
benefit vulnerable households in remote villages.
MAHITI also promoted mangroves restoration along the
coast of Bhal through ‘land cooperatives’ with the
financial assistance from Gujarat Ecology Commission (GEC).
Mangroves so far checked the salinity
ingress in coastal villages and protected
farmland from turning saline. Their
depletion is now going to be a threat for
marginally |
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productive lands. This initiative faced setback
from State decision to withdraw the activity in
light of proposed ‘Kalpasar’ project in gulf.
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MAHITI strongly represented the case of Koli and Dalit
communities at all platforms to secure social justice.
It has not hesitated to take legal approach to
convince any local power system that walk over
exploiting these communities. As a result MAHITI has
emerged as single source for vulnerable communities to
represent their issues and seek justice.
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