Monthly Report-April

 

 

Invest in a Woman, Empower a Family

“This programme is being implemented with an aim to make women financially independent by organizing them into SHGs”, said Afsel Chandrankandy Secretary Rehab India Foundation by inaugurating the programme.

 The programme (Padosi) SHG Meet was organized for face to face interaction of women SHG members with eminent dignitaries of Rehab on May 4^th, 2013 at Rehab Regional Centre located in Anandpeta, District Guntoor, Andhra Pradesh.

Explaining the importance and origin of Self Help Groups, Safarullah Khan, Asst. Programme Manager said, “Muhammad Yunus, Banker, economist and Noble Prize recipient developed the concept of micro finance. And now his model is acceptable worldwide, especially in India. To add to it, we appreciate our sisters for 90% repayment of loan. And, we encourage them to work in groups for better mobilization of resources.”

Adding to it, Mr. Afsel explained, “the importance of formation of SHGs for empowerment of women promoting savings and banking habits, involvement in community actions, and develop individual skills of the community members through livelihood finance and employment generation training.” 

On the same, Saravana Kumar, Central Zone Project Manager shared success stories of Assam Model Village Project and said, “Team Rehab has formed 3 Self Help Groups named Men SHG, Beauty and Moroni. As name suggest, Men SHG contain ten male members, while Beauty and Moroni are women SHGs with ten members in each group.”

 

Insafudheen, South Zone Project Manager detailed SHG Programme at Guntoor and described, “we have successfully completed two phases of SHG Programme and have distributed loan to 30 women for initiating micro-business like tiffin system, tailoring shop, flower making, general store, sarees marketing etc. Last Month, we unlocked Phase three and distributed loan to another three women.”

Altogether, fifty women along with their kids were participated. Few women shared positive change in their lives after receiving loan. Other discussed ideas that what they would do after getting loan.  

Unveils Career Path

To provide students and parents with the best information and knowledge to plan future careers, Rehab India Foundation offered a range of Career Guidance Programmes at Nandavaram Village and Nizamudheen Colony, Andhra Pradesh dated on April 29^th   and 30^th , 2013.

The programme was designed in such a way that maximum students would be able to receive the benefits. The counselor Shaik Khadar and Khadar Muhammad ensured students receiving important information about academic performance, post high school options, career exploration and financial aid in curriculum choices.

During the sessions, parents and students got opportunity to understand about the courses and institutions available in India for higher studies related with medical, engineering, journalism, sports, biotechnology, BCA, civil service, etc, and the fee structure as well. At Nandavaram Village, twenty five students attended the programme, while twenty eight students some parents were also attended the programme at Nizamudheen Colony.

 

 

Good Bye Darkness…

Recalling earlier experience that there was an old lady who was almost completely blind due to cataract, Insaffudheen Project Manager said, “We are happy that now she and other like her are able to see due to the efforts of Rehab India Foundation that they arranged free eye camp and relieved poor cataract patients.”  

Rehab India Foundation organized Free Eye Camp at regional community centre located in Nandamuri Nagar Village, Nandayal, Andhra Pradesh dated on Monday, April 27^th, 2013.

MBBS doctor Madhavi Latha, District Government Hospital Civil surgeon along with Prasad Ophthalmic Officer and Funny Kumar at Nandayal examined 102 eye patients, referred 11 persons to surgery and distributed 53 spectacles with 75% discount.

Over all, it was a satisfactory effort. When we reached, huge crowd was waiting for us. Community people encouraged us to continue such kind of programmes and promised their full support. We thanks doctor Boban and Mr. Salamullah, President of Community Centre who inaugurated and presided the eye camp.

 

Advanced Training of Trainers

Berhampur, April 29^th, 2013:  To deepen and broaden facilitation skills, Rehab India Foundation organized workshop for Career Guidance Team at Rehab Information Centre in Berhampore Block, Murshidabad District, West Bengal on Monday, May 29^th, 2013.

The programme was conducted with an objective to train trainers guiding and counseling students who are looking forward to higher studies. The ten trainees or teachers were participated from different corners of Murshidabad District. The module of the career guidance programme covers two major topics; “how to choose career” and “what are the opportunities”.

During the programme, one of the participants said, “Here we got the opportunity to develop competences as a trainer. Now we have enough knowledge and confidence to guide students. Otherwise, earlier i usually avoided students when they asked about the information of courses and its future.”

In a nutshell, programme was good and trainees were happy acquiring information of different professional courses, accessibility of financial aid and other necessary information regarding higher education.

May Day

Self Help Groups

Development is a multidimensional phenomenon and some of its major dimensions are level of economic growth, level of education and level of health services. Reports from Planning Commission, UNICEF, WHO etc. disclosed that socio-economic development is not uniform among States and within States of India. And, factors like level of literacy, female education, infant mortality, maternal mortality, employment, public distribution system, etc. contribute striking variations in the livelihood of common people within States.

 There are a number of employment schemes which come under Ministry of Minority Affairs, Women and Child Ministry, Tribal Ministry, Ministry of Social Justice etc and every year we find some more schemes highlighting to cater the needs of poor people. Our question, are poor really getting benefits of government schemes and benefits from corporate doing CSR? What we at Rehab India Foundation noticed and analyzed that one hand Nitish Kumar, Chief Minister of Bihar pushes Bihar Model as real model, on the other hand poor people of Bansibari and Bhodhutalachanpi are not part of this real model.

In Assam, in the name of Bangladeshi infiltrators, Muslims, Hindus and other people are living pathetically in the refugee camps where they are fighting for their lives. And, inequality in Murshidabad also is in progress. Once upon a time Murshidabad was famous for its royalty and now for its misery. Looking, at Anandpeta Andhra Pradesh, women want to come under mainstream of development but they do not have access to information and resources.

Team Rehab have analysed by collecting data through primary and secondary sources that urban and population living in metros are more informed and have access of government and other development schemes and opportunities rather than people living in rural areas. And reason is simple; failure in identification of need and reaching to the right people.

Observing economic vulnerability, we started to form Self Help Groups at Bansibari Village Bihar, Bongaigaon Assam, Hajjipara Village West Bengal and Anandpeta Andhra Pradesh. The purpose of male and female SHGs in those locations to provide employment generation training, distributing interest free loan, counseling etc.

Padosi SHG Programme at Anadpeta, Guntoor District, Andhra Pradesh:  In 2012, Rehab distributed loan to thirty women in two different phases for initiating micro business such as petty shop, tiffin shop, tailoring, marketing and selling of sarees, fruit, rice, flowers and papad. And, each member received worth Rs. 7500/- for their desirable small business. Other fifteen members were selected for Phase-3 of same programme.

Village Development Programme: We are running Village Development Programme at Bansibari, Bihar and Hajjipara, West Bengal. Last year, we unlocked VDP at Bansibari Village by acknowledging need of education, economic and health reform. Here two female SHGs were formed namely ‘BEAUTY’ and ‘MUSKAN’. Beauty includes ten adolescents and women, while Muskan nine members. All the beneficiaries of both the groups have been getting skill development training programme in Tailoring. Paying fifty rupees per month, all the women are learning drafting, cutting and stitching of women ethnic wears with availability of all necessary equipments.

Including, Rehab has formed thirteen Self Help Groups under Village Development Programme at Hajjipara Village, Berhampore Block, West Bengal. All ninety five female members of thirteen groups were part of thrift and saving programme. The primary activities of the programme are savings and educational classes. SHG Members are encouraged to open saving bank account.

Rehab Model Village, Bongaigaon, Assam: Due to natural calamity and ethnic violence at Assam, Rehab India Foundation unbolted Assam Model Village and rehabilitated 45 families so far. At this Village, we have formed three Self Help Groups with ten members in each. Male group titled as ‘REHAB SHG’, while female groups namely ‘BEAUTY’ and ‘MORONI’. The members received loan from Rehab and performing different activities starting from farming, supari business, cycle rikshaw, thela Van, to rearing egg, meat and milch animals.

Conclusion:

(Padosi) SHG Programme plays a central role in the lives of poor. As important pillar of VDPs at Bansibari and Hajjipara Village and Rehab Model Village seem to be very successful in reaching to the poor people. The results of the programme suggest that SHGs have been performing better not in terms of augmenting savings, loan recovery but also in terms of creating awareness and empowerment.