1 | P a g e

“Tribal empowerment and food security of Paudi Bhuyan”

At: Gudhiali, PO: Saradhapur, Via: Lahunipara, Dist: Sundargarh, Odisha, PIN: 770040 E mail: jeevanvikashorissa@gmail.com Website: www.jeevanvikash.org

2 | P a g e

ORGANISATION PROFILE

Jivan Vikas was established in 2000 to promote social, economic and political

development opportunities for isolated Tribal communities in Koira and Lahunipara Block of

Sundargarh District, Odisha, India. Jivan Vikas is a secular, non-profit making organisation

initiated with the objective of enabling marginalised people to become empowered to take

control of their lives, resources and democratic institutions; through people’s organisations,

training & capacity-building, networking and rights based advocacy. In the year 2003, Jivan

Vikas got its legal status under society registration act 1860 of xxi.

VISION

A society with a just social order, where each individual achieves their basic rights – food,

clothing, shelter, health and education, where values and attitudes of each individual are respected,

human rights and individual dignity is maintained.

MISSION

To facilitate the process of empowerment of the people and enabling them to take

control of their lives, resources and democratic institutions.

BROAD OBJECTIVE

To motive and promote, to generate adequate and effective manpower and work culture

by promoting/ facilitating/ executing /assisting and supporting for development of human

resource programme /projects that suitably fulfil the immediate and long-term requirements of

the people by their direct involvement and participation in different activities.

3 | P a g e

The people we work with Jivan Vikas has been working with the Paudi Bhuyan community since 2010 and running

a long term intervention project towards addressing issues related to the identity of Paudi

Bhuyan and food insecurity due to resource alienation through mining and lack of recognition of Government to their customary rights over resources in real sense, and depletion of the traditional agriculture and millet cultivation.We have been working with 4448 Paudi Bhuyan in 35 villages under Lahunipada and Koira Block of Sundergarh District. The Paudi Bhuyan of this area is one of the major sections of the Bhuyan tribe which has been identified as particularly vulnerable tribal group of the state. Their villages are mostly located on the top and slopes of the hills. The households in Paudi Bhuyan villages are thinly distributed with maximum of 25 to 30 families. Due to low density of population mobilizing resources for establishing institution like Anganwadi Centre(Integrated Child Development Scheme), School within the norm of the Government becomes more challenging. Also due to the disadvantage of location and communication facilities they have poor access to school and health care services.

Along with shifting cultivation(traditional farming in forest), natural farming, hunting, fishing, food gathering are a part of their economic life. They produce paddy, millets out of the natural farming practices and collect mushrooms, tubers, roots, shoots, green leaves, fruits, berries and nuts, seeds from the forest either for consumption or sale. Also they collect variety of minor forest produces like lac, sal, resin, char, ropes, firewood, kendu leaves and several others which they sell in the market. The social, economic, cultural and spiritual life of Paudi Bhuyan is juxtaposed with forest. As tradition and customary practices they depend upon the forest for their life, livelihood and cultural identity.

HOW WE WORK Jivan Vikas drew inspiration from its vision, mission and values in achieving its

organisation goals based on the strategic plan document 2011-17. Jivan Vikas focussed on its identity as Social Organisation involved in Development, Advocacy and Training to serve the poor and the marginalised in a compassionate manner. Themes cutting across the above activities are Advocacy, Justice, Research, Gender, Community Mobilisation and Knowledge Management.

The staffs at the Headquarters along with those at project sites have encouraged community based organisation (CBOs) and People’s Organisation (PO) to incorporate these themes. Internally, efforts have been focused on strengthening policies, systems, and procedures and structures which are critical for Jivan Vikas to press forward.

Gender

Child Protection

Finance

HR

Existing Policies

4 | P a g e

Strategic Priority

1: People’s control over resources like

land, water, forest, commons and

livelihoods.

2: Radical democratization of the society,

economy and polity at all levels

3: Assertion of women and girls’ rights as

human rights

4: Children are recognized as political

and equal citizens

5: A Socially just, secular, violence free

and peaceful society and state

6: Solidarity with struggles and

progressive actions beyond local

boundaries

Monitoring and Evaluation

Monthly meeting with project staffs

helped to monitor our works and

also in planning activities for

upcoming months. Jointly Jivan

Vikas and supporting partners

(donor) appoint the evaluation teams

that consist of external consultants

and Jivan Vikas staff.

Internal & Statutory Audit Jivan Vikas has complied with all

statutory requirements of the

Government of India. Statutory audit

is undertaken once in a year and

internal audits are undertaken every

Quarter.

A Broad Analysis of the trend,

focus and achievement of the

organisation by 2016 (after 5

years of the interventions)

This section of the document includes the analysis of the initial focus of the project, the activities suggested in the prospective development process and the achievement of the project so far.

Ranger Naik and his wife Kali of the village Derula is

showing their land title received under Vasundhara

Scheme.

5 | P a g e

STRATEGIC PLAN 1: PEOPLE’S CONTROL OVER RESOURCES LIKE LAND, WATER, FOREST, MINERALS,

COMMONS AND LIVELIHOOD

Broad Outline of the Focus of Project in the staring of the Project: # Micro level planning

# Mass meeting on FRA(Forest Rights Act)

# Filling up forms and facilitate survey process for Forest land rights

# Leadership training

# Interface with district administration on Government schemes

# Interface with media for advocacy

Suggested Activities from the Prospective Development Process: # Training on Kitchen garden management to community groups (male/female)

# There is disinterestedness among the communities for employment under NREGA (National Rural

Employment Guarantee Act.) due to delay in payment of wages. NREGA based Meetings need to

be held to put across demands and get plans accepted. Organization of meetings on work demand

and formation of village groups have to be taken up.

# Camps to be held to continue with the Forest Rights Claims and also Community claims

# Kitchen garden initiative is good. It should be practiced in all the villages.

# Community has received less land than the claims. They should re-apply and demand the land.

# Drinking water issue should be discussed with experts on rain water harvesting or any other

techniques which will help the community to get drinking water.

Project Inputs: # Support for promotion of kitchen garden at household level towards ensuring supplementary

nutrition.

# Strengthening understanding of the members of FRC (Forest Rights Claims) through providing

training on Forest Rights Act.

# Facilitation support for claiming individual and community claims for their rights over resources

under FRA.

# Training on MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act)

# Facilitation for making job demand and advocacy with the concerned authority for addressing the

issue of delayed payment in MGNREGA work. and formation of village groups to monitor

MGNREGA

# Strengthening community based organization and building leadership for mobilization of support

and address the drinking water problem.

# Building understanding of the community on different environmental laws and legislations.

# Training to the farmers on Lac cultivation and promotion of Lac.

# Building understanding of the community on the politics behind land grabbing and promotion of

the hybrid seeds, chemical manures / fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides and herbicides by

Government.

# Strengthening natural farming process as alternative of food sovereignty through revival of millet

cultivation and climate resilient varieties of seeds.

# Regular village & panchayat level meetings on issues of land, water & forest.

# Convergence of FRA(Forest Rights Act) with MGNREGA (Land development, horticulture

development)

# Capacity building of the staff and community volunteers on the Acts, Laws, Rules and Regulations

related to rights over land, water and forests, and environment)

# Training of farmers on sustainable agriculture, compost preparation and Kitchen gardening

# Training on Lac cultivation.

6 | P a g e

Achievements so far / Change result (by

2016):

# Out of 402 people (397 Male, 5 Female) filed claim, 92 people obtained title for their rights over homestead land (4.76 Acres).

# Out of 1009 people (975 male and 34 female headed households) filed claim for their rights over 4505.5 Acres of land, 136 people (133 male, 3 female headed households) got recognition of their rights over 175.06 Acres of forest land under FRA. Joint Patta (both in the name of wife and husband) issued to the 136 claimants. 136 people reclaimed for recognition of their rights for the remaining forest land in their possession.

# 24 villages in the LRP(Local Rights

Programme) areas filed claim for their rights over community forest and the same were referred to the Sub Divisional Committee. In this process of engagement the community delineated their traditional boundary of forest, identified different kind resources existing within, the dependency of the communities on the resources for various purposes, and the resources governance pattern. This reiterated the assertion of their rights over resources within the framework of the FRA. The community including the members of FRC gained knowledge on FRA that helped them in coming together and building formation / collective of Adivasi and claiming their rights over resources.

# 174 farmers trained on sustainable agriculture that includes preservation and promotions of seeds, preparation of organic manures, mixed cropping and millet cultivation. 300 households engaged in natural farming process including preservation, promotion and sharing of traditional / climate resilient varieties of seeds, revival of millets cultivation and mixed cropping as part of our effort to ensure food security to the Paudi Bhuyan Community. Natural farming process promoted in 57.25 Acres of land that includes cultivation of climate resilient varieties of crops, minor and major millets, and mixed cropping in upland. Traditional seed festival organized to create platform for exchange of seeds among farmers and share their knowledge and experience related to natural farming.

Gabrial Munda (in Violet-red coloured shirt) with villagers near a

landmark identified as a GPS record point

The Forest Rights Act, 2006 (FRA) recognises the age-

old dependency of communities on the forests they

live in and grants them the rights to use, manage and

conserve forest resources. The Act ensures their

livelihood and food security by giving them the right

to legally hold forest lands they have been residing

and cultivating. It also includes their rights to access

and use of Non Timber Forest Produces (NTFP),

products of water bodies and grazing ground etc.

The communities can claim their rights both as

individuals and as a community. When they claim

their right to forest resources as a community it is

considered as Community Forest Rights (CFR).

However the lack of information among the Paudi

Bhuyans was an issue to claim these rights. Jivan

Vikas organized trainings for community members to

gain knowledge on CFR and enabled them not only to

claim their rights but also trained them on CFR

mapping using GPS (Global Positioning System to

determine the precise location) for demarcation of

lands. Gabrial Munda (35) of Sannuagaon village

says, “Our ancestors lived with the forest for centuries

inhabiting clusters of villages mainly in the hilly areas

and thus we have been dependent on the forests for

our social, cultural and occupational life. Our living

primarily depends on shifting cultivation and minor

forest produces (MFP). However we did not have

legal ownership of these lands. It was a big challenge

to map our traditional boundary in order to claim

legal hold of these lands. Thanks again Jivan Vikas

for helpings us to use GPS to prepare a map of our

customary boundary. We have been able to claim

these lands under CFR and plan for better access to

minor forest produce and other resources. Jivan Vikas

has helped the communities to identify 71 land marks

and claim 2450.75 acres of land out of which 2264.70

acres or forest land for their livelihood. Communities

from 24 villages have filed their CFR claim after the

series of training.

7 | P a g e

STRATEGIC PLAN 2: RADICAL DEMOCRATIZATION OF SOCIETY, ECONOMY AND POLITY AT ALL LEVEL

Broad Outline of the Focus of Project in the staring of the Project:

# Women leadership building

# Formation of women committees

# Training on mother and child care

Suggested Activities from the Prospective Development Process:

# Training on preparation of village plans/Micro Level Plans

# Village level planning should be done for all villages and hamlet this year itself involving the PRI

members. This will ensure proper monitoring in all villages. The entitlements, PDS, Schools, ICDS

centres should be regularly monitored.

Project Inputs: # Regular village & Panchayat (local authority) level meetings on issues of implementation of

government schemes and programmes

# Evidence based advocacy on the issue of malnourishment among Paudi Bhuyan children (

conducting field study on malnourishment)

# Regular interface with administration on social security schemes, and forest rights.

# Mobilizing community for participation in Gram Sabha and ratification of Micro Plans.

# Capacity building of PRI (local elected leaders) members for effective implementation of various

schemes and programmes in terms of orientation on their role and responsibilities.

# Training to volunteers and community leaders on various schemes and programmes , and Micro

Planning

# Community leadership training

# Capacity Building of the community leaders for monitoring of Govt. schemes and programmes

# Setting up Resource Centres for deepening our work on tribal identiry

# Information Education Communication activities

Qualitative changes:

# Panchayat and Block level pressure groups emerged and they engaged further to make the

institutions functional and push the public agenda to be included therein.

# Demand based transparency & accountability from the duty bearers results in effective

implementation of schemes and programmes.

# All the eligible households secured with entitlements under Pension Schemes (Old Age, Widow &

Disability, IAY(housing scheme for rural poor) and PDS (Public Distribution Systeem).

# Resource generation in accordance with the Micro Plan created community assets.

# More than 55 percent of the households participated in government/administration organized

Social Audit Programmes

# Increased participation of the community in Palli Sabha & Gram Sabha(village council )

# Micro Plan documents available in all the villages

# Trained community leaders (both men & women) made available in each village to address

various issues of the community concerned.

# Community based monitoring & supervision of schemes and programmes held regularly.

# Resource Centre created space for the community to get-together and hold discussion on their

culture, tradition, the aged old resource governance system, social history as well as various issues

concerned with community.

8 | P a g e

It is a fact that the figure of MMR and IMR is very high in the state Odisha in contrast to other states of India. The tribal populated areas of the state are in worst condition due to local practices by the community peoples and lack of awareness about basic amenities available in their areas. In our area the situation is not different from other parts of the state. As because of remote location many villages in our area have not proper transport facilities and unavailability of medical supports nearby bound them to deliver their child at home. Thus to check the MMR and IMR a proper planning with the community was very essential. In this year 40 pregnant women and their family members were involved in a campaign which has resulted 40 institutional deliveries without any casualty. Kousalya Naik (30), a lactating mother from Ekpadi village says; “It is a matter of pride to be a mother but preplanning is needed for childbirth. Five years ago, I lost my second child during course of delivery at home and became very upset at that movement. While I came to in contact with Jivan Vikas I realised that what mistake we made at that time. There is an AnganWadi(child care centre) centre in my village in which every month a meeting conducts called “Matru Divas”(mothers day) where pregnant and lactating mothers facilitated on various aspects of health, nutrition and hygiene. During these meetings the staffs of Jivan Vikas always present and monitor the service provided by the Anganwadi worker, ASHA(village health worker) and ANM (nurse). They talk us on gender issues and counsel the family members of pregnant and lactating mothers to involve these women in the decision making process on health upkeep, nutrition and child care. It impacted quite a lot on my husband Pabitra Naik (40) hence from the second month of my pregnancy he started regular care of me, helped me in domestic works and regular health checkups, vaccination were done on a time manner along with this special care was given on nutritional food available in our area. We learnt about basic amenities available in our areas for institutional delivery but as because of improper transport system it is not possible for a pregnant woman to reach there on time. We became relaxed came to know about “Maa Gruha” at Poigaon village (maternity waiting home) initiated by government for expectant mothers where they can await their delivery and be transferred to a nearby public health facility shortly before delivery, or earlier should complications arise. There are many scopes such as accommodation facilities with food for expectant mothers & her escorts, provision of regular health check-up by lady health care assistant, and provision for shifting of cases from Maa Gruha to hospital and referral services to the secondary health care centres in case of requirement. We were well trained by the organisation on the preventative measures for institutional delivery resulted, during my delivery period me and my husband got the benefits of Maa Gruha and shifted to Sub-divisional Hospital at Bonai on time. It was my first institutional delivery and I have benefitted Rs. 1400/- from the scheme called JSY which promote institutional delivery and also benefitted Rs. 5000/- from the scheme called Mamata Yojana, a scheme supports the women those have registered their name with AnganWadi centre and received the amount in instalment after successful completion of their delivery and certain conditions like immunization, vaccination, antenatal check-up and other formalities related to child birth and health of newborns. Thanks to Jivan Vikas aware us, now the expectant mothers of my village as well as my neighbouring villages are well aware of the provisions for them and delivering their child at hospital resulted safe delivery.

Kousalya Naik with her new born child during naming ceremony of the child

9 | P a g e

“We had a few unproductive lands in the name

of seed-money. It was hard for us loan from a

moneylender. We became a member of the

farmers’ cooperative formed by Jivan Vikas.

After listening to our cooperative’s turmeric

prouder we decided to go in turmeric

cultivation. We have obtained technical

STRATEGIC PLAN 3: WOMEN’S RIGHTS

Broad Outline of the Focus of Project in the staring of the Project:

# Women cadre training # Formation of women committees # Training on mother and child care

Suggested Activities from the Prospective Development Process:

# Basic orientation on women and child health, socio-cultural aspects of identity as a woman and women specific issues

# Formation of women’s groups /Mothers’ committee and train them on local food nutrition/ child care etc.

# The project should start facilitating meetings on practical gender needs. # Alcoholism is a major problem in the villages. The women should come together and fight

against alcoholism. # All the women are anemic and are not aware of the issues of reproductive health. Doctors

should be invited to sensitize women on hygiene and disseminate other necessary information to the women.

Project Input:

# Meetings of the women leaders at the Panchayat level on gender related issues and denial of rights to women and girls and for building solidarity

# Male leaders of community were sensitized through regular joint meetings # Lobby for issue of joint pattas on land and other natural resources and property to which

men already have a right. # Community actions against child marriage and violence against women # Campaign for mobilizing women to attend Gram Sabhas and Palli Sabhas and assert

rights in public. # Campaign for enrollment of Girl Child. # Organization of Health Camps on Women’s Health # Capacity building of the cadres and community leaders on Women rights & Domestic

Violence Act # Training on Gender Sensitization & Perspective Building # Support for creation of infrastructures for drinking water

Kadila Naik (left) with Parbatian Giri (right) of her village.

10 | P a g e

knowledge and seeds to cultivate our lands from Jivan Vika. Thank you now we are self-sufficient

in respect of seeds.” happily says Kadila Naik (28 years) from Kiri village.

Her family consists of her husband Patu Naik- {32 years} and two daughters named Radhi-{3 years} and Jana-{1 year}. They depend on cultivation of traditional crops such as paddy and millets in their Podu land. 18 families of her village lost everything in a massive fire in 2012 and became seedless. They encouraged to start cultivation of turmeric, a crop which is least affected by pest and diseases, through the cooperative formed by Jivan Vikas. They worked hard to protect the crops from animals by fencing the lands. She harvested 600 kgs of fresh turmeric from half acre of podu land by sell which she earned Rs.21000/- within a period of 9 months. The villagers are so much encouraged that they are planning to cultivate turmeric in a big way.

135 farmers benefitted from training programme organised by Jivan Vikas. They got clarity on the advantages and disadvantages of both methods namely broadcasting and showing generally used in Paddy cultivation and learnt importance and procedure of seeds treatment to reap a good harvest.

Basanti Dehury (32), a woman farmer from Jhinkragahira village says; “Every year we suffer from un-uniform germination problems but the training provided by Jivan Vikas help us quite a lot in understanding about the reason behind it. By the implementation of leanings from their training we are harvesting much more than earlier. Thanks to them organising training for us.

STRATEGIC PLAN 4: CHILDREN ARE RECOGNIZED AS POLITICAL AND EQUAL CITIZENS

Broad Outline of the Focus of Project in the staring of

the Project in 2011:

# Support to children for school admission

# Children’s festival

# Children’s exposure visit

# Setting up a library

Suggested Activities from the PD Process (2012):

# Study on Ashram(residential) Schools- government provisions / quality teaching etc. # Study on the condition of children in Malnutrition # Set up tracking and monitoring mechanisms for

ICDS (Integrated Child Development Scheme) centre and PDS(Public Distribution System, ration for below poverty line) regularly.

Children club meeting

Basanti Dehury (first from left) with other women weeding grasses from paddy field

11 | P a g e

# Forming small groups of children–as child clubs for multiple purposes. # Nutritional camps should be organized where mothers should be taught about

nutritional value of food grains easily available to them. # Health camps should be organized as the community suffers

heavy disease burden (TB, Skin Disease, malaria). # The recommendations of the reviewers with

regards to Project and Team Management are as follows;

# The project team should be trained on i) Details of social security safety nets ( provisions in all entitlements), ii) NREGS – provisions, iii) Right To Education Act, iv) People With Disability Act and Domestic Violence Act) Overall orientation on Food Rights/Forest Rights/ Child rights/ Women’s Rights.

# Special training has to be organized on i) Agriculture issues/ Kitchen garden management/ local organics manure, and ii) Understanding malnutrition and health issues of children

# There should be cluster office around a few villages. These would be basically village resource centres basically like an information desk.

It is seen that most of the tribal girl children required to take care of their younger siblings, cook and to do other household chores when their parents at work. In fact their parents do not allow them to attend school as they have become an economic asset to the family. It is evidence that in many cases girl children after completion of their primary education, do not continue their higher education thereby revert back to work situations. 15 girls were identified as dropout from primary education helped to get admission into residential school in 2012.

Kandhei Giri one of them says; “I was very happy when our school result announced. I had to take admission in a new residential school because the last school I was in called Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV, a tribal residential school) only provide education up to 8th class. When we gone for admission, there was not a single seat available in our area and private hostels are very much expensive which is charging minimum Rs. 700/- per month to stay at there. My parents are very much poor. I am the elder child in my family so I had to decide whether I will continue my education as a day scholar or residential boarder.”

Children Festival

Campaign on Girls education and gender equality

12 | P a g e

Community resource centre inauguration by Bilua Naik

at Guhalbandha village.

Area of Operation

SN Gram Panchayat (Local self-governance)

Name of the block Subdivision No of villages Target Community

1 Mahulpada Lahunipara Bonai 9 Paudi Bhuyan

2 Daleisara Lahunipara Bonai 6 Paudi Bhuyan

3 Kuliposh Lahunipara Bonai 1 Paudi Bhuyan

4 Talbahali Lahunipara Bonai 8 Paudi Bhuyan

5 Haldikudar Lahunipara Bonai 4 Paudi Bhuyan

6 Bhutuda Koira Bonai 8 Paudi Bhuyan

7 Jamudihi Koira Bonai 7 Munda, Paudi Bhuyan

8 Chordhara Koira Bonai 3 Munda, Paudi Bhuyan

9 Soyambha Koira Bonai 5 Munda, Paudi Bhuyan

Total 51 Villages

13 | P a g e

ORGANOGRAM

JIVAN VIKAS

GENERAL BODY

GOVERNING BODY MEMBERS

PROJECT DIRECTOR

OFFICE ASSISTANT ACCOUNTANT SPONSORSHIP COORDINATOR

PROGRAMME STAFF

CLUSTER

COORDINATOR

CLUSTER

COORDINATOR

CLUSTER

COORDINATOR

CLUSTER

COORDINATOR

Animator (3.Nos)

Animator (3.Nos) Animator (4.Nos) Animator (4.Nos)