 | Success
Stories |
1. Iqbal Khan, Dhanai,
Bundelkhand
"I
used to grow mangoes in my garden, but due to some reason the
fruits
were falling off even before they could mature. I then came to
know of
the Soochna se Samadhan service through someone. I called the
service
number to seek help for my problem, and in 24 hours I was able to
get
advice from the experts of the service on different measures to
control
the fruit-fall in my mango trees. I followed their advice and
started to
see results in a few days. I have now recommended the serive to
my
fellow farmers also."
2. Guru Singh
Harihar, Terichar,
Niwari, Bundelkhand
"My pulse crop was
infected with a disease for which I was really worried. I got to
know of
this number where agriculture queries are answered. I immediately
called this number. The computer recorded my question and gave me
a 4
digit query id and told me that my answer will be available after
72
hours. When I went back to the STD booth and dialed the query id,
I got
advice on using a fertilizer with the amount also specified. I
used the
fertilizer and within 15 days the disease was controlled and my
crop
recovered.”
3. Satya Prakash – Terichar,
Niwari, Bundelkhand
"This
phone facility is really easy. My mustard crop was once infected
with
Mahu. I came to know about this service where, if you leave your
query,
you get answers. I left a query seeking advice on medicine for my
crop.
In the answer I was suggested a pesticide. I used the pesticide
and this
brought my crop’s disease completely under
control.”
4. Gaurav Khare, Niwari
"I
am a graduation student. The
question I asked was about my buffalo which was giving less milk.
To my
surprise I got an answer for my query. I used the advice given.
Now my
buffalo is fine and is giving good amount of
milk.”
5. Shiv Sharan Nayak – Niwari
"I have one hectare of
land
and I wanted to know about fisheries. I got answers, and
information
even about the fish species. The language is very simple and easy
to
understand. And if I need to hear the answer again, I can call up
and
listen to the answer twice.”
6. Sushil Gupta, Sakrar,
Jhansi
"My cow was ill and was
giving very watery milk. I called up on the helpline number and
got some
advice on nutrition and care for my cow. I followed the advice
and my
cow is fine now. The milk quality has also improved. This service
is
good as the answers are given in a simple and systematic manner
here.”
VIEW
VIDEO: SUCCESS STORIES FROM FARMERS
What is your signature innovation, your new idea, in one sentence?
Community based self sustaining enterprise models for service delivery of safe drinking water to 1 million people in Bundelkhand by using an affordable, environmentally sound and innovative community level water filter.
Describe your innovation. What makes your idea unique and different than others doing work in the field?
Innovation: Combination of sound technology with Sustainable service delivery undertaken through self supporting enterprises that are accountable and involve local actors.
Uniqueness of the Idea: harnessing the entrepreneurial skills of local artisans (masons, plumbers, etc) in setting up water delivery enterprises.Technology used for purification is slow sand filtration with innovative design features providing 3000 litres of safe drinking water/day and attains 99.9% turbidity & bacterial removal efficiency. A revolving fund will be created to overcome the barrier of lack of initial capital, also helping in scaling up the venture. The model employs people centred approach in application of technology and financing mechanism. The proposed approach is superior to the existing ones due to the above said reasons. Many other initiatives have not sustained due to lack of community involvement at any stage of planning, implementation and management resulting in lack of ownership of infrastructure, non-accountability, and lack of continuity in services; low/no cost recovery and no commercial benefits to the community.
Delivery Model: How do you implement your innovation and apply it to the challenge/problem you are addressing?
The initiative will be carried out in selected villages in three phases, an Alpha Phase initially wherein a fully functional pilot will be carried out with a view to test the model, understand in depth the requirements of the local people. The subsequent Beta Phase will permit wider and more rigorous experiment involving several representative locations to refine the approach and provide data for scalability of the model. In Gamma Phase the proposed approach will be fully implemented on a commercial basis.
How do you plan to expand your innovation?
The project is based on service delivery model providing technology to the enterprises for delivery of drinking water services. To become successful model and to rapidly multiply, each actor in the chain must gain meaningful revenues. The value chain throughout the delivery model has therefore been carefully designed to result in modest incentives for each distinct actor. Economics of the water delivery enterprises are critical to the success of the network. Thus allowing for relatively easier replication. Similarly since the local artisans/plumbers will have a stake in promoting such enterprises, there will be a keen interest taking on this additional work. It is commonly known that in each village, there are approximately 10-15 such artisans/plumbers who can be utilised for ensuring the system replicability. Replication of this concept on a larger scale is also fundamentally dependent on the network partners. Taking into account all these factors, it is expected that in the next five years, 100 water enterprises will be created catering to one million people.
Do you have any existing partnerships, and if so, how do you create them?
The idea is presently getting implemented in 10 villages of Bundelkhand in partnership with Arghyam Trust and IBAW (Indian Business Alliance on Water). Both of these partnerships have come together to fulfil the common mandate of providing safe drinking water and creation of sustainable livelihoods. Apart from this, Bundelkhand Development Consortium (BDC) has been in place which consists of 13 like minded partners hailing from 13 districts of Bundelkhand. Apart from this, DA has been able to establish partnerships with the local line departments be it Government agencies or private sectors.Development Alternatives forges partnerships with like minded organisations in a complementary manner to achieve the common goal for creating sustainable livelihoods on a large scale.
2.This Way Too Good Water
In
drought-prone Bundelkhand an environmental scientist develops filters
for contaminants.
Community Radio for facilitating dialogue and interactive communication
The purpose of setting up Radio Bundelkhand, as identified with the help of our communities in the radius of the radio station, is to work along with them to use this communication medium to create awareness, give information, participate in local self governance and provide entertainment – all based on requests and feedback from the community. The audience includes the communities in the radius of the broadcast range – with special attention to women, youth and the marginalised groups.
Listening to Radio Bundelkhand
Community Members on the Radio
The community and DA, jointly manage the station. There are five community reporters and six community coordinators. The villages these reporters represent are Azadpura, Ramnagar, Sitapur, Basova, Bagan, Bhagwantpur, Ghatao, Jamuniya, Gujerra Kalan, Mathrapur and Ghatao. There is also a Management Committee comprising the Sarpanch (elected village-head) of Basova Village, doctors, farmers and Self Help Group members.
Until now, Radio Bundelkhand has the longest duration of programming of four hours a day, seven days a week, in Bundelkhandi and Hindi amongst the government licensed community radio stations in India. The Government of India has given licenses to several NGOs throughout India to start community radios in their project areas. DA is one of the first to set up such a radio with the communities it has been serving for more than two decades in the Bundelkhand region.
The communities have decided that they would like information related to employment and livelihood opportunities, development of women, girl’s education, legal rights, farmers’ issues, training, their culture and history, how to ensure the availability of basic infrastructure such as water, energy and roads, development issues, and any other information sought by the communities. The broadcast timings in the morning and evening have been selected by the communities, with the women preferring the morning and the men the evening.The programming, based on issues and content identified by the communities, is broadcast in the formats which they have preferred, that include the use of traditional Bundelkhandi songs, folk music and nataks, discussions, reports, commodity prices, phone-ins, experts speak, coverage of events in villages, jokes and satire, listeners’ letters and feedback. The Wireless Operating License was issued on July 31st, 2008 and the first transmission took place on August 15 2008 with the broadcast of the national anthem. Meanwhile the selected community reporters were trained over three months and a woman from Sitapur village inaugurated the station on the eve of Diwali. Community radio broadcasting/narrowcasting has allowed the rural poor to develop their communication in a language they understand. Community radio fosters debate on issues, facilitates access to government, decision-making and helps community members to organise themselves and evolve to manage their own affairs. Radio Budelkhand is characterised by its signature tune and jingles which declare that it is "Apna Radio Apni Baatein” – Our radio Our conversations.
Reaching our communities
The reach of the community radio is in a wide range of approximately 5-10 kms and 25 villages with a population of 15000 in the coverage area that are benefiting through the infotainment-based programmes. So far, Radio Bundelkhand radio has penetrated to the rural communities settled in and around TARAgram Orchha like the villages of Gundrai, Chandravan, Bagan, Orchcha, Sitapur, Azadpura, Lachmanpura.
The targeted beneficiaries are the marginalised and poorest with
special emphasis on women and the unemployed youth who are the most
vulnerable but also the potential change-makers. By selecting women
community reporters, marginalised community reporters in an average age
group of 20 we hope to reach them better.
The Management Committee also has a woman self-help group head. DA aims
to ensure the participation of local people for the programming,
broadcast and management of the station by the community itself.
Orchha, the ancient capital of Bundelkhand, now attracts large numbers of tourists. Sarthak – Friends of Orchha is promoting tourism-linked livelihoods for unemployed women and youth.
Ten families living in a picturesque part of the town are preparing
to receive tourists in an eco-friendly manner. The programme is expected
to double the annual incomes of the host families. Tourists would not
only experience the Indian way of life…they will also have the
opportunity to participate in cultural evenings organised at the local
Youth Centre and talk to the young girls and boys who are bubbling with
questions about other cultures. Thus, tourism will be not just a
business opportunity but also an instrument of education. The home-stay
programme will spark off other employment opportunities in catering,
bicycle hire, horse carriage driving and reforestation that ensure that
the growth of tourism contributes to both improved living standards and
environmental protection.
Childhood and Education
Born on 30th September in Banda, his childhood days were spent in Banda and was a student of St. Mary's Sr. Sec. School. According to his then teacher Mr. Sibby TC, he was a very shy guy that time and it was like impossible to break his introversion and take him out of the shell. He was a meritorious student and scored 80% marks in his high school exams. Then he went to Allahabad for his senior secondary studies. After completion of schol studies, he got 7th rank in DCE, Delhi entrance exams. Currently, he is a 4th year student of Computer Science in DCE.
In the World Of Glamour and Modelling
Rahul got his first break when his photos were published in BRUCH magazine.
Short listed for 'Grasim Mr. India 2007' and 'Gladrags Mega Model 2007'
Selected as uprising model by ZOOM Channel with his photos and interview being shown in 'Maximum Style' series.
Published in HT DUDE WATCH of PAGE 3 in Hindustan Times. This section has given some of the supermodels of India viz. Upen Patel, Neha Dupia etc.
Done print ads for HOM , a French company of suiting.
Did Photo shoot for BRUNCH magazines.
Did Ramp Modelling for Choreographer Sunny Arora, Vinay Kesharwani etc.
Recently did print ads for DELHI CABS with photographer Rahul Dutta (the No. 1 Fashion Photographer of Delhi).
Selected as Mr. DCE and the Best Male Model in DU where ten colleges participated.
Head of College's Fashion Team.
FUTURE PLANS
to complete his degree of B.tech, he dropped many assignments as they clash with his exam dates. Like any other model, Rahul want to earn a good name in the field of modelling. He says, " Nothing specific future plans. Take life as it comes". But he is quite interested in Film Direction.
HOBBIES
His hobbies are traveling and working out in gym, watching WWF, interaction with different peoples to know their culture, religion etc. In his spare time he watch movies based on real life.
SUCCESS TO HIM
According to him, Success is what gives you satisfaction. He says," Success in when you feel happy and hay and have no complaint about yourself ." He also warns," Never go behind the success. Go for Hard work and your duties, Success will follow you".
MESSAGE TO YOUTH OF BANDA
Never compare yourself to other. Each person has different situation. The purpose of life is to get successful in different situation. Be true to yourself and your parents. No religion is greater than Humanity. Proud to be born in Banda and commit yourself to do something for this region and its people.
3. Surya Kant Goyal, Project Director (Development & Delivery Head)
| Sep 2004-Present | Project Director at Exensys |
| Nov 1997-Sep 2004 | Project Manager at Rosyblue |
| Jan 1997-Nov 1997 | Project Leader at APTECH |
| Sep 1995-Jan 1997 | Senior Software Engineer to Project Leader at MMS Limited |
| May 1993-Sep 1995 | Software Engineer at Ultra Micro Consulting |
| 1997-2001 | Devi Ahilya University - MBA in System |
| 1992-1994 | BundelKhand University - MSC in Maths & Computer Applicatio... |
| 1989-1992 | BundelKhand University - BSC in Maths |
| Rekha | |
| President, Maha Kalika Swayam Sahayata Samooh, Maha Laxmi Mahila Gram Sangathan and Jan Jati Mahila Block Sangathan, Sangrampur Block | |
|
Rekha’s evolution as a community leader began when she first formed her SHG and became its President. Training in Andhra Pradesh with the Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP) and at RGMVP’s Jais Training Centre served to intensify her involvement in the women’s empowerment and poverty alleviation movement. Says Rekha. "I am responsible for all the women in my block – how to run the Gram Sangathan and the Block Sangathan. The samoohs send two women each to the Gram Sangathan and Gram Sangathans send two representatives each to the Block Sangathan. These women report on their areas to the Gram Sangathan. All five of us – the Block Sangathan office bearers – listen to these reports carefully. If some work is not being done, we go into the Block and make sure it is done. I have learnt so much. I was like a parrot in a cage. Today, from a well, I have moved into a pond – the bigger world.” According the Rekha, the Block Sangathan is the largest forum for the poor. Earlier, in a SHG, the group was small; the Block Level Association is a much larger and therefore stronger group. All information regarding RGMVP schemes and programmes comes to the Block Sangathan. From here the information is percolated down to the Gram Sangathans and then to the SHGs. All Block office bearers are invited for meetings and trainings sessions and they are then responsible for passing on this knowledge and information down to the SHGs. "Before this no one listened to the voice of the poor,” says Rekha. "Now RGMVP is listening to the poor, is reaching out to the poor.” Rekha says that joining the movement is not just a matter of getting access to money – it is matter of pride and respect. She says that she gets great respect from the community and meets officials from the RGMVP as well as visitors, whereas earlier she was a woman who didn’t step out of her house. "I have been chosen to lead because I have spent time with women, helping them form samoohs. They know I give then time and love, work for them, and care about them, that is why the women have chosen me,” points out Rekha. Rekha does not work just in her own Block. She is sent out by RGMVP to other areas to motivate and inspire poor women. She went to Mohanlal Ganj Block in Lucknow district for 10 days and has just returned from Bundelkhand where RGMVP has recently started work after 22 days. Rekha succeeded in forming 15 SHGs there and was moved by the poverty and social discrimination she saw there. She had great plans for her Block. "Not only will we plan and implement all the schemes, such as the Mahila Bank, which come from RGMVP but I will locate every single poor in my Block and convince them to join the samooh so that they can benefit from the movement, just as I did,” she says with determination. "There will be no poor in my Block.” |
Drishti, as
an organization, to help the visually impaired was founded on 15th
October, 1995 out of the belief that addressing the problem of
education is pivotal in breaking the ‘vicious cycle’ of blindness. It
has since the time of its inception been a path setter giving direction
to the lives of the visually impaired. Sita is perhaps 60 or 70 years old. Her extended family owns a small 4 acre plot of land where they grow wheat, maize, and peanuts. When I meet her she is sitting in the shade in the courtyard of her small village. She is preparing chapattis - flat unleavened bread - for the villagers working the fields. As she roasts the bread over the open fire she talks about her village and the impact of the check-dam DA built.
The Social Context
"We are poor people. What could we do about our problems?"
Like her parents before her, Sita has spent her life working as an agricultural labourer. She never attended school and was married before the age of ten. Recalling her girlhood she notes that even then, water was the major livelihood constraint. She says, "I had no dreams for the future... my mother died when I was young and my mother in law used to beat me... what would we think about the future but farming. We had so much water problems." She adds, "We are poor people. What could we do about our problems? Also we are women. We could not work to solve these problems."
Sita notes that her children continue to face the same problems. All of her family works in the fields and all, she says, "face the water crisis." Sita is hopeful though, that her children will have an easier life than she did. She says, "I want the water problem to be solved. Then my children and grandchildren will be happy."
Obstacles and Barriers
"Water is the biggest problem"
With water being the most critical limiting factor for agriculture in the region, it is easy to understand Sita's assertion that "Water is the biggest problem... it will solve all the other problems." She adds, "I worry about children, farming, etc. But my greatest worry is water."
The Project Impact
"We are getting water due to the check-dams only."
DA worked with villagers in Sita's village to build a check-dam in 1990. DA worked with the local Sarpanch and the villagers to decide where the check-dam should be located, as well as using local labour to construct the dam.
Sita says, "It's nice that the check-dam is built. Now it is much more convenient. The water level of wells has increased... We are getting water due to the check-dams only."
DA is concerned not only with aggregate levels of production or employment, but also with poverty alleviation and equitable distribution of income and benefits. One of the potential concerns with using small scale check-dams is that, for obvious reasons, the do not benefit all farmers equally. As Sita notes, "the ones whose fields are nearby, receive the maximum benefits from check-dams."
Another issue with small scale check-dams lies in their maintenance. Although, Sita, like many villagers say "the villages should take care of the check-dams" - maintenance is a critical issue in the long term success of these kinds of projects.
Moving Towards Sustainable Livelihoods
"The wells should not dry."
For Sita, the "good life" is closely connected with the natural resources available to her family. She says, "the wells should not dry," and "we should have a good house, and more water supply so that we have a good amount of peanuts and wheat which we can sell and earn our living." Sita explains that when they can grow extra crops they sell the surplus in the market. However she notes that most years they can only manage to grow enough to last them 4 to 6 months. When the supplies are finished they have to buy food from the market using whatever they can earn as daily wage labourers.
Compared with large-scale high-tech approaches to water management, check-dams appear to be a more appropriate technology for poor rural areas such as the Bundelkhand region. In general, the primary benefits of irrigation for the rural poor, or small farmers and the land poor include: employment and income (through increased working days per hectare), security against impoverishment and migration, and improved quality of life.
"The water is sweet."
But here, in one of the most impoverished regions in India, it seems a long road to a time when livelihoods will be truly sustainable for the majority of people. Here, survival is a daily effort. Nonetheless, villagers have not given up hope. Sita says that all of the villagers have dreams for the village's future, which they will work towards together.
Trying to recall the best times in her life she notes, "I have not seen so many good times." But she says she would like to share one thing with other women, "unity," she says simply. "Unity."
Sita talks of hunger, disease, unemployment, and landlessness - but she still insists that water is the biggest problem. When asked to describe the water the check-dam is recharging she says, "the water is sweet."
New Delhi
A water conservation model for the drought prone Bundelkhand region has been successfully developed and tested in Garhkundar-Dabar area by the ICAR scientists at the National Research Centre for Agroforestry (NRCAF), Jhansi. The model has shown a promising way to fight drought in the region and so may help to bring in greenery and prosperity there.
Bundelkhand region is spread over 7.16 million ha in the central India covering seven districts of Uttar Pradesh (Jhansi, Jalaun, Lalitpur, Hamirpur, Mahoba, Banda and Chitrakoot) and six districts of Madhya Pradesh (Sagar, Tikamgarh, Chhatarpur, Panna, Damoh and Datia). The region has semi-arid climate with an average annual rainfall of 750-1100 mm. Most of the soil in the region is rocky having low capacity for holding water and rest is prone to water logging. Hence, making is difficult for agricultural operations. The forest cover is also confined to only 21.4%, which at regions is even less than 11%. Garhkundar-Dabar area, some 55 km from Jhansi on the Jhansi-Khajuraho Road, represents the geological, physiographical and ecological conditions of the entire Bundelkhand region. For this reason, NRCAF selected Garhkundar-Dabar area as a model for developing
Implementation of the project in Garhkundar-Dabar area included the construction of nine checkdams, 150 gabions, 15 drainage structures, three water spreaders and field bunding of 40 ha along the Nallah. With a construction cost of Rs.19.74 lakhs only, the project has resulted in a water storage capacity of 24103 m3 spread in an area of 40302 m2. This has resulted in a reduction of soil loss and runoff by 34% in treated areas as compared to 43% reduction in untreated/control area. More than 53.3% wells in the region have recorded an increase of water level by more than two metres. Water replenishment through watershed project has reduced the number of dry wells to 2% in 2009 as compared to 86% in 2006. Now sufficient water is available in the region for drinking and irrigation purposes. Earlier surface water in Nallahs was available for four months only, which is now available for the entire year.
Cropping intensity in the watershed area has increased to 116% as compared to 96% in untreated area. Productivity of wheat and groundnut increased from 2424 to 2845 Kg per ha and from 1180 to 1320 Kg per ha respectively in the treated area. Now farmers in the watershed area are increasingly using improved seeds for cultivation and their number has gone up to 67%. With the increased availability of water and with the proper use of agro-techniques, seed rate of wheat has gone down from traditional rate of 240 Kg per ha to 125 kg per ha. This reduced seed rate led to a net saving of 101 quintal seeds of wheat from 175 ha cropped area.
The Garhkundar-Dabar area watershed project covering an area of 850 ha has benefited 191 households having a total human population of 891. Five farmers adopted aonla, guava and citrus based agroforestry system in four hectare area. One farmer planted live fencing of karonda along 100m of the field boundary. About 6000 forest tree saplings were planted along the Nallah, teak plantation was done on 0.23 ha of private land and about 250 ber plants were topworked. The project committee has also encouraged the formation of self help groups for personal loaning and capacity building. Two women self help groups have gathered assets of Rs. 35,000 and Rs 25,000 respectively and have successfully gained self-reliance in terms of small credit requirements. The project construction work also created about 7000 mandays employment during the year 2006-07 and 7500 additional mandays during the next year 2007-08 for various other interventions and activities. It is further expected that an employment of 29000 mandays per annum will be generated from enhanced agricultural activities.
Human resource development activities were also carried in the watershed where farmers were trained for various agro-techniques through awareness and visit programmes. In addition, livelihood support activities like lac cultivation, gum and resin tree cultivation, fish farming in checkdams and goat rearing were also introduced. This way, NRCAF scientists have successfully changed the scenario of life, agriculture and livelihood and so bringing happiness and greenery in the drought prone Garhkundar-Dabar area. The success of this project opens doors for its replication in the entire Bundelkhand region. According to Dr. S. K. Dhyani, Director of NRCAF, there was plenty of water available in the checkdams and wells in the region despite of the insufficient rainfall this year. He says that such a success was not possible without the participation and cooperation of the farmers.
According to NRCAF, Garhkundar-Dabar Watershed as a model is replicable to 56% red soils of Bundelkhand region, Vindhyanchal range, Satpura and Arawali ranges. Successful adoption and replication of these water conservation techniques and agrofestry can help overcome the problems of soil erosion and water crisis for drinking as well as for irrigation in the entire region of Bundelkhand.
(Source: NAIP – Mass Media Project, DIPA)
A couple of years
ago, Rekha was a poor housewife like any other – she looked after her
family, cattle, household. Today her responsibilities include looking
after the entire Sangrampur Block as the President of Jan Jati Mahila
Block Sangathan. There are 20 Gram Sangathans (Village Level
Associations) in the Block and the Block Sangathan (Block Level
Association) has been formed with nine Gram Sangathans.