Monthly Archives: April 2020

Sunamoni Nali, a 63 years old tribal woman of Ranginiguda village in Chaulmendi GP under Mathili Block of Malkangiri District lives with her husband Bhagban Nali, one traumatised divorcee daughter of 38 and two granddaughters.

During the lock down, when Sunamoni was asked about her wellbeing by the Volunteer of CYSD, she replied, “I came to know that a novel virus named Corona has started infecting the people in our country and whoever comes in contact with Corona will die. Owing to this critical situation the Govt has declared lock down for till 3^rd of May. All the villagers have to obey the government rules and nobody will be allowed to go outside unless there is exigency. Even the people will not go for daily work either in forest or in farm land until the withdrawal of lock down period. But, the government will provide ration of three months in advance to all ration card holders of the village”. Further, she added, “Getting this news, I was too much worried as to how I will manage food for 5 members with the ration support of 3 persons; and even without any income during this lock down. Thereafter, I rushed to a person known me in the village to enquire about the matter and get the doubt clarified. The person informed me about the community kitchen arrangement made by the Government, where we can get two square meal per day per person. But later, I was shocked when I got to know that my daughter’s family members name have been rejected from the community kitchen list for unknown reason.”

Following the lockdown, the Sunamoni family was forced to sever distress as labour being the only income source was debarred. She bravely managed feeding her 5-member family with the Government support which was insufficient for them. On other the side, her family members’ name were deleted from the community kitchen list, though they deserved it. The matter was inquired by the volunteer of CYSD, Mr. Kamarlal Patla where he found that the father of existing Sarpanch, who acts as the proxy Sarpanch of Chaulmendi GP, had deliberately erased the names of some deserving persons of the Panchayat and cunningly included the names of some favoured persons those  supported his son during last election campaign. The matter was informed to the concerned Panchayat Executive Officer (PEO) and demand was made for inclusion of the real needy persons in the community kitchen beneficiaries list. But the PEO was disagreed to change the beneficiaries list as it was already uploaded in the government website. Here, the fact was that not only Sunamoni family members’ name but also many deserving persons’ name from different villages under Chaulmendi Panchayat were missed in the community kitchen beneficiaries list.

The volunteer brought the issue to the notice of   CYSD’s Child Development Programme Office based in  Malkangiri for a solution. With proper advice, immediately the volunteer together with the leaders of Chaulimendi village Youth Club made a demand before the PEO & Sarapanch that if the case will not be solved by them here, then the Youth Club can lodge an online petition with the Hon’ble Minister of State, PPG&P, Government of India for intervention to solve the grievance. This tricky strategy compelled the PEO & Sarapanch to include all left out families of Bandhaguda, Gajolkonda & Nuaguda villages having households of 40, 35 & 54 respectively under the community kitchen program beneficiaries list.

Moreover, to the credit of Chaulimendi Youth Club leaders, they were engaged in distribution of survival kits and hygiene kits to the vulnerable households including Sunamoni, jointly being supported by CYSD and Child Fund India and organising different awareness camps in the community. Besides, they are now engaged in the process of collecting data of all left out PDS card holders in the Panchayat, caused due to non-linkage of Aadhar Card number, which will be submitted to the Panchayat for regularising the entitlements to the left outs.

The lockdown owing to outbreak of Coronavirus has impacted hugely the landless labourers, returnee migrants, physically and mentally challenged, and people who are under most vulnerable situations. Neither are they being allowed to go outside nor getting any job for livelihoods. Meanwhile, CYSD’s intervention has reached to 1030 households in 48 villages of 13 Gram Panchayats in 8 Blocks of 4 resource poor districts, like Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangpur and Malkanagiri in South Odisha. CYSD’s response to Corona in terms of addressing the food and nutritional requirements of these risk prone households by providing Survival Kit support has created a sense of acceptance among the people. They feel that they are not alone in this battle, some others are also with them.

A 68 years old women with severe alignment in legs, Tulasa Saunta of Beheraguda village in Lima Panchayat of Kundura block, says “Being an aged lady, I cannot walk far. I am so happy to get rice, sugar, oil, Suji, Dal, etc. as relief items at my home. Now there is no deed of going outside during this lockdown. I will stay at home and spend my time in cooking food for me. My thankfulness to the Relief Team of CYSD for this timely support.

Through initiating around 738 awareness campaign and demonstration progrmmes, CYSD team has spread the message of how to fight Covid-19 and developed better understanding among the people about the impact of the virus in 1128 villages of 5 blocks in Koraput district engaging 34 volunteers and team members. 12005 HHs were got involved in these campaigns and awareness processes. “Spreading right kind of information, our team has now got confidence to combat against fearfulness and the panic situation created among the people because of the pandemic”, says Ramesh Chandra Swain, Team Leader – Livelihoods Programme in Koraput. 

The above programme activities during this lockdown created an opportunity for the team to identify the most vulnerable people/households in each Panchayat and a data base of these households has been submitted to the Panchayat for future reference. More importantly, the households those were left out from getting the government entitlements are being supported by CYSD and connected with government schemes as well. Besides, various community workers, PRI members have appreciated the initiatives undertaken by the Organization including the criteria followed towards beneficiary selection and the support being provided to the poor people in the form of commodities, added Abhisekh Mishra, Coordinator of Livelihood Programme.

The Sarpanch of Goudaguda GP in Laxmipur block said, “I feel proud that I am associated with CYSD and the resource provider, Ford Foundation who have come forward to support my people, especially those who are left out from PDS and Pension scheme because they don’t have Aadhar Card to show. It gives me enormous satisfaction, when I see smile on the faces of people at this difficult hours”.

Ward Member of Tentulipadar village in Narayanpatna Block of Koraput shared, “One destitute old women of our village having no access to PDS or Pension assistance, was living with the kind support of the villagers. Now having this survival kit (dry food) support, she will cook her food and not depend on others during this lockdown period”.

Danari Jani one of the mentally retarded women of Dahiguda village in Mujanga GP under Dasmantpur Block of Koraput District was supported with survival kit. People of the village saido, she has been left out from all Govt. programmes because of having no documents to show her identification proof. Her only son who had been migrated to other State got stuck due to lock down. This survival kit will help her to surpass the hardship in the absence of her son.

The people’s response to CYSD’s support and their acceptance to the Team have indeed offered immense strength and morale boost to carry forward the organisation’s mission during this lockdown and beyond.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and declaration of lockdown by the Central Government as well as the State Government, the rural poor suffered the most. CYSD in collaboration with Ford Foundation under its Integrated Farming System (IFS) program intervention reached out to 1030 ultra-poor households having widows, physically and mentally challenged persons or people who have not received any benefits under government schemes and programs. The organisation did so by identifying the poorest of the poor in its operational areas and provided them with some minimum support for their survival.

In Koraput district, from among the recipients of the relief materials, one such recipient was Ira Jani from Kumbharguda village of Lima Gram Panchayat in Kundura Block.  “There is no one to look after me in my family.  I am alone. I came to know that government relief of Rs. 2000/- has been transferred to my Bank Account, but due to lockdown I could not go to the Bank to withdraw money. In this crisis, people from CYSD came to me with the relief kit containing rice, sugar, oil, suji, dal, soya bean, etc. I can never forget their help and support. It is really a saviour for me”, expressed Ira Jani with happiness.

Another recipients of the survival kit, Bhima Khila of Kollar village of Boipariguda Block says, “I belong to Komara caste. As I am having no land to cultivate, I used to migrate to Srikakulam in search of work. Though I am not interested to travel such a distant place, but I have left with no option owing to lack of regular work in my locality. I returned from Srikakulam just a month before travelling by a truck. As soon as I reach in my village, I did my health check-up at Boipariguda Hospital. Thank the God, I was safe. But, due to lockdown I had no money in pocket, even I didn’t get any Government support, accessing daily needs was next to impossible. I struggled hard to feed my four-member family a full meal. At that period of hardship, CYSD team gave me flattened rice, suji, soya bean, Dal, oil and many more commodities. I feel happy with the support as my family members will not sleep hungry. A plentiful thanks to CYSD for supplementing food at the time of my suffering.”

Nationwide lockdown to combat Coronavirus Pandemic has great impact on the lives and livelihoods of all section of the society. It has made the lives of the migrant labourers – skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled quite miserable. Though National as well as the State Governments have appealed to all the employers to retain their workforce and provide them basic needs for their survival till the withdrawal of lockdown and the situation comes to normalcy, but the employers are hardly coming forward to rescue the labour force. Even the employers having international repute are compelling them to go back home during the lockdown period. This baffling situation has become the daydream for many migrant labourers stranded at their workplace towns, some are with their family members.

Rashmi Himirika, a tribal young girl of Kurumpeta village in Karlakana Gram Panchayat of Rayagada District was privileged to acquire skill training in Industrial Sewing Machine Operation under Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) and had got placement in one of the reputed apparel industries in Bhubaneswar Industrial Estate. After 4 days of the lockdown, her employer sent back Rashmi to her village along with other workers by a private vehicle. When she reached home, even her own community didn’t allow her to enter into the village without undergoing Coronavirus Testing. Knowing the incident, the community frontline workers came forward to support her. She was sent to the Karlakana Gram Panchayat level ‘Quarantine Centre’ for 14 days isolation. When Rashmi was asked, whether she would like to go back Bhubaneswar to resume her work after lifting of the lockdown, she replied in a worried voice, “I do not want to restart my work at Bhubaneswar, but I have no other choice. There is hardly any apparel industry in my home district and unluckily none of the tailoring units here are using industrial sewing machine too”.

The case of Rashmi gives enough indication that skill training has to focus on skills considering the demand of local market, but not just to feed skilled labourers in industrial sites of other states. At the same time, primary skill has to be focused to promote self-employment among youths arresting redundant migration.

The days are gone, when the impression of feminism was amused by the male dominated society. Remarkable and self-sufficient women and promising young girls are not confined within the boundaries set by the society.

“We hardly want to restrain our strength, diligence and willpower to help others remaining inside the four walls of the house”, shared 16 years old Barsharani Palei, Mentor of Vir Bahadur Sashtri Chid Club, Nishaposi, Thakurmunda, Mayurbhanj. 

Following the lockdown directives of the Government, some warriors or real heroes are proud of working outside home for the safety and security of others in this pandemic situation due to COVID-19. These great frontiers – doctors, policemen, nurses and sweepers/ cleaners, are dedicatedly working for the people round the clock. Of course, they deserve appreciations and salutations. Apart from these, there are lot more unsung warriors and heroes who are working relentlessly, but remained behind the screen, not recognised nationally nor put into the limelight of the media. Some women Self Help Group (SHG) leaders and the mentors of Child Clubs have created massive awareness among their group members, peers, family & community members and the relatives to combat outbreak of Corona using digital platforms. Such an exemplary episode has come to the forefront in the operational areas of CYSD where Child Centred Community Development Programme has been in operation for last several years.

Women SHG leaders and the mentors of Child Clubs have stepped out of their homes and put their best efforts towards preventing the spread of Corona in their community. Around 3400 children including 1700 young girls were reached out through dissemination of community videos developed by the mentors and IEC messages circulated among their peers, families and relatives for preventing the outbreak of Coronavirus through Child-to-Child approach. Both the tribal women SHG leaders and the child mentors have used the social media platform like WhatsApp.

“We have developed small videos on how to take precautionary measures and also explained how to maintain social distancing, avoid public gathering, stay at home, keep safe distance from other people, catch up with friends and relatives virtually instead of in person; using mobile phone”, said 15 years old Sonali Suchismita, the mentor of Rugudibeda Child Club, Thakurmunda, Mayurbhanj.

Going one step ahead, Haimabati, a 14 years old girl, Mentor of Laxmi Narayan Child Club, Talapada, Saharapada block of Keonjhar district proudly said,

“Through videos, we have been sensitizing people to wash their hands with soap at least for 20 seconds at regular intervals, and to wear mask while stepping out. We have forwarded all those videos and IEC materials digitally to our peers, family members and relatives with a request to follow the advisories, and even we have demonstrated social distancing and hand wash practices in our communities to make people aware”.

With devoted spirit towards fair means of gender equality, 48 women SHG leaders from Thakumunda block could reach about 4000 women SHG members through peer education and sharing of right message in their groups helping them prevent from the spread of Coronavirus. The women leaders were very much satisfied for such noble work.

“We are really thankful to CYSD for their intervention in our area and the initiatives taken to empower the women groups. As of now, not a single case of coronavirus is reported in our district as well as in the neighbouring district of Mayurbhanj”, says Ms. Hemalata Mohanta, leader of Maa Gayatri SHG of Siyalizoda in Saharapada block of Keonjhar district.

Undoubtedly, the efforts of these women SHG leaders and the child club mentors have proved them as frontline soldiers and community change heroes – the unsung warriers. CYSD has been closely associated with such community based organisations (CBOs) in building their capacity and development of leadership skill in 95 interior tribal villages under 17 Gram Panchayats of Thakurmunda block in Mayurbhanj district and Saharapada block in Keonjhar district of Odisha. In this process, about 13400 members from more than 800 CBOs have been empowered.

Besides, awareness generation involving the unsung warriors during lockdown, the organisation is also engaged with distribution of survival and health & hygiene kits to the socio-economically distressed families, facilitation of community kitchen & quarantine centres and tracking of returnee migrants in collaboration with the District/Block administration and the local government at the Gram Panchayat level.

CYSD organised a Webinar on “Managing Self, Staff and Environment: Maintaining a Stress Free Health Life” on 22 April 2020 between 3.00 pm and 4.00 pm to help prepare the staff members to fight COVID-19 Pandemic intelligently.

The Webinar deliberated on how to take precautionary measures during Coronavirus outbreak – social distancing, hand washing and staying at home are the only ways to remain away from the virus; and how important is practicing Yoga,  proper exercise and taking nutritious food. Besides, focus was given on a leader, who needs to talk to his team and listen to the team regularly. The staff should acquire new technology and learn the marketing skills to excel and sustain in the changing situation. Further, uncertainty brings fear and anxiety to one’s mind automatically and navigating the pandemic requires better understanding about the unusual life experience and learning to accept it. So balancing of all priorities is need of the hour. Apart, four important things i.e. physical wellbeing, balanced diet, sufficient water intake and protecting self plays critical role during pandemic. However, strong willpower and commitment can help one to overcome the difficult situation.

In the COVID 19 crisis, to abet the outbreak, CYSD launches “CITIZEN’S SUPPORT CENTRE, for citizens to avail assistance. This is an Interactive Voice Response (IVR)-based helpline by the leading civil society organisation, CYSD, to help people by addressing frequent queries regarding Covid-19 while maintaining social distance. The virtual call-centre is available in multiple languages and can be reached by the users by dialling to the toll-free number 888 0 592 592 seven days a week between 10am to 5pm. The system is operated, and is being promoted in association with organisations called Healthbot, Aaina and Human Context and managed by a team of backend support professionals including doctors and expert counsellors.

As part of the Corona Virus Task force, CYSD has enrolled digitally empowered rural women called Internet Saathis to put a gender lens on the response to COVID 19. The help line phone number of the Citizens support Centre is publicised by the entire Internet Saathi network and is being facilitated by them at the ground level. The women Internet Saathis are the drivers of this help line initiatives. The 2286  women enrolled as Internet Saathi network includes 6900+ women groups reaching out to 274800+ community members with COVID 19 related valid information in 8000+ villages of the state of Odisha. These women have been actively taking part and responding to the COVID 19 pandemic preparedness, response and recovery. We know that the disease affects women and men differently and hence CYSD has ramped up its efforts to address the unique needs of girls and women by engaging a women task force.

The Internet Saathis has played a vital role in meeting shortfalls in masks, sanitizers and protective equipment, running free kitchens at the same time curbing social-media misinformation and providing evidence based credible information among the rural and slum communities of the state. At this pivotal time of an unprecedented 40-day lockdown, as the crisis intensifies around the world, to defeat the coronavirus, the collective strength of Internet Saathis has come to the fore front. Internet Saathis are working as front line health workers and collaborating with our networks and are producing facemasks, running community kitchens, delivering essential food supplies, sensitizing people about health and hygiene and sharing essential, verified and appropriate information through the social media.

While there is a huge in-flow of fake, unverified social media messages threatening human mind, an information source such as the Citizen Support Centre is becoming very useful in helping individuals get an emergency response to common queries on coronavirus, know about the Government entitlements, advisories as well as easy access to it. The centre also provides psychological counselling support and essentially the virtual health care support through the expert doctors. This initiative has become important particularly at a time when the number of individuals infected with the novel coronavirus strain is on the rise in India, giving a potentially high risk of individuals spreading misinformation on the outbreak, or forwarding misleading remedies and knowhow that may, in the long run, cause more harm than good. In the meantime, this has become a means of getting localised information for the people who have been waiting in different states to come back to Odisha after the lock-down period is over. The centre has played a vital role in serving more than thousands of people including migrant workers, rural ultra-poor, people outside the state and health-seekers.

The state will witness a surge of migrant labourers in few days where huge numbers of suddenly out-of-work families will start coming back to their villages- this shows how critical it is for authentic information to filter down to the grassroots. At this critical moment the women Internet Saathis, who are trained and equipped with digital devices have become the means for information sharing among hard-to-reach populations. These women leaders are using their vast WhatsApp network group to ward off chaos and confusion, providing critical support to the community in this hour of need. They have been crucial in spreading awareness on hand washing and social distancing and health literacy campaign among the rural and slum community. They use their devices and internet to gather information and share the same. At the same time, they have also become the hub for information on Government declared entitlements, advisories and helpline units.

CYSD’s Citizen Support Centre with its task force of women Internet Saathis is contributing to evidence based communication and advocacy tools and providing front line health services and humanitarian relief. It is worth mentioning that this is the Cyclone and heat wave season of Odisha. Therefore, CYSD is making real time efforts to address the dual challenges of disaster preparedness and the pandemic impacts and responses simultaneously, including nationwide lockdown to enable social distancing to bring down the spread of the disease.

As of now, the Centre has received 845 calls and responded to the clients successfully. Out of the total calls received; 378 were related to basic information about Covid–19, 370 calls were on access to entitlements, 64 calls on virtual care, and 33 pertaining to psycho -social counselling. Further, out of total calls received, 736 calls were from women and 109 from men.

Owing to the lockdown, in South Odisha, especially in Boipariguda block of Korapur district, the Tamarind collectors (members of Producer Group), have been facing difficulties in selling their produce in the local market. March – April is the harvesting time for tamarind. Unprocessed tamarind cannot be reserved for longer duration as there is risk of perishing and pest attack due to moisture contain. Taking the advantage, the local traders are not offering the Minimum Support Price (MSP) to the tamarind collectors. M/s. Sabujima Producer Company Ltd (SPCL) of Boipariguda, promoted with the technical support and guidance of CYSD has come forward to procure the tamarind from the local Producer Groups and its shareholders, with the MSP. In the meanwhile, SPCL has got an order to supply 10 tons of deseeded tamarind to ‘Safe Harvest’ based in Bangalore.

“We are quite hopeful that SPCL will be able to supply the targeted quantity of tamarind to ‘Safe Harvest’ on time and accrue some profit for our company, said Mrs. Mani Majhi, the Chairperson of SPCAL.

Following the outbreak of Coronavirus, nationwide lockdown declared by the Government has invited huge impact on the lives of the children. They are distracted from education as their annual examinations have been completed and new classes are suspended. Owing to lockdown, their normal movements and playing in groups have been restricted. They are sitting idle at home and barely waiting for when there will be lifting of lockdown and they will be free from the prison. If the lockdown continues further, the situation may lead them to depression.

For holistic development of the children and youths in Rayagada district, CYSD has been engaged with anout 600 children for last 3 years in partnership with ChildFund India. Considering the gravity of the situation, some innovative home-based activities are planned, like Art & Craft, creative writings – poem, song, stories and slogans to create community awareness on Corona engaging the children.  Art & craft materials including, note books, paper and pen have been distributed to the children of 33 operational villages through child clubs. Besides, CYSD team has also mobilized resources from other NGOs and local corporate houses in close coordination with Block Administration to support a total of 2165 children of Kolnara Block (GPs, like Gadiseskhal, Kolnara, Suri, Therubali, Rekhapadar, etc.) and Rayagada blocks (GPs of Kotapeta, Kontalpeta, Karlakona, Chandili and Penta) in the district. It has been decided that in every week under each segment one child will be felicitated at the Block level. The creative works of the children will be uploaded in the ‘Mo Prativa’ Programme website launched by the Department of Sports and Youth Services, Govt. of Odisha in collaboration with UNICEF.

The innovating programme has experienced a grand success in first week of its launching. Children are very enthusiastic and have expressed their ground-breaking thoughts through Art Work and Writings. Indeed, they are enjoying the lockdown period staying at home.

“I was bored sitting idle at home. The art and craft material supplied to us have inspired a lot to sketch our inventive thoughts. I am enjoying this lockdown time in painting, drawing and writing stories among friends. I am surprised, how the time passes by”, says G. Regalpadu, member of a Child Club with cheerfulness in his lips.

Covid-19 Pandemic has worsen the life and livelihoods of the people at large. Looking at the increased number of coronavirus positive cases, nationwide lockdown has been declared to break the chain of pandemic. The national and state governments’ advisories have restricted the normal movement of people and completely suspended the running of public transport facilities. Social distancing, frequent hand washing with soap and use of face mask by people is highly recommended in order to keep away from Coronavirus infections. Use of face mask has been made mandatory by the Government of Odisha. As transport facilities are affected to a great extent, availability of mask to the poor tribal people has become a great challenge.

CYSD has been engaged with Children and Youth in  Rayagada district for their holistic development for couple of years. Here, emphasis is being given for youth empowerment through imparting various vocational skill trainings to the unemployed youths and facilitating them job placements or supporting them to start their own enterprise. There are many youths who have received tailoring training, but the lockdown situation has compelled them to stay at home without any productive work.

During the lockdown, when wearing of face mask was announced compulsory, overnight masks were vanished from the local market. A group of 7 young girls, trained earlier on stitching, was encouraged by CYSD field team members to initiate stitching of face masks in bulk during this lockdown period to meet the local demand. Without any hesitation, the group was agreed to start preparing masks. Accordingly, CYSD supported them with raw materials. They stitched double layered masks out of cotton cloth – easy to wash and can be used multiple times at a cheaper rate in comparison to the single coated masks available in the market. Considering the material and labour component the rate of each mask has been fixed at Rs.12/-. Within a week’s time they are able produce around 1500 masks and supplied to the Kolnara Block Administration as well as to other NGOs.

“I was in quest of procuring a few masks for my family use, but could not find a single piece. Thanks to CYSD for igniting my skill and creating an opportunity for us to earn by stitching masks and meeting our own requirements during this lockdown situation”, said Ms. Baijanti Gouda in smiling face.

One of the Community Resource Persons is engaged to extend all logistics support to the group. The young girls belong to Bhujabala and G. Rengalipadu villages of Kolnara GP and Binispur village of Gadiseskhal GP and Dhakraguda village of Kotapeta GP under Kolnara Block of Rayagada district. 

“Taking into account the demands of face masks, we have planned to engage more skilled young girls of other villages in mask production work”, said Mr. Amit Mohapatra, Programme Manager of CYSD.