March to July 2018
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Table of Contents 1. Introduction Project Goals and Outcomes Project Beneficiaries
2. Project Activities Outcomes and Activities
3. Research 4. Future plan 5. Appendix: photos
Amrita University is a multi-campus, multi- five campuses in three states of India - Kerala, Tamil disciplinary research university that is accredited ‘A’ Nadu and Karnataka, with the University headquarters by NAAC and is ranked as one of the best research at Ettimadai, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. universities in India. The university is spread across
AMMACHI Labs is an academic and research center at Amrita University that brings an interdisciplinary approach to addressing societal challenges. We envision a world where technology is designed and used to empower people. We create innovative educational tools and skill development solutions to help uplift entire communities. We are as excited about community outreach solutions as we are about our focused research and development for ComputerHuman Interactions (CHI), robotics and automation, haptic technologies, and applied robotics. Through the use of CHI technology, AMMACHI Labs aims to augment skill development, life enrichment education, healthcare, disaster risk reduction, and much more.
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We began in 2009 as a small research lab located on the beautiful Amritapuri campus of Amrita University in Kerala, India. Today, our team consists of over 100 people from all over the world working towards the common vision of bettering society through technological innovation. We are a diverse and talented family. Our team members come from many countries, backgrounds and professions to make AMMACHI Labs a unique place. As part of Amrita University, AMMACHI Labs stands out as a cutting edge research facility and social outreach platform. Our parent NGO, Embracing the World, is a global network of regional humanitarian organizations inspired by the India-based humanitarian initiatives of the Mata Amritanandamayi Math.
WE:CSDP JULY UPDATE
Introduction The Women Empowerment: Community Sanitation through Democratic Participation (WE:CSDP) project (UDF-15-IND-667) was launched in February 2017 by Amrita University’s AMMACHI Labs. It is a two year, pan-India initiative jointly funded with the United Nations Democracy Fund. It aims to address the issues of inadequate community sanitation, women’s health, and water management in rural India through improving democratic representation of women in local governance. The project targets 21 villages in India, and aims to empower at least 5,000 women in rural Indian communities to champion sanitation and community development, eventually reaching their entire village, or 30,000 indirect beneficiaries. Participating women will receive continuous life skill training, will conduct sanitation campaigns, and will organize and mobilize efforts to implement key community actions to access government programs, such as the Swacch Bharat Mission, that specifically promotes sanitation. This community mobilization and training effort is designed to efficiently reach entire communities in a short amount of time. It will also provide strength and support to the women advocating
and petitioning to their local governments to address social and environmental issues in their villages. It is in line with the Government of India’s commitment to improving sanitation and rural development, as well as the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Since the launch of the project in February, we have accomplished a number of objectives. After setting up centers in each of the villages and selecting Community Organizers (COs), we held a Train the Trainer event at the university headquarters in Amritapuri where women from all over India got the chance to learn about their role in the project, and get to know each other and share their incredible stories. Since then, the CO’s have engaged over 20 Advocacy Self Help Groups (ASHGs), held dozens of Community Awareness Events, and have started to meet with local government, becoming real community leaders. The COs and SHGs have launched their community sanitation campaign and have begun a process of social change. As these women continue to empower themselves and others, we hope to see a chain reaction that will lead to stronger, more resilient communities where women are able to lead the way to sustainable development.
CHAMPIONS OF
CHANGE WE:CSDP
WOMEN EMPOWERMENT: COMMUNITY SANITATION THROUGH DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION Center for Women’s Empowerment & Gender Equality
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Outcomes of the WE:CSDP Project Challenges Addressed by the Project: Gender Inequality and Empowerment
Inadequate democratic engagement around sanitation
Absence of project sustainability through socio-democratic development.
The overall development goal of the WE:CSDP project is women’s empowerment and improved sanitation through advancing women’s political participation, leadership, economic & social development. The project will address three major social problems hindering the democratic process in the targeted villages:
Project Goals and Outcomes:
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Project Beneficiaries
The WE:CSDP project aims to empower at least 5,000 women in rural Indian communities and indirectly benefit 30,000 beneficiaries, as follows:
No.
Role
Criteria
21
Community Organizers
Selected based on leadership skills and enthusiasm
300
Champions
Chosen with the help of COs and local interest. Under current SHG regulations, group sizes can range from 10-20 women
5000
Change Agents
Open Defection Free Campaign participants (1 woman per household). Enlisted by ASHGs through outreach and door-to-door
30,000
Indirect Beneficiaries
Total population of the 21 villages (between 500-2,000 residents in each village)
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Project Activities
Outcomes and Activities Train the Trainer (TTT) for 21 COs. Outputs for Outcome:
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Output 1.1 Increased women’s individual capabilities and awareness on sanitation and personal development Output 1.2
TTT refreshers for 21 COs
Delivery of Computerized Life-Skills/Life Enrichment Education for 270 women in 21 villages (c-LEE to Champions and Change Agents)
First TTT completed Feb 18th, 2017 1. Feb 21-27, 2018. in Nani Borwai, Gujarat. CO’s from Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Goa attended. 2. March 4-10, 2018. Guptapada, Odisha. CO’s from Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, and Chhattisgarh attended. 3. March 18-24, 2018. Kanti, Haryana. CO’s from Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu, and Himachal Pradesh attended. 4. April 1-7, 2018. Amritapuri, Kerala. CO’s from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana attended. 5. June 26-July 3, 2018. Saidvayel, TN for the CO here. 270 women in 24 ASHGs Received education in legal awareness, government programs, women’s health and community sanitation with a special focus on working with local government and supporting women in need.
Output 1.1 TTT Workshop
The first TTT was held in the Amritapuri campus of Amrita University, project HQ, in February, 2017. We found this experience extremely positive and encouraging, and successful. The main challenges we faced were in translation (7 language groups present, not counting local dialects), in time-management, and in holding the training within the hectic university schedule. In an attempt to avoid these challenges, the refresher TTT workshops were carried out in 5 central locations in the country. These were held in major language and geographic groups, and held in village centers to provide a more accurate backdrop for the CO work. The smaller groups and single-language requirement helped the TTT refresher run very smoothly. A total of 19 CO’s participated in these TTT workshops. The TTT refresher covered a number of topics. The actual daily flow of the TTT (strict time-table, requiring all COs to participate regularly, keeping daily journal and practicing reporting) was done to refresh the CO’s existing requirements. The actual learning sessions were mostly an advancement of Project topics, strategies for community mobilization, and feedback on project activities.
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{
}
“
IT IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL EXPERIENCE TO REACH OUT TO DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES WITH THE TOOLS TO EMPOWER & ENGAGE THEM SOCIALLY & ECONOMICALLY & TO SEE THE TRANSFORMATION TO STRONG, CARING INDIVIDUALS & COMMUNITIES.
“
Prema Pillai, ZL
}
{
“
Mamtha Poyam. CO, Chattisgarh
{
“
I FEEL HAPPY TO WORK FOR EMPOWERING MY SISTERS IN MALGAON. THROUGH THE TRAINING, I FEEL CONFIDENT ENOUGH TO TALK TO PEOPLE AND SHARE THE KNOWLEDGE GAINED.
TO BECOME CHAMPIONS OF CHANGE, WE FIRST NEED TO CREATE A GROUP AND MAKE EVERYONE AWARE ABOUT WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
“
}
“
Urmila, CO. Guptapada, Odisha
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Seema C., ZL
{
“
THIS PROJECT IS SO GOOD, AND MAKES ME HAPPY. THE LEE COURSES TEACHES SOLUTIONS TO SOCIAL ISSUES, LEGAL RIGHTS, GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS, AND SO MANY OTHER USEFUL THINGS FOR EMPOWERING WOMEN. I SEE THE WOMEN BECOMING CONFIDENT, INDEPENDENT, AND ABLE TO SOLVE THEIR OWN PROBLEMS. WHEN I SEE THE WOMEN TAKE UP PROBLEMS AND SOLVE THEM, IT GIVES ME STRENGTH AND ENTHUSIASM TO CONTINUE THIS WORK.
“
}
PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROJECT HAS CHANGED MY LIFE IN SO MANY WAYS. I HAVE MUCH BETTER TIME MANAGEMENT SKILLS AND CAN TAKE CARE OF MY CHILD BETTER WITH THE KNOWLEDGE FROM THE TRAINING. MOST IMPORTANTLY, I AM MORE CONFIDENT. I CAN SPEAK TO ANYONE IN THE VILLAGE AND STAND UP FOR MYSELF AND FOR OTHER WOMEN. WITH THE MONEY I EARN, I FEEL IN CONTROL OF MY LIFE AND I CAN HELP OTHERS, TOO.
Christopher Coley, Field Deployments and Research
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{
Meenal Behn, CO, Nani Borwai, Gujarat
“
I BELIEVE WE HAVE AN INSPIRED APPROACH TO ASSISTING WOMEN AND THE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES IN RURAL INDIA. OVER THE PAST YEARS, I HAVE WITNESSED THE TREMENDOUS POTENTIAL FOR VOCATIONAL EDUCATION, LIFE SKILLS, AND THE SUPPORT TO WORK WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO TRANSFORM VILLAGES AND PROVIDE THE SKILLS FOR WOMEN TO STAND ON THEIR OWN. THE WE:CSDP PROJECT TAKES THIS APPROACH AND APPLIES IT TO SANITATION, A CRITICAL PROBLEM FACING MUCH OF INDIA. SO FAR WE HAVE SEEN REMARKABLE PROGRESS WITH HALF OF OUR VILLAGES BEING DECLARED OPEN DEFECATION FREE IN ONLY 6 MONTHS! BEFORE THIS, THERE WERE MINIMAL TOILET FACILITIES AND ALMOST NO AWARENESS OF THE HAZARDS OF POOR SANITATION. THE COMPASSIONATE GUIDANCE OF OUR CHANCELLOR AND THE EXPERIENCES OUR TEAM HAVE HAD IN THE FIELD HAVE TAUGHT US MUCH AND CONTINUE TO MOTIVATE OUR EFFORTS
WE:CSDP JULY UPDATE
Output 1.1 Graduates of the TTT refresher in Kanti, Haryana
Output 1.2 Delivery of c-LEE, Andhra Pradesh
Output 1.2 c-LEE given to Champions and Change agents: Hadiabad village in Bihar
Output 1.2 A Community outreach program: ChangeAgents celebrated ‘International No Tobacco Day’ with an awareness program, drama, and group discussion, Kalinagar village in West Bengal.
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Outputs for Outcome:
Output 2.1
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Increased women’s individual capabilities and awareness on sanitation and personal development
Up to Q3 (January 2018) 18 villages completed 1st Ideal Village
Ideal Village Activity & Vulnerability Mapping
As of Q5 (July 2018) 21 finished 1st and 15 completed 2nd Ideal Village.
Output 2.2
Community-Led ODF Campaign Initiatives mobilizing 5,000 women as Change Agents
Output 2.3
168 Life Skills Community Events by ASHGs (8 per village)
Output 2.4
21 Advocacy Self-Help Groups formed by 300 women Champions (min one group per target village)
Up to Q3 (January 2018)1,400 names collected As of Q5 (July 2018) over 2,000 names collected Up to Q4 (February 2018) 238 LEE Events (9,584 participants) As of Q5 (July 2018) 552 LEE events (15,181 participants) on hygiene, women’s health, and legal awareness. Including 106 Clean Up Drives led by the ASHGs. 24 ASHGs and 270 women.
Government Programs engaged by ASHGs • Swachh Bharat Abhayan (construction of toilets) • Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (bank deposit garuntee for girl children) • Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (cooking gas provision for women BPL) • Aadhar card and Ration Card • Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (housing for BPL)
• FIR and RTI filing • Paralegal Volunteer Program • Mahila Police Volunteer (women trained as police volunteers) • NRLM Yojana (guaranteed income for SHG members) • MGNREGA (guaranteed employment for 180 days) • IGNWPS (Widow pension scheme)
Output 2.1 Training for ideal village activity
Output 2.2 Community-Led ODF Campaign Initiatives, Kalinagar village, West Bengal
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Output 2.3 Amala Bhatratham Campaign, Dr. Khera village, Uttar Pradesh
Output 2.4 Advocacy Self-Help Group Bihar
Output 2.4 Advocacy Self-Help Group West Bengal
Outcome 2 is to increase women’s individual capabilities to promote community development, increase awareness about sanitation, women’s health and other important community issues, and to promote personal development. To this end, the Ideal Village and VM activities are critical to start a fruitful discussion among the ASHGs. The groups are also encouraged to form stronger bonds with each other and to unite around community service and promoting sustainable development. The LEE in Community events and promotion of the ODF campaign help to garner community support for these efforts, and position the groups, and the individual women, as village leaders. We have seen a remarkable change in how the women are treated in their villages, as they are seen as capable of bringing positive developments for all members of the community. What is more, the ASHGs themselves have become motivated and many have made the LEE events a monthly activity. We originally planned to only have a couple events in each village over the course of the project, but have found that the ASHGs and the community overall has supported these events and want more to occur. This is how we have been able to achieve over 500 events over the past 18months.
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Outputs for Outcome:
Output 3.1
3
Increased women’s participation and stronger voice in sanitation policy making and community action
Water quality management and monitoring by 21 ASHGs
Output 3.2
Two Government-ASHG meeting (1 per milestone)
Output 3.3
National Development Workshop for ASHGs
Output 3.4
ASHGs Community Action Proposal to Policy Brief on Policy Recommendations
Up to Q3 (January 2018) 14 completed 1st water test As of Q5 (July 2018) 21 Completed 1st testing and 8 Completed 2nd testing. Up to Q3 (January 2018) 132 documented Government meetings As of Q5 (July 2018) 226 documented meetings initiated by the women in ASHGs after training. Promoted village sanitation, schemes, and development with local government. Series 1 Scheduled for September, 2018 Series 2 scheduled for January, 2019 Scheduled for January, 2019
Outcome 3 is to increase women’s participation and strengthen their voice in sanitation policy making, community action, and to build positive relationships with local government. We have found that in village culture, the representation of women in village, district, and regional decision making is sorely lacking. Even if local government is amenable to hearing the requests of women, many women feel cut off from their government, are ill informed on government programs and individual rights, or are discouraged from participating by their fellow villagers. This project aims to address these problems through education, guided support, and the demonstration of the strength of women to develop community support. In order to promote sanitation development, both community awareness raising and documentable efforts for government action are required. The water testing and government meetings with ASHGs are an effort to start this process and promote other important developments in the villages. Just as the LEE in Community events have been a large success, so to have government meetings. The ASHGs have found their voice and are actively engaging the government as concerned citizens to promote sanitation development, public infrastructure (roads, electricity, community centers, etc.), access government programs (schemes, Aadhar Card and Ration Card benefits), pensions, and many others (see page 10). This has started a positive trend in community development and women’s empowerment.
Drinking water testing as part of Community Awareness Program in Uttar Pradesh
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Kanti Village CO and teacher invited the SHO Police officer of the district to an awareness session for women. Forming a relationship with local police ensures women are safe and empowered.
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Total Sanitation Work by AMMACHI Labs
188 Women have been trained in toilet building 327 toilets(16 villages, 13 states) built by these women, with another 170 planned to be done by October 2018(21 villages, 21 states). Approximately 2000 Toilets built by government in these villages after we started working 552 LEE events with 15,181 participants in 28 villages (21 states) 220 women trained in soap making and spreading sanitation awareness
Environmental Protection
Number of organic farms 30+ (20 in Tamil Nadu, 1 in Haryana, 5 in Bihar, 2 in Gujarat, 5 in Karnataka) Number of household kitchen gardens 500+ Number of trees planted: 4000+ saplings and 1000+ seed balls These activities were coordinated by Amrita SeEVe, as part of the larger village adoption project of 13 our parent organization M. A. Math
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Research and interviews
Research and population studies are an integral part of the WE:CSDP project. The purpose is not only to track the progress of the project, but to gain a better understanding of the participants’ lives and challenges, so that we may better structure our interventions going forward. Each of the participants are asked to complete short surveys and interviews led by senior AMMACHI Labs staff, which help to engage them in discussing community issues and possible solutions. The trust and friendship shared between project staff and participants is the foundation of project success, and such discussions help to strengthen these bonds. The confidential data gathered in these studies will be used to document the project and eventually be shared for publication so that this work can be beneficial to the global academic and NGO community.
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Future Plan
The WE:CSDP project is off to an exciting start, and already so much has been accomplished. Our next steps are to continue the progress made on ASHG formation and structuring, continue the c-LEE classrooms, and increase the amount of community involvement by the women’s groups. Our focus will be on assisting the groups to meet with local government and hold discussions on the community problems they have identified with the goal to encourage government support. Water testing, clean-up drives, and other community assessments will continue and provide supporting evidence the ASHGs can use in their government meetings. Classes on legal rights and financial literacy will continue, and women will be encouraged and assisted in opening personal bank accounts and learning to manage their finances. The progress made so far has been huge and encouraging, and we are excited to share the success of this project going forward. For real time updates and more success stories, please visit our website: www.ammachilabs.org www.facebook.com/ammachilabs www.twitter.com/ammachilabs
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Updates from the field: Daily accomplishments February 25 CO Lipika and team met with Joint Block Development Officer R. Bhattacharya to follow up on the pending toilet work. Following the meeting they met BDO Subroto, both officers said they will review the survey list to decide on the eligibility criteria. Later on, the team had a brief interaction with District Magistrate Ratnakar Rao. CO will follow up as per the procedural requirements explained by district sanitation coordinator at the DM’s office. Kalinagar, West Bengal.
February 27
March 2
Community Organizer and SHG group members conducting health and hygiene awareness sessions in primary school in Kalinagar, West Bengal.
In Naniborwa, Gujarat, CO leading awareness sessions on ‘Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana’ and assisting village women in opening bank accounts.
March 7
Part of TTT refresher, COs from 10 villages shared their social empowerment experiences with the young boys girls enrolledfor skill courses at Aditya Birla Group Skills Foundation, Bhubaneswar, Odisha
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March 8
Juna Kathiwada village, Madhyapradesh celebrated International women’s day by honouring the most active change agents in the village. Amrita university MSW students, presented a play on domestic violence. In Kalinagar village, West Bengal, an awareness session on “Child marriage” was conducted by our CO and women SHG members. In Kanti village, Haryana, CO organised a rally on the theme “Save the girl.” In Sarai Nooruddin village, Allahabad, CO led the celebrations. MSW students organized classes on child marriage and skill development activities in Vallaramkunnu village, Kerala.
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March 18
COs and Social work students from our Center for Women’s Empowerment & Gender Equality organized “Valaramkunnu Gramotsavam” Village festival at Valaramkunnu, a tribal village located at, Kerala.
March 20
CO Urmila and our field staffs addressed electricity problems in the village, Guptapada, Odisha
March 22
World Water Day was celebrated in Hadiyabad, Bihar with a huge turn out of people. The CO and facilitator led a street play on ‘save water’ theme. In Kalinagar village, West Bengal villagers participated in a rally on conservation of water. CO, facilitator and SHG women used awareness videos and encouraged discussions about the importance of saving water. Social works students and AMMACHI Labs team members organized Amala Bharatham campaign and conducted a street play about water conservation.
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March 28
21 village youth including the CO & Facilitator are employed and engaged in triggering behavioural change in other villages of the district after Government’s CLTS training.
April 4
Community Organizer Surekha participated in an exhibition with the ‘Jute Bags ‘and other products made by the self-help group women from our training center in Goa.
April 7
COs and facilitators led the World Health Day celebrations with rallys and awareness sessions in Malgaon village, Chattisgarh. Kalinagar village, West Bengal, Dr. Khera village, Lucknow, Sarainoorudindpur village, Allahabad and Ratanpur village, Bihar
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April 12
30 self-help group women from Dunda village, Uttarakhand successfully started their training facilitated by the government.
April 14
CO and team organized an awareness class on 'health challenges faced by girls' for the girl students in the government school, Uttarakhand.
The team in collaboration with Dr. Deebaja Rauta and his ten junior doctors conducted a women health awareness session in Gupatapada, Odisha.
April 19
Community Organizer Renu led a health awareness program in Malakpan village, Goa. Around thirty-five women attended the classes organized at the MLA office. Later on, village Sarpanch attended the certificate distribution ceremony and addressed the gathering.
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April 22
AMMACHI Labs community organizers and SHG women along with many of the villagers and hundreds of children across India came together to celebrate Earth Day. In Hadiyabad village, Bihar, a street play was conducted by the children which highlighted the slogan “do not throw garbage on the roadside and use dustbins”. CO, facilitator, other coordinators, and health worker also highlighted the importance of the event by leading a street play on the theme “save the tree for environmental protection”. In Nagla Chandi, Vrindavan our team along with villagers celebrated the event by doing Bhoomi(earth) pooja and made rangolis in their courtyards. Women and children in Kanti village, Haryana celebrated Earth Day with support from AMMACHI Labs’ community organizer and facilitator.
April 25 The master of social work students who visited Uttarakhand villages in the month of March conducted several activities including spoken English classes, career guidance, and financial literacy sessions for the village youth. Our deployment team members and students were engaged in various social awareness programs in the villages by providing awareness session on child sexual abuse, domestic violence, and alcoholism.
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April 26
Every year, April 25 is celebrated as World Malaria Day. This year, the World Health Organisation has joined hands with its partner organizations in order to promote its theme of Ready to beat Malaria. CO Usha Singh and assistant facilitator Mamata Poyam took the initiative to celebrate World Malaria Day Celebrations on April 25, 2018, in Malgaon village, Chattisgarh. As there are many death cases reported due to Malaria in the village and nearby places, our CO and facilitator invited ASHA worker Gangu Netam to give awareness classes on Malaria to women and children at the Anganwadi. A group discussion was encouraged on the topic ‘how to prevent Malaria disease. In Kalinagar village, West Bengal CO Lipika Sardar and Computer teacher Jyotirmoy Naskar organized a class where informative videos were shown to the villagers and later on a group discussion was facilitated for the women and computer center students who attended the program.
May 7
In Kalinagar village, West Bengal our community organizer arranged an awareness session on Child marriage.
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May 11
National Technology Day was celebrated Hadiabad Village in Bihar. Community Organizers, and other coordinators along with 50 self-help group women participated in the tablet training program where more women from the village were invited to learn how to use a tablet.
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May 24
May 31
CO Anuradha from Gudipaticheruvu village, Andhra Pradesh conducted Life Enrichment Education programs for the women and children in the village.
June 5
our Change Agents celebrated International No Tobacco Day with awareness program, drama, and group discussion. Kalinagar village, West Bengal
Nala village, Uttarakhand and Kanti village, Haryana where our deployment team members, CO, and SHG members celebrated World Environment Day 2018 by planting saplings and seedlings.
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June 8
AMMACHI Labs deployment team with the CO and sixty-five other participants from Dr. Khera village assembled at the training center to test the quality of water from various sources in the village.
June 18
AMMACHI Labs team in participation with Dr.Indramani Tripathi, Commissioner, Lucknow Municipal Corporation and his team organized Amala Bharatham campaign at Dr. Khera village in Uttar Pradesh.
June 23
Deployment team and CO met with Shri. Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj, District Magistrate, Allahabad and Shri. Anil Kumar Tripathi, The District Panchayat Raj Officer, Sarai Nooruddin village. The officials accepted the letter requesting immediate action to allow street lights, road construction and a proper waste management program for the village.
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June 23
From June 23 onwards our team led 15 days cleanup drive in Sarai Nooruddin village, Uttar Pradesh. Village pradhan, CO, SHG women, Yoga teacher and Aserve coordinator with rest of the Sarai Nooruddin villagers participated in this sanitation awareness camp and Amalabharatham clean-up drive.
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June 26 Community Organizer in Guptapada village, Odisha conducted the Water Test along with the Village Development Committee constituted by Amrita Serve and the self-help group members. The result showed that the water stored in the house and the drinking tap water is contaminated due to an unclean water tank. the village youth, along with the women, came forward to clean the water tank as a solution to the water contamination in their village.
June 27
New CO in Sadivayal village, Tamil Nadu is undergoing training on UNDEF project activities. As part of the training program by our deployment team, CO conducted empowerment classes with the community ladies.Later on, our team along with CO met with the village government school headmistress and other village officials.
June 28
Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj, District Magistrate, Allahabad had a brief conversation with our women representatives from Sarai Nooruddin village. AMMACHI Labs’ community organizer, facilitator, self-help group members, and yoga teacher from Amrita Serve were part of this team. The team raised concerns about the current waste management system at the village and the DM directed their request letter to Assistant District Panchayat Raj Officer for further action.
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June 29
June 29
A group of community women did 'Ideal Village' exercise and presented their dream village with the most needed facilities and services they wish to have. Sadivayal village, Tamilnadu
AMMACHI Labs’ ZC, CO, facilitator and tailoring teacher invited the SHO to Kanti village in Haryana for an interactive session with our women SHG members and other villagers. The officer was delighted to meet with the women representatives and happily agreed to speak about domestic violence and cybercrime during the session.
July 4
‘Sanitation & Hygiene practices’ was organized at government primary school with the help of videos on ‘handwashing’ and ‘proper ways to brush teeth’ to teach the students. Sadivayal village, Tamilnadu
Our team had a meeting with the block development officer(BDO) to pursue on the open defecation free (ODF)status and also on building the remaining toilets in the community by the government. Kodur village, Andhra Pradesh
July 5
The ‘Ideal Village’ activity was then done with a group of 10 young women, paired in a team of two. Kodur village, Andhra Pradesh
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July 6
CO and facilitator in Ratanpur and Hadiabad villages in Bihar successfully facilitated Adhar card making camp in association with block development officer and other government authorities. Till now 40 people have received the adhar card and more people are planning to attend the camp and apply for the card.
July 6
Our team initiated a community development program in Dewgain village, Jharkhand BDO, President of Child Welfare committee, Agricultural officer, Panchayat Samiti Member and the government doctor from the village attended the program. Hundreds of villagers attended the program and listened to the informative classes on village development and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act).
July 7
In Haryana, ZC, CO and the village pradhan(village head) had a meeting with block development officer to identify the Below Poverty Line(BPL) households in Kanti village. Our team conducted a survey to identify the deserving applicants under the housing scheme for BPL families across the state. The BDO came to the village and appreciated our team’s effort and promised to allow the housing scheme funds for the selected BPL families.
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July 7
Our team met with the District Collector Dr. Vasam and District Supply Officer. The officer guided us to approach key personnel of oil companies, and the very next day we could mobilize the Panchayat under the Ujjwala Yojana at Kodur. The villagers were enthusiastic about the program, and many came forward to take advantage of the opportunity avail the scheme.
July 8
CO and the women self-help group led cleanliness drive campaign. The campaign was a huge success with immense participation from the village headman, villagers, Amrita Serve and four government sweepers & vehicles provided by the government officials. Kanti village, Haryana.
July 11
Malegaon village, Chattisgarh, CO and assistant facilitator conducted an awareness session on the topic “spreading of disease”. Students were taught “how to use a handkerchief ” and handwashing.
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July 11
In Malegaon village, Chattisgarh, our COand assistant facilitator celebrated World Population Day at primary health center with women from the village. Jamuna, a nurse spoke to them about women health and family planning.
Abbreviations AMMACHI ASHGs COs c-LEE MLA NOs ODF SDGs SHGs TTT UNDEF UNESCO WE:CSDP ZLs CLTS
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Amrita Multi Modal Applications and Computer Human Interaction Advocacy Self Help Groups Community Organizers Computerized Life-Skills/Life Enrichment Education Member of Legislative Assembly Nodal Officers Open Defecation Free Sustainable Development Goals Self Help Groups Train-the-Trainer United Nations Democracy Fund United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Women Empowerment: Community Sanitation through Democratic Participation Zonal Leads Community Led Total Sanitation
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