Village Institutions - Community-Based OrganizationsBy the people. For the people. Of the people. That’s the mainstay of not only democracy but of any movement that empowers a community. It’s the foundation of our policy of Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA), in which community members together take charge of their own development.
Community Based Organizations (CBOs) are created and its members made capable of managing their own assets and sustaining the development process, even after the project period ends. Simply put, we set the ball rolling but CBOs score the goals.
Key CBOs formed under the KGVK-ICEF watershed development project now function in Patratu block of Hazaribagh, acting as pillars of sustainability for assets created through our interventions.
Key CBOs
Village Health Committee (VHC)
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According to State policy, a VHC, with its task force of Sahiyyas, acts as the central agent in community health programmes and prepares the Village Health Plan. Conceptualized as a village-based social mobilization network, the VHC comprises community members, who collectively ensure access to and delivery of effective preventive, promotive and curative healthcare for every member of the village. |
Village Development Committee (VDC)
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VDCs function at the village level to promote active participation of the community in planning, implementation and maintenance of created assets. Working as an executive body to ensure Total Village Management (TVM) across sectors, with representation from all other CBOs like Self-Help Groups, Special Interest Groups and Users’ Groups. |
Self-Help Group (SHG)
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The SHG is a grassroots movement for empowering women, functioning as a Credit Plus institution for savings, internal loans and planning of micro business for self-reliance, with social initiatives like girl child education, safe childbirth and awareness of health issues. |
Users’ Groups (UG)
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UGs play a crucial role in ensuring the optimum use of natural resources in each command area. They construct and maintain water-harvesting structures like ponds and check dams, sustain processes of water utilization and develop income-generating sources through such activities. |
Village Forest Protection & Management Committee (VFPMCs)
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VFPMCs have been formed in association with the Forest Department, to increase forest productivity and improve drainage line treatment, by encouraging forest conservation and development. |
Special Interest Group (SIG)
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These groups consist of marginalized and landless people who are trained various income-generating activities, including animal husbandry and lac cultivation. |
New Indians ..............................................................................................
Meet the New Indians
- They dared to share
In Asri village, under Barwadag Panchayat, severe health problems plagued the villagers. But individually, what could anyone contribute but consolations? At a Gram Sabha or a Village Meeting, the people of Asri voiced a concern: a young boy in their village was very sick, and to help him they had been contributing Rs 5 every month. An idea took root. Was it possible to institutionalize a Village Health Fund? The Village Health Committee said yes.
Not only that, the Committee also took charge of renovating their Health Sub-Centre. Today, they even display photographs, proudly demonstrating the contrast between “then” and “now”. They are all New Indians because they dared to build and cross the bridge…together.