Gram Vikas' interventions in the livelihoods sector assumed greater significance in view of the continued occurrence of natural disasters during the past few years.
While the 1999 cyclone left a trail of destruction, the continued drought conditions wreaked havoc with people's lives in Western Orissa.
In the non-farm livelihoods sector, Gram Vikas' efforts are focused on capacity building based on locally available natural and human resources, promotion of self-help groups and linking with micro-credit and micro-enterprises, skill building, c ommunity enterprise promotion in minor forest products and local agricultural produce, technological application for livelihood promotion.
Gram Vikas makes strategies to promote gender equity in all our interventions. It promotes equal participation of men and women in their activities. It brings together women for income generation activities, increasing their economic controls, which in turn impacts the social relations and status.
Consistent efforts are made to improve the capacities of the staff and communities. Various training programmes, meetings, exposure and exchange visits and melas (camps) are organized to enable people to upgrade their skills, gain new ideas and develop confidence in their abilities.
The most significant aspect of Gram Vikas' work with communities is ensuring sustainability of the interventions. Enabling creation of community level institutions, mechanisms and capacity building of the people are vital elements in this process.
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