contacts

the Orissa situation

Projects

At present, the core activities of Gram Vikas are carried out under the two main programmes: Integrated Tribal Development Programme (ITDP)
Rural Health and Environment Programme (RHEP)
and a few short-term projects in training, research and demonstration, including the Building Materials Project, India Brick Programme and the Rural Housing Programme.

ITDP, The Integrated Tribal Development Programme
It aims to empower communities and community-based organisations to enhance and sustain an improved quality of life. It works towards an empowered village community in which every household has access to education, health, secure sources of livelihood, enabling infrastructure - at the community and individual levels - and socio-legal support. Begun in 1979, ITDP currently covers the six project areas of Kerandimal, Thuamul Rampur, Koinpur, Rudhapadar, Tumba, Karadasing, Anandapur and Badabafla. It operates in 254 villages, amongst the Khond, Saura and Paraja tribe.

RHEP, The Rural Health and Environment Programme
The Rural Health and Environment Programme (RHEP) was initiated in 1992, with the goal of improving the economic opportunities and living conditions of poor rural communities, and creation of sustainable habitations though convergent community action. RHEP reaches 5,070 families in 67 villages through four project areas in 12 districts of Orissa.

Gram Vikas began the Rural Health and Environment Programme (RHEP) with the primary purpose of improving the health of rural communities. But the RHEP was so successful that it soon became much more than a health and sanitation programme - it became an entire model of development. The confidence and community spirit that accompanied their success in the health and sanitation programme triggered aspirations for further change in the villages: the people began to engage in all sorts of development activities in the villages, including housing, community infrastructure, education, livelihood programmes and women's empowerment. The RHEP model in action provides a fascinating insight into the processes of change and development in rural India.

BMP, The Building Materials Project
The Building Materials Project, initiated by Gram Vikas, with its engineers and construction supervisors has evolved into an established support team. This Project helps provides technical support to the housing projects in villages, training of masons and other construction workers and is also involved with promotion and dissemination of cost-effective, energy efficient and environment friendly (CEEF) construction techniques. To provide ongoing support for development of rural habitats - including housing, water and sanitation, community infrastructure, etc. Gram Vikas has initiated intensive training programmes for ‘barefoot' engineers and masons.

One of the major jobs at hand is the construction of 19 Government High Schools in Ganjam, funded by the Prime Ministers Relief Fund for cyclone-affected areas.

The district administration of Ganjam also assigned Gram Vikas the job of constructing 19 high school buildings in different parts of the district under the Prime Minister's Relief Fund High School Project. Each school building has an approximate area of 7,000 sq. ft. The total cost of the project is Rs.18 million. This project provides an opportunity to promote aesthetic and cost-effective construction technologies through training and demonstration.

Gram Vikas has been selected as a Project Implementation Agency for watershed development and drought proofing projects in Bangamunda block, Bolangir district under the DFID-Western Orissa Rural Livelihoods Programme (WORLP) and District Poverty Alleviation Programme (DPAP-III). The total coverage planned involves treatment of 7415 hectares covering 27 villages at an estimated cost of Rs.60 million.

The Millennium Mission
In 1998 Gram Vikas formulated its Millennium Mission. This was reviewed and modified in June 2001 to reflect clearer organizational strategies.

The Millennium Mission of Gram Vikas is to enable a critical mass of the poor and marginalized people in the hinterland of Orissa – adivasis, dalits, small and marginal farmers, landless, women – to empower themselves to achieve a better quality of life. Environmental sustainability, Social and Gender Equity and Sustainability of Peoples' self-governance institutions are core values that drive this mission.

“ Mantra ”, the Movement and Action Network for Transformation of Rural Areas
The strategies spelt out in the millennium mission envisages a gradual shift by Gram Vikas from being primarily an initiator and implementer of development initiatives to a role characterized by facilitation and support, as well. Drawing on its experiences and learning over 23 years, Gram Vikas is set to launch a new programme MANTRA , Movement and Action Network for Transformation of Rural Areas.