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AMA KATHA A Fortnight news letter of Ekta

At: Rangabali Kumbha Road, New Janiguda, Po/Dist: Koraput, Telephone: 06852-250842 Email Id: ektan@rediffmail.com, Web: www.ekta.koraput.org

Issue-15, Volume-08, October, 2016

Edited & Designed by

Amit Kumar Nayak

Editorial Team

Amit Kumar Nayak

Avinash Sinha

Bharati Mahapatra

Sarita Dash

Best Volunteers of Ekta at Community level

for the year 2015-16

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On 2nd October, 2016 Ekta celebrated its 23rd foundation day along with Gandhi and Shastri Jayanti at

his conference hall, Duruguda, Koraput. On this occasion, Ekta invited its Governing Body members,

Advisors, well-wishers, community level volunteers, old staffs and existing staffs to celebrate this

foundation day. We felicitated 9 field level volunteers who have given excellent contributions and

supports for the betterment of marginalized and targeted peoples in the project areas. We also got an

opportunity to felicitate our GB members and Advisors for their corporation and valuable suggestion

towards the development of the Organization. During the program, a video and PowerPoint

presentation on Ekta’s 23rd year’s of journey, organization prospective and its strategy plan for future

have been shared. We were quite happy & honoured to find Mr. R K Surdeo, Mr. Radha Krishna

Patttnaik, Mr. Pramod Kumar Das, Prof. N K Negi, Mr. Rabindra Tripathy who made the event a

memorable ones on many notes! The following volunteers who have felicitated by Ekta for their

excellent contribution for community.

Jasmin Benya lives at Puruna Dumuriput village of Padmapur

GP at Koraput. She is an active member of Sailabala Self Help

Group who involves in many social development activities and

help people during their needs. She has actively involved in

the promotion, production and marketing of clean cook stove

which is supported by Practical Action in Koraput, Pottangi,

Semiliguda and Borigumma field areas. Her effective

participation, motivation and contribution for the promotion of

clean cook stove, Ekta felicitated her in its foundation day.

Gagan Kumar Sahu lives at Rayagada district headquarter. He

has a computer job work centre in the town. He has been doing

job works services for the Persons with Disabilities (PWDs)

without taking any charge. Due to his initiatives towards PWDs,

it impacted to others. It results, now DPEP office, Rayagada and

Jana Seva Kendra, Pitamahal are charging nothing for provide

online services for PWDs. Gagan has been felicitated by Ekta for

his effective contribution for PWDs.

Celebrated 23rd Foundation Day of Ekta

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Lachna Saunta lives at Ganeipader village of Bhitargard Gram

Panchayat under Laxmipur block. He is a farmer and doing

organic way of farming. He has associated with AESS project

and doing excellent work towards tribal identity, organic

farming and women and child rights in his locality. He has

taken number of initiatives to make chemical free villages in his

Gram Panchayat. So, Ekta decided to felicitate in his 23rd

foundation day.

Umakanta Miniaka lives at Jhumuka village of Kutuli GP in

Rayagada district. He is a very young and active VAT (CBO)

member in his village. He has associated with SOUL project

through different trainings, meetings and orientations. He

helps community people towards accessing and linkages with

different govt. programs and guide farmers for organic way of

farming. He uses different platforms in Panchayat and block

level to address their village level issues. He has successfully

mobilized funds and programs from Agriculture, Horticulture and Panchayati Raj departments.

Ekta felicitated for his wonderful contribution in the social development towards the community.

Samulay Nag lives at Patiasil village under Hardaguda Gram

Panchayat of Borigumma. He is a young and active volunteer

for Childline Project areas. He helps people and children when

they require help. He has helped several times to the children

who require need, care and protection through Childline project.

To encourage and appreciate his volunteerism, Ekta felicitated

him as a best volunteer for the year 2015-16 during its

foundation day.

Arjun Khora lives at Bandhaguda village of Padmapur

Panchayat at Koraput. He is playing very active role in the

community based rehabilitation project for the People with

Disabilities. He advocates rights and issues for the people with

disabilities in various platforms. He facilitates for PWD to access

govt. benefits and programs. He involves in agricultural

activities for securing his livelihood which might be a bright

example for the people with disabilities in the locality with the

support from Ekta. To continue with this endeavour and inspires others through his action &

mission, Ekta feel proud to felicitate on its day.

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Bharati Kullu lives at Ram Nagar street of Koraput Municipality

areas. She was working at Ekta as a Peer Educator under Targeted

Intervention Project. But, now, she left the job but still she has

associated with Ekta in various awareness activities. She is a very

active and dedicated volunteer for the Target Intervention project

areas. She has involved many awareness activities and successfully

motivated to High Risk Group (HRG) for ICTC, health check-up &

behavioural changes towards prevention and care of HIV/AIDS.

Her service to one of the vulnerable communities is quite

commendable and praise worthy on a voluntary manner. Ekta is feeling proud to find &

felicitated Bharati on Ekta’s day!

Jagdish Gouda lives at Girliput village of Kendar Gram

Panchayat in Koraput block. He is a young farmer and an

active volunteer for CCFD project. He motivated villagers,

youths and women to participate in Palli Sabha, Gram

Sabha and Social Audit. He facilitated people to access

different govt. benefits and programs. He raises voice

against irregularities of govt. works in his locality by using

different platforms. Ekta wishes Jagdish to continue his

efforts & contributions towards the empowerment of the community and we were privileged to

felicitated on its day.

Inauguration

of Annual

Report of

Ekta for the

year 2016-17

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AESS Project

Organization Development Exercise (ODE):

Three days ODE training had started at Atithi Bhavan, Koraput from 3rd Oct to 5th Oct, 2016.

Mr. Rama Krushan Surdev (RK) and Mr.

Radha Krishan Pattnaik were facilitated

the whole training process. The objective

of the ODE was to improve leadership

quality, personal development, role and

responsibilities of the leaders in the

Sangathan. Different methodologies

were applied during the exercise for

effective participation. In the last session

of the exercise, the participants were

shared their learning, feedbacks, impact

on personal and professional lives and

how it will help to bring changes in the

community level. Around 30 field and

program staffs were participated in the

organization development exercise.

Fortnight updates…..

Inauguration

of Fortnight

Newsletter of

Ekta

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Monthly Review and Planning Meeting: Monthly review and planning meeting of AESS

held at Ekta, Janiguda office on 6th Oct, 2016. The prime objective of

this meeting was to review program activities, sharing learning, best

practices, challenges and prepare activity planning for coming month.

The Project Director, Project Coordinator and Accountant were

facilitating in the entire review meeting. 30 AES project staffs were

participated in the review meeting.

SOUL Project

Monthly Meeting of Village Action Team (VAT):

In this fortnight, the project team has organized 12 monthly meetings of VAT at Kutuli and

Kumbhikota Gram Panchayats. In these meetings, it has focused to establish linkages with

Agriculture and Horticulture departments, fund mobilize through MGNREGA for develop village

level assets and follow up crop loss compensation from the Revenue department. The VAT members

of Project areas were successfully mobilized Rs 10, 31,084 from the Revenue department as per their

crop loss and areas affected.

STORY OF CHANGES

Published at IGSSS Weekly Newsletter on 14th Oct, 2016 RAYAGADA, ODISHA

Village Action Teams help Farmers access Crop Loss Claims

Sukanya Chatterjee with the support of EKTA, Koraput

In September 2015, delayed monsoon coupled with heat wave affected the paddy cultivation. Unexpected heavy rainfall led to flooding of paddy fields causing enormous crop loss. Mukul Mandangi lives with his family of six in Jhumuka village in Odisha and owns 2 acres of land. In the month of September, he lost about 900 quintals of his crop. Estimated at the government rate of Rs. 1200/- per quintal, he lost crops amounting to around Rs. 10,800/-. Like Mukul, a total of 187 families of Kutuli and Kumbhikota Gram Panchayat lost their crops. This meant loss of upto 6 months of food security for small farmers and upto 9 months for marginal farmers. Average land holding of each family is approximately 0.50 acres which yields 1.5 quintals of paddy with a market value of Rs. 1200/- per quintal. For such impoverished families, this meant

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less food availability and lack of resources to buy from the market. Seeing the widespread damage, the Village Action Team (VAT) members in discussion with the affected farmers decided to claim for compensation. Village level meetings were organised by VATs of Himarpodi, Mardipodi, Chmapikota, Pichudi, Punjapai of Kumbhikota Gram Panchayat (GP) and B.Manadara, Jhumuka, Gujarbadi, Minapai and Kurumunda of Kutuli GP. During the meetings, a list of affected farmers and the extent of Crop loss was analyzed and recorded. A representation of the VAT members from both Gram Panchayats met with the Sarpanch and the Panchayat Extension Officer (PEO) in their respective Gram Panchayats. The Sarpanch notified the claims to the Revenue Department following which a Revenue Inspector visited the affected fields in November 2015 and discussed with the farmers about The process to apply for claims. Farmers from 12 villages of the two GPs submitted relevant documents to the Revenue office, Guma (Rayagada) in January, 2016. With facilitation support of our livelihood partner organization Ekta, The farmers received their compensation amount in the first week of July. A total of 187 farmers (60 Kumbhikota and 127 Kutuli GP) received crop loss compensation of Rs. 10,31,084 from the Revenue Department as per their crop loss and area affected. This was possible with the help of the mobilization efforts of the VAT members. Ekta is helping us implement our flagship livelihood programme-Sustainable Options for Uplifting Livelihood (SOUL) in Odisha. To know more about their work, you can visit http://ekta.org.in/

Advocating for Change for Persons with Disabilities

Project

IEC materials developed: Wall writing on 8 key messages for People with Disability’s

needs and rights has developed. 20 wall writings will be done at DPO, Gram Panchayat and

District levels in the project areas.

Strategy plan developed taking the needs and rights of the Persons with Disabilities after

due discussion with the DPO at village level and district level.

ACCESS to Clean Cook Stove for Economic

Sustainable Social Wellbeing (ACCESS) Project

8 SHGs were selected for entrepreneurship towards promotion of clean cook stoves

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Maa Durga SHG of Pottangi has selected for production centre of cement clean cook stoves

8 institution based clean cook stove has followed up by the project staffs

7 AWC beneficiaries have been selected for promotion of clean cook stoves

Briquette production centre has been demonstrated at Cherengaguda village of Padmapur

Monthly Review Meeting at Ekta, Janiguda office, Koraput

Organizational level monthly staff review meeting has been organized at Janiguda office on 5th

October, 2016. In the review meeting 36 project staff members from SOUL, CHILDLINE, ACCESS,

HI, TI, CCFD, CRC-CBR project along with the

Management of Ekta were participated in the

review meet. The objective of the review meet was

to review monthly program activities, sharing

achievements, challenges, success stories, learnings

and discussed organizational level matters with

the participants. The project team members also

shared their monthly activity plan for coming

month at the review meet. The major points of

discussion are as follows;

Production centre for clean cook stove has

planned to set up at Pottangi and Semiliguda

Develop Teaching and Learning Material (TLM) by using waste materials.

Document of need assessment for Persons with Disability

Develop IEC material for Rights and Entitlements of Persons with Disability

Traning Program for ASHA Workers

Training program for ASHA (Health workers) held at Ekta conference hall, Duruguda from 13th to

15th October, 2016. 28 ASHA workers from Nandapur, Pottangi and Semiliguda blocks were

participated in the 3 days refresher training program on mother and child care. This training

program has been organized by Medical Administration, Koraput under National Health Mission