DA News Update

Development Solutions Branch (DSB)

l Approximately 300 rural women from Jhansi district participated in a workshop organised on the International Women’s Day on 8 March 2011 at the TARAgram Pahuj campus. The workshop aimed at encouraging women participation in governance processes. They were introduced to innovative forms of technology. The workshop also acted as a forum to voice concerns of the rural women to stakeholders from the government departments.

l Over 1000 rural women and 60 line department officials participated in a Women’s Workshop on issues of resource management and empowerment at Sri Ram Raja Gaushala, Orchha on 10 March 2011. Participants were given an opportunity to voice concerns over violation of basic rights, such as dowry and child marriage. Tutorials and assistance was provided to women on access to entitlements through government schemes. Present on the occasion were Mr Padam S. Baraiya, the Chairman of MP State Gausewa Mahsangh and Ms Kiran Sharma, Vice President DA.

l DA in collaboration with Zila Panchahayat Datia organised a Watershed Net Planning Training for the members of the watershed committee under the Integrated Watershed Management Programme. The training aimed at helping the members take a lead in village level planning for managing natural resource and decision making by managing water resources and enhancing farm productivity in the participatory way.
 

TARA Livelihood Academy (TLA)

l At least 20 participants from Ambabai, Hastinapur and Pitampura villages of the Pahuj cluster took part in the GET-IT training organised by DA from 4 to 6 March 2011 at TARAgram, Pahuj. The training that aimed at developing business and IT skills among the youth and recent graduates, between ages 16"25, was organised under the HP-LIFE (HP Learning Initiative for Entrepreneurship) Project.

l Approximately 60 participants took part in a training on Livelihood Security Enhancement and Income Generation Activities, organised at TARAgram, Orchha from 7 to 16 March 2011. Funded by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the training was organised for the functionaries of NGO support organisations and Partner NGOs under the Uttar Pradesh Participatory Forest Management and Poverty Alleviation Project.
 

Innovation Systems Branch (ISB)

l Development Alternatives, in collaboration with NGO partners, the Ehsaas Foundation and the Indian Society for Applied Research and Development (ISARD), celebrated the World Water Day on 22 and 25 March 2011, at the Bhanwar Singh Camp, Kusumpur Pahari and the Yamuna slums of Delhi. The event was marked by Nukkad Nataks (Street plays) and painting competitions to create awareness on the importance of water.
 

TARAhaat
l The TARA Akshar Plus programme was among the semi-finalists of the Buckminister Fuller Challenge Award. The winner, who will be declared in early June 2011, will be presented with the OmniOculi sculpture and the $100,000 prize money.

l The first batch of 50 women were successfully trained under the TARA Akshar Plus programme of the Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP) project in the Bundelkhand region, of which DA is a partner.
 

l The Radio Bundelkhand Community reporters and the Village Resource Centre team participated in a two-day orientation workshop, organised under the ‘Rural Reality Shows for Catalysing Large Scale Climate Change Adaptation Project’ from 29th to 30th March at TARAgram Orchha. The workshop was on programming, content development, management, community mobilisation and promotion on climate change awareness and adaption issues.

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