|
|
Environment Systems Branch |
|
Training on Watershed Management
A five days training was
organised from 12th to 16th April 2005 on Watershed Management at
TARAgram near Orchha, Jhansi. Participants from various NGO’s and
other organizations attended the training programme. There was a mix
of people comprising project coordinators, community organisers and
field workers. This training programme was organized by the Training
Systems Group of Development Alternatives.
The objective of the training
was:
l
To help organisations understand the importance of Watershed
Management practices/approach
l
To impart training skills in various practical aspects of
Watershed Management
This training provided in-depth
knowledge of various aspects of watershed and its management, along
with the roles and responsibilities of communities and beneficiaries
in soil and water conservation.
The highlight of the training
was a two days exposure visit in the field, wherein the participants
actually got familiarised with different tools and techniques of
watershed management practices.
|
| |
|
Institutions Systems Branch |
|
Poorest Area Civil
Society Programme
The PACS Programme,
completing four years of its implementation, is now poised to move
from the growth phase into strengthening and consolidating the
outputs of the sustenance mechanisms over the next three years.
While the number of sanctioned projects has gone up to 146, the
projects already under implementation are an impressive mass of 107,
with more than 350 CSO partners.
Capacity Building
Following capacity building
workshops were conducted during April for the PACS partners at
TARAgram, Orcha, Madhya Pradesh.
|
l |
Watershed
Management: 12th - 16th April 2005 |
|
l |
Detergent Powder
Making: 19th – 20th April 2005 |
|
l |
Vermicomposting:
25th – 27th April 2005
|
|
l |
A Capacity Building
Workshop on Project Management for PACS Programme Partners was
also held on 28th–29th April, 2005.
|
|
Peer Learning Workshops
in PACS states
The Peer Learning workshops
of the PACS partners were conducted in the states of UP, Bihar,
Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra in the month of March.
Presentations included PACS overview, sharing of the cross
learning visits, update on MEAL implementation, and specialized
sharing by the resource persons. In Bihar and Jharkhand, Dr.B D
Sharma called for public advocacy for empowering the poor and
review fundamentals of administration principles that were
formulated under the colonial rule. He called for deepening
democracy for ensuring the realization of the entitlements. He
shared the meetings on agricultural credit and called for
support from the PACS partners.
MEAL Outputs
The Monitoring, evaluation
and learning (MEAL) system as a key feature of the programme is
already yielding impressive learnings for the CSOs and all those
involved in the programme. With analysis of the inputs,
processes and outputs for realizing the goal of the programme,
CSOs are getting sharper understanding of the outputs as they
get closer to realise the outputs for the programme. Community
based impact assessment has provided new insights in the
programme implementation.
MEAL Implementation Teams (MITS)
are meeting regularly for discussing the programme at the state
level and State Core Groups (SCG) meetings have been conducted
in the states of Jharkhand , Maharashtra and MP . MEAL
implementation processes are under way in all the six states. A
comprehensive MEAL Tracker has also been developed. CSO reports
have arrived from all the states.
Communication
National and state based
communication agencies have been identified for executing the
communication strategies at the national and state level. SBCAs
are conducting the communication need assessment for PACS
partners in the six states with the intent of improving
communication outputs and impact of the PACS partners. Next PACS
Newsletter has been planned on sustainable livelihoods. Website
for the programme will soon have resource links for the CSOs.
Cluster Intensification
The PACS programme
continues to explore ways for ensuring cluster intensification.
The local resource organisations are specially advised to
identify gaps in the geographic coverage, encouraging existing
as well as potential partners to set up interventions in areas
not reached as yet. Nevertheless, in the remaining period of the
PACS programme, endeavours will be made for strengthening
interventions in the areas where the programme coverage already
exists and not necessarily spread thin across the 108 poorest
districts. The focus will clearly be on cluster intensification
for impact multiplication. There are both geographical and
issue-based clusters that have emerged within PACS states.
Partnership and
Networking
Follow up are being taken
up for the partnership meeting organised in January 2005, with
participation by a large cross section of donor agencies,
bilateral agencies, government departments, representatives from
the National Planning Commission and other agencies from the
development sector .
At the regional level,
networking efforts, especially with district and state
governments, is opening up the potential for our CSO partners to
seek linkages for access to services by the poor. Contacts made
in the state of Uttar Pradesh with NABARD, State Bank of India,
The UP Land Development Corporation and the Department of
Panchayati Raj are being consolidated. Special efforts are being
made to liaise with other donor agencies and look at the
potential of providing support to the existing networks under
the PACS programme. A meeting of selected PACS partners with
Foundation Ensemble was conducted on 5 April 2005.
Advocacy
While having a
mandate for mainstreaming livelihood and disability across the
PACS programme, there is recognition of the cross cutting
advocacy concerns, hurdles and solutions. There are state based
networks for advocacy on local self governance and drought,
respectively in Jharkhand. CSO partners in Bihar decided to form
advocacy networks on the issue of livelihoods, improved
governance, women’s empowerment and rights .The drought
initiative in Maharashtra has specially evoked the interest of
many non-PACS organisations to join hands with the Drought
Forum. A series of Round Tables on issues like Drought,
Disability, Panchayati Raj, Child Rights, Land Rights, Water
Rights and Sustainable Livelihoods has been planned for the
year. A study on land rights has been completed. MITs have
discussed the framework of the state level poverty conferences
that are proposed to be organised as feeder events for the
national consultation on poverty. |
|
| |
|
Technology & Action for Rural
Advancement (TARA) |
|
1. Training for eco-friendly
building machines viz. MCR, Balram, Sakar is completed in Akropete,
Nagapatinam. This was
specially facilitated to teach alternative skills for
sustainable livelihood to the fisherwomen affected by Tsunami
devastation.
2. Ministry of Handicrafts has
finalised design project for Tsunami affected areas.
3. Popularised Balram, Naldhera
Machines.
4. New paper products were
sent to Paris through Tribes i.e. Conference kit, Carry bag
set, Lantern, Paper Table mats etc. |
| |
|
TARAhaat |
|
The International English
Language Testing System (IELTS) is recognised as an entrance
requirement by British, Australian, New Zealand and Canadian
universities for secondary, vocational and training programmes and
also for immigration purposes.
TARAhaat launched an
IELTS Preparation Programme in Punjab on 15th Feb 2005. This course
will help the learners gain an in-depth understanding of the IELTS
Testing System and the skills required to appear for this test. The
course covers all sections of the IELTS test i.e. reading, writing,
listening and speaking. TARAhaat’s IELTS Preparation
Programme is available in three packages: one-month duration (FT 1),
two-month duration (FT 2) and three-month duration (FT 3).
This programme is based on the
holistic language approach model. It will not only attempt to help
the learners get through the test, but will also build in a
component of life-long learning and equip them with skills that will
help the learner in his/her everyday life as well. |
| |
|
|
Technology Systems Branch |
|
basin South Asia
regional knowledge platform is committed to knowledge-sharing and
collaborative action, so that the poor in South Asia can access
sustainable habitats and livelihoods. The readers may recall the
active role played by basin SA immediately after the Tsunami
disaster in disseminating knowledge pertaining to practical
solutions for disaster response. Subsequently, two workshops were
organised in South India for faciliating knowledge -xchange and
experience-sharing between various stakeholders to develop an
informed rehabilitation response. The stakeholder workshop on 13th
April, held at Auroville, looked at practical ideas for "Unveiling
the Potential of Post-Tsunami Rehabilitation". Supported by the
Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation (SDC); State Bank India,
Pondicherry Branch; Perfect Constructions, a private firm in
Karaikal; and Development Alternatives, the workshop was inaugurated
by Lt. Gen M. M. Lakhera, Lt. Governor, Pondicherry. About 30
participants from various sectors together identified key concerns
on the ground and developed collaborative solutions for handling
them at the local level.
On 15th April, another workshop
to strengthen the role of Panchayati Raj Instituions in post Tsunami
rehabilitation was conducted in Samatwapuram, Tamil Nadu. In
partnership with Trust for village Governance, the workshop was
supported by Building Services and Habitat Foundation, UK, SDC and
PACS Programme. About 30 participants form NGOs, village panchayats,
Govt. bodies and funding agencies discussed issues related to
mainstreaming the role of panchayats in post-disaster habitat
development. The need for knowledge sharing at the micro level has
become crystal clear as Tsunami has provided the ground for
upgradation of the quality of life of affected families. At the meso
and macro levels, facilitating and promoting agencies have realised
the need to share experiences and develop collaborative solutions
for a smooth, effective and efficient rehabilitation response.
q |
Back to Contents |