Rural women walk the pathway of community resilience and development
While awareness generation of the Pandemic was carried out by women leaders of the Sakhi Task Force, it was recognised that community priorities had changed post-Covid. In a grounds-up process, Village Action Groups were created in 35 villages of Lohara Block, Maharashtra which has seen multiple disasters in the past 30 years. To ensure social inclusion, Village Action Group members belonged to different castes and communities.
These groups were tasked with creating Village Action Plans that illustrated the new development priorities that emerged after the pandemic. Each micro-plan had three major focus’ – economic resilience; access to social protection, entitlements and basic services; and village infrastructure. The process was primarily women-led, with Block level leaders and mentors being elected to support and build capacity of village Action groups.
On 13th October, 2021, SSP organised a Block level workshop, which was attended by 25 leaders of Village Action Groups and government officials. Participants discussed the various risks and vulnerabilities that they faced in their community, and the need for action with help of government programs. The aim was to connect and negotiate with the Block level officials and the Gram Panchayat to include community priorities that emerged from the micro-plans into the official Gram Panchayat Development Plan. The Lohara Block BDO, Mr. Akele, who was in attendance, reiterated SSP’s belief that women must be the main stakeholders in development, and active partners to ensure to reach most vulnerable at last mile.
“More than 30 landless families in my village whose economic situation is troubled on a day-to-day basis, faced a massive economic shock during the Covid-19 lockdown. They require more support to adopt new sources of income and avail government Social Protection schemes.” – Bhamabai, Grassroots leader, Karajgaon.
Swayam Shikshan Prayog
15th October, 2021