Pragati (Integrated Rural Health and Development Project)

Activities

The project works on three interconnected themes. Health, Education and Livelihood(with an aim to enhance the living standards)

1.     Diversified livelihood avenues

a.     Farm based interventions: A wide range of crops to increase productivity, nutrition as wells as income. Thus there are range of crops that fetches income, like rice, pulses and jasmine flowers. Kitchen garden and vegetable cultivation are introduced in the recent past.

b.      Initiated low cost and efficient irrigation mechanisms that require very limited resources. Drip Irrigation is adopted in certain areas, and setting up for flood irrigation in one pada. Also worked on local systems of water conservation mechanisms like Goni Bhandara. Water is a critical resource in the context that we work in, thus substantial attention is given for effective water conservation mechanisms.

c.      Attempts are made to promote conservation agriculture, preparation and use of organic manures, and introducing intercropping mechanisms

d.     Shifting the livelihood initiatives to move beyond basic subsistence to add basic assets and enhance the living standards of households in the padas.

2.     Skills and Education in Tribal Schools: Pragati, has evolved a context specific skills model for the adolescents who are studying in the Ashram School. This model not only engages with children, but also with teachers and wardens.  This program aims to better education opportunities for children and also their overall wellbeing. Over the two years, we can see a tremendous change amongst the children, which is visible on several parameters.

3.     Alongside the social interventions for health, we also work towards minimizing malnutrition amongst children and young women. We work closely with the primary health centre, work on creating awareness in the communities on institutional delivery, immunization for children and take part in all community based health initiatives.

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Field work Education

IRHDP has consistently taken students for field work and the students always have had a fruitful engagement in the project. The scope for learning is vast and we have accomodated junior field work students and the senior students are also placed from Centre for Equity for Women, Children and Families, Centre for Health and Mental Health and Centre for Disability studies and action. Every year around 10 students are anchored for field work placement. We have also anchored three students from International students office.