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The tribal-dominated district of Malkhangiri, a conservative and reserved zone, is as affected and ridden by Child Rights violations. It was a preconceived and stereotype notion that the children are safe in Malkangiri area because of rich cultural and societal practices, but the veracity of the ground situation was exposed after CYSD started its Child centric programme intervention in the district and motivated the communities to raise and register such child rights violation cases with the appropriate authorities.

Within the two and half years of intervention, the programme team has observed that cases like illegal migration of children to other states, early marriage, sexual abuse/harassment, sexual exploitation and child labor are rampant in Malkangiri. As per National Family Health Survey (NFHS), Malkangiri district accounts for the highest rate of child marriages in the State where 39.3 percent of girls are married off before they attain the legal age of 18 years. Because of huge school dropouts & irregular education in the district, children and young girls are falling in the trap of marriage, migration, child labor, exploitation & sexual abuse. CYSD realized that these issues can only be tackled in a strategic manner, especially close coordination of the community, administration and civil society organizations. So the organisation started its intervention in 9 GPs under 3 blocks of Malkangiri by organizing children, youth and elders at the community level and established networking and coordination with district child protection unit as well as likeminded CSOs at the district level.

As a result of above intervention at grassroots level, the cases of child rights violation are being taken seriously by the administration. It has triggered motivation among members of Child Protection Committee at the Panchayat and Block levels, as a community driven effort, to deal the menace of child rights violation. At the same time, the organization has also built the capacity of child club, youth club, and adolescent girls club, traditional leaders of the village & SMCs of school on child rights / protection & available mechanisms. Because of taking a lead role for the cause of children in Malkangiri, CYSD became the member of different forums across the district like, Committee for Child Care Institution Monitoring, District Sponsorship & Foster Care Committee, and Committee against Child Marriage.

Simultaneously, the cases of child rights violation reflected increasingly in CYSD’s operational area either by the community or children registering the cases in ChildLine service, police station and child welfare committee for support service. Approximately, 10 cases per month have been registered at the above institutions for appropriate solution. Some successfully resolved cases are highlighted hereunder:

• In Mathili block, a girl child aged about 14 eloped with her classmate. As both were minor the case was informed to ChildLine by a member from adolescent group. The ChildLine team with the support of ICDS staff traced the eloped children & managed to bring them back home. Both were counseled by the ChildLine members & reached in a conclusion that both will restart their school and after attaining the legal age they might choose to marry. Now the children are in school and regular follow up counseling is taking place with the support from ICDS.
• A boy child (15 years) from Khairput block suddenly found dead in a nearby forest of his village. The investigation team found that on the day of death, the boy was called by his girlfriend (14 years) to that spot. The administation could conclude that it was honor killing. But to generate concrete evidence, the police took that girl child into custody without taking any legal steps enshrined in the POCSO Act. The matter was brought to the notice of   ChildLine and which could release the girl. The case is yet to be resolved, but the girl child is kept under the custody of   ChildLine service.
• A girl child (16 years) from Khairput block became pregnant when she was at a School hostel in Nabrangpur District. Knowing the health status of the girl, the teacher sent back her to home. After coming home she was feeling awkward and with suspicion the local AWW made the pregnancy test the girl and found positive. The matter was informed to CYSD frontline worker by a PLCPC member. It was decided to produce the girl child before the CWC for immediate support. The girl child was counseled for mental health support and she got convinced to stay in the ‘Shakhi Home’, a short stay home for 5 days. Then she was taken care by the medical team and completed all tests and immunization process. After getting order from CWC, the police investigated the case, arrested the boyfriend and sent him to the correctional home at Berhampur. Now the girl child is living with her parents. Meantime, the CWC has processed for victim compensation benefit to the girl. Also, the PLCPC has been lobbying with police to bring back the boy child from correctional home to negotiate and sort the matter.

These are some of the resolved cases for the children’s best interest, but still there are some challenges in the ground level and need further engagement towards policy level changes and sustainability.  What will be the future of that pregnant girl child? Who will take care of her child, pre-natal & post-natal care? What about the societal and family acceptance?  If she does not get any compensation from CWC than how will she manage her life? How to resolve the life threatening cases of those frontline workers. These are some emerging challenges still unresolved, however, CYSD has been constantly in process to do more study and research in this field to bring more child friendly rules and policies in place.

In Thakurmunda area, while a number of villagers are desperately migrating to nearby towns due to lack of job opportunities during this lean season and Covid-19 pandemic,  Kasturi Mohanta, a 45 years old farmer, has created job in her village by utilizing available resources like rainwater and degraded land. “I am not interested to go outside for my livelihood and in exchange invite Coronavirus, says Kasturi”.

Kasturi lives in Bhairanibeda, a remote village in Khandabandha GP under Thakurmunda block of Mayurbhanj district with her husband, one son and one daughter. Her family was leading a miserable life in spite of having around 4.5 acres of cultivable land. Five years ago, both the husband and wife were doing daily labor and sometimes collecting Sal leaf to stitch plates, but the total income was hardly meeting their family needs. But, Kasturi had a special interest on vegetable cultivation from her childhood. After completion of 10^th Standard education, she used to support her father and brother in vegetables cultivation.

In 2004, CYSD’s Child Development Project intervene in Bhairanibeda village including other adjacent villages of Khandabandha GP. Taking into consideration the poverty situation of the people along with the exploitation by money lenders, CYSD strategized to empower the women on priority basis and promoted formation of Self-Help Groups and Farmers Groups imparting capacity building programme and providing input support, like seeds and plants.

Kasturi, after initiating several experiments for a sustained livelihood, like stitching Sal leaf plates, goat rearing, poultry farming, etc. did not get satisfied result.  In 2005, she joined as a member of ‘Duarasuni SHG’ and got the opportunity to undergo various training programmes on vegetable cultivation in phases conducted by CYSD.  Next year, she availed a loan of 5,000/- from the SHG and started vegetable cultivation and benefited to a great extent.  Her husband supported her to enlarge the vegetable cultivation continuously for couple of years and gradually they got out of the poverty shackles. Last year, she was able to earn Rs. 70000/- from Brinjal cultivation. “In current year, we have covered 4.5 acres of land under vegetable cultivation and as of now we have earned 39000/- from the crop having a target of earning around Rs.200,000/-“, said Kasturi. From her profit, she has develop some essential infrastructures like digging of a bore-well for irrigation purpose and installion of a motor pump for lifting of water. Presently, brinjal, cucumber, bitter guard, rich guard & maize cultivation have become her major source of income.

Kasturi’s innovation in cultivation and dedicated effort has brought glory to her as a leading farmer in vegetable cultivation.  Seeing the prosperity of Kasturi, around 30 families have followed her path and seeking regular guidance from her. Now, Khandabandha Panchayat has become a centre of vegetable cultivation and trucks of maize, brinjal, pumpkin, ladies finger are being supplied to different destinations of Orissa. Kasturi’s leadership quality, honesty and hardworking has brought her a great success. Kasturi, being a successful ari-entrepreneur, now her family leads a happy and joyful life with dignity breaking the cycle of poverty.

A recently conducted Community Monitoring process in Nuagaon village of Boipariguda block in Koraput district reveals that unavailability of designated Anganwadi Centre is depriving the pre-school activity and facilities. For a long time, the Anganwadi Worker runs the AWC on the veranda of her rented house where she is not able to do the required pre-school activity properly. She faces problems in storing the food grains, records and pre-school materials. Situation worsens during rainy season of every year.

Nuagaon Anganwadi Center falls under the Haladikund panchayat of Boipariguda block. It serves a total of sixty beneficiaries. Of the 60 beneficiaries, there are 23 children aged 6 months to 3 years, 25 children between the age group of 3 to 6 years, 2 pregnant women and 10 lactating mothers.

During a Community monitoring process initiated by CYSD at Nuagaon village, it was found that the Anganwadi Centre of the village has got damaged for nearly six years. In absence of a designated place to run the Anganwadi, the Anganwadi Worker runs the centre on her rented house veranda where she is staying. It is very difficult in her part to ensure the safety in keeping the records, registers, food grains and pre-school materials. It is mostly during monsoons, she faces hurdles in running the centre.

As part of Community monitoring, a village level interface was organized between the service providers and service users where Ward Member of that village was also present.  During a plan of action to smoothen the service of Anganwadi Centre, the Anganwadi Worker explained about the difficulties she is passing through in providing the services. However, in the same meeting it was decided by the service users that the mothers will take the issue forward, and the ward member was very enthusiastic to help them out in this regard. Within a week the ward member wrote an application and the mother participants endorsed to take it up to the appropriate authority. Then they submitted the application to the CDPO and BDO of Boipariguda block and continuously made follow up and negotiated with them to sanction a new Anganwadi Center.

Soon, the efforts brought fruition and a new Anganwadi Center was granted for Nuagaon village of Haldikund panchayat. The construction work was started and got completed soon. Now the Anganwadi Centre is functioning hassle-free. Monsoon is no more a hurdle for running the centre.

Darabada Village is located in Gadiseskhal Panchayat under Kolnara Block of Rayagada District. The village consists of sixty-six households with a total population of 245. The major issues of the village include unavailability of drinking water to all households and due to limited sources of water, it becomes difficult for the village people to access use of individual toilets as well.

With the intervention of CYSD in Darabada village, a water sanitation committee was formed in the village. Last year, the VWSC members with the involvement of community and the program management team of CYSD proposed to prepare the water, sanitation and garbage disposal management plan for the village.

The major issues like, water, sanitation and hygiene facilities of the village were identified jointly by the VWSC and the community through social mapping exercise and conducting meetings at  regular intervals. Among the above issues, it was revealed that the village has only four tube-wells including the one situated at the school premises. Out of three community tube-wells, one was found defunct for long time whose water cannot be used for drinking purposes. The village people decided to make it functional by installing a solarised pump set.

Rounds of combined meetings of CYSD team, VWSC and youth group were conducted to arrange resources for bringing a tangible solution to the above issue. The VWSC members and youth group were facilitated to write an application to the Block Development Officer (BDO) through J.E, RWSS for installation of a solarised pump set in the community, thinking the administration would sort out their problem. The VWSC members regularly made follow up with the block administration for the same. Within a short period of time the construction work was started by youth group of the village, with due approval and financial sanction from the concerned BDO for installation of solarised pump-set in the village.

Finally, solarised pump-set got installed with the pipelines. The people of the community were elated with immense joy as the daily burden of fetching water from the bore-well was solved and through pipelines their house would be directly supplied with drinking water. The VWSC members are extremely grateful to the CYSD for their intervention and regular support and facilitation.

“Life is not a bed of roses, it’s a journey adorned by barbs & bristles” and only few people have the courage and will to walk through it. Here is the story of a young girl who not only was a dreamer but had the gut to be the doer too.

Stitha Prajna, a girl from a normal middle class family of Jagatsinghpur district completed her graduation in Agricultural Engineering from OUAT and later Agribusiness Management also. Like all other girls she was also in search of a suitable job and was looking for the opportunities. After some days she also managed to find a kind of work for herself which was suited her skill base i.e. agriculture.

Adjustment and satisfaction are two different things. One pays off and the other fills you with peace and happiness. In the world of competition very few people has the courage to choose the second one. This was the decision of Stitha when she was just 25 years old and she resigned from her job. The reason behind was not to be an entrepreneur but the corporate politics.

Days passed by and her happiness were slowly replaced by tensions and pressure. “One moment while turning the pages of a newspaper my eyes glued at something. It was a column about agri-entrepreneurs & agro-industrialists. I wonder if they can, why can’t me?

That was the moment when her mind struck the idea of doing something different and independent. She started scouting more and more. Her knowledge of agriculture from the time of graduation and experience of job started cultivating ideas of business as livelihood. And finally her idea took the place of dream when she came to know about AC&ABC (Agri clinics & Agribusiness Centres) Scheme by Govt of India through which they can get financial support for their start-ups in Agri allied sectors. She searched websites and advertisements and finally came to know about this scheme from CYSD, a 38 years old organisation which works for the betterment of youth and society, their livelihood and their rights too. The major hurdle in the path of her dream was finance and planning for start-ups and this scheme was the key to her success. She joined the AC&ABC training, came across the resource persons who could guide her throughout her zigzag journey.

After the numerous trenches & crests, she could finally see her dream manifesting into reality. Finally, on 8^th April 2019, she started a joint venture with Mr. Debasis, another trainee from AC&ABC, as “COINAGE Agri Solutions Pvt. Ltd”, a consultancy firm, which gives demonstrations, marketing facilities to FPOs and scientific cultivation of silage. Now their company has 50 large scale farmers directly as their client and many more small scale producers. It did take a rough whole two years and the work is still in progress, but what is here to focus upon is the ‘progress made’. Apart from financial constraints, being a girl, her family was not in favour of doing business. But her spirit and ambitions never took a snap unless she achieved what she yearns for.

Her company got awarded among top 20 start-ups in India. They have been recognised by the Start-up Odisha as “Innovations in Agriculture” and from IIM, Kolkata as “Social Entrepreneurs”. All these keep her growing and dreaming. She is thankful to the entire team of the ACABC for giving her direction at dilemma like a lighthouse.

In the recent past, a community monitoring process was conducted at Gunduliaguda village of Doraguda Gram Panchayat under Boipariguda block of Koraput district. Pre-school education comes within the basket of ICDS which aims to provide an all-round development of children under six years of age including their mothers.  It was revealed during the monitoring process that due to non-functional of Gunduliaguda Anganwadi Center, the pre-school education was practically inactive and nutritional aspect of children was grossly neglected. The issue was further enquired and surprisingly it was found that the Anganwadi Worker neither did attend the AWC nor she got involved in any of such pre-school activities.

As part of the community monitoring process, an interaction was carried out between the service users and service providers to open up the services provided for maternal and child health, supplementary nutrition along with pre-school education. During the interaction with the service users, especially pregnant women and lactating mothers, it was came out that, the Anganwadi Worker neither attends AWC nor is involved in any kind of pre-school activity. The AWW confessed that she attends the AWC at irregular intervals as she remains busy in other official works and traveling to different places, like sector office, block office and doing personal household chores. The mothers of pre-school children voiced out their concerns regarding their children are being deprived of the pre-school activities, like singing, oration, drawing and playing which ensure children’s cognitive development in the first five years of their life.

However, this issue was taken very seriously by the Ward Member and other members of the village. A robust plan of action was drawn by the villagers of Gunduliaguda against the existing problem. As a result, first they consulted with the concerned AWW and even they discussed with the Sarpanch of Doraguda panchayat. After two rounds of discussions with the AWW, finally she was able to realize her responsibility and role as a front line service provider and agreed to resume the work enthusiastically at the Anganwadi Centre on regular basis.

As a result of this community vigilance process, the pre-school activity and nutrition services of Gunduliaguda village were resumed and regularized. The children, at the receiving end, are too elated and their mothers are forever grateful to the CYSD for helping out to regularize the AWC.

“Just after completion of 12^th Standard, I became the life partner of Kshirod Chandra Mohanta of Sialijoda village in Saharapada block in the year 2002. With a bunch of dreams, I entered to my in-law’s house. With a small income of my husband & father-in-law we tried to manage the family. But, the increased family members from four to seven within 6 years worsened our family condition. When I blessed with two daughters, the family, especially mother-in-law demanded a male child. But, the God’s wish was something different! When I gave birth another girl child, it was too difficult on my part to tolerate the regular tortures of my mother-in-law. But, after getting capacity building training, being a SHG member, the whole situation changed in my life,” shared Ranaji Mohant, a 35-year woman.

Managing a 7-membered family with the meagre income was quite difficult. There was no alternative source of income except the backyard farming. In the year 2011, with the initiative of CYSD’s Child Development Project, in Sialijoda village a Self-Help Group, namely ‘Om Shanti’ was formed consisting of 12 women and Rajani was fortunate to become a member of the group. From very beginning Rajani was a sincere member of the group. Due to her educational back ground, she was liked by all the members. Her active and regular participation in all the meetings of SHG helped her to improve the knowledge base.

With the Group’s recommendation, Rajani could get an opportunity to participate in a training-cum-exposure programme on Saving and Credit with Entrepreneurship Development organized by CYSD at its Rural Livelihood Training Centre (RLTC), Kapundi. The exposure trip enthused her to become an independent entrepreneur and to supplement her family’s regular income.

Where there is a will there is a way.  Coming out of the four-walls and observing the local market demand, Rajani made up her mind to initiate duck rearing at her courtyard.  Initially, taking a loan of Rs. 5000/- from the SHG, she started the enterprise. Mere duck rearing could not satisfy her, she   added poultry farming near the house with 500 chicks getting a long of Rs. 20,000 from the SHG. Within two years of time, the strength of poultry farm increased to 2000 birds in every 40 days. Now, she earns a monthly income of Rs.6000. Besides, earning a suitable income, she has established a sense of dignity in her community and in the locality too. 

Rajani’s hard struggle for existence has come to an end. She has been supplementing to her husband’s income to a great extent. Her sincere effort made the poultry farm a stable one of worth 2 lakhs rupees. With the profit amount, she has built up a pucca shed for chick rearing with cost of about Rs. 5.0 lakh and has dug a small pond of 30 cent of land for duck rearing. Besides, she has developed a horticulture garden, exclusively cashew plantation in 2 acres of land from which she fetches Rs. 80,000 annually.

Life and livelihood of Ranjani’s family has got changed. For better movement and marketing, she has purchased a new motor cycle for her husband. Her entire family members are covered under Life Insurance. She is having a fixed deposit of 1,50,000/- to meet the emergency requirements of the family. She has given utmost importance to education and enrolled her elder daughter (Kusumanjali) in Adarsha Vidyalaya run by the Govt. of Odisha and two younger daughters (Kunjan and Srutirekha) in Saraswati Shishu Bidya Mandir for which she spends around 8000/- per month.

Rajani is now a busy entrepreneur. She uses her time very judiciously for the growth of her family & village consisting of 175 households. Her husband too provides support in each step of her business. Being the Secretary of SHG, she attends SHG meetings regularly and documents the proceeding, updates cash book and ledger and actively takes part in decision making.

According to Rajani, “SHG is formed not to give and take loan only, it is the right platform for empowering women. There is no need of going outside in search of a job. One can be able manage her family with one-acre of land, if taken care of appropriately”. Rajani enlightens the group members about the issues of the village. Once it was impossible for women to participate in the male dominated meetings of a tribal society but Rajani has broken this cycle of superstitious believe. She believes that men and women are two sides of the same coin. Without the involvement of women, the village problems cannot be resolved. She could make the people aware through this SHG platform. She encouraged them to do vegetable cultivation, plantation in upland, initiate entrepreneurship activities as per their capacity and most importantly to give education to their children, etc. Besides, she gives more emphasis on regular habit of savings, timely repayment of loans and active participation in various trainings. Her role during this Covid-19 pandemic in terms joining hands with CYSD and organizing campaigns on hand wash practice, wearing facemask and keeping the community environment clean are really praiseworthy.

Her hard work, self-confidence and efficiency have made her work easy. She has become a role model for others. Presently 20 landless women adopted her path & started their individual ventures to supplement their family’s income. They feel very proud being self-dependent. Living in a male dominated society, the women SHG members of Sialikoda village are getting enough co-operation from their male counter parts which is definitely a boon for them.

“The capacity building training imparted by CYSD has brought transformation my life from a mere homemaker to a successful entrepreneur. I have been able to build my confidence level to interact with Bankers and other dignitaries. More importantly, I have given right education to my children. I am quite happy that my elder daughter has successfully completed her High School Certification Examination securing 72% marks this year. I am praised by my mother-in-law the most now-a-days”, Rajani acknowledges proudly.

The whole world is witnessing impact of COVID-19 pandemic and its effect is evident across all parts of the country irrespective of the location and reach. Similarly, the district of Malkangiri or Malyabantagiri is affected by the horrors of Corona both economically and socially.  The district is dominated by scheduled tribe (ST) consisting of more than 50% of population mostly by two PVTGs – Bonda & Didai. The population has been struggling since long to recover not only from the left wing dominance but also from high rate of MMR / IMR because of malnourishment, anaemia, early marriage, blind belief and non-availing of basic facilities & rights. Even though the district is blessed with huge natural resources, the villagers still strive to earn a dignified life owing to three major causes i.e. lack of awareness & skill to utilise the existed resources, exploitation by vested interest groups; and unresponsive executives in the district administration.

The pandemic and the lockdown coupled together, has added to their hardships. It has been observed that the impact in the rural areas is unimaginable and villagers have been struggling hard to make their ends meet. Sources says, in Malkangiri district approximately 30 to 40 migrants from each village have returned from other places due to the pandemic. They are frightened to go outside for labour work, but living life from the govt donations in terms of PDS or financial support. These situations may lead to hunger, mal-nutrition, anaemia and death at the end.

Looking at the scenario,CYSD has stepped up to join hands with the local government to accomplish multiple objectives, like generating incomes of effected households, especially migrants due to lock down / shutdown and to curb the likelihood of mal-nutrition and anaemic conditions among vulnerable family members by promoting Nutrition Kitchen Garden under MGNREGS in the villages of three blocks of the district namely, Mathili, Khairput and Korukonda. To reach the objectives, the programme team of CYSD had strategically involved with the Gram Panchayat to identify those migrants, facilitate families to avail job cards and make functional of their bank accounts. The organization has planned for engagement of around 1000 families under MGNREGS, generate 30 to 40   person-days’ work and wage demand of Rs. 7245,000 by the end of August 2020. As a result, 375 families have already prepared beds for nutrition garden, 218 families provided with different varieties of seeds, more than 300 families received orientation on kitchen garden with the help of Odisha Livelihood Mission. Apart from the above engagement, CYSD has also been disseminating among people the COVID–19 advisories to remain safe & secure. The villagers are very much hopeful to tackle the financial crunch at their household level and overcome the chaos / hopelessness situation caused due to the pandemic.

Here is a real life example of an adolescent girl, Rasmita Pangi, age-17 of Siripeta colony of Parkanmala GP.  Being an active member of the village Adolescent Group she has motivated people in her vicinity to work on kitchen garden and cultivate the crops and plants having dual objectives – to earn money and have nutritious vegetables to deal with anaemic of her neighbouring brothers and sisters. “I know very well that it is a hard task for a father to look after a 10-members family from agriculture based income. I am hopeful, the nutritional garden can bring change in their life and livelihoods”, says Rasmita.

Now she has been a key player in her village to promote kitchen garden revolution during this  Corona epidemic.

It has been clearly visible that in many states of the country, the migrant labours are flowing to urban pockets in search of employment. While the spread of the virus has stabilised in large cities, unexpected lockdowns in rural pockets to control the pandemic have affected their travel to cities. Migrant workers were hoping that they would find jobs closer home but that has not materialised.

In the meantime, remittances from labour hubs like Madurai, Surat, Jaipur, Faridabad, Jamshedpur, and Lucknow have seen a surge, with flows nearly back to levels seen before the pandemic. That is likely reflective of a return to normality in several geographies with significant economic impact. This is an indicator of revival in the migrant economy, which means the labour crisis that peaked during April and May is slowly easing.

In Odisha, especially in Ganjam district migrant workers returning to their workplaces due to lack of livelihood options, though the district administration has tightened rules to check the trend. Following a directive from the administration, officials in various blocks of the district are keeping a strict watch on buses that are being used to transport migrant workers back to their workplaces. As per the new norms, migrant workers now need permission from authorities at their workplace and the local administration for return.

After the lockdown, over four lakh migrant workers had returned to their native places in Ganjam from different States. However, many workers have started returning to their places of work in the absence of employment opportunities.

Surprisingly, though the administration has sealed all entry points to the district due to the spike in Covid-19 cases, hundreds of migrants have managed to leave for Surat and Chennai in buses. The returnees are supposed to register themselves in the labour office and apply for their return. But no such applications have been received so far.

It is well known fact that, most of the skilled migrant workers used to earn around Rs 1,000 per day by working in spinning mills and tile factories. In Ganjam, the work available hardly fetches them Rs 200 in a day.  Owing to which despite restrictions by the administration, some migrant workers are leaving for their workplaces clandestinely. Even, the workers now trying to reach Bhubaneswar from where they are taking trains to reach their work place.

Bharat Chandra Mohanta, aged about 31 years hails from Gojapathar village of Damahuda Panchayat, Saharapada Block, Keonjhar. His family consists of his parents, wife, 3 years daughter and one unmarried brother. He has opened a garage at his home. His brother works in a poultry company in Hyderabad and earns about Rs.15000 per month.

A couple of years ago the family’s income was not sound though they own some land for cultivation. They were sheltered in a small mud house with thatched roof. Those days Bharat and his brother were studying in college. They had been encountering hardships for the daily conveyance cost to attend college as well as buying books and study materials. Because of such stress, Bharat had to stop his higher studies after the 12^th examination. His brother was being supported as a sponsored child by CYSD-Plan project since then.    So Bharat on request was selected for vocational training on ‘Two-wheel Repairing’ back in 2010.  He underwent extensive vehicle repairing training in ‘Rabi Garage’, Thakurmunda. He was very regular and sincere in learning the technical knowledge from the Trainer. He was supported with tool kits to start up his own garage.

Immediately post – training, Bharat opted to open an automobile workshop in his own house. However, owing to financial deficit of buying the spare parts and other accessories of repairing, his mother, a member of Padmalaya SHG, Gojapathar helped him a lot. His mother applied for a loan of Rs10,000 from the SHG and repaid the amount in installments as soon as  Bharat started earning from the garage. Now, on average he earns Rs.400 per daily. In order to make little additions to his income, he also runs a vehicle repairing shop in Damahuda weekly market. Usually the customers of nearby 7 villages of Damahuda Panchayat come to him. He renders services, like puncture repairing, tyre pressure checking, spark plug cleaning, greasing, servicing, etc. for bikes as well as bicycles.

Later on, his parents arranged his marriage with a beautiful bride and now he is the father of a three years daughter. His wife is also a member of Laxmi Narayan SHG of Gojapthar. In order to expand the stock of spare parts in the shop, she had also borrowed Rs 15,000.  Besides this garage work, Bharat has been helping his father in paddy farming. With the support of

sampling support from CYSD, they have initiated lemon and cashew plantation. This year, the family could earn Rs.20, 900/- from lemon and Rs. 5000 from cashew farming.

“Being self-reliant, I am planning to expand my enterprise by shifting it to comparatively a bigger locality like Machhagarh or Damahuda to cater more number of customers and deploy one/two helpers to assist me in garage work”, said Bharat.