The Parivartan project has been operational in ten of the most backward blocks of Uttar Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh since August 2002, under the Poorest Area Civil Society (PACS) programme of DFID. VHAI implements this project through different Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), which have had an excellent track record in the field of development. The ultimate vision set for the project is the empowerment of the underprivileged and weaker sections of the community to become equal partners in development, at all levels, through active participation. Parivartan, meaning transformation, believes that people have the ability to identify, plan, implement and evaluate their own developmental needs. This project helps people to realize their potential, know their rights and utilise their collective strength while fighting against poverty, illiteracy, corruption and other socio-economic problems that they have faced for generations.

In achieving its goals, Parivartan places emphasis on forming and strengthening Village Development Committees (VDCs), activating the local self-governance systems, empowering women and bringing development-related information closer to the community. Village Information centres (VICs) have been established at community level, which help people keep up-to-date with the information required for their development. Representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) have been sensitized by the project, which helps them to eventually strengthen their own working. Parivartan has not only established excellent partnerships with the government machinery from the village to district level, but also, it regularly sensitizes government officials in forums like the District Development Committee, Block Development Committee, etc. Given below are some of project’s significant achievements to date:

•One of the project’s core activities has been the formation and strengthening of existing women’s Self Help Groups. Parivartan imparts skill-based training, both in production and managerial areas, to the SHG members and helps to link them with financial institutions like banks. To date 1115 SHGs have been formed, with a total membership of 13355 women. Of the total number, 465 SHGs have been successfully linked with the banks and 227 SHGs have started vocational activities. Women's participation in all the meetings has increased but there is scope for further improvement.

•The project has focused its efforts on strengthening the community level health care system by organizing health camps on a regular basis; training village animators and volunteers on various health issues; and providing facilities for the treatment of common aliments. More than 10 lakh people have been benefited, both directly and indirectly, by the project. There is a significant improvement in the attitude of the community towards the VDCs and Gram Sabhas. This has made the project truly participatory.

•VHAI is presently in the second phase of its programme implementation, wherein the prime concern is to improve the governance of the social sector, especially in the area of health, at the grassroots. The three rights-based government schemes, which will be closely focused upon, are the Right to Information (RTI) Act, National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) and National Rural Health Mission. This agenda will be an addition to the previous tasks of mobilizing a federation of Self-Help Groups; micro enterprise development; linkages with different government welfare programmes, etc.

•In its RTI Act Awareness drive, to date in all the project areas, a total of 542 cases were registered, of which the information for 219 cases has been received and 38 cases have been sent for appeal. To generate awareness about NREGA – besides community meetings and street plays – booklets and other reading materials on NREGA have been published by the project partners.

•As a result of active lobbying and advocacy, positive changes have been noticed with many government officials at different levels. For successful implementation of the Parivartan project, its staff is regularly sent to attend various training programmes in their respective states.

•During the second phase, partner organizations were given orientation to enable them to understand the shift of approach in programme implementation. Partners have been motivated to develop an area contingency plan through intensive village surveys and resource mapping. After so many years of successful programme implementation at various levels, the community is now geared to take over ownership of the programme in its entirety, through federations, village committees, Panchayats, village information centres etc.