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| Disaster Management > Projects -Aparajita, Orissa |
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Aparajita, Orissa
Orissa state is vulnerable to disasters such as flood, cyclones and storm surges. VHAI initiated its relief intervention through project Aparajita in the year 1999 soon after the Super Cyclone 1999.
The project has moved through various phases over these years, starting from the relief phase to rehabilitation phase to long term development. It is marked by its approach of experimentation for best practices in community health, livelihood and disaster management.
The project is currently operational in Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara districts. |
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| Some of the key initiatives during the past quarter for an overall community development are: |
Community health and development: A Khoj initiative – Soon after a successful and logical wrapping up of the relief and rehabilitation phases in the super cyclone affected areas, VHAI planned for a long term development of the most affected and vulnerable pockets of Jagatsinghpur district through its Khoj programme. The Khoj programme in the year 2009-2010 is in its final phase. Its achievements can be assessed by following sustainable indicators:
- More than 400 self help groups are formed and actively involved in micro credit, micro enterprises and other development activities.
- 28 units of micro enterprises have been set up with support from this project and are now operational involving more than 150 SHGs.
- Cadres of health volunteers, disaster response taskforces and community of Traditional Birth Attendants, ASHAs and Anganwadi Workers have been mobilized in the operational block of Khoj project to carry out the primary health care initiatives.
- Community health resource centers have been linked with government health centers (PHCs/CHCs) and referral services have been further strengthened.
- 156 vulnerable families are supported and linked with government schemes as a sustainability measure.
- Gram Panchayat-wise community contingency plan has been developed to address the disaster situation.
- Disaster warning, rescue and evacuation system is strengthened through regular training programmes.
- Panchayat institutions were through out involved in the planning and implementation phases of the programme and have began to take up various community development issues in their agenda.
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Water purification |
Primary health care in emergency |
Handicraft artisans’ development |
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Self Help Groups: Self Help Groups (SHGs) have been the major strength of Aparajita initiative. Since the beginning of the programme SHGs were mobilized with inputs on development perspectives. Later these groups focused and grew on the concept of micro-credit and micro-enterprise.
There are currently more than 700 SHGs in Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapada districts. The SHGs of these areas are recognized for their exemplary efforts in the field of health, education, nutrition, sanitation, micro credit at community, State and national level. |
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| Addressing Adverse Sex Ratio: The sex ratio indicator in Jagatsinghpur district at 962 females to 1,000 males is abysmal and calls for immediate action. In Orissa the ratio is 972. VHAI joined hands under a common contract with Women Power Connect and UNFPA to jointly address this issue of Adverse Sex Ratio all over the country and specifically in Orissa through direct interventions. The programme was implemented in the Kujanga Block of Jagatsinghpur district. The programme was initiated in the month of May 2009 and 6 Panchayats consisting of 26 villages were covered under this programme. The total population covered was 36,031. |
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| Tobacco Control at the State level: VHAI is doing serious work in the field of tobacco control at both state and national level. In Orissa, VHAI-Aparajita is focusing on strengthening the enforcement mechanism, spreading anti-tobacco awareness amongst the people and mobilizing partners to be included in the process of anti-tobacco advocacy at the state level. There is a strong coalition of the State Government and the NGO partners to make the tobacco control drive a success. VHAI along with the State Health Department, Commissioner of Police, Bhubaneswar and Municipal Corporation is working towards making Bhubaneswar, capital of Orissa, a smoke free city by August 2010. |
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| Tobacco Control at the Community level: At the community level there is mass awareness on tobacco control. SHGs and Panchayat members are playing an important role in spreading health messages and implementing the tobacco control rules at the community level. No-smoking boards have been put up in public places, banks, post office, schools, etc. School children and teachers are supporting the shifting of tobacco selling shops from the nearby school premises. An awareness drive was carried out by the SHG members and peer educators by visiting each household in their panchayat. |
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| Health Promotion in Schools: Health promotion programmes in the schools are a part of VHAI-Aparajita’s mainstream programmes. School health promotion programme is under process in 10 schools in Jagatsinghpur district. Major components of this programme are - regular health check ups, health education, monitoring of personal hygiene practices, tracking food habits, etc. As a sustainability measure teachers have been oriented to take up the programme on their own and in the coming year more schools will be taken up. |
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Health promotion at the Community level: At the community level promotive health is given more emphasis than the curative aspects of health services. In the meetings of SHGs, peer educators’ and youths’ sessions are organised on health issues.
The community members are oriented on other important aspects of health promotion including nutrition and good sanitation practices.
They are informed about collective steps to improve the sanitation condition by linking the SHGs with the water and sanitation programme at a local level. |
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| Artisan development programme: Artisans practicing different types of crafts are a major part of Aparajita’s work as well as the team. The artisans are working in an organized way in the operational area. There are Common Facility Centers for pottery and bamboo artisans. There are also production units for other artisans. These artisans get regular order from the buyers and earn good profits. There is a regular input of design development and skill upgradation. Marketing support is also provided to these artisans on a regular basis. These artisans have been mobilized into groups and federations. |
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