Disha - Vihar

Background:

Disha of Munger was conceived with a view to improve the lives of the backward, dalit and other exploited communities and to bring them in the mainstream socio-political processes to build a just society. The organization has been involved in many activities such as the National Literacy Campaign, Polio campaign with UNICEF, the Manav Jodo Abhiyan, etc.  It has worked for the irrigation rights of the small and marginal farmers, fishing rights of the fishermen (machuara) community, the rights of the diara community which is displaced due to the Ganges floods in Munger district. The Project Holder Mr. Abhay Kumar Akela, has been involved in the Ganga Mukti Andolan, the Munger movement and the Rashtriya Seva Dal. He was actively involved in the Bihar Pradesh Lok Samiti. He played an important role in ensuring that peace resumed after the Bhagalpur riots by organizing various communal harmony programs in Munger district

Situation:

The current intervention is spread over 11 villages/tolas of Sadar block of Munger district, (directly) and 10 villages each from Asarganj, Tarapur and Kharagpur block (indirectly). Located in Southern Bihar, Munger district is famous for its natural resources - forests, hills and rivers. The district has two types of landscapes - the Diara land and Tal land. These areas suffer from annual erosion, water clogging and sand deposition due to the flooding of the Ganges and its tributaries. The district experiences drought and floods simultaneously. This affects agriculture severely. People have to migrate to safer places due to floods. For the marginal and small farming communities like the Bhinds, Kumhars, Banias, Dhobis and Muslims, agriculture is not a viable livelihood option. And these communities have been recently selling their land at nominal prices to the landlords and have turned to working as daily wage laborers. Due to the government’s forest laws, the marginalized communities have lost control over the forests. Wage discrimination is rampant in the area.

The government systems do not address the community’s needs. Low awareness level is also a reason for the poor status of birth registration and proper check up of the children and pregnant women. Quality of education in the schools is poor in terms of educational materials, curriculum and regularity. Discriminatory attitude of the teachers and upper castes adds to the woes of the marginalized children. Strong presence of the dominant culture actually becomes the obstacle for child expression and inclusion in decision making. Disha Vihar aims to establish a society based on equality & free from exploitation from economic discrimination and social discrimination.

Objectives:

• To organize the exploited and marginalized community and mobilize their potential.
• To build collective leadership in the community
• To intervene to increase the participation of the marginalized in the society
• To strengthen the culture which is countering the degrading influences in the society
• To publish and disseminate various information to the community in local languages

Review:

Disha Vihar focused on mobilizing the marginalized reference communities towards collective action, activating government service delivery system, strengthening local governance institutions and engaging women and children in local development and sensitization programs. Their sustained effort with the community especially the women and children on one hand and on other, the work with the daily wage laborers, has helped take positive steps towards enabling a larger movement for Child Rights.

Achievements & Impact:

• 470 new births and 655 old births were registered.
• All children were covered through immunization and health care support.
• 16 primary schools, 14 ICDS centers and 14 Public Distribution Centers were activated.
• 234 drop out children were enrolled into government primary schools.
• 19 child laborers were removed from workforce and mainstreamed into education system.
• 45 Child Rights Committees were formed and strengthened with local community members. The Child Rights Committees monitored the schools and participated in a few School Education Committee meetings.
• The processes with 'Jal Shramik Sangha' – fishermen's community were retained and strengthened.
• Campaign on the common school system [css] and seminar involving the middle class people in the district level helped to establish the debate on css in the public domain.

Formation of the Mahila Sangathan has also been effective as they have raised various questions in terms of wages and their livelihood issues. Block level Sammelan of Mahila Sangathan was also organized. Disha also organized a ‘Child Survival Week’ where they have addressed issues like immunization, birth registration, ICDS activation and importance of the ASHA worker and demanding  quality services of the Public Distribution System. The Patthar Tor Mazdoor Sangathan was formed and strengthened to address the issue of child labor in stone cutting. The Bal Adhikar Committees were engaged in the fight against child marriages and child trafficking. In the last three years of partnership, Disha Vihar has shown its sensitive and serious efforts towards the cause of children.

Plans:

• Continuing Jeevan Shala program for drop out children, child labor of the Patthar Tor Mazdoor and Fishermen. Children’s collectives to be engaged in sensitization programs and campaigns against child labor and child marriages.
• Activation of 16 schools in the district. District level Bal Sansad and cultural activism process.
• Strengthening women’s collectives. More focus to be given on organization building and evolving structure in all blocks. District level Convention of women’s collectives.
• Strengthening state level processes of Jal Shramik Sangh – the fishermen’s collective.
• Strengthening Patthar Tor Mazdoor Sangh. Discussions to be initiated on issues of equal and non-discriminatory and non-exploitative wages, identity card and medical issues. Awash Adhkar Andolan will be streamlined.
• College level intervention with the youth and seminar on child rights and the role of the Youth. 20 Youth will be engaged in a 15 days cultural workshop for the Kala Jatha to be organized at the district level.

Budget Summary (January to December 2009)

Budget heads	Budget (USD)
Right to Development & Survival	8,735
Right to Protection & Participation	5,765
Administration	2,968
Total Approved Budget	17,468