FAQsSociety for Advancement in Tribes, Health, Education, Environment [SATHEE]
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Situation The SATHEE intervention covers 10 villages in Jharkhand. The area of Santhal Pargana is rich in natural resources like coal, forest products and stone. Frequent drought situation and scarcity of food, lack of adequate capital for agriculture and existence of limited fertile land (2-3%) with the community and migration are some factors that have allowed exploitation of the tribals by the money lenders. Due to the lack of proper Government schemes and the ICDS, children and women become the most vulnerable leading to malnutrition and disease. | Challenge • Bring the government schemes and ICDS to these regions. • Increasing accountability of the government officials and politicians. • Increase birth registration to 100% • Increase employment opportunities |  Highlights • Operationalization of the traditional local governance structures • Initiate a diversified program to strengthen the traditional governance systems to take ownership of the natural resources • Monitoring the government programs after curbing the corruption | Results • 15 Children Sanghs at the village level and one Children Sangh at Damin level are empowered towards their rights • 456 children were mainstreamed in the formal education • 135 disabled children were linked to the certification process and social security program • 100% birth registration of new borns was ensured by the Gram Sabha (local village body). • The body mass index status of all children was mapped in 30 villages to identify their nutritional status. • 25 Adolescent Girls Group (AGG) at village level and 4 at block level were formed and sensitized towards health, nutrition and social evils. • Children's cultural teams were formed in 15 villages. • 66 Mahila Mandals (women’s groups) were empowered and motivated on child and women trafficking and sexual abuse issues. • Help was extended to sort out the problems of 5 violence affected women by the Mahila Sangh. • 8 health camps were organized covering 126 villages in the area. • Block level community pressure was exerted to activate the Primary Health Centers in all blocks by the Mahila Sangh. • 60 Damin Adhikar Manch leaderships groups have been trained on the Right to Information, right to food, right to work, right to education and other social security programs. |
Background
Society for Advancement in Tribes, Health, Education, and Environment (SATHEE) originated in the course of a Government of India sponsored research project ‘Ecological Survey of ‘Paharia’ community in Santhal Parganas’ during 1988–1991. Through the research the research fellows, including the current Project Holder, developed a rapport and understanding of the problems faced by the Paharia tribals. Post the research, they continued interface with the local communities and later formed an organization to work with Paharia tribals. SATHEE was registered in 1996 with a view to work for mobilizing the deprived ‘Paharias’ to fight for their rights. The founder member of the organization, Dr. Niraj Kumar has done his post graduation in life sciences and Ph.D on ‘tribal food contamination’. He has been involved in advocacy and campaigning on various child related and tribal issues.
Situation:
The operational area, covering 12 most backward and neglected villages of Boarijore block of Godda district in Jharkhand, is an isolated district of the Rajmahal hills. The main inhabitants are the Paharias, Santhal, Kol tribes and schedule castes. The area of Santhal Pargana is rich in natural resources like coal, forest products and stone. Development of the Rajmahal, Lalmatia, Simlong project was the main point of the land acquisition where a number of tribals have been denied compensation and rehabilitation. Lack of proper land records has also resulted in illegal occupation of land by vested interest groups. The collapse of traditional governance system and breaking of community support system among the tribal community also initiated the “Satta” practice (land mortgage). Frequent drought situation and scarcity of food, lack of adequate capital for agriculture and existence of limited fertile land (2-.3%) with the community, migration are few potential factors which have been creating the open space for money lenders towards extreme exploitation of the tribals.The condition of the health and educational institutions are the most deplorable in the area. Programs meant for vulnerable families such as social security schemes, employment generation program, Annapurna and Antodaya Yojna etc. are not at all reaching the targeted beneficiaries. Tank digging, immunization programs are not properly implemented in the area. Due to the lack of proper Govt schemes and the ICDS, children and women become the most vulnerable leading to malnutrition and disease proneness. In summer there is scarcity of safe drinking water and gradual collapse of the traditional water harvesting systems from the hills and fountains. The inadequacy of employment opportunities, poor agricultural growth due to poor land management systems and continuous drought compel local inhabitants to migrate out. Child labor and child marriages are rampant. SATHEE intervenes to ensure sustainable and dynamic development of vulnerable sector of the community through ensuring their entitlements.
Objectives:
• Capacity building of most vulnerable classes especially the women and children for their sustained and all-round development.
• School activation across the operational blocks, ensure the enrollment of children and disable children with special emphasis on girls.
• Strengthening of children forums (Bal Sanghs) and exploring the scope of damin bal sangh.
• Mass Mobilization and ensure the rights of women and children in the area. Creation of alternative support system at GS level to fight against the abuse and exploitation of the marginalized.
• To enhance the capacity of the reference group, CBOs & federation to advocate their own rights
• To strengthen the constitutionally sanctioned governance institutions (gram sabha) to take control over natural resources.
Review:
Through the review period, special emphasis was given on strengthening people’s collectives, including women’s and children’s collectives in the reference area and engaging them in the fight to ensure equal rights for all. Strengthening Gram Sabha and Damin Adhikar Morcha were the other priorities of SATHEE. SATHEE also promoted institutionalizing democratic processes at the community level by strengthening collective leadership so that all people can participate in the GS process and evaluate their activity.
Achievements & Impact:
• 879 children and 521 pregnant women were covered under the health checkup program.
• 302 new births and 369 old births were registered.
• 100% enrolment of all eligible children was achieved in 66 villages.
• 19 formal schools could ensure 100% retention of all mainstreamed children.
• In 30 villages no child below 14 years age and in 30 more villages no child below 18 years age was engaged in the workforce.
• 26 children were removed from the workforce and mainstreamed into government schools.
• 15 Children Sanghs at the village level and one Children Sangh at Damin level are empowered towards their rights.
• 60 Damin Adhikar Manch groups have been trained on the right to information, right to food, right to work, right to education and other social security programs.
Plans:
• Activation of government health care and education services for the benefit of the reference communities. Ensuring equal access to the same for all.• Grounding of the common school system in the panchayat system.
• Establishing child information centers in villages.
• Jan Sunwai on health and education issues at the block level.
• 100% coverage of the Antyodaya / Annapurna card to the community.
• Grounding of NREGA (national rural employment guarantee) and other social security schemes at all operational villages.
• Strengthening Gram Sabha and other traditional governance systems. Capacity Building of Damin Adhikar Morcha on their roles and responsibilities.
• Control over natural resources by the strengthening of Women’s Cooperatives.
Budget Summary (January to December 2009)
| Budget heads | Budget (USD) |
| Right to Development | 6,136 |
| Right to Survival | 5,829 |
| Right to Protection | 5,829 |
| Right to Participation | 5,829 |
| Administration | 7,055 |
| Total Approved Budget | 30,678 |
