LIFE web page milestone: crossed 30000 ( THIRTY THOUSAND) viewers for www.liferajasthan.blogspot.com

“LIFE PROJECT WEB PAGE IS THE INDIA’S 1ST WEB PAGE FOR ANY DEVELOPMENT PROJECT”

&

Now the daily online development news paper from 1^st Oct 2012

LIFE project team is glad to share that the web page of LIFE (www.liferajasthan.blogspot.com) has crossed the mark of 30000 (THIRTY THOUSAND) viewers in 19 month span.  LIFE project has moved with its pace and has achieved 85.6% ( Source: based on the application of monitoring tools in July 2012) of total set results in 30 months of its implementation and each and every step of this success on daily basis have been uploaded on the web-page. In last 19 months LIFE project web page has following unique achievements:

What is the USP of LIFE web page?

Its almost daily updation

What makes possible to have daily updation?

It’s a strong team network and reach up the community level, daily reporting systems and almost daily interaction with project team at partner level.

Purpose

• Purpose of the web page to establish a transparent system of sharing project happenings and progress results so that a cross learning would take place at the broader scale.

Specialty

• Is being used by the viewers as the daily online development news paper ( reaching to almost 45 countries of the world)
• It’s an outcome of informal Research & Development wing of LIFE & HARIT PRAYAS project.
• Its India’s 1st project based web page to have daily updates and with viewer ship of around 4500-5000 per month
• Fr. Fredrick D’souza has launched the web page on 25th Feb 2011 at SJVS Banswara
• Almost daily updation of the web page on recent development in the LIFE project as well as in development sector.
• Through LIFE project we basically promote the process part of the project as well as the similar actions of other livelihood projects also. In last 19 months we have posted around 300 process based articles on the web-page.
• The web-page is being accessed by agencies/networks like WATERAID, CII, Caritas Asia, & NACDOR for reference and study.  
• Day to Day progress of the project is available on the web page.
• Web page has 65 followers and 1800 + fans on its facebook.
• We raised people concern on the subsidy policy by the government and did an online polling for the same.

Building capacity of others

• Through LIFE project we have organized small-small training programmes/sharing for CI State Officials and CI partners to develop web-pages.

Impact on other projects

• With the initiation of LIFE project web-page now around 13-14 projects of Caritas India has their web-pages and some more are coming and around 10 projects on facebook.
• 30000+ viewers means direct  and immediate reach to 30000+ people!

Viewer ship

• Maximum viewers of the web page by India, US, Russai, Srilanka, Spain, and Bangladesh
• 80 case studies from the LIFE project villages have been posted on the web page
• 30 News paper cuttings related with LIFE project have been posted ( indicating impact of LIFE project on sustainable agriculture, formation of CBOs & impact of Rozgar Dhaba’s, impact of LIFE project)
• Web page has received 54 comments from viewers for its appreciation and betterment.
• Maximum viewers view the web page content on LIFE project, analysis of union budget in respect with LIFE project and its progress report ( every month)

Support

• Initial motivation for coming out with web page from Caritas India Head office and North zone officials and further on support and motivation from Caritas Spain (Ms. Maria Isabel).
• Mr. Patrick (from Caritas India) has supported for linking the web page with Caritas India official website and regular suggestion and guidance for the improvement of the same.
• Mr. Manish & Mr. Chandrapal (Project Coordinator), has supported for the promotion of web page in the amongst community members of the LIFE project in Ajmer.
• All the team project team members of LIFE project has supported for providing the content of the web page on daily basis.
• Krishi Vigyan Kendera (KVK) is providing Technical information for uploading on the web page

Future planning

• Would be taking the shape of an online classroom for the practitioners in development sector; providing ample material on livelihood aspects for a rural and tribal context.

• Would also be sharing the working, feasible and non-working and non-feasible models of livelihood

• E-LHP (e learning of LIFE and HARIT PRAYAS ) course would be linked with the web page

• Coming out with the concept of world’s first Development channel “D channel” and link with the web page

• Promoting the web page as the online news paper for development sector

With the support and highly active team of LIFE project we are hoping to have crossing 7500000 viewer ship in next 6 months. Also now the updation of the website has been managed by the entire LIFE team rather than just one person and for its updation and freshness in the content team works even after office hours.

I thanks to all the team members, viewers and people related with LIFE project for this 30000 (thirty thousand) success.

                                                                       

To be the development volunteer for the LIFE project and being the development friend of LIFE project log on to www.liferajasthan.blogspot.com or www.caritasindia.org (blog) or follow us on facebook (LIFE Caritas)

Let’s bring change!

Let’s believe change!

Let’s make change possible!

                  PROGRESS STATUS OF LIFE PROJECT IN LAST 6 MONTHS @RCDSSS-AJMER

Youth Skill building & Employment:

1. Two trained youth members at Nolkha village started earning Rs. 2500 to 3000/- per month through house-wiring work. A youth member Mr. Devendra s/o Pratap Singh of Nolkha village placed in cattle feed plant in Jaipur.
2. A youth Man Singh s/o Shankar Singh of Nolkha placed as a computer teacher in Govt. Sec. School Bubani for one year.
3. Two youth members of Surajpura & Mavashiya were enrolled in House Wiring training organized by ITI and RMOL.
4. 4 youth members of Mavashiya provided Roadways recruitment form through internet (Jaisingh, Ramesh, Pradhan, Pradhan)
5. Two tailoring centres run in Nolkha & Gudha village and 24 girls were trained in tailoring and stitching work. Technical support was availed from JSS Ajmer. Out of these 8 girls are now doing tailoring commercially in village itself and earning Rs. 1000/- to 1500/- monthly.
6. 20 youth trained in house wiring training in Mavashiya block. 8 youth members started earning Rs. 1500 to 2000/- monthly by doing house wiring and general maintenance in nearby villages.

Resource Mobilization from KVK, NABARD, Panchayat & others :

1. 32 Farmers got benefits of micro-nutrients spray for wheat from KVK in February, 2012.
2. 25 farmers of Nepoli & Laxipura village got crop demo Khareef season and trained by KVK Support.
3. 2 farmers of Surajpura, 2 Farmers of Nepoli, 4 farmers of Mavshiya received benefits of Farm Pond from Agri. Deptt. of Rs. 49,850/- per farmer. And Shyoji s/o Ruggha of Nepoli received Rs. 60000 for Farm pond scheme.
4. Bharmal S/o Ramkaran Jat received Rs. 150000/- and Ramdhan S/o Dhukal Bheel recieved 40000/- from KCC which was made with our facilitation.
5. 6 farmers of Nolkha & Godiawas received Mineral Mixture at subsidized rate from agriculture department.
6. 4 famers from of Surajpura and 2 farmers of Nepoli purchased seeds of millet on subsidy rates during Khareef Abhiyan with the support of Agriculture Deptt. And 6 framers got free demo on vegetable crop (ladyfinger)
7. Verms were sponsored for 12 units of worth Rs. 4200/- for establishment of vermin compost units in life project villages.
8. 3 proposals of micro-plans are approved and being implemented in Nepoli village out of total 10 works. (Handpump, CC road & drainage system)

Training cum Production Units for Self Help Groups members :

1. Total 5 production cum training units were established for income generation and skill development of SHG members in 5 villages. The details are as follows :

                                I.      Unit–1 : Spice (Masala – Chilly, Coriander, Turmeric) Pocessing (Grading, Grinding, Packaging & Selling) Unit; run by Ghareeb Nawaj SHG of Gudha village, maily owned by Mrs. Phulbano. They process the material as per requirement of the shop setup by Phulbano earlier. Monthly she sells 20 kg. Chilly powder, 7 kg. Coriander Powder & 5 kg. Turmeric and earn profit of Rs. 1000/- to 1500 monthly.

                              II.      Unit – 2 & 3 : Tailoring cum Bag Making Unit at Kesarpura & Devliya run by Jagdamba SHG of Devliya & Vishvakarma SHG of Kesarpura. Total 14 SHG members are trained regularly, they completed tailoring and now production bags is going on for upcoming pushkar fair.

                            III.      Unit – 4 & 5 : Production Unit of Vermin Compost run by Krishna SHG Noklha & Peepalderani SHG Devliya. Total 6 SHG members have established 12 vermin compost units of 20’×3’×2’ size and producing compost. From the next two months the ready compost will be packaged by other members of SHGs & sold to the market.

Information cum Rojgar Dhaba :

1. Total 3889 people visited Rojgar Dhaba in this half year. Out of these TV & Internet services users were 2065 villagers and people who read news-paper & other magazines related to agriculture were 1818.
2. Rojgar Dhaba is providing a platform to learn and update knowledge about agriculture and different government schemes. It also services people, especially youth to be informed about openings of various vacancies in government as well as private sectors. Results are also provided online for various exams.
3. Krishi Darshan, Kalyani & other social issues related serials are liked by the visitors. They are also attracted with the IEC material recently developed and displayed at the centres and getting handholding support to access the services and knowledge about government schemes, organic farming, RTI, MGNREGA and various other useful technologies which could be helpful in promoting their sustainable livelihood.

Organic Farming & Sustainable agriculture :

1. 2 farmers (Budharam s/o Sujaram & Fulwanti w/o Lalsingh) of Nolkha village and one farmer (Shankar Lal Sen) of Kesarpura village established additional vermin units seeing the success of first units.
2. 14 Farmers established kitchen garden and grow vegetables using organic measures. Jeev Amrit, Dashparni, Vermin Compost & Beej Amrit were used in the kitchen garden. But only 6 got vegetable production due to failure of crop for insects, and attach of mouse and other small underground animals.
3. 214 farmer trained and in organic farming and adopt Beej Amrit, Jeev Amrit & Dashparni organic preparations for Kharif Crop. These farmers were trained in Organic farming & IPM techniques.
4. 147 farmers from 10 villages send soil sample for Khareef crop and select crop as per the recommendation and prepared land accordingly.
5. Rampal s/o Chhoga and Ranglal s/o Shankarlal of Nepoli; Devaram s/o Mangu of Kesarpura adopted vermin compost unit, whereas Panchu Singh and Budharam of Nolkha village established Ajola Grass Unit.

Farmers’ Club initiatives :

1. Received sanction of remaining 6 farmers club of Life project. Hence all 9 clubs have been approved by NABARD under Farmers’ Club Program. The only remaining farmer club of Godiawas is waiting for approval from NABARD since its’ application was sent lately due to their internal conflicts. 
2. Farmer's Club of Kesarpura purchased agriculture equipment (spray machine) from NABARD’s financial assistance for public use on nominal rent.
3. Shiv Kisan Club Naulakha and Balaji Kisan Club innaugrated on 25^th July at Nepoli
4. Farmer’s Club organized a Linkage meeting with bank, MFI and govt. officials at Nepoli. In which total 270 SHG members and Farmers club members and youth participated.
5. Farmer’s Club of Nolkha & Mavashiya decided to develop their 5 bigha pastureland as demonstration purpose with the support of the project. As a result 5-5 bigha land of pastureland were protected mutually and grass seeding was done in the area. A chowkidar is appointed for three months until the grass is fruited.

Bank linkages of Self Help Groups :

1. 5 farmer club and 10 SHG were linked with BOB Ramsar.
2. Bank Loan Process for 7 SHGs of Mavashiya panchayat was facilitated with ICICI bank and total 8 SHG’s including 7 of Gram Panchayat Mavshiya and 1 of Gudha village got bank loan of Rs. 589500 with support of ICICI bank. Hence all Self Help Groups of Life project have linked and initiated the bank loan. 40% SHG members used this loan for different purposes of Livestock management like purchasing, fodder, feeding place etc.
3. Aradhana SHG in  Guda village mobilized loan of Rs. 280000/- from the SBBJ branch Bhudol.

Livestock management :

1. One Azola unit was established in Kalyanipura village for better nutrition for milk giving livestock and good compost.
2. 65 breed improvement were done in this half year including cows of Geer breed and buffalos of Murra breed.
3. Veterinary vaccination camp organized in 8 villages. 332 livestock rears benefitted with vaccination of  3192 animals including cow, buffalo, goat and sheep.

Social Security Schemes benefits:

1. Widow pensions of Badami w/o Narayan singh and Kamala w/o Ratana of Nolkha village were started.
2. One widow pension and one palanhar benefit form has been processed in Kalyanipura village.
3. Benefits of Palanhar Yojana (Rs.4700) provided to Miss Harju D/o Kalyani of Kalyanipura through effective use of RTI.
4. A Widow pension and one Palanhar application is processed in Kalyanipura (Geeta /Ramdhan) and Devliya (Ladi/Ranglal

Source: Half yearly reports 

Posters on various components of LIFE project developed 
by RCDSSS-LIFE project team in Hindi!

LIFE team at RCDSSS-Ajmer has developed a book on LIFE project best practices in Hindi !

           Status of ROZGAR DHABA@ LIFE PROJECT AJMER (TILL AUG 2012)

1. Total 3889 people visited Rojgar Dhaba in this half year. Out of these TV & Internet services users were 2065 villagers and people who read news-paper & other magazines related to agriculture were 1818.
2. Rojgar Dhaba is providing a platform to learn and update knowledge about agriculture and different government schemes. It also services people, especially youth to be informed about openings of various vacancies in government as well as private sectors. Results are also provided online for various exams.
3. Krishi Darshan, Kalyani & other social issues related serials are liked by the visitors. They are also attracted with the IEC material recently developed and displayed at the centres and getting handholding support to access the services and knowledge about government schemes, organic farming, RTI, MGNREGA and various other useful technologies which could be helpful in promoting their sustainable livelihood.

SOURCE: MONTHLY AND HALF YEARLY REPORTS  OF LIFE PROJECT

Training of tribal women on Income Generation activity in NEWS@LIFE Banswara

Monthly Progress Report (MPR)

 

Month: August, 2012

Partner name: Disha–RCDSSS, Ajmer

 

1.                  Context :

It was first month of the last half year of the project. Hence preparing half yearly report, financial report and cash flow was worked out with all the staff members. There had been no budget activity conducted in this month due to unavailability of approval and fund.

Rains came 1.5 months late with full pace in the region hence people were so busy in their field works. Since we have been working on the extension of life project for some time, situational analysis of 30% villages (6 villages) was conducted by the staff in the new area.

Three participants from our organization including coordinator participated in baseline workshop held in Jabalpur. As a followup of this base line of all 15 villages was conducted for the new life project titled “Ankur”. Lot of difficulties and challenges were faced during this exercise in the field. First of all it was cropping season and farmers are busy with their farm activities, secondly, they have past bad experiences with other NGOs and companies so it was quite difficult to mobilize their trust, lastly the given time for conducting baseline of 4000 households, and 15 villages was very very challenging and difficult yet we did our best but again data entry is delayed.

Our regular support and follow up of activities extended to the community as a result we were able to get some achievements however stated further. 

 

2.                  Major Achievements : (Results/targeted achievements) :

• Through regular contacts, inspiration from other clubs during inauguration, the members of Dadaji Farmers’ Club Godiawas were motivated to open their back account in SBBJ Bank at Bhudol.
• Two units of Azola grass are established in Nolkha village with support of KVK.
• Shiv Kisan Club, Nolkha; Shree Ganesh Kisan Club Kesarpura and Veer Teja Kisan Club of Surajpura have purchased 8 spray machines from the NABARD fund. They also purchased mats for their monthly meetings and gathering.
• Widow Pension Form was filled and submitted for Kaya Devi w/o Ramchandra of Nolkha village.
• For application of widow pensions, death certificates were made for Ramchandra and Beeram Singh of Nolkha village, Ranglal of Devliya and Kishan Bheel of Surajpura.
• Total 153 farmers sprayed Dashparni Ark and Jeev Amrit in their Kharif Crop for better production and prevent from diseases.
• 20 Farmers of Surajpura village got benefits of Rs. 23500/- and 16 farmers of Mavashiya got. Rs. 21500/- livestock promotion scheme KDPPY.
• Total 1881 people visited our four Rojgar Dhaba this month. Out of these 688 people attended meeting and trainings; 107 people got information from internet and 1086 people watched Television and read newspaper and other useful magazines.
• Inspiring with the existing horticulture units other farmers have planted 364 horticulture plants themselves where as 50 shadow trees were planted at school & Anganwadi premises in Devliya village.

 

1.       Project activity:

Name of activity	No. of units planned/no. of units achieved	Total participation (of community)	Results achieved
Application of MIS Tools	10 villages	10 villages	Result monitoring tools have been applied in all villages and ready for compilation. Project Results will be known after compilation and analysis.
Gap filling and horticulture plantation.	-	414 plants	15 farmers including one women farmer established horticulture units by planting 364 horticulture besides gapfilling. 50 shadow trees were also planted at premises of Anganwadi and Schools at Devliya.
Monthly meetings of SHGs, Farmers Club & Youth Groups	40 meetings	40 meetings	All 40 CBOs of the project are functioning regularly and properly. The topics of this month was on hygiene practices in monsoon season.
Preparation of Half Yearly Report of Life project	1	1	Report along with result reporting and fund leverage report prepared and sent to Caritas India.
Preparing Cash flow & Financial Report of the Life project	1	1	Financial Report and Cash flow for next half year prepared and sent to CI.
Situational Analysis for extension of Life project	6 villages	6 villages	Situations and problems of the newly proposed area (Masuda) are known for extention. SA is done to be used in project formulation of Ankur Project (the second version of Life)
Baseline survey for Ankur project and data entry	15 villages	15 villages	Baseline of 15 villages and 3656 households are done with the baseline tools prepared for village and household level.
Field Monitoring by Placement coordinator	10 villages	7 villages	Regular monitoring is ensured for project activities, assets, and followup support was given to staff and the farmers.

 

2.       Linkages & Liasioning: Explain about Liaisoning & linkages been established (especially with Panchayat, NABARD, KVK, MSME etc.) in the particular month and also the follow-up of previous linkages and future plan for further linkages.

 

·         Interacted with Animal husbandry department and sub-centre incharge at Ramsar and got farmers list verified who participated and got benefits from livestock health camp held last month.

 

·         Contacted SBBJ Bank Manager Bhudol for opening up bank account of Dadaji Kisan Club of Godiawas village. As a result manager got ready and opened the account.

 

·         KVK sponsored grass seed for two Azola units, and provided 414 plants on subsidized rate.

 

3.       Fund leveraged: Explain in tabular form how much fund has been leveraged from the government & other institutions.

 

Agency (government or others)	Scheme	Fund leveraged (Amount in Rs.)	No. of beneficiaries	Remarks
See annexure	Kendriya Dudharu Pashu Protsahan Yojana (KDPPY)	45000	36	20 farmers of Surajpura, 16 farmers of Mavashiya village

 

4.       Communication materials developed: if any communication material has been developed for the project provides detail about the same.

-          A booklet titled “Ek Sujhav” (an advice) is developed which contains on govt. schemes, their forms, acts like MGNREGA, RTI & RTE etc. (Compilation of information from PRI & block office and other NGOs about schemes and programs and information about acts were done for the booklet.)

 

5.       Challenges faced during the implementation of the project

• Flood and excessive rain spoiled the crop upto 70% in the area hence people are busy to prevent the remaining crop in the field.
• Data collection in MIS format has been challenging in the field yet we managed to complete and the compilation would be done by end of this month.

 

6.      Learning’s from the project during particular month

• Regular interaction and negotiation with negative and influencive people in the area turns into positive mode when they see the good impact of the project in long run and then they start supporting the project for example our surpanch of Mavashiya panchayat and his secretary.