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“STRIVING FOR HOLISTIC DEVELOPMENT”

COHESION FOUNDATION TRUST 6- SEJAL APARTMENTS, BEHIND NAVNEET

PUBLICATIONS, GURUKUL ROAD, MEMNAGAR, AHMEDABAD-380052

TEL NO: 079-27450171, 27435888 Website: http\\:cohesionfoundation.org Email: cohesionfoundation@gmail.com

YEAR BOOK 2013-14

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Contents SECTION 1 FROM CEO’S DESK ................................................................................................ 3 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................................................................... 5 DIFFERENT ROLES OF CFT ............................................................................................................. 8 COHESION FOUDNATION: AS WE ALL KNOW ...................................................................... 9 SECTION 2 KEY PROGRAMMES ........................................................................................... 12

2.1 STRENGTHENING LIVELIHOODS OF RURAL POOR THROUGH WADI PROGRAMME ................................................................................................. 12

2.2 PROMOTING WOMEN FARMERS BY ENSURING THEIR ACCESS TO AND CONTROL OVER PRODUCTIVE RESOURCES ..................................................................... 14

2.3 PROMOTION OF FARMER PRODUCE ORGANIZATIONS UNDER PULSES IN GUJARAT AND UNDER NVI IN CHHATTISGARH .......................................... 15

2.4 Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana………………………………..18

2.5 PROVIDING AN EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY TO THE CHILDREN OF MIGRANT FAMILIES AND MARGINALIZED SECTIONS OF KUTCH AND PATAN DISTRICTS OF GUJARAT ....................................................................................................... 19

2.6 MOTHER NGO (MNGO) ............................................................................. 22

2.7 SAMRUDHI PROJECT ...................................................................................... 23

2.8 MGNREGA PILOT PROJECT ........................................................................ 24

2.9 Financial Statement………………………………………………………31 SECTION 3 NETWORKING & ADVOCACY ........................................................................ 26 SECTION 4 SUPPORT, RESEARCH AND ADVOCACY ROLES- AN OVERVIEW ..... 27 SECTION 5 SUPPORT IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT ....................................................... 29 SECTION 6 AWARD OF RECOGNITION RECEIVED ....................................................... 30

Map1: Work Area of Cohesion Foundation Trust in Gujarat ................................................. 6 Map2: Work Area of Cohesion Foundation Trust in India ..................................................... 7

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SECTION 1 FROM CEO’S DESK In the year 2013-14, CFT gave importance towards demanding Rights for the Women Farmers. More emphasis was given on stabilizing the work done in developing integrated models of social, economical and political empowerment in a comprehensive manner. CFT has also followed the rights based approach with developmental perspective in different geographical areas. A strong work on rights of women as well as emerging role of women as decision making farmers was initiated in South Gujarat in Navsari District. CFT has been proactive in reviewing the macro level phenomenon in rural context for making a small but effective contribution. On one hand, National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) had been taking its place for promoting rural livelihoods, while MGNREGA had been witnessing both positive and negative results in different parts of India. Cohesion contributed to NRLM by being a part of consortium to prepare Gujarat State Perspective Plan. The contribution of Cohesion was lauded by Commissioner for Rural Development Department, Government of Gujarat (GOG). Cohesion was also invited to submit proposal for MahilaKisanSashaktikaranPariyojana (MKSP) in Gujarat. Unfortunately, we could not contribute much in MGNREGA, eventhough we tried a lot. We were also a Monitoring and Evaluation Agency for Integrated Watershed Management Programme as an active member of consortium CFT developed new partnerships during the year. A notable achievement has been partnering with different stakeholders including Corporate Sectors. John Deere Foundation, through Global Communities (CHF International), developed partnership with us for an integrated development project. This partnership has been rooted successfully. Action Aid with support of Corti Foundation developed a new partnership with Cohesion on Project named “Towards Ensuring Access to Productive Resources for Marginalized Women Farmers”. CFT continued endeavors in Chhattisgarh – a very disadvantaged and vulnerable state. It had a series of dialogues with Civil Society Groups and Government functionaries and funding agencies. Realizing a need for a Resource Organisation, a study was initiated by Cohesion titled “Development Priorities and Status of Local CSOs – Chhattisgarh”. We intend to use the findings of this study for developing further Action Plan. Center of Evaluation (CEval), Germany pursued a study, of assessing the impact of Fair Trade on poverty reduction through rural development, with Cohesion as its Indian partner. CFT has been assigned a prominent role in networking for the rights of Women, children and informal labourers such as salt workers. The networks such as Working Group of Women and Land Ownership (WGWLO), SajjataSangh, Kutch

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NavNirmanAbhiyan and NAMAC involved us a lot in the governance and operational aspects of the networks. In the end, I wish to thank all the stakeholders who supported us during the year resulting in keeping our feet firmer in the ground and taking a leading role in different networks. Support of Government both Union and State levels, International Funding Agencies, NABARD, UNICEF and corporate like Tata and John Deere Foundation are worth mentioning along with many other silent partners and well-wishers. CFT Family is aware that it is a long journey and development is a continuous process. We are very confident that with our strong perseverance and commitment we will continue contributing through passion, enthusiasm, sincerity, and integrity, focusing a lot on the outcomes so that disadvantaged groups are empowered to access their rights and improve the quality of their life. Thanks and Regards, Rajesh Kapoor Chief Executive Officer

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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

AIF American India Foundation

CEval Center of Evaluation

CFT Cohesion Foundation Trust

CSOs Civil Society Organizations

FIGs Farmer Interest Groups

FPO Farmer Producer Organization

GOG Government of Gujarat

LEP Learning Enrichment Programme

MGNREGA Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act

MKSP MahilaKisanSashaktikaranPariyojana

NGO Non Government Organization

NRLM National Rural Livelihood Mission

NRM Natural Resources Management

PRI Panchayati Raj Institute

RTE Right to Education

SDP School Development Plan

SMC School Management Committee

SFAC Small Farmers’ Agribuseness Consortium

VDCs Village Development Committees

WGWLO Working Group of Women and Land Ownership

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Map1: Work Area of Cohesion Foundation Trust in Gujarat

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Map2: Work Area of Cohesion Foundation Trust in India

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DIFFERENT ROLES OF CFT

Knowledge building and

sharing

Implementation functions

Support functions

Research and Advocacy

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COHESION FOUDNATION: AS WE ALL KNOW

Vision We see ourselves as an organization committed to striving for a World in which people and the natural environment are in harmony with each other, a World in which people, men and women, are in harmony with each other, a world in which all have enough to meet their genuine emotional and physical needs, and a world in which the diversity of humankind is celebrated.

Mission Cohesion, guided by transparency and accountability, is committed to sustainable socio-economic development of the vulnerable in under-serviced areas with a special focus on women.

Approach There are certain cross cutting themes, observed in all strategic interventions to ensure sustainable development and social justice. Cohesion’s approach is community based and bottom-up to ensure the needs and issues faced by communities get represented and addressed by programs. Strengthening people’s institutions and prioritizing women’s’ role in decision-making ensure processes that help in mainstreaming gender. On the other hand most vulnerable communities are identified at micro planning stage to empower them and help secure proper position in community-based institutions. The following are the elements of community-based approaches, followed by Cohesion: • Participation • Gender mainstreaming • Evolving inter institutional linkages • Decentralization of resources • Local capacity building • Development of special groups around different interventions • Bottom-up planning and design • Equity in resource sharing

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Legal Compliances, Accreditations

Registration Bombay Public Trust Act 1950, Registration No. E 13497

Tax Exemption Yes

PAN No AAATC2958F

12 A Certification Yes

80G of Income Tax Act 1961 Yes

TAN AHMC00390F

BOARD OF TRUSTEES Dr Vini, MD Mr J.S.Dingankar, PGDRM, B.Tech Mr Rajesh Kapoor, PGDRM, B.Tech

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Our Branch Offices across India

National Capital Region:

Dr. Vini, Trustee, Cohesion, 691 Sector - 21A, Faridabad email: cohesionadmin@gmail.com

South Mr. HareeshBelawadi Cohesion, 37, ‘Sumukha’, 3rd Cross, 3rd Main Road, 1st Stage, Kirloskar Colony, Basaveshwarnagar, Bangalore email: cohesionho@gmail.com

Central: Mr. Pankaj Mishra Cohesion Foundation Trust Durg Mr. Vivek Raina BG- 123 Scheme No. 74/C Vijay Nagar Indore

West: Mr. Anil Sharma Cohesion Foundation Trust Art and Crafts Exclusives G-108, RICCO Industrial Area, Mansarovar, Jaipur, Rajasthan JayaramDingankar, Trustee, Anant, Plot No.3, Lenyadri Society, Sus Road, Pashan Pune, Maharashtra

East:

Mr. R. Kapoor Cohesion Foundation Trust, C/O "SHAKUNTALAM" B/H J. F. Block 22, Near Patel Chowk, Harmoo Housing Colony, Ranchi email: cohesion.admin@gmail.com Dr. Surashree, Cohesion, N.E Ravindrapally, Opp. CDMA Building, Wireless Gate, Barrackpore, Kolkata Email: cohesion.admin@gmail.com

North-east: Mr. Richard/Mr. K Majumdar Cohesion, Jyotinagar, (Near Co-op Stores), Bamunimaidan, Guwahati email: cohesionfoundation@rediffmail.com

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SECTION 2 KEY PROGRAMMES

Cohesion Foundation adopts a holistic development process which helps tocreate opportunities and enables people to live fulfilling lives. With this as guiding ideology, this yearCohesion Foundation has made immense efforts in addressing the challenges associated with livelihood of the communities, enhancing the accessibility of the people to resources and ensuring that issues of the community gets more visibility so as to bring about pro-poor changes in policies and procedures. The programmes undertaken were directed towards addressing the challenges faced by the communities covering issues such as Natural Resources Management (NRM) and agriculture, on-farm livelihood, livestock management, education, health, disaster preparedness, decentralized governance, micro-finance and off-farm livelihoods. The core values of our programmes are: Social Equity, Inclusive processes, Gender equity, Sustainability and Empowerment. This report outlines the actions taken by Cohesion in 2013-14 to strengthen livelihood structure and the easy access to resources, expand partnerships including with the civil society, and programmes that make an impact on the ground.The following section highlights the major achievements in different programmes.

2.1 STRENGTHENING LIVELIHOODS OF RURAL POOR THROUGH WADI PROGRAMME

The project “StrengtheningLivelihoods of Rural Poor” through wadiprogramme in ChikhliTaluka of Navsari District was supported by NABARD. The project strives for socio-economic enhancement of tribal communities in 10 villages of Chikhli, Vansda and KhergamTalukasof Navsari District in South Gujarat. Thousand marginal and small farmers having minimum land of 1 acre are covered under this project.

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The main objectives of the project are • To increase the income for 500 small and marginal tribal farmers by at

least 100% • To increase access and control of at least 2000 women on the agriculture

related resources and outputs for promoting gender equity • To develop a viable and replicable model of private-public partnership,

with well-defined and tested stakes of different stakeholders, related to agricultural interventions in underserved tribal areas

The project interventions include promotion of three fruit crops – Mango, Cashew and Guava; intercropping; mandva and live hedge fencing are done. Landless households are also covered by promotion of income generation activities like vermi-compost, and nursery raising. The farmers are organized into farmers’ groups at hamlet level, Village Development Committees are formed at village level and the VDCs would form a Federation, covering all 10 villages. These people’s institutions are proposed for ensuring sustainability.

Besides Wadidevelopment includes the components such as soil conservation, water resource development, community awareness programmes including health, awareness in women and livelihood promotion for landless households. Thus wadi model is very helpful and effective in generating sustainable livelihoods for tribal families. Cohesion aims to promote improved and sustainable agricultural practices to provide livelihood support to tribal families. This also helps to generate a viable and replicable model of private public partnership based on agricultural interventions. Outcomes The Wadi development programme mobilized the tribal families to get an opportunity to build some assets in the existing subsistence living conditions.

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2.2 PROMOTING WOMEN FARMERS BY ENSURING THEIR ACCESS TO AND CONTROL OVER PRODUCTIVE RESOURCES

The present engagement of ActionAid with Cohesion is under the project “Towards Ensuring Access to Productive Resources for Marginalized Women Farmers”since 2012 in 10 villages of Chikhli Block.

Objectives • To bring forth the gender based discrimination faced by women in control

over productive resources for agriculture, in proportion to the labour she puts in agriculture

• To help and encourage women to have hold on productive resources by knowing their rights

Under the programme563 women farmers have been identified. They have been organized into a Sangathan called UjasMahilaKhedutSangathan, which is present in all 10 villages. Trainings As a part of capacity building, women of this Sangathan were given different trainings in different areas. Following are the trainings:

• 4 Leadership development trainings have been organized with the women covering gender aspects and addressing the questions through their own Capacity

• 6 Trainings organized with KVK on Sustainable Agriculture attended by 250 women withfocus on bio fertiliser and local seeds in the context of climate change

• 6 trainings conducted on women’s identity as a farmer • 6 trainings organized on schemes for tribals and women in specific. • Para legal Training was given to women for initiating land ownership

processes. • 3 trainings on Kitchen gardening organised for women – 124 women

farmers attended the training.

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Results of trainings • 23 women started vermi- compost manufacturing for use in their own

field and selling the surplus to other women farmers • A group of 12 women collectively begun farming on a leased farm and in

the first year itself demonstrated their farming ability by earning an overall profit of Rs 3000/-.

• Collective of women have met TDO to demand common land available in the villages for collective farming and there are positive signs for getting the land.

• Under “Mission Mangalam” 34 Kotwaliya women doing bamboo based work have been connected with the state. They would get loans and subsidies for procuring bamboo.

• Networking and Liaisoning with state is being effectively done – 3 shops allotted to women in PaniKhadak for selling out their products.

• 540 women have been given inputs for agriculture - Paddy - GR7 (Organic) Gujarat 7 Bamboo, IR 28 Paddy (Organic) One farmer 5 Kg And Kitchen garden kit (Chilli, Choli, Papadi, Karela, Bhindi, Dudhi, Turiya, Tomato)

• 58 Kotwaliya women farmers provided inputs for bamboo procurements Outcomes

• Strong women farmers organisation at the regional level is set up • Environment for land in the name of women farmers is established • A model of climate resilient sustainable agriculture promoted and

community is sensitized • Strong rapport built with Block Authorities and they have taken positive

steps and are willing to support • Due to exposure visits and capacity building trainings women feel

empowered with knowledge and also feel sense of solidarity. • Sarpanch and Elected representatives have showed the willingness for

capacity building on PESA • Tribal Youths themselves took training on playing drama and came

forward to make their own community aware regarding their rights

2.3 PROMOTION OF FARMER PRODUCE ORGANIZATIONS UNDER PULSES IN GUJARAT AND UNDER NVI IN CHHATTISGARH

Cohesion Foundation with the support of Small Farmers’ Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC) New Delhi and Department of Agriculture, Government of Gujarat implements the project of Promotion of Farmer Produce Organizations under pulses in 108 villages of four Districts namely Banaskantha, Kutch, Patan and Vadodara of Gujarat State.

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Objective

• To mobilize farmers in groups at the village level and build their associations (FPOs) at an appropriate federating point to plan and implement product specific cluster/commercial crop cycles.

• To strengthen farmer capacity through

agricultural best practices for enhanced productivity.

• To ensure access to and usage of quality

inputs and services for intensive agriculture enhancing cluster competitiveness.

• To facilitate access to fair and remunerative

markets including linking producer groups to marketing opportunities by market aggregators.

As a part of this project, the organization followed the process of farmers’ mobilization and group building at village level and then forming producer organizations that would have self-regulatory mechanisms. The project leads towards improvement of the status of the farmers and farm productivity in a longer term. This process helps farmers to generate sustainable livelihood. Gujarat Under this project 4000 farmers in 4 Districts have been covered to reach project benefits. Total 215 FIGs (Farmer Interest Group) have been formed, and 4 Farmer Produce Organizations (FPOs) have been registered.

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District Block Target Achievement

No.

of v

illag

es

No.

of

Fa

rmer

s

No.

of F

IGs

No.

of F

POs

No.

of

Fa

rmer

s

No.

of F

IGs

No.

of

FPO

s

Banaskantha Kankrej 1000 50 1 1000 50 1 32

Kutch Rapar 1000 50 1 1000 56 Under process

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Patan Sami and Hareej

1000 50 1 1050 52 1 22

Vadodara Nasvadi 1000 50 1 1000 57 1 30

Total 4000 200 4 4050 215 3 101

Chhattisgarh Cohesion has been given target of 3000 farmers in Chhattisgarh. It was decided by State Horticulture Mission that out of 8 identified districts in the Chhattisgarh; the focus area of initial work on promotion of vegetable. Farmer producer organization will be Dhamtari for Cohesion Foundation Trust. The three blocks were selected namely Dhamtari, Kurud and Magarlod. These areas represent the vegetable producers supplying the produce to Dhamtari and Raipur markets. We have covered 2101 farmers (136 FIGs) at Dhamtari District. For further completion of remaining target farmers, we have been allotted Bilaspur district (Takhatpur Block) on 19 -6- 2012. We covered 953 farmers (72 FIGs).

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Targets and Achievements

Name of District

Target Achievement

No.

of

Farm

ers

No

of

FIG

s

No

of

FPO

No.

of

Farm

ers

No

of

FIG

s

No

of

FPO

Dhamtari 2000 133 2 2101 136 2

Deori Cluster

1000 67 1043 66

Giroud Cluster

1000 67 1058 70

Bilaspur 1000 67 1 953 72 1

Total 3054 208 3

Outcomes

• 4 FPOs registered in Gujarat and promoted for input supply services and market linkages

• 3 FPOs registered in Chhattisgarh and promoted for input supply services and market linkages

2.4 PROMOTING LIVELIHOOD SECURITY AMNOG WOMEN FARMERS IN KUTCH AND PATAN DISTRICTS OF GUJARAT - MAHILA KISAN SASHAKTIKARAN PARIYOJANA (MKSP)

The programme focuses on food security of the targeted women farmers and to enhance their household level income and promote strong, vibrant community based institutions for improving their collective bargaining power vis-à-vis the Government and the market forces.

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Objective To empower 10000 women for their recognition as women farmers in semi-arid and fragile regions of Kutch and Patan districts of Gujarat. CFT plans to undertake a host of activities such as WFPG trainings, CRP trainings, soil health improvement, seed treatment, seed production and seed preservation, promoting organic cultivation, creating a cadre of local community service providers, promotion and strengthening of SHGs and FPOs of women farmers, capacity building of women farmers etc. The programme also focuses on women empowerment for Institution building and management, Technogocial skill up gradation to enhance organically crop production, collective way of input and output marketing. This would be done through various training programs, exposure visits, interactive workshops etc. The project therefore makes serious endeavors to reduce drudgery of women farmers so that they have time and resources for participating in mainstream decision making related to agriculture operation at household, villages, cluster and block levels. The project is positively based towards single women headed households and women with disabilities. Here we have proposed to cover 3960, women farmers from Rapar taluka and 2592, women farmers from Bhachau taluka which is total 6552, women farmers will be covered from Kutch district and 3448, women farmers will be covered from Santalpur taluka of Patan district.

2.5 PROVIDING AN EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY TO THE CHILDREN OF MIGRANT FAMILIES AND MARGINALIZED SECTIONS OF KUTCH AND PATAN DISTRICTS OF GUJARAT

Cohesion Foundation Trust has been implementing education program in the Kutch and Patan districts a hazard prone districts of Gujarat with the support of American India foundation and TATA chemicals ltd. It focuses on Quality of education, Right to Education and Seasonal Hostel

Since 2005 AIF has been binding its relation with CFT for the noble cause of providing education opportunity to vulnerable and marginalized segment of society.

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Objectives • To coverhigh migration villages over in Kutchh district • To saturate coverage for learning enrichment in each village – migrants &

other children • To create resource capacity to deliver quality learning at all levels, extend

to government schools • To mobilize communities to demand from government quality education

up to secondary level Following no of villages have been covered under this program

Cluster Name taluka and district Direct village

Indirect village

Total villages

Chitrod Bhachautaluka district Kutch 29 37 66

Adesar Rapartaluka district Kutch 21 43 64

Varahee Santalpurtaluka district patan 10 10 20

Total 60 90 150

Learning Enrichment Program (LEP) LEP is core component of education program. Under this activity standard III to IV deficit children are focused and our objective is to remove their deficits and enhance their capacity to understand their academic curriculum so we work according to Level I and II. In the month of July 2013, we have selected 28 schools where quality of education was poor. So our team went to schools, met teacher took base line test for all students, checked test papers and selected 60 students from the schools with consensus of Head masters and class teachers

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Upper primary and high school: Apart from LEP, CFT runs support classes for standard VI, VII, VIII, IX and X in our respected villages. Total 15 classes have been running, qualified and higher educated youth were selected to teach students. Computer class: Cohesion believes that youth can change society so we apparently work with the support of youth. From the starting of education program CFT has shared its responsibility with the youth soldiers. In our computer center, youth and adult take benefits likewise youth also can join hand with us in removing deficit of children of primary schools. During this span we have run two batches of computer class without fees. In the place of fees youth teach students of their street of faliyas. First batch of 30 student successfully passed computer course and in the second batch 37 students gave examination. For the preparation of taking class youth were provided training on pedagogy, simple tools of language and mathematics by senior LEP tutors. Right to education and school governance According to RTE act 2009 all children under age group of 6-14 are eligible to get free and compulsory primary education. So CFT attributes this right in favor of poor and marginalized community of 150 villages of Rapar, bhachau and santalpur blocks. We have worked with pupils to panchayat. We strengthened SMC, volunteers and panchayat members through using various tools of awareness and we have seen significant changes in lives of community during this span

Community awareness: through various meeting, house hold visits and different types of community contacts we have tried to generate awareness on Right to education. We have organized so many activities to generate awareness on RTE; we have good response from community as well as panchayat and SMC. SDP development and handing over: out of 162 schools we have developed 153 SDP with the support of SMC, PRI and volunteer. In this regard our team has

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been given training on how to make SDP by AIF team. We used tools of PRA such as house hold visit, social map, transect walk, meeting with focus group, time line and collected information from community and schools. Often team visited school and community to verify collected details and data. During annual Gram sabha meeting organized by government, we presented some SDP to the Gramsabha and handed it over to the school Head Master. In some cases SMC handed over to school principal. In few villages we felt difficulties in submitting SDP, because school also have order to make SDP by their own so in such type of case SMC requested to merge important things in their SDP Outcomes

• 60 students from the 28 schools were benefited for quality education. • 589 students of Class VI-VIII including 220 girls and 369 boys take benefits

under 9 support class same way 6 support class run standard of IX- X, 386 students including 128 girls and 258 boys took benefits.

• Total 809 students of class III- V were focused by computer youth including 347 girls.

• Schools and Panchayats have been promoted and strengthened from 150 villages of Rapar, Bhachau and Santalpur blocks.

2.6 MOTHER NGO (MNGO)

Along with interventions focusing on strengthening community based natural resource management regime as well as enhancing the livelihood opportunities of the communities the organization has been active in addressing the issues and challenges pertaining to health and sanitation. The major focus was on addressing issues related to maternal health, adolescent child and HIV/AIDS.

Objectives To improve the reproductive and child health status in the selected un-served/underserved areas of Sami and Santalpurtalukas in Patan district CFT works as Mother NGO for Patan district for Reproductive and child health. The thrust of the health programme was on enhancing the capacities of the

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community. A series of training programmes were carried out in 42 villages, where in a total of 143 women of Matru Mandal participated. The focus of the training programme was on Child care, nutrition and services of AWCs. Besides this, 756 women from the Matru Mandal also participated in the regular village level training programme. Outcomes

• People understood the importance of modern planning and started using modern family planning methods.

• 80% women became aware about sterilization, IUD copper T, oral contraceptive pills.

• 80% women received complete ANC during pregnancy. • 75% children of 12 to 24 months received completely immunization.

2.7 SAMRUDHI PROJECT

CFT has started its work in Maharashtra in partnership with John Deere Foundation and Global Communities where we implement project in 6 villages of Shirur block, Pune district. The project’s name is ‘Samrudhi’ where concentration is on entire village development. The main area of work under this project is education, health, livelihoods, agriculture, livestock management, SHG’s business group activities

Objective The focus of the project is integrated village development. Outcomes

• Local leadership of villages developed • The village coordinators are the local people from the village • 6 special classes for weaker children are running in schools • 6 Early child care centres are running • Different business groups developed for e.g. sevai making, bag making,

lodge etc.

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• Volunteer programs being organised for John Deere staff • Infrastructure of village improved. • Strong farmers groups established

2.8 MGNREGA PILOT PROJECT

CFT was selected as CSO for Patan block of Patan District .The time limit is nine months i.e. from 1-January 2014 to 30 September 2014. Objectives

• To get insights for low demand in the block ,through detailed interactions and dialogue and discussions with all the primary stakeholders

• To bring the grievances on record and help it to resolve with appropriate authority

• To facilitate the process to raise the demand of work and as a result to help reducing the migration by providing employment at local level

• To build knowledge about products and processes about MGNREGA program and enhance confidence and trust of the Gram Sabha members /Job card holders in the project and as a result reduce doubts amongst villagers about the schemes

• To help /facilitate village level Panchayat so that they make effective use of the scheme

Several round of meetings were organized by Rural development department with CSO with following agenda

• to share the status of MGNREGS in the state and need for improvement • to collect the feedback of CSO for improvements • to select CSO for respective block as facilitating agency • to draw common agenda and approach for implementation • to decide on strategy of evaluation and impact assessment • to decide on the time line and budget

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CFT was assigned to work for Patan block of Patan district. Orientation workshop for CSO supervisors/Technical person was planned on the issues of roles and responsibilities of CSOs, understanding about MGNREGA act and provisions –procedures, process of Social audit –documentation and reporting. IEC materials including posters, documentary films and messages were distributed in all 139 villages –mostly on Panchayat and community buildings like School Anaganwadi for mass education.Job card holders. During this period demand for works was generated and submitted to Gram panchayat People were encouraged to register their demand for work and necessary applications were submitted to respective block authorities Follow up was also done with block officers and assurance was received from them for early approvals

Sr Month No of villages Approached

No of workers

Demand by GP

Manday generation

1 June 43 40 By 2896 workers

2 July 54 51

3 August 42 23

During the reporting period of nine months 50533 men days were generated with the support and coordination between CFT and talukapanchatyat . In all 139 villages trainings were organized with jobcard holders and elected representatives of the village Panchayat. The focus of the training was on understanding MGNREGA schemes, present coverage in our block and our village, demand for work and process of approval, type of works: Individual program and community based programs, issues of wage payments and possible solutions, details of Block and District authorities and their roles and responsibilities, issues of new job cards, role of gram sabha in MGNREGA, and role of CFT as facilitator. Outcomes

• 2500 persons covered under this project from 139 villages • 1382 job cards were issued from 27 villages • 210 job card holders demanded for work from 9 villages

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SECTION 3 NETWORKING & ADVOCACY

CFT has strong linkages and networking with state and National level institutions. It is an active member of Network of Waste land Development, Water, Governance by Women, Women and Land Rights, Violence against Women, Natural Resource Management and Disaster Management etc. It is also in the steering committee of some of such networks. It has been working in partnership with different regional, national and international organizations like Kutch Nav Nirman Abhiyan, Unnati, Aga Khan Foundation, FWWB, Development Support Centre, Catalyst Management Services, EDI (I), BP Energy, NABARD, TATA Chemicals, Ambuja Cement Foundation, PEM Consulate Denmark, Development Associates Denmark GFA Germany etc. The Organization currently has been participating in campaigns related to Land Rights for Women &Tribal Community, Rights of Migrant Communities such as salt workers, forest rights, RTI, right to education etc. Cohesion was selected a LEAD AREA RESOURCE AGENCY (LARA) in Chhattisgarh by SFAC. Cohesion also works as a consortium along with AKRSP (I), DSC, GIDR and applies for different projects. Cohesion is active member of Working Group of Women and Land Ownership (WGWLO) and Farmer’s network called ‘SajjataSangh’. Cohesion is also part of water network ‘Pravah’ and national level network Wada naTodoAbhiyan. It is also part of Kutch NavNirmanAbhiyan, and Namac.

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SECTION 4 SUPPORT, RESEARCH AND ADVOCACY ROLES- AN OVERVIEW For support functions Cohesion works in other states besides Gujarat such as Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Orrisa, Chattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Bihar and Jharkhand. COHESION has rich and in depth experience of project management, support and implementation. It has been covering sectors like, Livelihood security (livelihood promotion), Education, Health (especially Reproductive & Sexual Health), Natural Resource Development, Child Right Issues and other facets of Rural Development and Urban Poverty Alleviation and Infrastructure Development. Different Assignments carried out in the year 2013-14: Rapid Baseline Study Rapid Baseline Study assigned by GIZ was conducted on Gram Panchayat Level for the Project: Envitonmental Benefits of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Act (MGNREGA – EB) in Nari and Parkhanda villages of Dhamtari District of Chhattisgarh Study on scope of livelihoods for people with disability and other disadvantaged groups Market Analysis and Mapping Suitable Livelihood Trades/Activities for People with Disability and Other Disadvantaged Groups A study planned by Handicap International on Market Analysis and Mapping Suitable Livelihood Trades/Activities for People with Disability and Other Disadvantaged Groups was done by Cohesion Foundation in Koraput District of Odisha State and Dantewada District of Chhattisgarh State TeamBuilding Training Cohesion for the project staff of Handicap International in Chhattisgarh developed module on team building and delivered the training to the staff on team building. Baseline Survey on Drinking Water, Health, Sanitation and Education A baseline survey assigned by Indian Oil Corporation Ltd was conducted by Cohesion Foundation in 12 villages of Ahmedabad, Surendranagar and Kheda Districts of Gujarat and Ratlam and Jambuva Districts of Madhya Pradesh. The focus of the survey was on providing clean drinking water, health and sanitation and education.

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Development Priorities and Status of Local CSOs – Chhattisgarh: This study highlights analysis of GO and NGO partnership environment in Chhattisgarh. To understand the ground situation and prepare long term strategic plan for involvement in the State, Cohesion realised that there is a need to understand the development trends and role of civil societies in a systematic manner. For that Cohesion approached the author to conduct a study of ChhattisgarhState with following objective: –

• Identify development priorities of the State and trends in addressing these priorities by the State.

• To identify current needs of NGOs in Chhattisgarh and identify support they would like to have from a Resource Agency.

• Suggestions on potential area and approach for initiation of the interventions as a resource agency.

We conducted this study and identified the current needs of local CSOs in Chhattisgarh.

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SECTION 5 SUPPORT IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT

CFT has an experience of strong management skill. As soon as the project is starts to be implemented, different kind of monitoring mechanisms are used to do strong management of the work. There are platforms of monthly review meetings and MIS formats for reporting. At the Head office level there is PIU (Planning Implementation Unit) meeting every month where the Area Managers present the monthly progress of work. In that meeting support to be given from senior programme staff is also decided. CFT has its own organizational strategy which is taken as a base. It also has its HR manual for systemizing the human resources. The HR Manual was revised 2012-13. There are new developments in the sectors and accordingly the HR Policy of Cohesion was revised. Presently the organization is having 84 permanent as well as contract based professional staff. Specific committees are established in the organization such as:

1. Anti-Sexual Harassment Committee (Ash committee) 2. Child Protection Committee (Child Protection Policy)

These committees look after the Sexual Harassment issues and Child protection as major focus of Cohesion’s work is with Children and Women.

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SECTION 6 AWARD OF RECOGNITION RECEIVED

• South Asia 2014 The E-NGO Challenge Award – Certification of Recognition as Best NGO Practices using ICT

• 2nd prize for Sitaram Rao Livelihoods India Competition 2014

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