Background and Context

In the starting period of supporting Sheeba Sudharsanan’s family she was lived with her husband and two children. They were very poor. Husband was a seasonal wage laborer. He gets job very rarely, may be once in a week. Her mother suffered a lot from Asthma and Blood pleasure. Children were studying in 3^rd and 1^st standards. They lived in a house thatched hut. During rainy season the rain water falls in side the house. Hence the situation of the family during rainy season was so miserable.

Problem and Explanations

The main problems they faced were unemployment and sickness.

As we told early the husband was seasonal job worker he doesn’t had any regular or permanent job. Hence the family was depended on Husband alone. The family suffered a lot in the beginning. At the same time her mother was chronicle sick person. She was bedridden for a period of time it made the family to fall in the debit.

Activities done

Here comes the entrance SAFP through the activities of Diocesan Social Service Societies. Once the family became member of the Sangam belong to the DSSS, they had a lot opportunities to participate in number of Training, like Income generation Training programme, leadership training proramme and other many activities. Slowly they were selected to the Family Development Programme (FDP) by the authorities. The trainings given in this programme gave them courage to take loan and proceed with self employment. Through the funding help from FDP she started Screw pine Mat Weaving.

Methodologies /approaches   adopted

In order to over come the isolation of the family the family regularly taken to the Sangam Programmes. The needs of the family accepted by the society. The sangam gives help for the family for the self employed works.

Community Participation

Once she began to earn money by her own work she has acceptable in the society. It gives her courage and desire to participate in the community programmes. By constant participation in the community programmes changed her life situations.

Empowerment process   undertaken

We have given the   following trainings for the empowerment process of this particular family Training on Income generation Programmes.

Training on leadership quality.

Motivation classes

EDP trainings

Couching classes.  

Sustainability dimension

Now her condition is better from her old life situations. Earlier she earned 25 rupees for one mat. Now she gets 100 rupees in day. Almost 1 to 2mats made by her in day. Selling these mats in the local market she could sell her products every day.

Others

Now her husband gets works regularly and their life situation improved far better.

Extent of success

Life situation is changed from her old life. She can earn almost 100 to 200 rupees in day. For selling the mats her sangam gives help. The SHG takes the mats from her and sell it in the local market. There is no role of middle men in this work. Hence, her life situation and social status rose from the past.

Level of community participation

Once she started earn a good amount of income from her work. Her social status changed. She started to feel some kind of rights in the society. It gives her courage to face all the challenges in the community.

Social capital mobilization

She has good relation with a lot family in the society. She gets knowledge about her works and other activities from the society.

Local resource mobilization

She earns good amount of money from her IGP activity namely Screw pine Mat weaving. Since this Screwpine plants are very eco-friendly, she cultivate it at her compound itself. Screwpine mat weaving is traditional work of the local people. Hence she gets a lot of fresh knowledge from the local.

Output, outcome and impact level   results

As she is the member of Self Help Groups belong to the DSSS. The authority has given different innovative training to the family. By participating in these trainings she earned how to utilize the local resource and traditional Mat weaving work. Now by the constant try and hardwork she became expert in the field of mat weaving. She can earn more than 150 rupees every day. It has made tremendous changes in her life situation. She received a social acceptance from the Society.

Replication potential

Innovations and Technology   Development

In the Screwpine mat weaving some kind scientific mechanization came up. The sangams are getting this kind training. The main benefit of this training is the quality of products is increasing and consuming

Changes

The regular participations in the trainings made changes in her life. Her first income was 20-25 in day but through constant training and her own hard work she could earn more than 150 rupees per day. By the support of the her benefactors in other states and local loans she could build a good house. Now her husband goes for job regularly. Now there are remarkable changes in her personal and social life. She gets a good acceptance in the society as she start to earn money by her own work.

Sustainability

The remarkable changes in the society help a lot in her works also. The screwpine mat weaving is traditional work of the people. Earlier the people were getting a good income from this traditional job. But the coming of middle men and Plastic mats destroyed their life. The middle person in the business corrupted a big amount from the artisan. Artisan were get only 20 -25 rupees in a day. The entrance of the plastic mat damaged the local market of the natural fibre mats. But now the awareness in the society that plastic gives a strong damage to the environment motivated the people to avoid the use of plastic. By the help of different agencies the eco-friendly products which are very suitable for the environment promoted by the people. So these eco-friendly products making out of these screwpine mats and other natural fibre materials. As the eco-friendly products will be the alternative for the plastic in the coming era it is sure that her work will be benefited in the future too. As regarding the availability of raw-materials she have already started cultivation in her compound it self.

Gender and Environmental   assessment

Background and Context

During the selection period of this particular family of Mrs. Shaila Babukuttan Venmalassery was very poor and struggling to find daily wages. Her family consists of her husband and two children. Her husband Mr. Babukuttan was a daily wage labourer. He doesn’t have regularly work. Among their two children the boy child named Vishnu was mentally retarded person. He alone needs more than 150 rupees per week for medicine. Thus they were in a great difficulty. Moreover they have no house. They lived in a thatched house. The family was depending upon the wages of the father alone.

So their life was so miserable.

Problem and Explanations

• The main problems they faced were unemployment, sickness (mentally retarded) and debt.
• Since the father has no regular work, the family was suffering from the severe poverty.
• Secondly the family was totally disappointed with the sickness of their only boy child.

Activities done

 As she was one of the member of SHG at her local place, they began to help her. They asked her to attend the counseling programmes conducted by DSSS authority. She became a regular participant in the training programmes. Through different trainings and awareness class she acquired some kind of mental strength to face all the challenges. She was selected by the DSSS for receiving support from FDP. The trainings given in this programme gave them courage to take the money for self employment. Through the funding help from FDP she started Goat raring at home.

Methodologies /approaches   adopted

In order to triumph over the loneliness from the social order the family was repeatedly taken to the Sangam Programmes. The requirements of the family were accepted by the society. The sangam gives help for the family for the self-employed works. The social workers and animal husbandry specialist gave training to these kinds of people.  

Community Participation

Once she began to earn money by her own work she was accepted in the society. It gives her courage and desire to participate in the community programmes. The constant participation in the community programmes changed her life situations from the past.

Empowerment process   undertaken

1. vWe have given the following trainings for the empowerment process of this particular family:-
2. Training on Income generation Programmes.
3. Training on leadership quality.
4. Motivation classes
5. EDP trainings
6. Couching classes for animal husbandry

Sustainability dimension

Now her condition is better from her old life situations. Once she bought these goats, there were a lot of people to accuse her activity. But she stood with determined determination. Now she earns more than 2000 t0 2500 rupees per month. In order to feed this animal she needs only locally available resources like, Jackfruit trees leaves and other things.

Others

Now her husband gets works regularly and their life situation improved far better.

Extent of success

Through successful goat raring her life situation is changed. She earns 2000 to 2500 per month. But in the beginning of this project she was just zero in the earnings.

Level of community participation

Once she started earn a good amount of income from her goat raring. Her social status changed. She started to feel some kind of rights in the society. It gives her courage to face all the challenges in the community.

Social capital mobilization

She has good relationship with every family nearby. She gets the concern and affection of the neighboring families.

Local resource mobilization

The feed of the goat she founds from the Nature itself. Jackfruit trees leaves and Kanji water she gave to the Goats. The whole day she leave her goats to eat grass from the land.

Output, outcome and impact level   results

As she is the member of Self Help Groups belong to the DSSS. The authority has given different innovative training to the family. By participating in these trainings she earned how to utilize the local resource for her goat raring IGP programme. Now by the constant try and hard work she gets a good income from this activity. She can earn more than 3000 to 3500 rupees in a month. It has made tremendous changes in her life situation. She received a social acceptance from the Society.

Replication potential

Innovations and Technology   Development

 In the field of goat raring new scientific medicine natural caring methods were adopted.

Changes

The regular participations in the training programmes and other activities made changes in her life. Her first income was Nil in day but through constant training and her own hard work she could earn more than 2500-300 rupees per Month. By the support of the benefactors in other states and local loan from the Bank helped her to improve her goat raring and build new house. Now her husband goes for job regularly. Now there are remarkable changes in her personal and social life. She gets a good acceptance in the society as she start to earn money by her own work.

Sustainability

Now she gets a good income from her own work. She gets a good support and help from other family members too. For the future support and goat

Gender and Environmental   assessment