‘First, feel from the heart …are you seized with that one idea of the misery of ruin and have you forgotten all about your name, your fame … found any way out, any practical solution…?’

In your quarter there are lots of poor people sunk in degradation and misery. You will have to go to them and serve them with your zeal and enthusiasm. Arrange to distribute medicines to those who are sick, and nurse them with all care, supply food to him who is starving, teach with as much as lies in you the ignorant, and if you begin to serve your brethren in this wise, I tell you, my child, you will surely get peace and consolation.‘
– Swami Vivekananda

 

Background

In the latter part of 2019, it was felt that an outreach program is required in the deep pockets of the tribal region in the surrounding areas outside the limits of Mumbai. This inference was drawn after the situation of tribals, particularly women, in those tribal pockets was compared with the situation of women in Mumbai region.

As we prepared to make some inroads towards this activity, Covid struck, and all preparations were halted.

As per divine wish, immediately after the first wave of Covid, we got an opportunity to distribute kits comprising nutritious and hygiene products to one of the villages, named Shiroshi, under Jawhar taluka of Dist. Palghar. Soon after the distribution, we carried out a deep-dive study to find out the root causes that were disempowering women in this tribal region. Based on the study, activities for women’s empowerment were taken up for execution.

In most of the villages that were identified for the drinking water project, it was observed that young girls in the village abstain from going to school. This was because they had to fetch water from distant locations, most often accompanying their mothers. It was further observed that apart from living in unhygienic and unhealthy conditions, they were also deprived of their education. By creating safe drinking water facilities, the entire village population benefitted, but the women, who had to fetch water from a distance of 1 to 1.5 km, gained the most.

CONSTRUCTION OF NEW WELL
Village	Gram-Panchayat	Taluka	Beneficiaries
Dahavadpada	Daskod-Morchapada Gram Panchayat	Jawhar	130
Shiroshi	Shiroshi Group Gram Panchayat	Jawhar	559
Mhasepada	Khuded Gram Panchayat	Vikramgad	290
Vangadpada	Dabhlon Gram Panchayat	Jawhar	280

 

SOLAR-BASED DRINKING WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM
Village	Gram-Panchayat	Taluka	Beneficiaries
Dahvadpada	Daskod-Morchapada Gram Panchayat	Jawhar	130
Kalmvihira	Shiroshi Group Gram Panchayat	Jawhar	504
Shiroshi	Shiroshi Group Gram Panchayat	Jawhar	559
Borsepada	Khuded Gram Panchayat	Vikramgad	375
Mhasepada	Khuded Gram Panchayat	Vikramgad	290
Vangadpada	Dabhlon Gram Panchayat	Jawhar	280

01. Need

Unhealthy living conditions and malnutrition are the reasons for many weak or sick people in the villages. Many of the diseases remain untreated due to the lack of health facilities and affordability by villagers. Most Public Health Centres are located far away from these villages. Medical Camps in the villages, provide the villagers, especially the women, a platform to discuss their health issues, and they also undergo the required treatment.

02. Treatment

After the Medical Camps, the identified patients requiring further treatment are brought to Ramakrishna Mission Hospital at Khar and treated according to their needs. Cataract patients are very common in these villages and a large number of these patients have benefitted.

A child who had lost his vision due to an injury was brought to Ramakrishna Mission Hospital at Khar. He was operated on in an eye hospital and gradually he regained his vision. A five-year-old child had a deformity in his feet due to which he was not able to stand and walk. Prolonged treatment in Ramakrishna Mission Hospital at Khar has helped the child to start standing on his feet and the doctors hope that he would gradually walk like any normal child.

03. Multi-speciality Health Camps

Special camps are conducted for skin diseases, eye checkup and regular cataract operations. Patients are provided free spectacles in eye camps.

 

MULTI-SPECIALITY HEALTH CAMP
Village	Gram-Panchayat	Taluka	Beneficiaries
Belpada	Botoshi Pathardi Gram Panchayat	Mokhada	150
Ramkhind	Pathardi Group Gram Panchayat	Jawhar	214
Dahavadpada	Daskod-Morchapada Gram Panchayat	Jawhar
Shiroshi & Kalamvihira (all hamlets)	Shiroshi Group Gram Panchayat	Jawhar	429
Kalamvihira	Shiroshi Group Gram Panchayat	Jawhar	195
Borsepada	Khuded Gram Panchayat	Vikramgad	135
ZAAP	Zaap Group-Gram Panchayat	Jawhar	193

Thus, the entire community is getting benefitted from the ‘Holy Mother Welfare Program’.

The farmers in this region produce rice or millet, which is not sufficient for their livelihood. To meet their living, they are compelled to migrate to mofussil or urban areas. Migrancy, unhygienic, and improper food often lead them to a state of mental depression. Many of these poverty-stricken women, expressed their eagerness to develop their skill sets in tailoring to generate some earnings to support their families.

A tailoring school by the name of “Maa Sarada Shivankam Prashikshan Kendra” was therefore started, and a professional trainer was entrusted to impart the training. The training centre is available round-the-clock so that the trainees can adjust their time according to their household or farm work. As the trainees are extremely sincere, we have been able to create trainers for our subsequent centres from our previous batch of trainees. The women have made this a profession, whereby they earn reasonably well and contribute to their families.

 

MAA SARADA SHIVANKAM PRASHIKSHAN KENDRA (Tailoring School For Women)
Village	Gram-Panchayat	Taluka	Beneficiaries
Borsepada	Khuded Gram Panchayat	Vikramgad	26
Mhasepada	Khuded Gram Panchayat	Vikramgad	25
Shiroshi Pada	Shiroshi Group Gram Panchayat	Jawhar	45
Talyachapada	Shiroshi Group Gram Panchayat	Jawhar	26

 

• After carrying out an extensive survey at Jawhar & Vikramgad Taluka and subsequently identified a few hamlets for undertaking a long-term welfare program. It is the finding that the primary concern of the village is malnourishment, particularly in the women and hence the children also. The project envisaged a thorough health monitoring system that would enable them to create Hygiene in the family.The Nutrition Support project has provided the villagers quality food. The Household Kit comprising of Pulses, Food Grains, Soap, Toothpaste, Milk Powder, Washing Powder, Biscuits, Plastic Mugs/buckets, Sanitary Pads, Saris etc. are being distributed to the villagers to strengthen the health system including preventing care to fight malnourishment and lead a quality life.

 

KIT DISTRIBUTION
Village	Gram-Panchayat	Taluka	Beneficiaries
Shiroshi	Shiroshi Group-Gram Panchayat	Jawhar	2180
Katkaripada	Shiroshi Group-Gram Panchayat
Talyachapada	Shiroshi Group-Gram Panchayat
Kalamvihira	Shiroshi Group-Gram Panchayat
Dahvadpada (with blanket & saree)	Daskod-Morchapada	Jawhar	60

The Value Education Program for children helps them develop a level of confidence in themselves and build their character strength. Through a systematic study of role models like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Swami Vivekananda, children learn how to develop their own personalities in the light of an ideal. The Value Education Program is conducted using story-based learning toolkits developed by specialists.

We also propose to start a similar program on the life and teachings of the Holy Mother for the women of the village. It has been observed that it is the mothers who need to be strengthened in values, as the strength of the mother will impact the overall strength of the family.

 

VALUE EDUCATION PROGRAMME (For Children)
Village	Gram-Panchayat	Taluka	Beneficiaries
Zilla Parishad Schools under Village Kalamvihira and Shiroshi	Shiroshi Group Gram Panchayat	Jawhar	72