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GRAMA SROTHAS

NOTE ON GRAMA SROTHAS PERSPECTIVE PLAN OF THE ORGANIZATION FOR

THE COMING FIVE YEARS STARTING FROM 2012 TO 2017 WITH A FOCAL

THEME ON INCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT WITH SOCIAL JUSTICE

1. INTRODUCTION

Malankara Social Service Society celebrates Golden Jubilee Year in 2011 with a

focal theme of Social Equity and Sustainable development with diverse Srothas

Projects to enhance the capacities of marginalized and weaker sections socially –

economically and politically empowered keeping environmental sustainability. The

organization has molded the development approach with a view to the holistic

involvement of all sectoral growth and development in an inclusive manner with

social justice. In order to continue the development activities evolved during the

Jubilee Year, we have framed a mission based mode of operation called “SROTHAS

DEVELOPMENT MISSION” for the coming five years. The basic idea is to

converge the entire srothas projects in rural settings for increased socio-economic

development called Grama Srothas .

2. OBJECTIVES

The following are the objectives of the GRAMA SROTHAS of Malankara Social

Service Society

To enhance the capacities of communities and organizations to undertake

holistic and inclusive development projects in rural context.

To keep gender mainstreaming in all development planning and

implementation

To converge all the fifty srothas projects in a village base mode

To develop partnerships and networking with agencies and organizations in all

levels

To monitor and evaluate the development process in a time bound manner.

To conduct action research and document all processes and outcomes of

development works.

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2011 was the golden jubilee year of Malankara Social Service Society and we have 2011 was the golden jubilee year of Malankara Social Service Society and we have 2011 was the golden jubilee year of Malankara Social Service Society and we have 2011 was the golden jubilee year of Malankara Social Service Society and we have

observed the year as the year of SOCIAL EQUIobserved the year as the year of SOCIAL EQUIobserved the year as the year of SOCIAL EQUIobserved the year as the year of SOCIAL EQUITY AND SUSTAINABLE TY AND SUSTAINABLE TY AND SUSTAINABLE TY AND SUSTAINABLE

DEVELOPMENT and implemented 50DEVELOPMENT and implemented 50DEVELOPMENT and implemented 50DEVELOPMENT and implemented 50 SROTHAS projects as follows:SROTHAS projects as follows:SROTHAS projects as follows:SROTHAS projects as follows: 1.1.1.1.SANGHA SROTHAS SANGHA SROTHAS SANGHA SROTHAS SANGHA SROTHAS ---- SROTHAS CENTRE FOR SHG AND NGO MANAGEMENT, 2.2.2.2.VIBHAVA VIBHAVA VIBHAVA VIBHAVA

SROTHASSROTHASSROTHASSROTHAS - a community based program for the mobilization of funds and faculties for the

development programs, 3.3.3.3.SAKTHI SROTHASSAKTHI SROTHASSAKTHI SROTHASSAKTHI SROTHAS - a Community Based rehabilitation program,

4444.AROGYA SROTHASAROGYA SROTHASAROGYA SROTHASAROGYA SROTHAS - a health action program, 5.5.5.5.POSHAKA SROTHASPOSHAKA SROTHASPOSHAKA SROTHASPOSHAKA SROTHAS - a nutrition

improvement program, 6.6.6.6.VANITHA SROTHASVANITHA SROTHASVANITHA SROTHASVANITHA SROTHAS - an integrated women development program,

7.7.7.7.SURAKSHA SROTHASSURAKSHA SROTHASSURAKSHA SROTHASSURAKSHA SROTHAS -a community based vigilance program for the protection and

empowerment of women and children, 8.8.8.8.BHAVANA SROTHASBHAVANA SROTHASBHAVANA SROTHASBHAVANA SROTHAS - a community driven housing

programme for the homeless, 9.9.9.9.KUDUMBA SROTHASKUDUMBA SROTHASKUDUMBA SROTHASKUDUMBA SROTHAS - a family development programme,

10.10.10.10.BALA SROTHASBALA SROTHASBALA SROTHASBALA SROTHAS - a child development programmes, 11.11.11.11.SUKRUTHA SROTHASSUKRUTHA SROTHASSUKRUTHA SROTHASSUKRUTHA SROTHAS----s a community

driven project to provide mid day meals to the poor and needy sick persons in the hospitals,

12.12.12.12.ABHAYA SROTHASABHAYA SROTHASABHAYA SROTHASABHAYA SROTHAS---- a program for integrated development of the senior citizens, 13.13.13.13.YUVA YUVA YUVA YUVA

SROTHASSROTHASSROTHASSROTHAS - an integrated program for the development of youth and adolescents, 14.14.14.14.VANA VANA VANA VANA

SROTHASSROTHASSROTHASSROTHAS - a tribal development programme and the initiatives for the afforestation, 15.15.15.15.JEEVAN JEEVAN JEEVAN JEEVAN

SROTHASSROTHASSROTHASSROTHAS - a community based micro insurance program for the marginalized and downtrodden

in the society, 16.16.16.16.SRO FESRO FESRO FESRO FED CREDITD CREDITD CREDITD CREDIT -program for village level Banking mechanism,

17.17.17.17.SAMRAMBAKA SROTHASSAMRAMBAKA SROTHASSAMRAMBAKA SROTHASSAMRAMBAKA SROTHAS----aaaa program for sustainable enterprise development , 18.18.18.18.JEEVANA JEEVANA JEEVANA JEEVANA

SROTHASSROTHASSROTHASSROTHAS - a cluster development initiative, 19.19.19.19.SROTHAS MARTSROTHAS MARTSROTHAS MARTSROTHAS MART -a marketing net work of rural

marts and marketing centers, 20.20.20.20.SROTHAS DESTINATIONSROTHAS DESTINATIONSROTHAS DESTINATIONSROTHAS DESTINATION - a community based rural tourism

development program, 21.21.21.21.SROTHAS TEXSROTHAS TEXSROTHAS TEXSROTHAS TEX---- a community based natural fiber processing program,

22.22.22.22.SROTHAS CRAFTSSROTHAS CRAFTSSROTHAS CRAFTSSROTHAS CRAFTS - an integrated handicrafts development program, 23.23.23.23.SROTHAS ARTSSROTHAS ARTSSROTHAS ARTSSROTHAS ARTS -a

program to develop a group of artists and children in communication arts, 24.24.24.24.VIDYA SROTHASVIDYA SROTHASVIDYA SROTHASVIDYA SROTHAS -

a community based quality educational program, 25.25.25.25.PRAKASHA SROTHASPRAKASHA SROTHASPRAKASHA SROTHASPRAKASHA SROTHAS - a educational

support program,26262626.KARSHAKA SROTHASKARSHAKA SROTHASKARSHAKA SROTHASKARSHAKA SROTHAS - a program for the integrated development of farm

and allied sector, 27.27.27.27.PRAKRITHI SROTHASPRAKRITHI SROTHASPRAKRITHI SROTHASPRAKRITHI SROTHAS---- a community based natural and organic farming

programe, 28.28.28.28.BHAKSHYA SROTHASBHAKSHYA SROTHASBHAKSHYA SROTHASBHAKSHYA SROTHAS -a community based food security program, 29.29.29.29.HORTI HORTI HORTI HORTI

SROTHASSROTHASSROTHASSROTHAS - a community based horticulture development programme, 30.30.30.30.OUSHADA SASYA OUSHADA SASYA OUSHADA SASYA OUSHADA SASYA

SROTHASSROTHASSROTHASSROTHAS -a program for the development of medicinal plants at the community level ,

31.31.31.31.PUSHPA SROTHASPUSHPA SROTHASPUSHPA SROTHASPUSHPA SROTHAS - a community based floriculture development program, 32.32.32.32.MADHU MADHU MADHU MADHU

SROTHASSROTHASSROTHASSROTHAS - a program for the increased production of honey, 33.33.33.33.JEEVA SROTHASJEEVA SROTHASJEEVA SROTHASJEEVA SROTHAS - a community

based livestock development program, 34.34.34.34.POULTRY SROTHASPOULTRY SROTHASPOULTRY SROTHASPOULTRY SROTHAS---- a community driven program .to

increase the poultry development, 35.35.35.35.KSHEERA SROTHASKSHEERA SROTHASKSHEERA SROTHASKSHEERA SROTHAS - a program for the development of

mini diary ventures at the community level, 36.36.36.36.MALSYA SROTHASMALSYA SROTHASMALSYA SROTHASMALSYA SROTHAS - an integrated inland fishing

development program, 37.37.37.37.SROTHAS TECHSROTHAS TECHSROTHAS TECHSROTHAS TECH is a technology driven program to introduce

appropriate technologies and services, 38.38.38.38.OORJA SROTHAS a OORJA SROTHAS a OORJA SROTHAS a OORJA SROTHAS a program for the increased energy

management and development , 39.39.39.39.AKSHAYA SROTHASAKSHAYA SROTHASAKSHAYA SROTHASAKSHAYA SROTHAS - a computer literacy program, 40.40.40.40.JANA JANA JANA JANA

SRSRSRSROTHASOTHASOTHASOTHAS is a community based voluntary action programme for good governance ,41414141.VIKASANA VIKASANA VIKASANA VIKASANA

SROTHASSROTHASSROTHASSROTHAS - a leadership development programme , 42.42.42.42.NIYAMA SROTHASNIYAMA SROTHASNIYAMA SROTHASNIYAMA SROTHAS -a program for

creating awareness on legal rights, 43.43.43.43.HARITHA SROTHASHARITHA SROTHASHARITHA SROTHASHARITHA SROTHAS - a community based micro watershed

development program, 44.44.44.44.SASYA SROTHASSASYA SROTHASSASYA SROTHASSASYA SROTHAS - a community based natural resource management

program, 45.45.45.45.JAGRATHA SROTHASJAGRATHA SROTHASJAGRATHA SROTHASJAGRATHA SROTHAS - a community based disaster management program, 46.46.46.46.JALA JALA JALA JALA

SROTHASSROTHASSROTHASSROTHAS - a community based water conservation and management program, 47.47.47.47.SUCHITWASUCHITWASUCHITWASUCHITWA

SROTHASSROTHASSROTHASSROTHAS - a community based solid waste management program, 48.48.48.48.BAMBOO SROTHASBAMBOO SROTHASBAMBOO SROTHASBAMBOO SROTHAS a

program for the integrated bamboo development , 49.49.49.49.MADHYAMA SROTHASMADHYAMA SROTHASMADHYAMA SROTHASMADHYAMA SROTHAS a program to

enhance the capacity of community development writers , 50.50.50.50.VIGYANA SROTHASVIGYANA SROTHASVIGYANA SROTHASVIGYANA SROTHAS---- a knowledge

development programme for the dissemination of advanced knowledges,skills , techniques and

technologies for the rural community.

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GRAMASROTHASGRAMASROTHASGRAMASROTHASGRAMASROTHAS----IS THE CONVERGENCE OF SROTHAS PROJECTS IS THE CONVERGENCE OF SROTHAS PROJECTS IS THE CONVERGENCE OF SROTHAS PROJECTS IS THE CONVERGENCE OF SROTHAS PROJECTS

AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SROTHAS DEVELOPMENT AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SROTHAS DEVELOPMENT AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SROTHAS DEVELOPMENT AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SROTHAS DEVELOPMENT

MISSION IN A VILLAGE BASED MODEMISSION IN A VILLAGE BASED MODEMISSION IN A VILLAGE BASED MODEMISSION IN A VILLAGE BASED MODE AND IN THE WARD OF A AND IN THE WARD OF A AND IN THE WARD OF A AND IN THE WARD OF A

PANCHAYATH PANCHAYATH PANCHAYATH PANCHAYATH

No 1 to 50 denotes the Srothas projects and X the ward in a panchayath

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Grama Srothas is the Rural Community Empowerment as Central to

Development Programming with Social Justice

Development is often defined as the ability of individuals, families and communities to make informed choices. In other words development work should ideally revolve around empowering communities with adequate knowledge and skills

to take the right decisions regarding their lives and living. Thus its imperative

that all development programming, be it related to

social,economic,political,environmental, health, nutrition, education, water,

sanitation and for that matter any sector should have a strong component of

working with communities to create in them the adequate knowledge and skills to

ensure that individuals, families and communities take informed decisions.

Grama Srothas is the convergence of development programming with a Rights Based Approach with following four core principles

1. Partnership, Alliances, Networks: A multi-stakeholder partnership with government playing a central role is critical for best results. This approach

envisages the coming together of the government and various components of

civil society including communities to ensure effective implementation of

programmes.

2. Integrated/Holistic/Inclusive Approach: The Rights Based Approach discourages vertical programming and strongly recommends an integrated

approach to programming for best results. 3. Community Participation: A human rights approach requires participation

and empowerment of children, parents and families living in poverty as explicit objectives of the programme. It’s not enough to view community participation as a means to achieving programme objectives.

4. Sustainability: Any project or programme that is initiated should be sustainable and not remain as a onetime intervention. In other words all

programming should be based on the principle of sustainability. The Rights based approach emphasizes more on ‘how’ we carry out programme activities and less on ‘what’ activities we undertake. It is the ‘how’ of programming that really empowers communities while the ‘what’ could actually make communities

dependent if the how is not aligned to the human rights programming principles.

With the 73rd and 74th amendments of the constitution, decentralised community managed programming has become the paradigm in development programming in

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India. All new national programmes - Reproductive and Child Health (NRHM), the

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, the Sector Reforms/Total Sanitation campaign, the

Sampoorna Grameen Swarojgar Yojana, the Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rojgar Yojana,

the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, the Backward Region

Development Fund and many others – are all based on this new paradigm of

decentralization ensuring the active participation of communities, especially that

of women and other vulnerable groups, in planning, implementing and monitoring

programmes. This represents a distinct shift from counting people to counting on people. These programmes fully reflect the basic principles of the Human Rights Approach to Programming with a strong focus on community participation,

convergence of services, greater alliances and partnerships and most of all

sustainability of programming activities.

This paradigm shift, however, is yet to get fully reflected in the programming

processes across sectors where the focus is still largely on improving service

delivery. Some sectors are making efforts to move towards the new approach

while others are far behind. While most of us in the development sector are conscious of the changes in the core strategies and appreciate the need for this change, we are yet to develop viable models that could lead to decentralized community managed sustainable programming. Working with

communities is staff and time intensive and requires a strong understanding of

community empowerment process besides professional knowledge and skills in the

programming area.

The government workers are often too busy in their routine tasks of delivering

services and are unable to provide the kind of time and efforts that community

empowerment work demands. This is where partnerships among the government,

NGOs and professional agencies could play a critical role. While the NGOs could

contribute towards community mobilization and awareness creation leading to

community action, the government officials and functionaries could come in with

their professional inputs and services thus building strong partnerships between

communities, CBOs/NGOs and government systems thereby enhancing both the

demand and effectiveness of programmes. The major focus in the entire programme is to impress upon the community that they, together with government functionaries and the panchayaths, could make a major difference to their lives through individual and collective action. The focus of community exercise involves the use of tools drawn from the participatory learning and action approach and helps communities to understand the ‘whys, whats and hows’ of issues that are challenging them. An immediate outcome is an increased demand and

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compliance for services and a new partnership between communities and service

providers. Communities are helped to monitor key indicators that reflect the

quality of their lives. The Grama Srothas volunteers at ward village level that

emerge from this project provide a permanent platform for continuous and

sustained programming within these communities.

Some Key Features of Grama Srothas Project:

1. Converting government goals into community norms: One of the prime causes

for not achieving the national development goals is that communities do not as

yet see them as their goals and therefore is not pro-active in realizing them.

2. Laying the foundation for inclusive as well as holistic programming: Srothas

Projects is primarily centered on the marginalized and downtrodden in the

society such as women, children, adolescents, youth, BP families, health

affected, small farmers, traditional workers, migrant workers, artisans,

scheduled castes and tribes. Being non-controversial and a concern of all, this

approach helps to bring all sections of communities together. The process of

inclusive convergent programming begins around these sectors in a community

and once communities are mobilized more complex developmental issues like

livelihood, water management etc could be taken up. This approach also helps

various government departments to come together with better coordination and

convergence of services.

3. Strong Partnership among Communities, Government, PRIs,CSRs,Financial

Institutions and NGOs: The Grama Srothas Convergent Planning approach is

based on a partnership model where right from the first attempt is towards

creating a strong partnership between communities, panchayath members,

government functionaries and the participating NGOs. This leads to a healthy

mutually dependent partnership among the various development players and

partners that hugely helps effective implementation and sustainability of

programmes.

4. Creation of community networks – voluntary organizations, youth, women,

adolescents, SHGs, Village committees: The strategy if fully focused on

creating strong community based organizations like the youth and adolescent

groups and the self help groups as well as ensuring that the various village level

committees has the right representation and are empowered to function

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effectively in the interest of the community. Joint monitoring systems are also

established in this process.

5. Promoting volunteerism and Leadership among youth: The central paradigm in

the approach is to foster volunteerism and leadership among village/slum youth

and women. The volunteers and their peers have a very high level of

commitment and have been working without any payments/honorarium and have

been contributing significantly to the development of their communities.

6. Continuous upgrading of knowledge and skills of community networks and

Govt. functionaries: Various training programmes are run for both the

community representatives and the government functionaries and officials to

help improve their knowledge and skills.

7. Better Coordination and Convergence among sectors: Task forces established

at the village and panchayath levels help bring sectors together for joint

programming. Participation of the other NGOs and community representatives

make these effective. Cluster level joint review meeting between functionaries

and community representatives also help bring the field realities into actual

programming.

8. Improved Monitoring systems: A joint monitoring system at the village level

will help to build strong partnerships. Coverage levels under most programmes

will have the chance of significant jumps. A participatory multi-stake holder

assessment process three months led by the Director and project team of

Malankara Social Service Society will be further strengthening the monitoring

system. A web based, SPSS compatible data base will be piloted which has the

potential of tracking every development activities and the geographical-social

and economic details in the villages.

9. Facilitating Effective Response Planning: With the evolution of a strong

community structure that is proactive in supporting programming across sectors

the need for realigning programming strategies and activities to the new

opportunities becomes imperative. All the flagship programmes like SSA,

NRHM, TSC, Swajaldhara, ICDS, NREGS, BRGF,NRLM,PURA,Bharath Nirman

etc could make use of the community mobilization and structures that have

emerged and supportive in the context of 12th five year plan .

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ORGANOGRAM OF GRAMA SROTHAS PROJECT

HRD FOR GRAMA SROTHAS PROJECT

Project Coordination Board will comprise of members of development actors

Executive Director (Honorary) will be the Director of MSSS

Programme Coordinator -1

Asst Programme Coordinators -2 minimum

Programme Executives -10minimum

Accountant -1 Minimum

Community Development Managers –100 Minimum

as per the demand of the emerging communities (Each ward village level GRAMA

SROTHAS PROJECT will have at least one CDM)

Grama Srothas Volunteers -as per the demand of the communities –(each Grama

Srothas at ward unit /federation level will have at least twenty voluntary

leaders)1

1 This document was prepared by Rajan M Karakkattil,09848159915

Programme Coordinator Programme Coordinator Programme Coordinator Programme Coordinator

Asst Programme Coordinators Asst Programme Coordinators Asst Programme Coordinators Asst Programme Coordinators OfficeOfficeOfficeOffice

Programme Executives Programme Executives Programme Executives Programme Executives

Community DeveloCommunity DeveloCommunity DeveloCommunity Development Managerspment Managerspment Managerspment Managers

AccountantAccountantAccountantAccountant

Grama Srothas VolunteersGrama Srothas VolunteersGrama Srothas VolunteersGrama Srothas Volunteers

Target groups/BeneficiariesTarget groups/BeneficiariesTarget groups/BeneficiariesTarget groups/Beneficiaries at ward levelat ward levelat ward levelat ward level

Project Coordination Project Coordination Project Coordination Project Coordination

BoardBoardBoardBoard

Executive Director Executive Director Executive Director Executive Director

(Honorary)