FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION ONLY

Volume-40

Communicate Minds
30th June 2006 FORTNIGHTLY

ADVISORS
Khirod Ch. Malick Pitabasa Sethi Makardhwaj Sahu Shiv Prasad Meher Aurobinda Mahapatra

Campaign-cum-Public Hearing on Safe Motherhood

In this Issue...
Editorial Safe Motherhood Chhattisgarh page Other BISWA News

The Link
Chief-Editor Debabrata Malick Editor Guru Prasad Nahak

Contact :-

Central Office BISWA At-Danipali, P.o-Budharaja Dist-Sambalpur, PIN-768004 Tele fax- +91-663-2533597 Email:biswamalick@rediffmail.com kc_malick@yahoo.com www.biswa.org State Office
C-243, Kuber Griha Society Rohinipuram, Raipur-492010, Telephone No: 0771-2241837 Chhattisgarh

Health awareness programmes are being organized at different countries by the help of UNICEF. White Ribbon Alliance (WRA), a UNICEF supported organisation conducts such programmes in India. In Orissa, a rally, a public hearing & a meeting on Safe-Motherhood were conducted on 24th June, 2006 at Sambalpur. A huge rally was organized by WRA, Sambalpur District Chapter which was followed by a public hearing & meeting at the district auditorium. Mothers from different regions of Sambalpur district took part in it. The main objective of this program was to create awareness in the society about safe-motherhood. This program also aimed to inform people & to teach them on how to take care of the mother & the infant after delivery. Dr. R.C Nanda, CDMO, Sambalpur told people to take care of the mother before delivery as well as after delivery. He CHALLENGES BEFORE WRA highlighted to Difficult to gauge impact of safe food take nutritious and motherhood program. medicines in time. In this To bring like minded groups together. program it was also said that Obtaining consensus on best practices. the delivery should take Transfer of best practices to grassroots place in hospital or under the level. guidance of trained nurses. Involvement of people organization. Cleanliness should be To make see the professionals beyond maintained during delivery. clinical realm. Dr. U.K Sahoo, ADMO (FW), To find leader for its programmes. SBP reviewed the statistics of t h o s e concerned area in the district. He told about the benefits of this program. Mr. K.C Malick, District Coordinator, WRA & Chairman of BISWA presided over the function. Mr. S.P Meher, PRO, BISWA, introduced the theme at the outset, Mr. N.K Pati, Asst. State Coordinator WRA, Dr. Diptibala Pattnaik, retired Joint Director of health in Govt. of Orissa and Mr.B.S.Mishra, Program Manager, BISWA coordinated the public hearing and interactive session. Sri Santosh Budek, President Zilla Parishad was the guest of honor of the ceremony. Mr. Girish Patel, Chairman, SMC was the Chief Guest, who inaugurated the program. At the end of the session vote of thanks was proposed by Sri Bhajaram Mahapatra, spokes person, WRA.

The whole world is now admitting that Mother is the sweetest word of the Universe. Everyone loves to pronounce the holy word Mother. Really, the word suggests love & affection towards the whole society. She has the only natural power to bear the offspring and give birth. Thats why the society forces women as productive & carrying. We all are in 21st century & talking about women empowerment. In this context intellectual organizations are coming towards to express their sympathy towards the mothers health. They realize that if mother is not well than the condition of the society will not improve which will adversely effect the coming generation as well. UNICEF is the only international organisation who took the initiatives to solve this matter & many health awareness programs are running in different countries with the support from UNICEF. The main objective of UNICEF in this program is to demolish motherhood related problems & to create a problem free society. By doing so UNICEF is facing a lot of problems and due to lack of willingness this program is yet to start in some countries. White Ribbon Alliance (WRA) is an UNICEF supported organisation who is taking initiatives to run such programs around the world. With the help of various NGOs, recently, WRA has been successful in creating awareness among people on Safe Motherhood.

FROM CHAIRMANS DESK.. On June 23rd, 2006 a high-level executive meeting was attended by Mr.K.C.Malick, Chairman, BISWA with Mr.B.K.Bose, GM-SIDBI & Mr.Bikraman, CGM-SIDBI at SIDBI conference hall, Bhubaneswar. A presentation was given by Mr. Malick on Micro Finance Scenario in Orissa Context. The presentation was highly appreciated by all officials present in the meeting. Now SIDBI has expressed pleasure to release funds for expanding micro finance program of BISWA throughout the state. Mr. K.C.Malick, Chairman, BISWA discussed with Mrs. Mona Sharma, IAS, Secretary Womens & Child Development Department Govt. of Orissa regarding micro enterprise development on June 16th, 2006 at Bhubaneswar. Mrs. Sharma, assured that her department will cooperate and support BISWA for its micro enterprise development program. Micro Enterprise Development is one of the major objectives of BISWA. BISWA intends to provide opportunities & platform to artisans of different clusters, thats why it always tried to boost their traditional knowledge and skill through various cluster development program. In this context, on June 23rd ,2006 Mr. K.C.Malick, Chairman, BISWA discussed with Mr. Kalra & Mr. Aswini Saxena, personnels from UNIDO at UN House II, Bhubaneswar. Mr. Malick assured that BISWA will extend finance to the artisan sector at the lowest rate of interest, as good as @ 13% on reducing balance.

HEALTH CAMP A health camp was organized by BISWA on June 23rd, 2006 at Balam in Naktideul block on the occasion of Public Relation Camp by Sambalpur District Administration. About two hundred people were examined & medicines were provided to them at free of cost. Dr. Anil Mishra, Associate Professor Department of Gynaecology, Burla observed as a treating physician of the camp that the people are mainly affected by common diseases like acidity, low blood pressure, & joint pains. Mr. Vishal Gagan, IAS, DM, & Collector, Sambalpur visited the camp & highlighted its importance. Mr. Sanatan Bisi, MLA, Rairakhol, Dr. R.C Nanda, CDMO, Sambalpur & other Govt. Officials were also present on the camp. Mr. B.S Mishra, Program Officer & Mr.S.N.Mahapatra, Pharmacist coordinated the camp on behalf of BISWA. STATUS REPORT OF JBY BISWA has enrolled, 2,101 fresh members and deposited Rs.2, 10,100/- during the month of May 2006 under JBY of LIC. 20 claims have been settled under the same scheme during the same period. In total 220 applications for scholarships under JBY were processed during 2005-06. Till date 130 member under JBY were awarded Rs.63, 400/- and till end of May 06 Rs.22, 800 award money have already been distributed among the beneficiaries.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

With an objective to develop entrepreneurship skill among the members of Self Help Groups (SHG), a training program was organized at BISWA central office, Sambalpur on June 22nd & 23rd, 2006 consecutively. This training program aimed towards providing adequate knowledge & opportunities with financial support at the grass root level people (SHG Members) so that they would be able to invest their money to generate some activity for their livelihood. This program was inaugurated by Mr. K.C Malick, Chairman, BISWA Mr. B.P Panda, Partnership Coordinator CARE-CASHE, Sambalpur & Mr. A.K Sahu, Project Officer Micro Finance were present on the occasion.

CARE-CASHE ANNUAL REVIEW MEETING

An annual review meeting of CARE-CASHE Project of the Yr 2005& 2006 was recently held at Panthanivas, Sambalpur. The objective of the program was to review the success of CARE-CASHE which was started on July 2005. At the end of the program Mr. K.C. Malick, Chairman BISWA gave a hearty thanks to all the members of CARE group & Mr. Sanjib Puhan, System Analysist, CARE, Mr. B.P Panda, Partnership Coordinator CARE-CASHE, Sambalpur also expressed their views on the project.

BISWA mF INTERVENTION GEARED THE MICRO-ENTERPRISE AMONG SELF HELP GROUPS IN CHHATTISGARH.
BISWA is working in the state of Chhattisgarh as a leading NGO for micro-Finance activities. Although BISWA forms Self Help Groups through its staff at the same time it also helps several small NGOs for development of their capacity in the field of micro-Finance by financing and guiding them in a right path. BISWA has already established a NGOs network in the state. Mr. Sanjaya Dhar Badgayan, State Coordinator of BISWA is identifying and scrutinizing local NGOs, those are involved in SHG promotion and nurturing activities. Till date BISWA has identified 13 such NGOs, who are working at different districts of the state and extended support of micro-Finance and Capacity Building to them through organizing training and meetings. Out of these 13 NGOs Pragyan Samanaya Seva Sansthan (PSSS) is one of the leading NGO working in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh. The NGO has 171 SHGs in three blocks. The qualities of SHGs are very good. They are saving Rs. 10/- per week. They are conducting weekly meetings. The record maintenance within the groups are regular and they are using their savings for internal loaning purpose. Also the members are involved themselves in various income generation activities. Besides micro finance the NGO also involved in Total Sanitation Campaign , health program and education program in that area. First time PSSS had taken a loan of Rs.5 Lakhs from BISWA for on-lending to the SHGs promoted by the organisation. After successful lending with 100% repayment, PSSS sought for anather Rs. 20 Lakhs to gear-up the Non Timber Forest Product (NTFP) activities within the SHGs of Darbha block. Darbha block of Dantewada district is popular for its tamarind produces. More or less every household has tamarind trees. Years together the traders (middleman) used to collect tamarind product from the primary collectors at a low price which is well below the Government fixed minimum price. In this block PSSS formed SHGs and SHGs clusters. This year with the help of these clusters it collected all the tamarind produces of this area and stored in a cemented house. Collection through SHGs satisfies the primary collectors of tamarind product as they got the right money as per the Government fixed price. Not only PSSS collected all the Tamarind produces but also at the same time added value to the product by using one installed seedless tamarind pressing machine. This machine in a single press can produce 1Kg cake of seedless tamarind. Also PSSS has already trained the SHG members to seal the product with a beautiful packet with the state forest department label on it. So, BISWA has lodged its initial success in Chhattisgarh as a nodal NGO with promoting microfinance activities among the established SHGs along with extending its helping hand to some of the active NGOs to build up their capacity.

PARTICIPATION
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INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST DRUG ABUSE & ILLICIT DRUG TRAFFICKING

On behalf of United Nations Organization all countries celebrated International Day against Drug Abuse & Illicit Drug Trafficking on June 26th, 2006. In India Director General, National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), New Delhi as well as the DG, Narcotic Control Bureau (NCB), New Delhi requested the state Governments to observe this day. Hence, Government of Orissa decided to observe this day at district levels. In Sambalpur a rally on this day was organized where in volunteers from JRC, NYK & NCC participated. The rally was followed by a meeting at the district auditorium which was presided by Dr. R.C Nanda, CDMO. Sri Sanatan Bisi, MLA, was the chief guest. Sri Santosh Das, senior lecturer in physics was the chief speaker. Dr. Diptibala Pattnaik, retired Joint Director Health in Govt. of Orissa, Sri Mohapatra Pradhan, DIPRO, & Sri Joy George, Honorable Secretary Red Cross were the guest of honor in that meeting. Sri Til Bahadur Thappa, NCC Officer, Sri Lalit Mohan Behera, Coordinator YRC, Sri Kailash Mohanty, NYK & Sri Bhajaram Mahapatra were also present there. Sri S.P Meher, PRO & Sri B.S Mishra, Program Officer participated on behalf of BISWA. At the end of the meeting Dr. Tribikram Panda, ADMO (PH) proposed the vote of thanks.

PRINTED MATTER

ORIENTATION ON YPPTA
A three days orientation camp was organized by Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan in the theme of Youth Participation for Prevention of Trafficking & HIV/ AIDS (YPPTA) at Shramajibi Bhawan, Dhanupali on June 28th , 2006. Dr. Diptibala Pattnaik retired joint director (health) Govt of Orissa and presently consultant to BISWA participated as the chief guest & Mr. S.P Meher, Public Relation Officer, BISWA also participated as the Guest of Honor. Mr. K. Mohanty of NYKS presided over the function and Mr. Ashok Panigrahi, SAARC and Mr. Rusi Pattnaik, Master Trainer were also seated on the dias.

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INDUSTRIAL MOTIVATIONAL CAMPAIGN

An Industrial Motivational Campaign was organized by KVIC, with the support from Small Scale Service Institute (SISI) on June 26th 2006 at DRDA Conference hall, Sambalpur. The main objective of the program was to create self interest and awareness on small scale industries programmes. This program was also aimed towards the removal of unemployment issues & problems. Mr. P. Naik, Manager NSIC, Mr. D. Majhi, Director KVIC, Sambalpur, and Mr. P. Gupta were present there. Mr. K.C Malick, Chairman, BISWA also participated in the program.

Printed and Published by Debabrata Malick, Chief Editor. The Link, at BISWA Computer Section, Danipali, Budharaja, Sambalpur. PIN- 768004 Ph. No- 0663-2533597

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