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Ukhrul District
Livestock
Ms.
Phungamla of Ngainga village, in Cluster B, had taken a loan of
Rs. 5,000/- from her group. From this amount she bought two
piglets and within a year she managed to sell the piglets for
Rs, 12,000. She used this amount for repayment of SHG loan and
school fees of her children. With the remaining amount she
bought a sow, which eventually delivered 10 piglets. She sold
the piglets @Rs. 2,000/- each. Before the Project intervention .
Ms. Phungamla of Ngainga was a housewife
and worked in the paddy fields for sustenance. Now she feels she
needn’t worry about her children’s education since she is
generating a good income from piggery.
Homestead
Ms. Langzarphi from Kalhang village, in
Cluster A, has a garden with lots of farmyard manure. Initially
it was not utilised for income generation; the activity was
carried out only seasonally. With the Project’s intervention,
there was a change of attitude and working style. The Project
Staff gave seeds and emphasised on the need to carry on with
Homestead Garden even in the lean season. Through this activity
she has earned Rs. 21,000/- by selling vegetables. Now this
activity is part and parcel of her life, as it generates income
for her and the family.
Harvesting Pride for the Labour Sown
On 23rd
of November 2006, in the Ukhrul town of Manipur, all roads were
leading to the Tangkhul Nagalong ground, where the 2nd
Exhibition cum Sale was being organized by Ukhrul District
Community Resource Management Society (UDCRMS), the implementing
agency of North Eastern Region Community Resource Management
Project for Upland Areas (NERCORMP). The event was organized for
two days, 23rd and 24th of November 2006.
All
the clusters of the district had participated in this event.
Various Self Help Groups or Natural Resource Management Groups
have joined together to put up a stall. Among the many stalls
put up in this event, one such belonged to Yangkhon NaRMG of
cluster E. Five SHGs comprised this stall, which were Sorin SHG,
Mathotmi SHG, Kazipmi SHG, Wungshungmi SHG and Mataisang SHG.
Stall of Yangkhon NaRMG. Thanmila in the extreme right.
In
the first day of the event, this stall made a sale of three
thousand rupees. The main items sold by this stall were basket,
potato, beans, passion fruit, etc. Some of the baskets were sold
at a price of Rupees seven hundred each.
“The
bamboo works are quite satisfactory and the craftsmanship is
very good”, commented Mr. Chandan Haldar, director of aTripura
Bamboo Board Pvt. Ltd., who was one of the invitees to the
event.
Thanmila hails from Sihaikhunou village, which consists of 140
households. NERCORMP arrived in her village in the year 2001
through its sister concern UDCRMS.
“Before the advent of the project, our economic condition was
really bad. We often had to resort to borrow money from the
private money lenders, who used to lend us the money at an
interest of 8% per month. If this was not good enough, food
security was always a concern”, comments Thanmila.
“But
in the last five years, our lives have gone a total
transformation. The project addressed our food security by
introducing the concept of kitchen garden. Many of the
vegetables in our stall are from our own kitchen gardens”,
revealed Thanmila.
“The
introduction of Aloe Vera and Passion fruit in our village by
the project has breathed a fresh leash of life in us”, continued
Thanmila with a smile as she held up a bottle of Passion fruit
juice.
“This
exhibition cum sale has ensured that we get some extra income
for our hard labour”, expressed Thanmila.
“UDCRMS and NERCORMP have provided a platform for the vulnerable
groups to overcome poverty and to reduce hunger among them”,
stated Mr. Anurag Talukdar, Communication Officer NERCORMP.
Asked
whether she would like to participate in similar events if
organized in bigger cities like Shillong or Guwahati, Thanmila’s
response was a big grinful yes.
Senapati
District
Livestock
Mrs. Disong of Punganamai SHG, Maram
Khulen Village, has availed a loan of Rs. 3000(Three thousand
rupees) for piggery in March 2003. She bought 2 piglets with
that amount, and after eight months she sold those for Rs.
10,000 (Ten thousand rupees.)This money really helped her to
improve her living condition. “I couldn’t think of availing loan
of such an amount from the money lender, but thanks to my SHG
now I can really plan for the future”
Agriculture
Shrimati Rangpui Hoidina of Rangtaimai SHG
of Khullakpa B NaRMG, in the year 2002, cultivated potatoes
after availing an amount of Rs 1000 (One thousand rupees) under
the income generating activities loan from her group. She earned
Rs 4,300(Four thousand and three hundred rupees) from selling
the potatoes in the nearby local market .With the money she
repaired her house and saved some for more future endeavors.
“Now I realize the importance of SHG, my happiness knows no
bound”
Profile of a Village Remote but Vibrant
Yangkhullen village is situated in the Senapati district of
Manipur state. It is situated in a steep terrain of the lush
green hills and the village is often hidden
beneath a veil of mists or clouds. It consists of 180
households. To reach the village, one has to climb a steep
ascend of about half a kilometer, from the motarable road that
runs below. The path is very narrow and steep, making commune
very difficult. A bus arriving at the foothills of the village
at seven in the morning is the only viable mode of
transportation for the villagers to reach the district
headquarters. The journey to the district headquaters, Senapati
takes four hours and the bus returns in the same day, reaching
the village foothills just before the nightfall. Though
occasional light vehicles are also seen in the road, but for the
villagers it is not economically viable to travel in those light
vehicles.
Situated in a steep high altitude terrain, Jhum was the only
natural option for the villagers. The issue of food security was
not as severe in this village as seen in the other villages of
the region; in fact many villagers had surplus food items. But
they couldn’t take any advantage of the fact, as the commune to
the nearest town was not an easy affair. This in turn didn’t
improve the economical lot of the villagers and many of them
opted to take loan from the private moneylenders, which more
than often resulted in the initiation of a vicious circle.
Then on October 23, 2003 this remote village witnessed the
arrival of North Eastern Region Community Resource Project for
Upland Areas (NERCORMP). The project is a joint initiative
between Govt. of India and International Fund for Agricultural
Development (IFAD). Govt. of India is represented by Department
of Development for North Eastern Region (DONER) and North
Eastern Council (NEC). Since then Yangkhullen has been scripting
a silent saga of transforming into a vibrant village, full of
hopes and aspirations.
Upon arrival, the one of the early tasks taken by NERCORMP was
to initiate the formation of two community based organizations,
namely Natural Resource Management Group (NaRMG) and Self Help
Group (SHG). NaRMG consists of equal representation of the both
the genders and each household of the village nominates one male
and one female member to the NaRMG. NaRMG undertakes various
activities related to infrastructure, conservation, natural
resource management, etc. SHGs on the other hand are basically
all women institutions, comprising of ten to twenty women in
each SHG. SHGs undertake various income generating activities (IGA).
After initiating the formation of the NaRMG and SHGs in the
village, the next step undertaken by NERCORMP was to build up
the capacities of these institutes through a series of training
imparted. The main thrust of the project is to provide better
livelihood opportunities to the villagers and also preserve the
ecological balance of the region.
Rationalisation and optimization of Jhum had been one of
the major concern areas for the project.
Since 2003, the area under Jhum cultivation in the Yangkhullen
village has reduced by approximately by 50%. This significant
reduction has been achieved by providing the villagers better
alternative economic livelihood opportunities. Though the
village has been producing various crops and vegetables prior to
the advent of the project, but the villagers were unable to
market the surplus produce. One of the major achievements of the
project was to enable to villagers to market their surplus
produce. The villagers on a regular basis market their surplus
potato, banana, tomato, king chili, tree tomato and cabbage. If
the villagers sell one kilogram of potato during harvest season
to fellow villagers they get only three rupees, where as they
get eight rupees if they sell it in the Senapati town, which is
the district head quarter. Though the communication scenario has
remained the same, with still one bus plying between the village
and the district head quarter, the project has raised a special
cadre of professional who specialize in the marketing of the
village produce. Termed as SEBA (Self Employed Business Agent),
these groups of young men and women are trained by the project
to understand the subtleness of marketing.
Prior to the commencement of the project, the only way of
selling the village agricultural surplus was to sell it to the
middlemen, who kept the major chunk of the profit to themselves,
depriving the village folk of the sweat and
labour. Thus the occurrence of the any villager selling
his agricultural surplus to any middlemen was a rarity. However,
since the inception of the SEBA by the project, the situation
has undergone a sea change. The SEBA members are the inhabitants
of the same village, who initially accumulates the surplus
agricultural produce from various households. After attaining
the optimum quantity, they transport it to the Senapati market.
The preferred mode is still the early morning bus. The SEBA
members load the sacks of the agricultural produce of the fellow
villagers in sacks on top of the bus. After four hours of ride,
they reach Senapati market, where they sell it either to some
wholesaler or retailer, with an objective to earn maximum price
for their produce. Since these SEBA members are trained for
negotiation, they usually get better price. Next, with the money
received, they buy certain commodities as desired by their
fellow villagers. They return home in the same bus and reach
their village just after dusk. They then settle the accounts
with the households from whom they had taken the surplus
produce. The SEBA members are paid an amount as decided by the
mutual agreement between the cluster association and them. It is
usually a certain percentage of the value earned by the SEBA
members.
“I
feel privileged that I can play a part
in the economic development of my village and yet make an income
of about two thousand rupees a month in the process”, opined E.
Michael of Yangkhullen village. His colleague
E. Luke from near by Bakie village says, “more than economic
factor it is the feel of self worth that is more satisfying”.
In
respect of Self Help Groups (SHG), they have undertaken many
income generating activities, like piggery, kitchen garden,
poultry, etc. The project has also enabled bank linkages of the
SHGs of the Yangkhullen village. The various SHGs have received
various loans ranging between ten to twenty thousand rupees. But
one of the significant activities undertaken by SHGs is the
initiation of village grocery shops. Prior to the commencement
of the project there were no grocery shops in the village. But
now there are three grocery shops in the village.
The members of SHG with some of their produces
Another pioneering innovation of the project was introduction of
new crops in the village. NERCORMP has introduced Stevia to the
villagers. Stevia is a medicinal plant that is also called as
diabetic sugar. In fact Stevia is three hundred times sweeter
than sugar, but it has no sugar. But the introduction or rather
the encouragement to grow passion fruit by the project, backed
by well planned market linkages has done wonder, not only to the
Yangkhullen village but rather the entire Senapati district. “We
had undertaken a massive passion fruit promotion campaign in
Imphal, which further swelled the demand for passion fruit in
the capital city, there by fetching farmers a higher price”,
stated Mr. Bhupal Neog, Marketing Coordinator of the project.
Currently in Imphal, retail price of passion fruit varies
between twenty to twenty five rupees.
The
project also have emphasized on the hygiene and cleanliness. The
project has constructed Low Cost Latrines in the village through
the NaRMG. Moreover, various training is imparted in regards to
balanced diet and health by the project.
NERCORMP has indeed gradually changed the way the Yangkhullen
village views itself and the world around. “Although we may be
located in a remote place, but we too can now dream big and
achieve it”, grins E. Michael, as he turns back to his newly
renovated house.
SUSTAINING THE LEGACY
Sorbung is a small village in the Sorbung cluster of the
Senapati district of Manipur. In total there are
eleven villages in the cluster. On August 2006, when we visited
the village, road construction was being carried by the
government agencies, which would link the village to the
district headquarters. Until that time, vehicles with four wheel
drive could only ply.
Sorbung village has 70 households. In the year 2003, when
NERCORMP first approached the village, the village was lacking
not only in food security, but also in hygiene and education
sector. The project initiated the formation of four SHGs and one
NaRMG in the village.
In
the year 2003Yuriiru was 14 years old, when her mother joined
the Thubizhi SHG, one of the four SHGs initiated by the project.
She was a keen observer and learnt many facets of SHG’s
activities. Unfortunately her mother died in the September 2005.
Yuriiru in the right, along with other members of her SHG
Though she had the option of joining her mother’s SHG, she
however decided to form a new SHG. In April 2006, she along with
sixteen young girls formed Thekhaw new SHG. The average age of
this SHG is only 17 years. They represent the 2nd
generation of SHGs in the village.
Though these young girls have a long way to go, but their effort
must be appreciated. Right now, they have undertaken King Chili
and Ginger cultivation. Their next plan is to open a bank
account.
Thekhaw new SHG definitely ensures that the movement initiated
by NERCORMP is here to stay. It in fact reflects that the
project is seriously providing a thrust towards sustainability.
Karbi
Anglong District
Rising
entrepreneurs
Siem Hanse of Tika village is engaged in
different income generating activities after the intervention of
the Project. He is doing Pineapple and Litchi cultivation as a
source of medium and long term income respectively. With the
exposure he got from the Project, he approached the State Bank
of India, Hamren for personal loan of Rs 13,000(Thirteen
thousand rupees). His started earning monthly on an average
Rs.3000 (Three thousand rupees) and has already repaid the money
to the bank. He has already applied for another personal loan
for expanding his shop.
Petty business vs. Jhum
Sodar
Bey, had started a grocery shop with the loan taken from
the Male SHG for an amount of Rs. 3000 (Three thousand Rs.).
He has been earning substantially from his shop
alone and have reduced his dependence on jhum
cultivation unlike before .
West Garo Hills District
Non Timber Forest
Products
Mr. Biarsing Sangma,accountant from Mojon
NaRMG in Mandal village, West Garo Hills, has a plot of 4-5 hac
of catchment forest reserve of about, attached to the boundary
of his homestead garden. “This resrve is giving me extra income
from wild vegetables, fruits, and honey etc.Moreover; I also
don’t to go far away for collection of timer and wood thus
saving me time and money”. Inside the forest he has planted
plants like citrus indica (locally available species), betel,
elaichi, coffee, agar and cane etc. He sold 35 kgs of harvested
elaichi and made a profit of Rs.700.
Wild Life Conservation &
Protection
Participatory efforts have been made for
wild life conservation and protection in the Project districts
and commendable improvements can be observed: The A.Khing Nokma,
Mr. Poinson Sangma of Nengja Bolchugre NaRMG has announced and
declared a wild Dorick pheasant bird sanctuary of about 5 sq.
kms area reserve. It is, now, locally known as Dopilgim reserve.
The pheasants come into this forest in huge flocks every year
for mass nesting.
West Khasi Hills
Poultry
Ms Thriangsha Dkhar of Maweit village in
West Khasi Hills, through the system of micro credit she took
loans from her SHG at a minimal interest rate. “With the
money I bought 2 hens and within 8 months I was able to reap the
benefits as I sold 24 chicks for Rs. 80 each. I made Rs. 1,920
Thereafter, from the savings, she bought
more hens and the hatched chickens from them are giving her a
regular monthly income of Rs 2000 approximately. With this money
she rented a piece of land at Rs 200 per year where she
cultivates vegetables. Since, she got a lease for 5 years she is
planning to plant fruits like pineapples
Agriculture
Mr.
Awan Dkhar sends his children to school. Besides, he has also
bought a T.V. Bicycle, gas etc. “I am no longer worried about
the future of my children. I just hope my plantation will bring
better results next time”
As
part of the Project intervention, he cultivated broom, banana
and areca nuts tress .From the broom harvest of 400 kgs; he made
an income of Rs 4000. Banana plantations are fetching him a
yearly profit of Rs 4000 on an average. From the areca nut trees
I he is expecting to make a profit of Rs 1, 00,000.
North Cachar Hills
Agriculture
Mr.
Tingwanguing, Community Organizer from N.Kubing.After he
received a one-day training programme on Gamari cultivation
organized by the Project at Dihamlai Cluster office, he took the
initiative to start his own Gamari nursery in his backyard.
He invested his own saving into Gamari
seed worth Rs. 1,000/- and started a nursery. At present his
nursery has fully grown seedlings of Gamari plants. A total of
60,000/- to 70,000/- seedlings is now growing in his backyard.
These seedlings when sold in the local market will fetch him not
less than 1, 000, 00(One lakh rupees).
Piggery
Mrs. Tayile from Dimchubau- SHG borrowed
Rs. 600/- from SHG corpus fund and purchased female piglet form
local market. After one year the pig give birth to 6 piglets She
invested more time and energy to look after the piglets and
after two months she sold the piglets @ Rs. 1,000/- per piglet.
Total she earned Rs. 6,000/- in a year. She has successfully
repaid the loan with interest to the SHG. Now Mrs. Tayile is
ready to take more amount of loan from SHG to start other income
generating activities.
Lady of
Iron Will and Heart of Gold
“Now
I can confidently take good care of all my children”, gleaned
Mrs. Lal Biekkim moments after receiving the best SHG member
award in the SHG’s Business Congress and NaRMGs Annual Meet
organized by North Cachar Hills Community Resource Management
Society (NCHCRMS) on 31st October 2006.
Mrs.
Biekkim hails from Retzawl village, situated in the Sormed
cluster of North Cachar Hills district of Assam. Retzawl has a
total of 135 households and Mrs. Biekkim joined Inthuruol Pawl
III SHG, consisting of a total 20 members in the year 2001.
Mrs.
Biekkim’s husband died when her first child had yet to see the
light of the world. With help coming from no ends, it was all up
to her to raise her only child, a baby boy who was borne after
the death of her husband. Life was not at all pretty for her, as
even her parents refused to help her in those desperate times.
When she approached other villagers for financial help they
would turn down her request as they feared in no way she could
ever repay their loans.
Before the intervention of the NERCORMP-IFAD, Mrs. Biekkim had a
hard time to raise her only child. Food security was a major
concern. Jhum was the only option available to her. However,
five year after her joining the SHG, her life has changed
dramatically. Mrs. Biekkim took initially a loan of Rupees two
thousand from the SHG and started a petty cum garment shop, a
unique initiative in the Retzawl village. No wonder, she repaid
the loan in a quick interval and later again opted for a second
loan of Rupees three thousand to further upgrade her petty cum
garment shop.
Mrs. Biekkim delivering a short speech after receiving the best
SHG member award at the SHG’s Business Congress and NaRMGs
Annual Meet organized by NCHCRMS on 31st October
2006.
After successful repayment of the second
loan, she diverted her activities to initiate piggery, orchard
and kitchen garden. She took loan of Rupees one thousand five
hundred to buy a piglet from the SHG. After raising it for four
months, she could sell it for rupees three thousand. After her
first successful venture into piggery, she has been drawing
great dividends from this venture. The concept of kitchen garden
as promoted by NERCORMP-IFAD has given much comfort to Mrs.
Biekkim, as now not only she gets majority of the vegetables she
eats from her own kitchen garden, but also she sells the surplus
to get extra income. Meanwhile, she has totally given up Jhum,
as the project ensured her better alternative economic and
livelihood activities.
But
what differentiates Mrs. Biekkim from others is her unique
entrepreneurial skill. She put the extra income that she got
from undertaking various activities, to initiate Ginger
wholesaling. She buys Ginger from the villagers, accumulates it
and sells it to the bigger wholesalers of the near by town. But
in spite of all her busy schedule she never misses the SHG’s
meetings and makes regular contributions to the SHG’s corpus
fund.
With
slow but steady improvement in the economic condition of hers,
she ensured that her son received best of the possible
education. Now she is proud of the fact that he has recently
successfully completed and received Bachelor in Divinity degree.
She
also reflected the fact that she is a woman who also possesses a
heart of gold. She was not accepted by her own parents after the
death of her husband, but she on the other hand adopted the four
children of her brother after his untimely death and ensured
that that they too receive the best of education and care.
She
reflects a saga of untold fortitude against the atrocities of
life and yet carries a heart of gold.
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