Students Support Programme
1. In the monthly meetings, held on 15th of every month, we have heard from several poor villagers, seen and observed that children at the childhood age of learning education are involved in taking cattle for grazing in the pasture land, doing labor work for earning wages, helping parents in farming work and labor.
2. We contemplated as to why the children were compelled to work for earnings in the childhood age of taking education in schools and colleges. Analyzing such situation in depth we found that their parents did not have money for meeting expenditure of school dresses, study material, fee and transportation, etc. Because of this compulsion, children of poor families after the age of 15 or after completion of school level education, they were deprived of further education. We studied the problem in depth on the platform of Nirman Sanstha, Khandel and prepared a short term programme named as ‘Student Assistance Programme”. Under the programme, such students were identified, their needs were detected and now, every year, financial assistance is being provided to the suitably entitled students from Nirman Sanstha, Khandel since last 4 years.
3. It is to be mentioned here that Nirman Sanstha, Khandel has made efforts to continue the study of these poor students by providing them cash assistance. Up to March 2016 876 students get Rs. 1424272 total financial assistances. Not only this, at the time of commencement of educational session, many poor students or their parents raised query in the meeting of Nirman Sanstha, Khandel as to whether the student assistance programme would be continued this year also? If there was provision to continue the programme, they are willing to continue the study programme of their children. In the circumstances, we selected entitled poor students and provided cash grant of Rs.500 to Rs.3000 for continuing their studies. This programme turned out as a great relief to the poor children. It is a unique work in the field of education of motivating students and expanding educational programs by providing assistance to poor students and encouraging brilliant and talented students. We are determined to succeed in increasing the moral of poor parents and students of the area through this programme.
Towards Success – 2
Bagaria Pariwar Prathvipura
The family of Late Sh. Kajj Ram Bagaria of Prathvipura village has been residing in a house built of dry grass and weeds for the last hundred years and earning their livelihood by killing wild animals. This family of 30 persons came in contact with Nirman Sansthan Khandel in the decade of 1990. On the initiative taken by the family to step towards self-dependence, the Nirman Sansthan helped them in digging a well in their land and getting electricity connection for it. For drinking water a hand pump was installed in their village and in the year 2005, 7 pucca rooms were built for these 7 families. To this effect these families contributed Rs.10000/- by way of labor done by them and a sum of Rs. 20000 was incurred by Nirman Sanstha, Khandel on this project. Due to inspiration of Nirman Sanstha - the children of these families have started going to the village school and consequently becoming educated and their animal killing habit is vanishing. Now the people of this lineage need not to go to neighbor’s corridor/verandah during rainy and winter season. Strong efforts are being made for their self-reliance, coming out of the long isolation they are associating and mingling with other communities, people allow them to sit nearby, enquire about their wellness and listen to them. All Bagaria families acknowledge the efforts of the Sanstha and praise as and when any topic occurs regarding assistance provided by Nirman Sanstha, Khandel. Sanstha extended them all possible help keeping in view of their needs, which has apparently brought change in their lifestyle. If we visit and spend some time with them, the feeling or reflection of change in them may clearly be seen in their conversations.
Towards Success – 3
Solution for water, how?
Efforts to establish Nirman Sanstha, Khandel were started in 1985, consequtively the registration was done in the end of 1986 and its functions materialized from 1987. Substantially by Conducting Socio Economic Survey, conversing with villagers, observing that green trees being cut and sent to sawmills and seeing formidable condition of irrigation and drinking water it was realized that “Water is life” and efforts were not being made anywhere for the storage of water. Scientific research has invented excellent machines for drawing ground water, but so far no such effective system could be developed to sustain water preservation. As far as farmers are concerned, in the 1980-90 decade there was competition among farmers of this belt to show as to whose well has the highest quantity of water, whose well has utmost depth, who is taking highest the quantity of crops in his field. In this situation, poor farmers remained much behind in the field of farming because, the rich farmers, extracted maximum ground water for increasing their crops by deploying more money and resources. By the year1995 wells of poor farmers were dried-up and they could not get them deep end due to scarcity of money. As a result, wealthy farmers deprived off the poor from farming. Even after 1995 small and marginal farmers started sitting on ‘Choukhati’ (the place where labor community assemble in search of work) for wages.
In this ground water extraction competition, poor farmers in comparison to wealthy farmers legged behind. By the arrival of 2000, 70 per cent farming discontinued for want of water. Situation had been so deteriorated that the belt having yield of 2 crops every years converted into the area of single crop after 2000. We always kept track of the above situations, suggested techniques of water preservations through meetings with farmers and expert talks, but no concrete result of this exercise was observed. We thought for a sample experiment and decided to develop the places towards the slope of the village where wells/hand pumps at the bank of ancient small pond/ponds existed. Eventually, filling capacity of about 30 village ponds of villages Khandel, Kawnrasa, Kajipura, Kuni, Govindi, Khatwadi, Tyoda, Sinodiya, Shyampura, Mundwada, Dodwadion-ka-vaas, Bhaislana, Jagmalpura, Jaisinghpura, Prathvipura, Jaitpura, Sheosinghpura, Amipura, Sursinghpura, Akoda, Khediram was increased up to 50-200 times by digging them 64 times. Through this event employment of 4,62,645 man days was provided. An expenditure of Rs.2.5 crores was made to this effect, aiming to prevent migration of poor villagers towards urban areas.
Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme was launched in the region in the year 2007 and the works performed by the Nirman Sanstha, Khandel under this scheme were appreciated at every platform. Not only this, in the year 2002, Honorable Chief Minister, Shri Ashok Gehlot delighted visiting Water Storage centers of Khandel and Jaitpura villages and praised the works executed under the scheme by Nirman Sanstha, Khandel. We attempted to motivate and aware the public by organizing more than 400 campuses in different villages for drinking water, environment awakening etc. As a result of which within 50 km radius of Nirman Sanstha, Khandel people started preserving trees and new plantation, the significance of trees was primarily brought to understand by the society. Attempt was made to make the people in the area understand “Hariyali Hai Adhar” (Greenery is the base) for obtaining water. Not only this in urban areas like Phulera, Sambhar, Jobner, Rainwal, Nava, etc., people were persuaded to realize the need for plantation outside their residence through distribution of tree guards. As a result, villagers planted more than 10 lakh trees in the village fields and road sides. We were successful in getting trees planted in urban areas by providing more than 500 tree guards. This programme is continuing at present also, but the work of maintenance and deepening of village ponds has been executed under Mahatma Gandhi Employment Guarantee Programme of Central Government. The Nirman Sanstha Khandel is making efforts to continue this work identifying the places where the benefit of this scheme is not reaching to the beneficiaries. Now, the people are realizing the significance of water and trees. People are aware for their preservation and protection. In due course of time, this work would be done with betterment and with the continuous and constant efforts of all of us; we shall be able to over come the critical problem of water and will be helpful to enrich the public life. In the village ponds dug/deepened with our/Government efforts rain water was stored in much better quantity and we should hope that acute problem of water will be improved. Because of above mentioned good efforts, we can imagine better rainfall. In future, we can expect much better monsoon.
Towards Success - 4
Woman Empowerment
On 15th October 1987 a group meeting was organized in Khandel in which about 70 persons from nearby 15 villages participated. In this first meeting, the issues specifically discussed were, Agriculture development, environment improvement, women empowerment, concept of small family system. It was decided to work on these issues by publicizing them in the society. It was also decided in this meeting that in the context of registration of Nirman Sanstha, Khandel on 15th October 1986 there should be a meeting with villagers once in a month to be held on 15th of every month. Started in 1987 with the participation of 60-70 persons, this meeting is continuing to be held up to 2010 with participation of more than 500 villagers.
Presently, more than 500 persons from 25 to 30 villages situated in 15 km radius of Nirman Sanstha Khandel participate in the meeting. On the occasion of Independence Day meeting is not held on 15th August. During initial 2-3 years participation of women was negligible, but in due course, as much as, issues of Woman’s interest such as sanitation, health, post natal care, family planning, complete food, education, organization and mobilization of finance for meeting out the needs etc. were raised, women continued to be associated because more than 70 per cent of household and field work is done by woman only. Today in the Nirman Sansthan Khandel meeting the number of male members remain 150 but, more than 400 women are present in almost every meeting.
Under the auspices of Nirman Sansthan Khandel several works were undertaken for the prosperity of woman. In addition to providing nourishment and medicines to poor woman at the time of delivery, treatment at the time of ailment, relief at the time of accident, instantaneous relief on ailment/accident, draught, literacy, women organization in villages, teaching, stitching and carpet making to teenage girls, providing sanitary napkins, women were encouraged for mutual talks with other proper working women of the region, vis-à-vis talks in Police-Women meetings; self confidence included in women by arranging tours of places having State and National level social and historical heritage. By taking poor village women on tour via Buses to visit historical places like Udaipur, Agra, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Bharatpur, Ahmedabad, Delhi we have tried to heighten their love and concern towards country and making them feel proud of being Indian. Under the auspices of Nirman Sanstha, Khandel, from 1987 to date more than 10 lakh trees have been planted in which women played significant roles. Today position has changed and village women are taking benefit of old age pension, employment guarantee, maternity benefit, restricting their family up to two child, gaining education, adopting sanitation and sentiments for love and affection with country have developed in them; they are taking care of their own and family’s cleanliness; they have now courage to meet the authorities and express their grievances and women who at times, sought support for reaching from village to Nirman Sanstha, Khandel, are now reaching in the meetings on their own without any support.
If anybody wants to observe he can see women in colorful dresses, with charming face and singing and dancing attitude on the day of meeting held on 15th of each month. Looking to this, everybody can imagine as to what position the Nirman Sansthan Khandel has transmitted the women of the area taking them out from home boundary. The position may be known in detail by having talks with them. We can say with proud that women of this area were connected with the mainstream by utilizing suitably available resources. During past, women were afraid of family planning operations and used to go to field or to the other members of the family to avoid operation, now they have the courage to go for operation herself and stay in line. We are treating all the above instances as an example of women empowerment. Her exploitation has now been ceased.
Towards Success - 5
Shri Chhoga Ram Jat, Kawnrasa (Year 2006-07)
In village Kawnrasa situated near Nirman Sanstha Khandel’s office, 250 to 300 families are residing, 100’s of families are in contact with Nirman Sanstha Khandel and representatives of about 100 families participate in the meetings of Nirman Sanstha, Khandel. Kawnrasa village is categorized as a poor village. Nirman Sanstha Khandel executed works of construction of 45 lavatories, 56 water tanks, roof (teen sheet) for 40 poor families. Jeevan Jyoti Niwas for 12 families, provided relief kits to 62 families, water facilities to 200 families and scholarship to 11 students under students assistance programme along with plantation of about one lakh plants in this village. Nirman Sanstha Khandel has direct contact with this village since 1987.
In 1990, when we were going to contact Sheoji Ram Jat and passing through the field of Chhoga Ram Jat, we had a short meeting with Smt. Jeevani, wife of Sh. Chhoga Ram Bhahda. When we were passing through his house his wife Smt. Jeevani was kneading flour in her only house of dry grass roof. When we were talking with Smt. Jeevani as a stranger, she came out with Kneaded hand and while laying the bed requested us to have the seat. Meanwhile Smt. Jeevani called her husband from the field (about 200 meters away) by sending her 10-11 years old son. By the time talks on household facilities was going on Sh. Chhoga Ram came. We asked him “Why do not you try to build pucca house”. His reply was being reproduced in his own words “Sir, if I take round from one corner of this village to another for begging one kg food grain, nobody will give me one kg food grain”, how can I build the house in this situation. We continued the talks further and we thought to consider for construction of 2 pucca rooms on the field of Sh. Chhoga Ram under Jeevan Jyoti Niwas Scheme. Smt. Jeevani told us that her family had four members to work, her two children and both (spouse) of them; we four together are ready to build house but they have nothing to spend except labour. Thereupon Sh. Chhoga Ram told that he could imagine to bring Rs. 10000 from his well-wishers requesting them to any extent. We encouraged them and suggested that if his familiar friends were apprised of the news regarding grant of assistance by Nirman Sanstha Khandel they would definitely help him. You make up your mind for construction of your house. We moved further advising him as such. After a week, Sh. Chhoga Ram approached us in Nirman Sanstha, Khandel office and told us that they were ready to afford Rs.10000/- and free labour of four persons and if he is granted balance assistance from the Sanstha, then his house could be completed invariably. Thereafter shortly, construction of two pucca rooms was completed on the field of Shri Chhoga Ram. Shri Chhoga ram and his wife continued to attend Nirman Sanstha, Khandel’s meeting regularly. One water tank was constructed, kitchen roof (teen shed) was provided under different schemes of the Sanstha and by the time these works were completed boundary wall of Sh. Chhoga Ram’s house was also constructed. Even today the family of Sh. Chhoga Ram is enjoying the happy life in this pucca house (in front of middle school Kawnrasa).
One day when a party of 60-70 members consisting of office bearers of Nirman Sansthan Khandel elite citizens of Sambhar, Phulera reached to Sh. Chhoga Ram’s house to physically check/observe the programs of Nirman Sanstha Khandel, he was greatly delighted. He replied all questions and queries of the team members confidently and as a reaction of his happiness he holds that his house was constructed with the assistance of Nirman Sanstha Khandel. His family was prospering and he bestowed his ample gratitude towards the Sanstha. Had he was not assisted by Sanstha, he would have been residing in dry grass but, he would always be associated with the Sanstha and would continue his efforts for the prosperity of his family by participating in the programmes of the Sanstha. We feel that we could gain this constructive achievement because of confidence and labour of Sh. Chhoga Ram which is exemplary and imitable for rest of the poor.