Case study: 1

Title: Community action thwarted child marriage
Case: Kabita Barui
Location: Baruipara village, GP-Ausgram

A 13 years old Kabita Bauri student of class-VIII is the daughter of Kanchan Bauri, has been staying in Baruipara village of Ausgram GP. After the death of her mother, Kabita’s father Kanchan Bauri remarried Furi Bauri and all three of them are staying in same house. Step mother Furi Bauri did not like Kabita to continue her study and wants to get Kabita engaged in household chores instead of education. Even step mother Furi Bauri used to taunt Kabita in abusive language and quarrelling between two of them was a daily phenomenon of Bauri family. In order to fulfil her desires, Furi Bauri has stopped Kabita to attend school and with her husband’s support she forced Kabita to perform household chores.

During that period, newly formed sansad level Child Protection Committee (CPC) ¹ was involved in community awareness campaign against child marriage and learnt Kabita’s story during home visit. Then CPC members with the help of ADS staff had paid a visit to Bauri family and counseled Kabita’s parents on importance of their daughter’s education and encouraged her parents to send their daughter to continue her education but Kabita’s parents did not pay any importance to the request of CPC rather they had fixed up Kabita’s marriage on 2nd March,2020 with Uday Bauri from Mongolkot without letting her know. Hearing the news of Kabita’s marriage, the members of local CPC members had immediately approached Bauri family and tried to make the family understand about the evils of child marriage but Kabita’s parents were adamant to listen to the request and sticked to their decision. In the meantime, someone from local community had informed ChildLine by calling 1098 and narrated about the details of child marriage to take in Baruipara village. Following the complaint, district Childline representatives, BDO, Officer-In-Charge from local police station, Panchayat Pradhan, Secretary of GP and ADS representative have rushed to the venue on marriage day and met the girl and her parents and held a discussion with parents as well as all family members to stop this child marriage as it is against law and parents will be convicted for this act.

Upon hearing the request of representative from ChildLine, BDO, Pradhan and local OC and CPC members and consequences of child marriage, the parents of Kabita had agreed to their request and realized their mistake and quoted, “if CPC members would not have come to our way, we would have made a great mistake spoiling the life of our innocent daughter and we promise to take our daughter to school to continue her study”. Kabita’s father also quoted that,“I will ensure Kabita to continue her education will not give her away in marriage before the age of 18 years.”

After this incident, the teacher from Ausgram High School came to Bauri’s house and took Kabita to school. Now Kabita regained her happiness in life to continue her education to fulfill her childhood dreams and happiness has come again in Bauri’s family.

¹CPC - Child Protection Committee is formed sansad-wise to take up various child related issues. This committee consists of Pradhan of GP, panchayet members, ICDS workers, ASHA, village leaders and ADS representative.

Case study: 2

Title: Household latrine ensures self respect and hygiene amongst amongst community
Case: Suleha Lohar
Location: Sarjuri village of Debshala GP.

Sulekha Lohar was surviving with her husband Gangadhar Lohar in Sarjuri village of Debshala GP but unfortunately, all the members of Lohar family have been found practicing open defecation at nearby jungle since many years and Sulekha Lohar used to complain to ADS staff that practice of OD has not only maligned their self respect in the community but also wasting their time while travelling to jungle. This unhealthy practice sometimes causing stomach pain leading to incidences of diarrheal episode with unnecessary health expenses of the households particularly during rainy season.

The Lohar family was experiencing this unwanted situation for quite sometimes and started contemplating for construction of household latrine to stop their age-old practice of open defecation in order to regain self respect as well as family’s reputation in their village but poverty was a barrier for Lohar family to fulfill their desires.

One day, Sulekha Lohar was attending SHG’s monthly meeting where ADS member had announced that, those who are interested to construct their household latrines, can get in touch with ADS representative immediately. After SHG meeting, Sulekha Lohar had shared the news of latrine construction with her husband and both of them immediately contacted ADS and together they had met Pradhan of local GP and submitted the copy of their voter as well as aadhar card. After three months of submission of documents to GP, Pradhan had informed Gangadhar Lohar, that his name has been enlisted as potential beneficiary for household latrine and informed that, GP has sent all their documents to ADS to start construction work and requested them to pay a sum of Rs.900/- as beneficiary’s contribution against construction of household latrine under Mission Nirmal Bangla scheme and finally latrine construction work was started with the help of ADS after paying beneficiary’s contribution.

Immediately after toilet construction, all the members of Lohar family have stopped open defecation and started using household latrine. This healthy practice of Lohar family has not only saved their valuable time rather it has restored their lost reputation and respect in their community.

Elated with much joy, Sulekha Lohar an active SHG member has stated that, "if I would not have attended SHG meeting, I would not have learnt about Mission Nirmal Bangla scheme to support poor household in toilet construction.” She also continue in saying that, “ this healthy practice has not only ensured our dignity but at the same time, it saved our unnecessary health expenses due to diarrhea.”

Even, it also saves our time and we can concentrate our time in other household activities. This success story of Sulekha Lohar has inspired her neighbour as well as other villagers and majority of the households at Sarjuri village have started using sanitary latrines under MNB scheme. Finally, in cooperation with GP, Block office and ADS, the construction of household latrines had been accomplished successfully to address issue of open defecation in the village and the Lohar family extends, “a big thanks to ADS and GP in taking up this noble initiative to address open defecation to ensure environmental sanitation leading to better health of the community.”

Case study: 3

Title: Community consciousness ensures safe drinking water through water testing.
Case: Bauri para
Location: Beluti village of Berenda GP

Beluti village is located in Berenda GP of Ausgram-I Block. There are around 288 households with access to 49 handpumps spread across 3 villages. Looking at Bauri para hamlet of Beluti village, there are around 9 handpumps catering to the needs of drinking water of the entire hamlet. The regular testing of water quality of government provided handpump are being carried out by ADS’s laboratory technicians across the entire block. In order to maintain quality of drinking water of handpumps ADS’s water collector used to visit handpump site to collect water sample for testing. During their field visit, local villagers used to mock at ADS’s water collectors stating that govt has some whimsical plan to test water quality which is wastage of time and no infection will happen from this handpump water source. Even these villagers had never cooperated ADS’s staff in water collection activity.

In last rainy season, there were around 18 cases of diarrhea at Beluti village. Following this diarrhoeal incident, villagers were very scared and they brought this matter to the notice of Sanjay Mazumdar – a local GP member. Under the initiative of local GP member, testing of water quality of all 9 tubewells had been carried out by ADS and identified water infection in 5 out of 9 handpumps. It was also indentified that platforms of 4 handpumps had been broken and under the leadership of local Panchayat member and support from villagers, all the 4 broken platforms had been rebuilt in one hand and on the other, ADS had carried out disinfection activity of 5 infected handpumps in the said village. Following hadpup disinfection work, local Panchayat member held a community interaction focusing water infection linking with diarrhea. After this community interaction, GP member had organized community awareness drive on importance of safe drinking water and requested all the villagers to maintain cleanliness around handpumps to prevent any water-borne infection. After spending few days in hospital, all the 18 diarrhoeal patients were recovered and released from the local hospital. Now, the villagers of Beluti village have been more conscious about drinking water and started cooperating with ADS staff in water collection process in their village as they have realized the benefits of testing of water quality and have started practicing cleanliness around handpmp to ensure better health of the community. This healthy practice of the villagers has not only assured reduced incidences of diarrhoeal infection but also ensures reduced incidences of household health expenses in intervention village. At the end, all the villagers have shared their deep appreciation towards ADS in carrying out systematic testing of water quality in government provided handpumps in Barui para hamlet.

Case study: 4

Title: Woman’s commitment is the key to success of sanitation program.
Case: Suchitrarani Das
Location: Gangarampur village of Ukta GP.

Gangarampur village is located in Ukta GP of Ausgram-I Block. There are around 185 households and out of it, 127 households belong to ST category and 58 households belong to general category. As per 1997 household survey report, only 10 families have sanitary latrines but it is sad that, ST household didn’t have any latrine to use.

In order to address the issue of open defecation in the village, the Govt has started sanitation campaign to bring all the households under sanitary latrine scheme. The government’s propaganda in reaching out to the actual beneficiary was a failure as it did not have any impact on the minds of the villagers. In order to ensure positive outcome of sanitation campaign, the government has entrusted this work to sanitary mart of ADS and recruited a motivator in every sansad to look after sansad-wise sanitation work. In this process, government has imparted training to motivator on importance of latrine, its usage and benefits.

Particularly in Gangarampur village, Suchitrarani Das a member of SHG, was appointed as a motivator to carry out implementation of sanitation work in her sansad area. That time, govt used to provide subsidy of Rs.200 to each benefciary and rest Rs. 200 used to be borne from the beneficiary towards procuring squatting plate for setting up low-cost household latrine. That motivator could able to convince around 70 women from her neighbourhood to construct sanitary latrine at household level. Having realized the importance of using sanitary toilet, many households in the village had spent their own money to cover around the squatting plate to make it suitable for use and she also made the community aware about health benefits of use of sanitary toilet. At present, the govt has changed the model of latrine and all the household have been brought under the purview of Mission Nirmal Bangla and found started using them. This use of household sanitary latrine has kept the incidences of diarrhea and dysentery at bay in the village. In order to witness the success of using household latrine, Suchitrarani Das had to digest many vituperative remarks and numerous abuses from her own community but with her selfless commitment and volition, the entire village has realized the importance of using sanitary latrine at household level and all the villagers are very happy as this healthy practice not only protecting families from various water-borne diseases but at the same time, ensuring environmental sanitation. At the end, being a member of SHG, Suchitrarani feels very proud to be associated with govt’s initiative to bring transformation in her own village as a change vehicle to witness health benefits.

Case study: 5

Title: Individual motivation inspires community to adopt elderly care program.
Case: Suchitrarani Das
Location: Bagdipara hamlet, Dashinpara village of Dignagar-1 GP.

Dakshinpara village is located at Dignagar-1 GP of Ausgram-I Block which is famous for Jagganath Temple. When ADS representative had visited Bagdipara – a small hamlet of Dakshinpara village, to introduce elderly care program but the villagers didn’t take this matter seriously as they were suspicious that ADS must have come to materialize their hidden agenda because the villagers of this area were deprived of various government’s facilities as many political parties came with false promises that developed mistrust amongst those villagers. Many days have passed but nothing has been materialized with regard to elderly care program. One day ADS representative along with Kankanadi a local ANM had organized a community awareness meeting where it was shared that ADS is a social development organization neither political nor government concern, had come to carry out elderly care program towards social, physical and mental well-being of the elders with support from Healthy World Foundation, USA. In the beginning, ADS had to carry out measurement of BP and weight of elders, spending quality time with elders listening to their problems while facilitating sustainable linkages between elders and various government departments at household level.

Initially, the community was not convinced as they were in doubt that ADS will do the same like other agencies. While the people were in dilemma, one elder suddenly spoke out that, the proposal of ADS seems to be good as they will carry out measurement of BP and weight in every month. They will also listen to our problem and share various govt schemes available for elders without any cost. I think it will be beneficial for us as it is not going to harm us. No one has ever before talked about it and the society considers elders as unnecessary burden. Moreover, we don’t need to go to hospital or visit doctors every month as they will share our problems to health functionaries without any cost. So, I don’t think anything negative about this proposal of ADS and it will be very helpful for all of us instead.

While contemplating the benefits of elderly care program of ADS, an active elder named Budhon Bagdi suddenly got up and said that,” I am with ADS and please start your activity with me and my wife”. Everybody was astonished to see how Budhon Bagdi got excited and shared his honest opinion to everyone. This elder Budhon Bagdhi is surviving with his wife and found to be very quiet and busy with their own work and never involves in any unnecessary gossip at community level. Therefore, with initial support from Budhon Bagdi, ADS has started its journey towards elderly care program in that village. In the beginning, many people did not come out and local political parties did not like this initiative. At present times, ADS is serving elderly without any money which is unthinkable and appreciating for social cause. Every time, Budhon Bagdi comes out first and started sharing the benefits his family getting from this program to other elders in the village. Hearing Budhon Bagdi, other elders have started enrolling their names in the program and even political parties have realized that ADS’s program is benefiting elderly without any bias and they also started cooperating with ADS in promoting this intervention.

Now ADS has started expanding its outreach in this village with the help of Budhon Bagdi and stating that ADS representative always keep in touch with elderly to enquire about our health, shares various govt program and spends quality time with us. Before that, ADS used to work with SHG and women development but now they have started working for needy elderly residing in disadvantaged community. At present, there are some good organizations existing who are dedicated to carry out development work for the needy elderly in our society. At the end, Budhon Bagdi has quoted that, “listen ADS is doing God’s work as they are supporting poor and invalid elderly like us with their development intervention. I thank ADS and pray that God will bless them in their noble endeavour.”

Case study: 6

Title: Individual motivation inspires community to adopt elderly care program.
Case: Dasi Tudu
Location: Majherdanga hamlet of Bhada village of Billogram GP.

Majherdanga is one of the most backward tribal hamlets located in Bhada village of Billogram GP under Ausgram-I Block. The concentration of tribal households and poverty is the characteristic of this small hamlet. Last winter, representative of ADS had to carry out home visit at Majherdanga hamlet under Old Age Care program and found Dasi Tudu, 80 years old lady sitting on verandah in squatting position bending her head down, wrapped in torn old blanket basking under the sun to beat the cold. The moment, ADS representative asked, how are you? After few moment, Dasi Tudu painstakingly lifted up her head from the blanket and started starting at ADS staff with inquisitive eyes for a moment and slowly responded that, “no one is at home and you need to come in the evening.” Then the staff had realized that Dasi Tudu’s family members had left home early in the morning for work and it was too early to visit her in winter morning and need to wait for some more time, till the rays of sun becomes little stronger. After few minutes of waiting, ADS staff slowly replied to her that, I have come to talk to you only. On hearing this unexpected response, Dasi Tudu was little surprised as no one has ever talked to her before and slowly she has started unfolding her story with ADS staff. During conversation, it was found that, with advancing old age and grey hair, she is unable to stand straight due to her weak waist and experiencing blurred vision due to poor eye sight and a home-made walking stick is her only companion at this age. It was also observed that the body language of Dasi Tudu has completely changed and she seems to be very happy while sharing her story. She was telling that, “sitting long in one place has developed waist pain and unable to view anything clearly due to poor eye-sight in this age”. In course of conversation, ADS staff also informed that he will visit her every month to measure her BP and weight and will bring some elderly people from her neighbourhood to spend quality time together. He also added that, he will also share various government schemes available for benefits of elderly and guide her to local health facility for any health emergency.

With the introduction of elderly care program, ADS has started monthly home visit cum counselling to selected elderly person, carrying out monthly measurement of BP and weight, facilitating elders to avail various government schemes and providing free eye glasses to needy person. At present, Dasi Tudu found to be very happy and her lonely life has been transformed as she is always cheerful and talkative and regained her vision with the use of eye glass provided by ADS. This positive situation has helped her to regain her joyful life from the state of loneliness. Whenever she meets ADS staff, she always shows smiling face and stretched out her hands with request for checking BP and weight and this quiet Dasi Tudu has been found very active and talkative and wants to talks to ADS staff to share her story at the time of home visit. This enthusiasm in Dasi Tudu’s life has witnessed the success of ADS’s elderly care program.