Alternative livelihoods were generated through enterprise creation in
the area of ‘building material production and skills supply’
The BMSB - Chowdwar, since then
renamed Ashraya Resource Centre, supported the reconstruction of these
cyclone-affected areas. The centre has been involved in organising
artisans in ‘artisan self help groups’, connecting rural women’s self
help groups to habitat finance through an SHG cooperative, and creating
awareness about ‘environmentally sustainable and locally appropriate’
construction technologies in villages through demonstrations, awareness
campaigns and training programmes.
Ashraya, thus, is a registered
society mainly involved in shelter construction for economically
backward people. Since 1999, the NGO has put in place a ‘people-managed
habitat process’ focusing on locally managed enterprises for delivering
cost-effective building materials produced by village self help groups.
Ashraya has also been employed
by banks as a Business Correspondent to deliver its loan products to the
rural poor using the SHG mode. The BC was appointed in October 2006 and
had, at the time of the study, provided credit to 50 SHGs, with another
100 groups in the pipeline. The SHGs formed by Ashraya in different
villages were all women’s groups, irrespective of caste. They undertook
both agricultural and small trading activities. Around 70 groups formed
by the NGO had federated into an SHG cooperative which, apart from the
overseeing the individual groups, also managed a day meals programme at
a local school.
It was here that the Schumacher
Centre for Development (SCD) came in with assistance. The SCD provides
training programmes to landless, marginalised farmers and women in
building-construction technology and material production. Presently, SCD
is training 200 masons, creating Building Material Service Banks and
constructing homes in Anugul and Talcher (Orissa) using the award
winning ‘Ashraya; concept on low-cost housing.
Draupadi Nayak, a woman mason
and beneficiary, is grateful to the SCD and says, ‘I am thankful to the
organisation that provided us the training opportunity. Today I earn Rs
100-125 a day as a mason.’
In collaboration with SCD, CORE
was able to train 1384 artisans - including 418 women - forming 60
Artisan Self Help Groups (ASHGs). The project has been a huge success.
Today, 36 ASHGs are fully self sustained and have improved their
financial conditions, with each artisan earning Rs 70 to Rs 120 daily.
This has also checked the large-scale migration of artisans to the
cities.
The encouraging work done at
the grassroot level has certainly brought in hope and, in future,
post-cyclones recovery and rehabilitation will not be a daunting task.