The prime resource of this deprived region is its people – the artisans, the master craftsmen, the farmers. But these skilled people do not thrive in this neglected region due to its rampant poverty and lack of opportunities. This forces them to migrate to other areas, thus thinning the resource base of the region. There is a need for an intervention that encourages these artisans to participate in the development of the region, and check the exodus to other cities.

        On similar lines, Development Alternatives has been making intervention to improve the dilapidated habitat conditions of rural Bundelkhand, with the focus on income generation and a healthy and sustainable habitat for the poor. We have learnt from our past experiences that there is tremendous potential in the habitat sector in terms of livelihood creation.

        Development Alternatives promotes rural credit services for habitat delivery. It has institutional linkages with the State Bank of India, which provides housing loans to the SHGs at low rates of interest. Aware families, empowered with credit, demand better quality and services.

        Development Alternatives (DA) promotes cost-effective and environment-friendly construction technologies and materials and trains masons, carpenters, plumbers etc. in such techniques. DA is also running a continuous campaign to generate mass awareness on the options available to the rural families in order to create a healthy market of improved habitat products and services.

        Along with the focus on the technological and financial components of habitat, Development Alternatives is now concentrating on efficient and effective delivery of habitat services. The design of the delivery system is built around capacity building of large numbers of artisans and linking them to the market – with the accent on the rural customer. Under this capacity building initiative, it is aiming to create a cadre of trained masons and other artisans as well as managers of the habitat activity to support a “people’s housing movement” in Bundelkhand. It targets skilled and semi-skilled masons, plumbers, carpenters, bar-benders, village youth, SHG members, small scale contractors and teams of implementation (CSO) partners.

        Identification of practicing artisans in the region and training them in better techniques of construction is a prime component of this programme. TARA Nirman Kendra, the rural building centre run by DA, under the HUDCO scheme, in Orchha is an important partner in this process. The training programme will also disseminate construction management skills to small-scale contractors and supervisors in order to maximise efficiency and quality. 

        Another component of the programme is training small entrepreneurs to run building material production enterprises in the region. Partners of DA in Bundelkhand for habitat delivery management have also been identified viz. Sarthak and Sandhan in Tikamgarh and Darshana Mahila Kalyan Samiti in Chhatarpur. And, one of the most important modules of capacity building for habitat design, delivery and management is directed towards these CSOs. Periodic training programmes and certification are some of the vital components of this initiative.

        Under this programme, Development Alternatives plans to inter-connect trained stakeholders by providing them the same platform, e.g. by linking certified and trained mason groups with housing and infrastructure development programmes of the government, private village constructions, rural housing loan schemes and Tara Nirman Kendra projects.