Vivek’s World (VW): You are a founder-trustee and Chairperson of Aroehan (NGO). Tell us about the journey of Aroehan. Looking back, what are your thoughts about the achievements of Aroehan?

Dr Helen Joseph (HJ): I am reminded of the day (in 2005) when Dr. Abhay Bang gave a lecture at the College of Social Work on the plight of malnourished children in Maharashtra. This left some of us with a terrible sense of discomfort; and made us ask ourselves what more our profession ought to do to remain relevant and more responsive to the plight of the disadvantaged in India.  As field work coordinator at that time, I made a small presentation at our weekly faculty meeting in this regard, proposing that we practically demonstrate the relevance of our teaching by taking up a limited area, working there, and showing the impact of our intervention. An opportunity arose when in 2006 the Govt. Of Maharashtra wanted us to take up some villages in Mokhada to work on the issue of Malnutrition. Accordingly AROEHAN was born. Anjali Kanitkar took responsibility to steer the project as Director, and I was part of the advisory team.

Starting with a micro-planning exercise we quickly realised the multiplicity and inter-connectedness of various factors that contributed to the high malnutrition deaths in the region.  Hence we realised the need for an integrated approach that intervened simultaneously in areas of Health, Education, Agriculture, Livelihood and Good Governance.

Starting with a small team, led by a social work graduate from our own College, we began an arduous learning process in a difficult and hilly terrain lacking transportation facilities, no electricity, and where the villagers survived through subsistence farming and migration to the cities. As we educated ourselves, we stumbled, we fell, we rose, we discussed and debated on intervention strategies, our partnership with the government and the industry, what our ideology should be, what we should compromise on and what we should not etc.

Funds were difficult to access initially, though after CSR came into existence in 2013, the situation improved significantly. Today, we work in Mokhada, Jawhar, Dahanu and Palghar talukas of Palghar district. In 2014 we graduated from being a field action project of the College to an independently registered organization.

Health: We started with a maternal and child health program and Life Skills education among women and girls, but moved on towards empowering them to participate in Village Health & Sanitation Committees (VHNSC) which monitors nutrition and community health. We were instrumental in getting Ultrasound machines in 3 rural hospitals in Palghar district with the help of Siemens and DHLF.

Water conservation has been a major achievement for AROEHAN. We have so far constructed 196 small and medium sized check dams, sub-surface bunds, and cordons, repaired and refurbished several defunct wells, and made new ones. This has helped not only in mitigating the water issues of the villagers, but even more importantly it has helped in recharging the ground water table across 13 GPs over the time we have been there. This has also relieved the women of the drudgery of carrying water from far off places, and made the conditions suitable for farmers to grow crops during the rabi season, thereby enhancing their livelihood. Thus intervention in a strategic area has had multiple impacts.  Today more than 1000 small farmers have moved beyond rain-fed primitive agriculture to using modern techniques of farming to augment their yield. Besides cultivating grains and millets, they have also started growing vegetables, fruits and flowers.

Education for Life is what AROEHAN is working towards, which involves capacity building to make children and youth responsible and proactive citizens of tomorrow. The youngsters take up environmental projects, participate in school governance issues etc. The Jigyaasa project makes the teaching of Science, Technology, English and Mathematics (STEM) more interesting to students – allowing them to explore with their hands the concepts that many children find very difficult to grasp.  Through this project, AROEHAN has so far reached out to 7575 students in 10 Ashram schools of Mokhada block.

In the critical area of Governance, villagers are empowered with knowledge to proactively engage with local self-government bodies to claim their entitlements and influence their village development.  This was done by forming ‘pada samitis’ (sub-village neighbourhood communities) which then learn how to engage with the Gram Sabhas, a statutory body, where their representations can be made. As a result, the villagers now work closely with the statutory committees like the VHNSC, the committees formed under PESA (Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas), and on issues concerning their forest rights, employment issues (under MGNREGA) and other aspects of the Village Development Plan. Working on Governance is the corner stone of our work, as AROEHAN believes that at the end of 4 to 5 years, people should be able to work independently. Only then can our work be sustainable.

VW: What do you think Aroehan should do now to bring about substantial change? And what are the plans ahead?

Dr Helen Joseph (HJ): In general, I think we are on the right track. However  NOW, we need to establish evidence of our impact on the ground, by setting up some measurable targets that demonstrate this.

We have therefore selected a few villages where we will focus our attention on achieving the following strategic goals: (i) To achieve Zero Malnutrition deaths in the selected villages, (ii) To ensure that ALL school-going children are in schools, (iii) To reduce migration by 50% in these areas, and (iv) To establish a citizen’s forum with special emphasis on participation of women.

Secondly, it seems to me that the CORONA pandemic has brought into sharp focus a number of issues that are ailing the public health care system. I believe that there is need for AROEHAN to play an active role in assessing/identifying gaps in the system and advocating for a more robust public health care system especially in rural Maharashtra.

But in all this, people themselves need to lead the change; otherwise no work is sustainable. For this, people must believe in themselves, believe that they can aspire for a better life, and also believe that they are responsible not just for themselves but for their entire village. When we can do that, we can withdraw from the area -for which we must have an exit strategy in place.

Furthermore, personally, I believe that there is a non-tangible aspect on which we need to bring about substantial impact.  Our work needs to go hand in hand with ensuring that a strong value base is developed in our children/youth (and village communities) – values of an inclusive society where there is respect and concern for all, irrespective of gender, caste, religion, race, language, community etc., accompanied by concern for the environment. I say this because I have realised that when disadvantaged people start becoming upwardly mobile, there is a danger that a ‘me-first’ attitude could develop, that takes no responsibility for those others who are still disadvantaged and discriminated against, even in their own neighbourhoods and beyond.

VW: Tell us about the issues facing the NGOs today.

Dr Helen Joseph (HJ): Some of the challenges faced by NGOs are:

1. Funding : This is a major challenge that many NGOs face. The Corona pandemic has resulted in a lot of CSR funds being diverted to it. This I fear will definitely affect our funding and thereby our work.
2. Professionalism in work, and having a well trained staff committed to the vision of the organization, are things that most NGOs are looking for. But this combination is difficult to find. For instance, there could be individuals who have a fire in their bellies and are devoted to the vision of their organization, but who are not necessarily good at management functions, or at following legal and other compliances, or vice versa. This is a big challenge.
3. Retaining one’s value system, and yet skilfully handling the political and sometimes selfish interests that inevitably come into play whenever change is being brought about, is again another significant challenge for all civil society organisations today, especially those that would like to focus on people-centred governance.

Thanks Dr Helen for sharing your thoughts with us.

Vivek S Patwardhan

 

Source – viveksp.com

Vivek’s World (VW): Migration of labour is a humongous problem. Tell us the situation and what can be done to curtail migration.

Dr Shubalakshmi (Dr S): The context: The migrant communities in Palghar mainly belong to the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) viz. Katkaris. They are either marginal farmers or landless working as farm labour in other’s farms or wage labours in brick kilns or nearby companies. Usually migration in these areas takes place in the non-monsoon months from November to March. They come back to celebrate Holi, only to migrate for another 3 months of April to June, till when the monsoon begins. Most of our tribal population fall prey to this vicious cycle.

The COVID crisis: This year due to the COVID crisis in the country the worst hit were the seasonal migrant labour who could not earn their wages as all forms of employment came to a standstill due to the lock down. They were left with no money or even basic necessities. This has affected not only the individuals, but their families and the community at large.

But as we say “Every cloud has a silver lining.” AROEHAN has been working in the Mokhada block since many years with the objective of reducing seasonal migration through water conservation and allied agriculture and alternate livelihoods.

Alternate livelihoods: We have started a pilot project with support from Siemens India Ltd. in 28 hamlets of Mokhada block to initiate alternate livelihoods for the marginal Self Help Groups. Some SHGs of landless and migrant farmers were identified and livelihood equipment like rice mill, papad making machine, oil crusher, and flour and masala mill have been provided to them. The members have been trained to operate the same. 50% of the SHGs have an earning potential between 5000 – 15000 rupees through regular and optimal utilization of the rice mill and the flour mill. This has also helped the neighbouring villagers in reducing their time and cost of travel and engaging in other forms of activity.                                  

Non-monsoon agriculture: Some farmers were also encouraged to take up Rabi cropping in the non-monsoon months. An interaction with the farmers, gave an insight into their cropping pattern. They usually prefer paddy cropping during the monsoons and buy other condiments like chilly, onions and vegetables for their regular use at high prices. This is when the team, felt that multi cropping with training on good agricultural practices esp. during the non-monsoon months will help the farmers with an additional source of income and reduce migration in the long run. Leafy vegetables, fruit vegetables, gourds, roots and tubers, groundnuts and sunflower were selected as crops to be grown on 10 gunthas of land each. The farmers could earn an income of around Rs10-15K with the sale of produce in the local markets. This not only helped the community but also the nutrition requirement of their own families. This income generation activity prohibited them from migrating elsewhere in search of work. They were spared from the harshness of the corona pandemic in way of lack of money and essentials and could lead a better daily life in comparison to the other migrants.

What can work? Empowering people with alternate livelihood opportunities and multi-cropping or generating income from agriculture enables communities to stay in their local villages and not venture out in search of menial wage employment during such pandemic or crisis situations. Availing government employment schemes through MNREGA for village development activities in one’s place of residence will also help people to generate income and thus curtail migration.

VW: Aroehan wants to ensure that in the next five years all children will attend school, there will be no child ‘out-of-school’. That’s a very ambitious goal. Tell us please, what was the situation on the education front pre-Covid and what is it now?

Dr S: The context: For a child to drop out of school or remain irregular, the reasons are manifold. Most of the schools in the tribal areas have very poor infrastructure and lack of WASH facilities as per norms. The nearest secondary school is distant from their residence. Caring for the younger sibling or migrating for work along with parents is other areas of concern. Even though students are enrolled in the schools, they usually drop out or are irregular due to lack of child friendly infrastructure and other reasons mentioned above, not to exclude the student – teacher ratio gap and lack of child friendly learning practices and pedagogy.

Usually the children attend the school by chance or force, rarely by choice. The other attraction for the family is the food that is served at the school, not to talk of its nutritional value but surely helps decrease the burden on the family especially the woman to feed another mouth.

The COVID crisis: This year due to the CORONA pandemic, the schools were the first ones to lockdown in the beginning of March to contain the spread of the virus- a loss of almost 2.5 months of learning and exams esp. 10th and 12th Std. and also an anticipated decline in the already poor nutritional status of the children.

Education and Nutrition: Timely meals are provided to the children in the Ashram schools and the mid-day meal at the Zilla Parishad schools. The question lies to whether the children have the same access to food facilities at home where their parents are busy at work and cannot manage to make both ends meet with their meagre incomes and lack of food security.

The children have been promoted to the next class on the basis of their annual performance. With children at home, lack of educational facilities at the school due to the closure and also at the home front, it has become very difficult for the parents to monitor the child’s activities. The parents usually tend to feel that the sole responsibility of the child’s upbringing lies with the school.

The government authorities and the schools have made every effort to bring in various learning platforms through NGOs and other sources in the villages so that the children are not idle. Not everyone is familiar to digital and visual learning methods including the teachers in the rural and tribal areas. Online education is fine in the cities and semi-urban areas, but with the absence or limited availability of electricity and internet access and lack of awareness or education among the caretakers, this still becomes a distant dream for the students residing in far to reach tribal hamlets. 

A few solutions to this problem could be setting up a central community kitchen to cater to the needs of children of all age groups, setting up of child friendly schools with improved infrastructure and educational facilities, an educational hub or a safe drop-in centre for continued learning and overall development of a child.  

VW: Thanks Dr Shubalakshmi

Vivek S Patwardhan

Getting familiar with their projects became essential as I was invited to join Aroehan as a trustee. Aroehan works in the Jawhar – Mokhada area of Dist Palghar (in Maharashtra). Take Ahmedabad Highway, travel up to Manor and then turn right to take a road leading to Vikramgad. The road has more potholes than the lunar craters. Perhaps it is a warning sign; the traveller must get ready to receive more severe shocks; I am referring to the living conditions in villages and of villagers.

We finished our work at the Jawhar Office and started for ‘Dharecha Pada’. Pada means a hamlet. A few Padas or hamlets dispersed over a large area makes a village in these scarcely populated hilly terrains of Mokhada. I guessed the population of Dharecha Pada may be less than a thousand. Dr Shuba, Madhuri and I reached Dharecha pada.

“I think she is already inside, I see her two-wheeler” Madhuri said, “A Mata-Baithak is organised here.” ‘Mata Baithak’ is a meeting of women. We alighted from our car in front of a small building. It was a small room, about 18’x18’in size, and it was obvious that the room was made for meetings. Mata Baithak was in progress. About twenty or twenty-five women made the audience, some carried children in their arms. Dr Shuba, Aroehan’s Chief Operating Officer, Madhuri, who supervises a few projects and I joined the meeting. Somebody hurriedly put three chairs for us. Reshma who works with Aroehan, was conducting the meeting.

In Mokhada 169 infants died due to malnutrition in 2006. Anjali Kanitkar and Dr Helen Joseph, moved quickly to establish Aroehan. ‘Aroehan’ is actually an acronym of ‘Action Related to Organisation of Education, Health and Nutrition’ and it is registered as NGO. The initial focus was on malnutrition eradication or health. However, they realised that the multiplicity and inter-contentedness of various factors that contribute to high malnutrition deaths required an integrated approach to the problem resolution.

“This is Mata-Baal Suraksha Card (Health Card of Mother and Child). This is an ‘encyclopaedia’ of pregnancy.” Smile on everybody’s face! Reshma was explaining to the Adivasi (Tribal) women. “It contains all information about a pregnant woman’s registration, delivery and inoculation of the infant.”

Reshma holds Mata-Baithak

“Look at these three colours or three zones.” Reshma was held open the Health Card, and pointed to a diagram. “Three zones – Green, Yellow and Red. Ideally, in which zone your child should be?”

“Green”, a woman replied.

“Good. What needs to be done to make sure that the child is in green zone?” She introduced healthy diet. She was explaining how they should provide ‘Tiranga’ or tri-coloured diet. Tiranga is easily understood because that’s what the national flag is called; it has three colours saffron, white and green. Saffron colour included tomatoes, carrots, white included milk, eggs and rice and green included leafy vegetables. “You don’t have to travel outside your village, all the ingredients of tri-colour diet are available here.”

Note: I was later informed that following is the correct information:
“The food tricolour depicts the following food groups:
Saffron: Body building foods which include all the pulses(dals), meat, eggs and milk – protein sources.
White: Energy giving foods which include all the grains, roots and tubers, oilseeds, ghee, milk products, sugar – carbohydrates and fat sources
Green: Protective foods which include all the leafy vegetables, fruits and fruit vegetables, jaggery, iodised salt, spices – vitamin and mineral sources.
The Ashok Chakra depicts water.”

Dr Shuba turned to me. “Several infants are born as under-weight babies in this Mokhada area. Wrong diet is a problem, but the wrong beliefs and practices about a pregnant woman’s diet is a greater problem. Many tribal women survive only on ‘pej.’ Pej is the water in which rice is boiled. Their diet becomes woefully inadequate. How can the pregnant woman remain healthy and will it not affect the development of the baby? Most of the pregnant women become anaemic, their haemoglobin drops to abysmally low levels.”

Mata Baithak in progress

Internet throws up a study of two researchers from Tata Institute of Social Sciences on malnutrition in Mokhada. ‘In 2005, child malnutrition claimed as many as 718 lives in one single district namely Palghar. Even after a decade of double-digit economic growth, in 2016, more than 600 children died due to under-nutrition in the same district.’ ….. ‘Our study level estimates suggest that 59% of children were stunted.’

“Education of girls usually stops at 7th Class. A 15 or 16-year-old girl is often married in tribal villages. This is quite common. Then she gets pregnant at an age she should not. These are big problems to overcome.”

“I read recently that a fourteen-year-old girl got pregnant in an ‘Ashram School.’

A story in ‘Firstpost’ mentions, ‘In November last year, (2016) the whole state of Maharashtra woke up to a horror — a tribal school in Buldhana was derecognised after reports emerged that girl students are being sexually assaulted there. The incidence only came to light after a girl, who was visiting her parents, complained of stomach-ache and was later found to be pregnant. As the episode unfolded, several other girls came forward complaining of sexual harassment, and at least three of them were pregnant. Eleven people were arrested, including school trustees, the headmaster and a few teachers.

“Ashram Schools provide hostels facility, boys and girls stay there. So, it is not a surprise that a young girl got pregnant. Such cases are not infrequent. They get them married – there is hardly any ceremony – sometimes she moves to the boy’s home, that’s it. Poverty! In a rare case there is a problem if the boy disowns her.”

“Take a look at some women in this meeting (Mata-Baithak). The one with a child in her arms looks under-age. She may be just about sixteen.”

“The are also under-nourished. If you ask them, girls will tell you that they are eighteen years old, but I feel that may not be correct age. There are many bad consequences of an under-age mother – not only at physical but also social level.”

Young Mothers At the Mata-Baithak

Reshma was now discussing the problems faced by women in the pada or hamlet. She spoke about ‘Gram-Sabha’ (Villagers’ Body). ‘People use the forum of the Gram Sabha to discuss local governance and development, and make need-based plans for the village. The Panchayat implements development programs under the overarching mandate, supervision and monitoring of the Gram Sabha. All decisions of the Panchayat are taken through the Gram Sabha and no decision is official and valid without the consent of the Gram Sabha.’

Reshma was persuading all women to organise a Mahila (Women’s) Gram Sabha. The women spoke about the problem of drinking water. Incidentally Mokhada region has a very high rainfall, but the villagers face scarcity of drinking water from march to July.

“You must organise Mahila Gram Sabha to voice your problems. Those will then be raised before Gram Panchayat effectively.” Although Reshma’s words made some impact, the real problem was that tribal women would not speak up in a large gathering. And that was, and remains, a big hurdle to cross.

Reshma turned to the issue of migration of villagers. For the tribal villages this is a huge problem. They can’t survive only on one-crop-agriculture, so they move to cities or towns in search of jobs.

“Migration eats into your life in many ways. Migrating men and women leave behind their aged parents who are left to fend for themselves. Children leave their school. They stay under harsh conditions during the migration period, affecting their health adversely. The entire economy of the village suffers.”

“We have helped farmers produce second crop. Several farmers have been harvesting second crop.”

“Aroehan has decided to take immediate measures to reduce migration of people by 50% in certain area. And that target appears to be almost unsurmountable – you can imagine the magnitude of this problem of migration.”

I was leading my Rotary Club’s project to build two check dams near Bhiwandi. I went to inspect the work when I noticed that a few families of labourers had set up a shade – well, you can’t call it home or even dwelling place – by erecting three feet high sticks and placing a torn saree over it. They were staying under it!

“They come down (climbing down the hills) here in search of a job, and return to their villages for the Holi Festival” the construction supervisor who had engaged those migratory labourers informed me. I was shocked. On my way I noticed a family camping under a tree; once you think of migration, you start spotting those who have migrated.

Migrating tribal families live under horrible conditions

I clicked this photograph. If you wish to grasp the humongous scale of migration, you should travel in Mokhada area. Statistics can provide you information, but sensitization to a problem is the result of seeing migration; statistics fails to sensitise us.

This is a very complex situation. It is multi-dimensional. Any amount of work and support will fall short of eradicating, transforming the situation; that’s my initial assessment. We require long term solutions and some immediate short-term measures, and, of course, a group of committed persons.

There should be no doubt that the Government is the most ineffective organisation, be it of any party. There are many programs and measures which are designed to ameliorate the conditions, but no benefit reaches the people who should be the real beneficiaries. It is heartening that NGOs like Aroehan are seized of the problem.

This horrible situation of poverty, malnutrition, migration, unhealthy practices and low literacy level has undoubtedly resulted from short-sightedness of leaders as well as their preoccupation with their own welfare. Can this be disputed?

Vivek S Patwardhan

“गाडी थांबवा” माधुरीने शरदला म्हणजे ड्रायव्हरला फर्मावले. माधुरी, प्रतिभा आणि मी आरोहनच्या जव्हार कार्यालयातून खैरमाळला जायला निघालो होतो. शरदने गाडी शंभर-दोनशे फूटही चालवली नसेल तेव्हां माधुरीचा प्रश्न आला. “सर, तुम्ही टोपी आणली आहे ना?” “नाही, काही तशी जरूर नाही.” “ऊन फार कडक आहे, टोपी घेतलीच पाहिजे. गाडी थांबवा.” गाडी हमरस्त्यावरच्या एका जनरल स्टोअर समोर उभी राहिली. मी टोपी विकत घेतली. पुन्हा गाडीत बसलो, आणि खैरमाळला निघालो. माधुरी आणि प्रतिभा ‘आरोहन’ एनजीओमध्ये काम करतात. आरोहन हा शब्द म्हणजे इंग्रजी नावाचं संक्षिप्त स्वरूप आहे, म्हणून ते आरोहण नव्हे तर आरोहन. मला नुकतंच आरोहनने त्यांच्या विश्वस्त पदावर नेमलं आहे, त्यामुळे त्यांच्या कामाची ओळख करून घेणं ओघानेच आलं. मी सर्वप्रथम खैरमाळचा प्रकल्प बघावा असे ठरलं. शरदने गाडी हमरस्त्यावरून डावीकडे वळवली. “खैरमाळ उंच डोंगरावर वसलंय. फक्त दहा घरांचं गाव आहे.” प्रतिभा म्हणाली. “किती दूर आहे?” “पंधरा किलोमीटरच आहे जव्हारपासून. पण रस्ता डोंगरातून जातो, आणि रस्ता बनवण्याचं काम चालू आहे. त्यामुळे वेळ लागतो.” थोड्याच वेळात आम्ही “काम चालू – रस्ता बंद” च्या जागी पोचलो. रस्त्याच्या एका भागाचं डांबरीकरण चालू होतं. त्यांच्या सुपरवायझरने गाडी थांबवली. “तुला आता सोडतो, पण परतताना दुसऱ्या वाटेने जा” म्हणाला. गाडी घाट उतरत होती. ऊन रणरणते होते. गुरंदेखिल झाडाखाली सावलीला उभी होती.   वळणावळणाच्या रस्त्याने आम्ही एक दोन पाडे मागे टाकत गेलो. नदीवर एक पूल लागला. “हा पूल नुकताच बांधलाय. पावसाळ्यात ही नदी भरून वाहत असे तेव्हां खैरमाळचा जगाशी संपर्क तुटत असे.” माधुरी म्हणाली. “पूल बांधल्यामुळे मोठ्ठीच सोय झालीय.” आमची गाडी गीटीपाडा गांवात आली. विटांची घरं, प्लास्टर न केलेली, दुतर्फा होती. गाडीतून उतरलो व चालू लागलो. एक छोटी तीन फुटी भिंत दिसली, त्यावर तीन नळ होते. “हे आरोहननेच बांधले. बंधाऱ्यामुळे ह्या गांवापर्यंत नळ आणता आले.”   चार तरुण मुले जवळच होती. ती उठून उभी राहिली. मी नीट निरखून बघितलं. त्यांनी पिवळे हायलाईटकरून क्रिकेटरसारखे स्टाईलने कापले होते. अनेक आदिवासी घरांवर डिश आंटेना उभ्या होत्या. माधुरी आणि प्रतिभा झपझप चालू लागल्या. मी त्यांच्या मागे. माझ्या लक्षात आले की आम्ही एका टेकडीवर होतो, आणि आता दरीत उतरायचे होते. प्रतिभा पुढे गेली. वहिवाटीचा रस्ता सोडून पायवाटेने खाली गेली. माधुरी माझ्यापुढे पण माझ्यावर सतत लक्ष ठेवत, कधी उतारावर मला हात देत नीट पुढे नेत होती. ऊन खरंच भाजून काढत होतं, त्या दोघींनी डोक्यावरून पदर आणि ओढणी घेतली होती. त्यांनी मला टोपी का घ्यायला लावली ते समजलं. “आम्ही इथे बंधारा बांधलाय. खूप अडचणी आल्या, वेळ लागला, पण आम्ही काम पुरं केलं. वनखात्याच्या लोकांनीही आरोहनचं काम वाखाणलं.” प्रतिभा म्हणाली. मी सांभाळूनच टेकडी उतरत होतो. जसे खाली आलो तसा दूरवर बंधारा दिसू लागला. नदीच्या पात्रात मोठ्ठे दगड होते. त्यातून वाट काढत पुढे बंधाऱ्याकडे निघालो.   बंधारा आठ फूट उंच आहे आणि पाणी जायला व्हेंट आहे. बंधाऱ्याच्या खालच्या बाजूस गोल झाकणे दिसत होती. तीच व्हेंट. “पावसाळ्यात खूप पाणी येत. व्हेंट उघडली की बंधाऱ्यातला गाळ-कचरा बाहेर जातो. सप्टेंबरला व्हेंट बंद करतो, मग पाणी इथेच, बंधाऱ्यामागे, तलावासारखं थांबतं.” नदी ओलांडून आम्ही बंधाऱ्याच्या डाव्या बाजूला गेलो. एक सुंदर डोह तयार झाला होता. बरंच खोल असावं. “पाणी फुटभर देखिल कमी झालं नाहीये.” माधुरी आनंदाने ओरडलीच. “एप्रिलचा महिना आहे. जूनपर्यंत पाणी टिकेल वाटतंय.” “हा बंधारा नव्हता तेव्हा खैरमाळच्या लोकांना पाणी आणायला दोन तीन किलोमीटर चालावं लागत होतं. तुम्ही नदीवरच पूल बघितला ना? तिथपर्यंत दोन घडे घेऊन बायका पाण्याला जात होत्या.” “सर, खैरमाळ ह्या डोंगरावर आहे.” प्रतिभाने मागच्या उंच टेकडीकडे बोट दाखवलं. म्हणजे आम्ही एक टेकडी उतरलो, नदीचं कोरडं पात्र पार केलं, आणि आता नदीच्या दुसऱ्याबाजूला असलेल्या उंच टेकडीवर खैरमाळला जायचं होतं. खैरमाळच्या बायका दोन घडे घेऊन खैरमाळची उंच टेकडी उतरून, मग दुसरी चढून पलीकडच्या नदीपर्यंत पाण्यासाठी जात असत, आणि परतत. हंड्यातलं किती पाणी सांडलं असेल आणि डोळ्यातलं किती सांडलं त्याची कल्पनाच केलेली बरी. आम्ही तिथेच बंधाऱ्यावर उभे राहिलो. तलावातल्या वनस्पतीकडे माझे लक्ष गेले. हिरवळीचे चेंडू एकत्र करावेत तशी दिसत होती. “त्या वनस्पतीला ‘गोंडूळ’ म्हणतात. त्याने पाणी गार राहातं.” माधुरीने माहिती पुरवली. मला वाटतं की गोन्ड्यासारखी वाढ दिसते म्हणून गोंडूळ नांव पडलं असेल. आम्ही खैरमाळची टेकडी चढायला लागलो. माधुरी आणि प्रतिभाने कमीत कमी त्रासाची वाट कोणती ते नक्की केलं. टेकडी उंच तर आहेच, पण रुळलेल्या पायवाटा दिसत नव्हत्या. “आम्ही प्रकल्पाच्या कामासाठी इथे अनेकदा आलो. इथे पावसाळ्यात खूप साप निघतात. फार भीती वाटायची. एक हातात काठी घेऊन पुढे आणि आम्ही सगळे तिच्या मागे रांगेने अशी वरात निघायची.” प्रतिभा म्हणाली. “आपण जाताना सोलार पॅनेल बघूया. आम्हीच बसवलेत ते. सोलारवर चालणारा पंप आम्ही बसवलाय. गावात पाच हजार लिटरची टाकी उंचावर उभारली आहे. पम्पामुळे खैरमाळला पाणी मिळते. आणि गीटीपाड्यालाही.” “नळाने पाणी आलं तेव्हां खैरमाळमधल्या मुलांना फारच आप्रूप वाटलं. त्यांनी नळातून पाणी येताना कधी बघितलंच नव्हतं. ती सारखी नळावर जात, नळ उघडून बघत.” माधुरी सांगू लागली. “पाणी नव्हतं म्हणून मुलांना आंघोळही कधीमधीच. मग आरोग्याचे प्रश्न उभे! इथे मुलांच्यात खरुज असण्याचे प्रमाण खूपच होतं. आता दररोज आंघोळ करतात. आम्ही खरुजेवर लावायला औषधे आणली. खरुज गेली सगळ्यांची. अर्धी-पाऊण टेकडी चढून गेलो होतो. आरोहनची सोलार पॅनेल दिसत होती. पंतप्रधान मोदींनी सर्व खेड्यांना वीज देण्याची घोषणा केली होती. खैरमाळ हे एक वीज [आणि इतर अनेक] सुविधा नसलेलं वंचित खेडं होतं. वीज तिथे महिन्या दोन महिन्यापूर्वीच आली. पण महाराष्ट्रात अनेक खेड्यांना चोवीस तास वीज मिळत नाही. इथे ‘कनेक्टीव्हीटी’चा कायमचा अभाव. इथे अजूनही मोबाईल नेटवर्क नाही. पावसाळ्यात खैरमाळशी संबंध असा तुटत असे की जसं हे खेडं भारतात नाहीये. सोलार पॅनेलपासून गावापर्यंत चढ असला तरी वाट बरी आहे. आम्ही पुढे गेलो. “ती वीटभट्टी बघा.” प्रतिभाने दूरवरची भट्टी दाखवली. “इथल्या लोकांना विटा आणण्यापेक्षा इथेच बनवणं सोयीचं वाटतं.” विटा व्यवस्थित रचल्या होत्या, बाजूलाच लाकडं गोळा करून ठेवली होती. भट्टी लावायची तयारी झाली होती. “इथले गांवकरी एकच पीक घेत होते. नाचणी किंवा वरीचं. आता पाणी मिळतंय बंधाऱ्याचं. ते दोन तीन पिकं घेतात.” माधुरी सांगत होती. “पूर्वी पावसाळ्यानंतर, म्हणजे पीक तयार झाल्यावर, दसऱ्याच्या सुमारास इथले शेतकरी कामाच्या शोधात इतर जागी जात. स्थलांतरित कामगार! पडेल ती कामं शहरात वा इतर ठिकाणी करायचे. आता स्थलांतर बंद! पाण्याच्या उपलब्धतेने किती चमत्कार घडवलाय. तीन पिकं घेणारे शहरात काम शोधायला कशाला जातील?” आम्ही खैरमाळमध्ये दाखल झालो. पहिल्या घरापाशी मुले खेळत होती. फोटो काढतो म्हणालो तर त्यांची आई हसून काही बोलली. त्यांची वारली भाषा. मला काहीच कळलं नाही, माधुरीने खुलासा केला. ‘मुलं तयार होऊन, चांगले कपडे घालून येतील.’ खैरमाळमध्ये दहा-आकारच घरं असली तरी ती मोठी आहेत. एका घराजवळ आरोहनने पाण्याची टाकी बांधली आहे. खालीच तीन नळ बसवून मोरी केली आहे. दोन मुलं हात-पाय धूत होती. “ती बघा फोटोसाठी तयार होत आहेत.” माधुरी म्हणाली.   एका घरासमोर मोठं आंगण होतं, तिथे आम्ही जमलो. घराच्या तुळईवर ‘ग्रामसभा-खैरमाळ’ अशी पाटी होती. आरोहनने शासनाची आंगणवाडी योजना इथे आणली. ‘अमृताहार’ ग्रामस्थ स्त्रियांना मिळवून दिला. बाई गरोदर असली तर तिला तिसऱ्या महिन्यापासून अमृताहार देण्यात येतो. कुपोषणाची समस्या त्यामुळे दूर होते. गांवातली बायका-मुलं आमच्या अवतीभवती गोळा झाली. मी त्यांना बंधाऱ्यामुळे काय फायदे झाले ते विचारले. त्या सगळ्याजणी भरभरून बोलल्या, काबाडकष्टाचे जीवन मागे पडले होतं. मी ते व्हिडीओवर टिपलं.

 

माझं लक्ष घराच्या प्रवेशद्वाराकडे गेलं. व्हरांड्यासारख्या जागेत चक्क इंग्रजी तक्ते होते. “इथला एक मुलगा डीएड झालाय. तोच शिकवतो.” प्रतिभा म्हणाली. आत्ता कुठे वीज आलीय, पाणी मिळालंय, बायकांना दोन-चार किलोमीटर पाण्याचे हंडे घेऊन टेकडी चढाउतरायला लागत नाहीये, आंगणवाडी आली, गावात सुईण पोहोचू शकते, अमृताहार मिळतोय, कुपोषणाकडे ग्रामसभा लक्ष देतेय, आयुष्यात सुविधा आणि व्यवस्थितपणा आलाय. हे सर्व व्हायला स्वातंत्र्यानंतर सत्तराहून अधिक वर्षे लागली. त्याबद्दल सरकारी यंत्रणेला दोष द्यायचा, त्यांच्यावर ठपका ठेवायचा, की आरोहनसारख्या एन्जिओकडे आशेने बघायचं? तुम्हीच ठरवा.

विवेक पटवर्धन

 You see the road, the trees and even the people start looking different to you. Because you look at people and surrounding with new eyes, as they say. Each visit to Mokhada brings this message to me.

“Leave your car at the hotel. Let us travel together in this Ertiga,” Dr Shubalakshmi, COO of Aroehan said. Sedans are the not the best vehicles for driving to villages in Mokhada. I hopped in, so did Aroehan’s project managers. It was a long serpentine road up and down the hills after we exited the highway.

Women assembled for meeting

We reached a hamlet. A group of Adivasi women were assembled by Meenakshi and Sarita to meet us. A smaller group of men also joined them. Sulabha, my wife, Dr Shuba (during the travel from Jawhar to Mokhada I had become familiar enough to address her as Shuba) and I sat down with them.

“I am Rajendra Shankar Palve,” a young man moved forward and introduced himself. He picked up a file and scanned through the papers to pick up one to show me, but I stopped him.

Rajendra Palve

“Wait, I said. I am going to record your video. Is that okay?” I took out my selfie stick, placed my mobile on it, fixed a collar mike and hooked it to his collar. My addressing him in Marathi must have made him more comfortable, I guessed.

“Not a problem” he replied as he gave a broad smile, adjusting the collar mike. He was excited to face the camera. “I am a member of the pada (hamlet) samiti.” He picked up his papers from the file. “Let me tell you the projects pada samiti has followed up with Government Offices.” He explained various issues, beginning with the ‘Bus problem’. State Transport buses had started plying to their pada, but heavy rains washed out the road during the last monsoon. There was no place where the bus could turn around, so the service was stopped. It was yet to be resumed although he had represented the problem before the State Transport authorities.

Rajendra also spoke of the PHC (Primary Health care Centre) which was sanctioned in 1994 but is yet to be established.

“What happens in the monsoon when you can’t cross the Pinjal river and your village is cut off from Pethecha pada?”

“Do you see that hill behind you? We have to climb up the hill and reach a village called ‘Kevnale.’ We then negotiate charges for a vehicle to take the patient to the PHC. All this takes about four hours. Sometimes the sick person dies on the way.”

That left me speechless. I was left to imagine the hardship of Adivasi villagers in this hamlet.

Our discussion then shifted to the Electricity supply. The Electricity poles had fallen or bent. That resulted in intermittent electricity supply. One woman said that a person had died, I guess he was electrocuted as a result of the unrepaired electric poles. Apparently the MSEB officials responded to Rajendra and his pada samiti’s appeal and it was repaired.

Governance is a difficult area to work on. Aroehan has obviously made an impact. The essence of governance is that the villagers must decide on the issues confronting them, and solve their problems.

Seeta (in blue saree) speaks about impact of Aroehan’s work. Sarita to her right

“Seeta wants to speak” Sarita from Aroehan’s project team said. Seeta in a light blue saree stood out in the group of village women. “She was illiterate but has learnt to sign, she takes initiative to find solutions to the problems. She is the treasurer of the pada samiti. Talk about women’s issues,” Sarita said. Seeta cringed. She drew courage and explained how pregnant women now go for scan, ensure inoculation, thanks to Aroehan. Seeta was happy that she was playing a role in alleviating the problems of her hamlet. She was so excited, she invited Aroehan team for a cup of tea at her home!

Paper Plates Making Machine

This is the ground reality in the twenty-first century! This was a different world, I thought. Seeta, Sarita and Meenakshi showed us a machine for making paper plates. And a grinding machine which can give them rice flour and masalas. They demonstrated their operation to me. These could be some sources of additional income, they said.

Grinding Machine

I was uncomfortable. Much more was needed to be done to provide better living conditions, education and the list would be long. The problem was huge, almost insurmountable. But somehow it had to be confronted with determination and skill.

“Malnutrition deaths, low literacy rate and education levels, water scarcity, migration of tribal to the city in search of jobs are all interconnected problems,” Anjali once told me, “You can’t work on only one problem, a comprehensive, integrated approach to development is required. And we have to put more money in the hands of the villagers to address the poverty and related issues. That’s the most effective approach. And it’s not easy.”

As I got in the Ertiga again, the words of my friend came haunting me: “Educated and the well-to-do people from cities have only ‘anthropological interest’ in the tribal community.” People have visited these villages clad in jeans, and a T-Shirt, carrying cameras. They have listened to their plight, visited their villages, photographed them all to quench their curiosity, but the involvement for active contribution was never forthcoming.

Lisa Ray tells a story in her autobiography. A stranger spoke to her, he told his heart-rending life story. He thanked her for listening to him and said his gift to her would only be a riddle. ‘What’s the furthest a human can travel?’ His answer was, ‘from here’, as he drew a line from his temples to his heart, ‘to here.’

I hope I can travel it. I am going to.

Vivek S Patwardhan

The announcement of PM Modi on March 24 created unprecedented problems for migrant workers. Many of them started walking to reach their home town, in some cases a few hundred kilometres away. They went without food and water.

Aroehan’s Project staff realised that they had to track down such workers and provide help. They found out migrant workers working on brick kilns were stranded at certain villages in Palghar. The Project staff sent an SOS.

“We have identified migrants on Brick kiln in Palghar Block who are in need of basic things in this lockdown villages: Dhuktan – Katkaripada, Diwekarpada and Ranoli (90), Sakhre (38), Haloli-Padospada (18). We must provide them with Grocery and other basic items.” Providing food and other essentials meant substantial cost, a quick estimate informed us that it will cost a little more than Rs. One Lakh for this group.

Dr Shubalakshmi, COO of Aroehan sought help. Aroehan had not planned for this eventuality. But the situation was such that it was not possible to ignore. How can any NGO worth its salt turn Nelson’s eye when a group of people are in a helpless situation?

An appeal was made through a post on Facebook. And also mails were sent to well-wishers requesting donations. The response was much more than what we wished for. In about fifteen hours we collected a little less than Rs. Two Lakhs!

The project team moved with speed. They immediately met 19 families (say about 70+ persons) at Dhuktan and provided each family with a package containing Rice 5 Kg, Tea 500 gm, Sugar 1 Kg, Tur Dal 500 gm, Masala + Turmeric, Edible Oil 1 Litre, Toothpaste and a Soap.

Immediate Help Was Possible Because of Instant Response of Donors

This is the story of Aroehan’s help reaching within 24 hours of identifying the problem. And of responsible citizens who have contributed immediately. Aroehan’s project team will cover the rest of the needy workers tomorrow.

Kudos to the donors who responded within 15 hours. They made money available to Aroehan. Kudos to the Aroehan Team which has shown exceptional speed of response to help the needy.

The story will repeat and continue tomorrow. And our belief in the people’s willingness to support the vulnerable section of society is strengthened.

Vivek S Patwardhan