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November was a euphoric month for us at Umed. Our SHG members found a new platform for their products with the Aadya Weekly Bazaar taking off in Osmanabad. Elsewhere, in Nandurbar, Umed’s first-ever Cluster Level Federation was established in Akkalkuwa block. To know more about these and other new developments which occurred as a result of consistent engagement with the communities and stakeholders, please read this issue of SAMVAD.

S A M V A D e- bulletin, November 2015

“The best way to predict the future is to create it.”

Peter Drucker

Come One, Come All : Aadya Weekly Bazaar, Osmanabad

The ‘Aadya Weekly Bazaar’ took off on a pilot basis in nine locations of Osmanabad district in the month of November. A market place for SHG members to buy and sell a wide range of products under the district brand of ‘Aadya – Symbol of Empowerment’, the bazaar has been held in different locations of the Osmanabad block such as Keshegaon, Dhoki, Chikhali, Ambejavalge, Bavi and Deolali.

Over 630 SHG members have participated in these markets which have generated a turnover of nearly Rs 82,000.

I was always willing to start an enterprise but finding a market for the products was turning out to be a problem. This is the first time that I have set up a shop in the market and it has given me the confidence to participate in different markets across the district. Now, I can

develop my business further. - Manisha Rodde (Saree trader), Pudhacha Paul

SHG, Bavi village

Right : The Aadya Weekly Bazaar underway at Chikhali,

Osmanabad.

Below : Inauguration of the Aadya Weekly Bazaar at Deolali,

Osmanabad on 27th November 2015.

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A Resounding Success : Mahila Janjagruti Melava, Beed

Hon’ble Minister for Rural Development and Water Conservation, and Women and Child Development, Ms. Pankaja Munde inaugurated the ‘Mahila Janjagruti Melava’ in Beed district on 30th November 2015. About 9000 women, including SHG members from the Aurangabad division participated in the event. Our community cadre (such as CRPs, Wardhinis, Bank Sakhis and Pashu Sakhis) from Osmanabad and Jalna shared their experiences of working with the Mission. The Honourable Minister lauded their efforts and stressed on the importance of empowering women. Several dignitaries graced the event including the Honourable Minister for Energy, New & Renewable Energy, Mr. Chandrashekhar Bawankule, CEO Zilla Parishad and Project Director (DRDA) among others. Additional Director, Umed shared the approach and achievements of Mission Umed and informed that Deen Dayal Upadhyay Grameen Kaushalya Yojna (DDU-GKY) will be launched in Maharashtra on 3rd December 2015. Under this programme, rural youth from poor families will be provided skill training and placement. Several youth who have benefited from earlier initiatives also shared their experiences here.

Making History : Umed Gets Its First Cluster Level Federation

The Birsa Munda Cluster Level Federation (CLF) was established on 25th November 2015 in the Khapar cluster (sub-clusters – Moramba and Khapar) of Akkalkuwa block in Nandurbar. Senior CRPs from SERP trained the VO members on the functioning of the CLF over a period of four days (22nd November-25th November). The Birsa Munda CLF covers 20 Village Organisations with 1539 members from 10 Gram Panchayats and reaches out to over 149 SHGs.

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19th November is celebrated as the World Toilet Day since 2001 to advocate for better hygiene practices and draw attention to global sanitation issues. At Umed, we celebrated the day by felicitating Open Defecation Free (ODF) SHGs in a few districts and promoting the idea of toilet construction. At present, over 14,000 SHGs have been reported as ODF under Umed.

Sanitation For All : Umed Celebrates World Toilet Day

Building A New Tomorrow : Half-Yearly IB-CB Review

The Half – Yearly Review of the Institution Building and Capacity Building vertical was held on the 16th and 17th of November 2015 at the SMMU, Navi Mumbai. Future strategies on the inclusion pilots, village saturation plans, monitoring indicators and senior CRP rounds were discussed and developed here, and saw the participation of the State Mission Managers, Mission Managers, Young Professionals and IB-CB district and block managers from the 10 NRLP districts. At the meeting, the Additional Director stressed on the need to design our interventions in a way that responds to the aspirations of the women.

Collaborating On New Livelihoods Path

Under our partnership with BAIF and MITTRA, a participatory scoping study was conducted at Kawada village for a cluster in Talasari block, Palghar from 19th-21st November, 2015. The study was aimed at gauging the potential livelihood activities in the area, and involved PRA exercises for existing livelihood activities, inflow-outflow analysis, NTFP ranking, secondary data analysis and focused group discussions with women, youth and farmers groups. Participants from 6 nearby villages engaged in these exercises which were supervised by experts from BAIF. The exercise provided our team with valuable insights as the participants listed 48 different types of existing livelihood activities in these villages. Custard apple, palm tree and tamarind ranked highest in the NTFP exercise undertaken here.

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Good Governance

The second Governing Body Meeting (GBM) of Umed was held on 20th November 2015 in Mumbai. The meeting was chaired by Hon’ble Minister for Rural Development and Water Conservation, and Women and Child Development and MoS, Rural Development and Finance. Key agenda points in the meeting included the phasing plan, fund allocation and review of the Mission’s progress among others. A distinct feature of the meeting was the presence of Community Resource Persons (CRPs) from Thane and Palghar districts who shared their experiences of working with the Mission. Hon’ble Minister for Rural Development and Water Conservation, and Women and Child Development interacted with the CRPs to understand their experiences and aspirations being part of the Mission

Community Resource Persons (CRPs) from Thane and Palghar districts interact with Hon’ble Minister for Rural Development and Water Conservation, and Women and Child Development at the Governing Body Meeting held on 20th November in Mumbai.

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Source : * NRLM Portal ( The remaining figures have been taken from Umed Monthly Progress Report).

Her Story : Kalpana Rajesh Bhui, Entrepreneur and Member, Shreeram Samarth SHG

Last month, we told you about our SHG members participating in the Women’s Art, Craft and Food Festival organized by Era For Women and Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture at CIDCO Urban Haat, Navi Mumbai. Now, read about Kalpana tai, a native of Palghar who participated in the festival. A member of the Shreeram Samarth SHG, Kalpana Rajesh Bhui participated in the Women’s Art, Craft and Food Festival held at CIDCO Urban Haat, Navi Mumbai between 28th October-1st November, 2015. Along with her husband, Rajesh, she helmed the stall at the festival and sold a wide range of products made by her SHG members. The display shelves were stocked with ceramic pots, terracotta jewellery, Ganesh idols and pen stands. Based in Dhansod, Palghar, Kalpana tai and her SHG members source the different components required to make the products while Rajesh works on creating the art pieces. Once the product is ready, the women paint and provide the finishing touches. This business model is working well for the members of the Shreeram Samarth SHG, who have begun participating in various shows and exhibitions. They also develop and provide order-based products. Encouraged by the response at the festival, the couple has decided to stay back and participate in the month-long Deepmala Festival at the Haat.

CORRIGENDUM : We regret errors made in the previous issue (number 14, October 2015) of SAMVAD in the report titled ‘On The Number Trail : Our Progress So Far (Till September 2015)’. The correct figures (till October 2015) have been presented below.

S. No. Progress Indicator Cumulative Figure (NRLP + NRLM)

1. Total Number of SHGs formed under NRLM 248,899 *

2. Number of SHGs provided with RF 45,807

3. Number of Village Organisations formed 1,532

4. Number of SHGs provided with Bank Linkage 95,827

Kalpana Ramesh Bhui at the stall, displaying the products

made by the women of Shreeram Samarth SHG, Palghar

at the Deepmela Festival.