|
|
Meeting with ZMOE India secretary
Green Ambassadors Network meeting
Green Ambassadors Plantation
CeFHA Staff with KNH Staff
Community meeting at Yasidipalem
CeFHA Children ECO GARDEN 7
Child Ecological Justice Campaign
COVID-19 Response by CEFHA
COVID-19 Response by CEFHA
COVID-19 Response by CEFHA
COVID-19 Response by CEFHA
COVID-19 Response by CEFHA
COVID-19 Response by CEFHA
COVID-19 Response by CEFHA
COVID-19 Response by CEFHA
COVID-19 Response by CEFHA
COVID-19 Response by CEFHA
COVID-19 Response by CEFHA
COVID-19 Response by CEFHA
COVID-19 Response by CEFHA
COVID-19 Response by CEFHA
Centre for Humanitarian Assistance Trust
works with the indigenous communities,
especially women and children, in and around
Visakhapatnam Dist., Andhra Pradesh,
South India.
|
“To establish a just, egalitarian social order through the participation of communities to create self sustenance and self reliance for individuals, Families and Communities”
|
|
|
Yasidipalem – A Village Revived
“A child’s well-being depends on the family’s well-being and a
family’s well-being depends on the community’s well-being.”
Yasidipalem is a small but beautiful village in Kotauratla mandal,
Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh. Nestled amongst
dense trees and surrounded by vegetable farms it is more than
idyllic. 22 Dalit families live here farming the lands using organic
methods, supporting themselves through a variety of livelihoods.
All the children go to school and there older children are in high
school and colleges.
But Yasidipalem was not always like this.
In 2005 Yasidipalem was a ghost-village 6 months in a year.
Only
the old and the very young were left behind. All the able-bodied,
adult men and women and the older children were out of their
village earning a livelihood. Many of the families went 800-1000
kms. away looking for work.
The children left behind were mostly in the care of grandparents.
They didn’t go to school and many of them were busy doing the
housework which their grandparents couldn’t do. Children of
migrant parents are known to be distressed, missing their
parents, feeling lonely and abandoned.
The 6 months that the adult men and women returned were
spent on carrying out agricultural labour work in the fields of the
richer, higher caste farming families. The lands owned by the
villagers were entirely rainfed with no water source for
irrigation. Those who did manage to grow something grew cash
crops. Food security was only for 4 months a year.
What could be done?
It is impossible to work for children’s development without
working on their larger context, their families and their
communities. Even if child development activities were taken up
their situation will only temporarily change eventually resulting
in them going back into the same situation they were growing in.
It is with this understanding that KNH took up a Child Focussed
Community Development project and the story of Yasidipalem
goes to show how such approach can have long term impact on
children’s lives.
So, the first question we, with our local partner Centre for
Humanitarian Assistance (CeFHA) and the community, asked was
“how could migration be stopped in the village?” Clearly, the
answer was that if people found and had livelihood opportunities
within their village or close by they will not migrate, and that is
how the story of Yasidipalem began.
We began with a 5-pronged approach – children’s development,
farm-based development activities, skill trainings for alternate
livelihood options, Self-Help Groups for women and coordinating
with government agencies for helping people access
their entitlements.
So, what was done?
Children’s Development Activities
We began with what was required most urgently – health and
nutrition. A supplementary feeding centre was set up which
ensured that 16 children were regularly fed. Nutritional gardens
were promoted and taken up by 22 families. A village health
clinic and a under-five clinic screened and provided care and
support to the community and the children respectively. Preand-
post natal care ensured that pregnant women were
supported during their pregnancy.
Children’s education was taken up in a big way. 13 children were
enrolled in schools and education assistance was provided to
them. A Children’s Group was formed through which children
took up a variety of fun activities like school plantations through an eco-club. Workshops were conducted on fabric painting,
jewellery making etc. and sports materials were purchased for
regular games. Children also raised their own funds and set up
their own education fund.
A Child Rights Protection Committee was set up which looked
into issues which children faced and these were resolved
together with the parents and the community.
Self-Help Groups
Self-Help Groups for women were promoted with the mothers of
the children and others. Women began to save small amounts
regularly which helped them with their micro home needs.
Regular dialogues with them and their families about status of
women and their rights helped empower them. Leadership
training programs helped bring out their leadership qualities and
built confidence and a sense of empowerment.
Farm-based Activities
An ecologically sound agro-forestry system was introduced.
Diversification of crops, inter-cropping of vegetables, tubers,
fodder and fruit trees was demonstrated on a demo plot. Organic
methods and practices were re-introduced. A bio-resource centre
was set up which became a key meeting place for the farmers
where they could learn new techniques and share their
experiences. A series of training programs on preparation of
organic fertilizers and pesticides, seed preservation and
multiplication, soil fertility management ensured that people’s
knowledge on this was renewed and increased. Livestock, cattle,
goats and sheep and poultry were provided which not only
provided the manure for agriculture but also ensured
supplementary income. The combination of these things ensured
that the families had enough food to eat and had cash for their
other needs. Surplus produce from the farms and their livestock
was sold in the local markets.
Two borewells were dug which provided irrigation to the
agricultural lands.
Alternate Livelihoods
A series of skill trainings were held which helped the families
take up supplementary activities. They learnt to make soaps and
detergents, food processing, mushroom cultivation, bird rearing
etc. and this created multiple livelihood options.
Village Governance
People’s organisations were promoted that helped people
actively participate in the governance of their village and engage
collectively with the government agencies. Farmers’ Committee,
Youth Group, Forest Committee and a Dalit network ensured that
issues relating to the respective subject were dealt with
collectively. Their collective strength helped them negotiate with
the panchayat and other agencies to garner and access schemes,
solve problems and demand for what were their rights. Working
collectively has also ensured that the relationships within the
community and with other villages around become healthy.
Conflicts are resolved together and where support is needed it is
given.
So, did all this work?
Yes, it did.
The community of Yasidipalem that was entirely dependent on
migration and agricultural labour work became entirely selfreliant
and self-sufficient in a few years.
They began to grow their own food. Traditional seeds began to be
used. Kitchen gardens supplemented and bolstered family
nutrition.
Children began to go to school. They were now involved in child
relevant and child appropriate activities. They no longer did
work which was better suited to adults.
Women became economically independent. They started
participating in community level decision making and their own
leadership qualities emerged.
Farming became diversified, sustainable and a viable activity.
Surplus began to be sold in the local markets. Bio-degradable
wastes were recycled into farming manure. Soil became healthy.
A variety of supplementary and alternate livelihoods activities
now supported the families. The diversification of livelihoods
meant that families were not starving during lean seasons.
Individual and collective savings created a safety net and became
resource during emergencies. The dependence on moneylenders
decreased and debt traps avoided.
A host of government schemes were accessed and village
infrastructure, water and sanitation facilities, housing improved.
What people say:
“Earlier the people of Yasidipalem
used to come and work for us. Now
we go and work for them!”
– a farmer from the neighbouring
village
“The people of Yasidipalem are
not just Rajus but have become
Maharajus!”
– people from neighbouring
villages
 Ravada Apparao, a Dalit from the village, and his family of five
worked as daily wage labourers, weaving palm fiber baskets and
earning Rs. 300-400 a week. This meager earning was just not
enough for the family to survive. Apparao tried leasing land to
cultivate as he and his wife did not own any land. Bad
monsoons ensured that the crop failed and Apparao had to take
a loan to offset his losses. The loan became a trap and he and
his wife began to go to far away cities to earn a living and to
collect money to pay off his loans. Apparao’s poverty meant
that his three children could not be educated and the whole
family was malnourished.
His was one of the families supported by the project and Apparao bought a buffalo, few goats
and chicks. He and his wife began growing fodder in the wastelands around and went into milk
business within the year. They could now earn Rs.1500-2000 per week. Apparao paid off his
loans and put his children in school. His daughter is now in college and the other two children
gearing up for higher studies.
 Ravada“When I was a small kid, I remember, my parents leaving me at
my grandmother’s house. They had to go to work far away in a
city to earn and get food for us. I used to be very weak and could
not play or study”, says Bharathi. She is a nine-year old Dalit girl
who dropped out of 2nd class from Kodavatipudi school.
Bharathi joined the Bridge Camp, an initiative to help drop-out
children to make up academically so they could get entry into
schools. She now goes to school and is today in 7th standard and
doing well in her studies.
Her parents have become farmers now and no longer migrate for many months in a year.
“Suddenly I see everything has changed. My family and friends are with me all the time now.
We play, we study and have a lot of fun!”.
Yasidipalem story in pictures
Growing food & vegetables
Fodder for animals
Organic manure preparation
Purchasing buffaloes
Goats and sheep
poultry
Working on Child Rights
Children’s plantations
Children’s groups
Children’s health screening
Women’s SHGs
Skill trainings
|
Case Story
Ananthalakshmi
Ananthalakshmi is a dynamic and articulate young girl from Ponduru village
and ably handles her role and responsibilities as Secretary of Green Ambassadors Children Network (GrACCC Society). She is 17 years old born in 1997 , a village called Thatipaka and lives in Pondur village ; her mother Ramu and father Thummi Rambabu are the agriculture laborers, migrates for three months in a year to earn livelihoods; Ananthalakshmi is one of the three daughters who has struggled all her life to make ends meet.
Ananthalakshmi has two sisters Anjali Jayanthi, passed Intermediate and younger sister Indu is in 8th class .Ananthalaxmi completed Intermediate in Narsipatnam College with science subject as it is her favorite subject and has applied for joining into DIET, a Teachers’ Training Course.
She has been part of the Child Groups promoted by CeFHA supported by KNH right from 2007 and has actively participated in all the activities .She is very interested to play Kabadi from her child hood and got Ist prizes in the Mandal and district level  competetions. AS she is actively participating in all the Child group activities and delivering speeches in all the meetings of KNH, CeFHA identified and promoted her with some more trainings and exposures . CeFHA arranged Computer basics and spoken English classes for her with the support of KNH. Ananthalaxmi is a good singer and dancer; participate in all the school competitions for the special events and celebrations.
As one of the Jhansi child group member in village Pondur she involved in many activities like organizing child group meetings and children educational fund in the village. KNH also supported her on Education assistance like books, bags and dresses. A special tuition classes are arranged for her to score good marks in the Village by KNH.She actively participated in the Child rights and health campaigns in the village and mobilized children for health screening in the health camps. She initiated a child Eco club in the community waste land raised vegetable garden like Brinjal, tomatoes and ladies fingers and creepers. She mobilized the child group members for the clean and green activity in the village. She initiated Ambedkar Child centre in the village organized a small library, sports material and tuitions for the child group members; She is a part of all the special events involved in all the debates and essay writing competitions.
She has undergone various trainings like Child rights; Child protection policy; Optional protocol 3; vermi composts, Nursery raising and leadership trainings. Spider Tool and CPP (Child Protection Policy in Schools); Today she is demanding the Government schools& Authorities to implement the CPP in protection of children.
She is involved in raising nurseries in the village colleting Wild species seeds from the local villages and raised plantations in schools along with child group members and school children.
She is generating Awareness on Child rights and Ecological rights through campaigns in Communities, Mandal, district and in the state as well as in National meetings. Her main campaigns are
- A campaign on Ecological Crisis and Climate Justice Rally with 300 children in 2010 at Kotauratla .
- Participated in Emergence of Green Ambassadors and Study on local Biodiversity in 2010 Kotauratla supported by KNH.
- Organized a Traditional Seed Festival (380 Varieties of Indigenous seeds collected and exhibited) in 2011 at Visakhapatnam.
- A speaker and Organized Work shop on Children’s Voices on Climate justice and Biodiversity conservation in 2011(Distributed Indigenous seed and Wild and Domesticated Saplings).
- Took an active leading role in National Awareness Yatra on Climate change from Odisha to Chennai (7 days) in 2012-(Covering 13 districts in AP and one district in Odisha).
- Organized Children Rally on Break the Chain: One Billion rising
- Organized Cycle Yatra (Covering 3 Mandals in Visakha District) on Environment Protection in 2013.
- Taken up a Study on Child Focused consequences due to Ecotourism (2014), selected few of the Eco Tourism areas for study like Araku, Ananthagiri and Yarada in Visakhapatnam.
- Organized in People’s Climate March Rally on Climate Change(2014)
- Collected 24000 signatures for OP3 from the students in 4 Mandals in Visakha (2015)
- Celebrated on World Environment Day at Kotauratla & Visakhapatnam(2015)
- Celebrated World Day Against Child Labor at B.K. Palli(2015)
- Observed World Wildlife Week- 2nd to 8th October 2015 and Human Chain on Protection of Wild Life- Kotauratla(2015)
- Celebrated on Universal Children’s Day- Stop Violence against Children- covering 3 Schools, 1700 children on 20 November 2015
- Celebrated 25th Nov-10th Dec - Orange the World “SAY NO- UNITE to END Violence against Women and Girls (2015), covered 7 schools & hostels and Villages.
- Participating in the Study of Aves (Protected birds in Sanctuaries and Migrated Birds)in Karnataka; Chilika lake in Gopalpur; Pulicut in Tamilnadu; Anakapalli & Srikakulam in Andhrapradesh.2015-2016.
She as a potential leader has taken up children’s issues and leading many Campaigns, prepared a memorandum along with Green Ambassadors on the climate change Impact on children livelihoods, education and health and the Usage of Plastics in the area of Kotauratla, submitted to the district Collector of Visakhapatnam. Other Children issues in the Girls hostels also submitted to MDO; MRO and Educational Officer at Kotauratla Mandal. Action was taken and dealt the Issues. Ananthalaxmi emerged as an active, enthusiastic and energetic leader, developed through KNH addressed various issues on Child protection and Environment in the Mandal and district of Visakhapatnam
 Among the many campaigns she has participated in, the most memorable one for her was the CMCJ campaign on Climate Change – a National Yatra from Visakhapatnam to Chennai held in May 2012. Of the many points she brought up during her speeches during the Yatra, her key questions related to the current lifestyle and the price the next generation would have to pay. A special training was imparted to educate the Mass and public through various methods like dance, role-play and Folk songs on child rights, Environment and climate change with the support of KNH, to build their skills. She strongly feels that the best legacy parents can leave for their children is not material wealth but a clean world to live in with clean air, clean water and healthy lands and forests.
Her own favorite activity has been the Biodiversity Study which the children took up  in their area. She was trained by Prof. Dr. Malhotra, Chairman Ecosystems-MoEF, on various Biodiversity studies. The Biodiversity project was supported to children by KNH. She was amazed at the variety of flora and fauna that existed and played such a crucial role in their lives. She was also deeply saddened with the rapidity with which they were disappearing in her village. She feels motivated and inspired to work on these issues and do her best to protect the environment.
She also initiated a fund raising activity through the Green Ambassadors like raising papaya saplings, vermin compost and printing and selling greeting cards in India and US, which was drawn by the Green Ambassadors children. Presently she raised fund 44260/- through memberships and sale of greeting cards.
Her ambitions are to register a Society for the Green Ambassadors as “Green Ambassadors Collective on Climate Change” (GrACCC) and succeeded. She Registered through CeFHA in August 2015 with the support of KNH and raised memberships more than 6152 members in 9 districts of AP; in north coastal Zone 3671 members of 3 districts (Visakha, Vizainagaram and Srikakulam) and in Kotauratla she raised 2609 members for the GrACCC Society, presently looking to expand this network throughout the country and take the message of protection of Mother Earth, Environment, Biodiversity conservation and Climate Change to as many people as possible. Her personal ambition is to work in an NGO and serve the people.
Presently she is leading the Green Ambassadors Children Network in Andhra Pradesh as a Secretary of GrACCC society and working as a state coordinator AP in CMCJ, a national network covering three districts in AP.
|
Case Story
Anandabharathi
Anandabharathi is a strong and challenging young girl playing a dynamic role in the Green Ambassador children Network as an associate secretary. She was one of the cute PF2 child joined at the age of 6 yrs that was in 2006 and was supported with supplementary feeding through CeFHA by KNH. Ananda Bharathi is borned in 15th August 2001, in a Village Gottivada belonged to Dalit Community, presently studying 10th class at ZPHS girl’s high school, Kotauratla. . She used to travel every day 15 km from her village to Kotauratla. She comes from a very poor family, having a younger sister called Chinnari studying 5th standard in Vidya Vikas School. Her father Bhimaraju works in a private school and mother Ramanamma works in ICDS. Anandabharathi is living in a slab house supported by Government. Anandhbharathi family is totally involved in the project activities, mother is a SHG member actively contributes her time in all the programmes and Both the sisters are the members of the child group.
Anandabharathi is an active member in the Sridevi child group. She enrolled 28  members in the group, regularly attended the Tuition centers organized by CeFHA, with the support of KNH. She played a key role in the child group, organizing meetings twice in a month and discussed about the children education. She identified 4 drop out children and enrolled in the government school. She mobilized children education fund in the village. She was supported with educational and Medical assistance by KNH .A child centre was supported by KNH and she named it as Nehru Child centre and she made all the children to draw the paintings on the walls of the child centre. She was trained in Child rights and imparted training to other children in the group. She always wanted to be a leader in the group and maintain & keep all the sports material and the story books safe in the child club, supported by KNH.
She raised an eco garden along with the child group members in the community waste land, planted papaya, banana and vegetables like tomato, Lady finger and Brinjal. In the evenings she mobilized all the children of the group for watering the plants in the eco garden and giving the sports materials like shuttle cocks; volley ball and indoor games like skipping roaps , caroms and rings as well as other story books to read. After completion of the games, she collects all the material and keeping in the Child centre. Then she encourages all the children to attend tuition in the village. During the Sundays, she was mobilizing the group members in clean and green work in the village. By seeing her interest ,commitment and the capacity in handling the programme activities of the child centre , CeFHA extended her various trainings and communication skills .she was also exposed to other areas to learn more and exchange ideas.
She is a good singer, sings all types of songs mostly patriotic, devotional and development songs. She always scores high and got 1st prizes in the school, Mandal level and Zonal level competitions. She likes the game CHO CHO and a good player also.
 She is a good singer, sings all types of songs mostly patriotic, devotional and development songs. She always scores high and got 1st prizes in the school, Mandal level and Zonal level competitions. She likes the game CHO CHO and a good player also.
She is very interested in protecting nature and, she mobilized all the children in the group to collect the seeds like jack fruit; mango; black berry and tamarind etc.. Raised a nursery in the village developed 500 saplings, planted in the river bed of Varaha and on the community land, with the support of KNH.
She likes Dr.Ambedkar, every year during Dr.Ambedkar Jayanthi, she was one among other committee members organizing a programme and essay writing competitions in the village , inviting the Dalit leaders & community and address about Dr.Ambedkar. She is a good speaker and won many prizes.
She organized a programme on Peoples climate March in Kotauratla, mobilized 350 children and adults, had a March in the centre and invited the Government officials and political leaders ( MDO, ZPTC & MEO, Sarpanch) and other leaders in the Mandal and chaired the programme. She also addressed on the Impact of climate change on children and child rights.
As she was studying in the Social welfare hostel, the budget on the food and cosmetics are very low; she organized a Dharna along with other children in the hostel, to increase the budget. It was succeeded on the arrival of Social welfare officer & MRO and settled the matter. The cosmetic charges are increased Rs.70/- to Rs.100/- and food per day Rs.17/- to 35/-. She took the main role and led the children in the hostel and claimed their rights.
 She has undergone much training like Child rights, Child protection policy; Optional protocol 3; leadership training; Climate change; Community Biodiversity, Nursery Development organized by CeFHA with the support of KNH
The main studies she involved in Domesticated biodiversity and wild biodiversity, she was leading one group on that study and many wild species she collected and documented flowers and the uses. She brought out a good document about the wild collection of species and flowers supported by KNH.
She also actively participated in the study of Ecotourism in AP, visited Araku and  Ananthagiri, interacted with the tribals, understand about the impact on the children, communities and Environment,; and how people are pushed into new economy and become bondedness.
The third study she involved in destructed areas in Orissa and in Andhra, She understood through her interview, especially the natives’ loss their children education, health, livelihoods, dignity, resources for now and forever and the loss of their Identity, Environment and Forest. The health problems are raised for the pre and post natal mothers and infants.
She led the campaigns on child rights, Violence against women and girls, World day against child Labour and world wild life week. During the Meeting on World day against child labour she shared about the child laborers, who have enrolled by her in the school and presently all are studying in the school and firmly she said that all the children should be in the schools , education is very important and it’s their right to enjoy the child hood.
Anandabharathi mobilized the green Ambassadors to collect the Indigenous seeds locally in Kotauratla and organized a seed Exhibition in Visakhapatnam. Nearly 320 varieties of seeds the Green Ambassadors collected and demonstrated in the city of Visakhapatnam, invited the children from schools and NGOs and government to understand about the importance of the seeds and distributed saplings on the World Biodiversity day. The Green Ambassadors gave call to the public to protect our seeds, multiply and preserve it. The Media covered the workshop and the Exhibition and had interviews with Anandabharathi & Green Ambassadors on the Indigenous seeds.
She also underwent skills trainings like greeting cards, jewelry and flower making. She is participating in the Gramapanchayath meetings and tackled the children issues on Drinking water and Toilets at the school and panchayath level.
 Right now Anandabharathi has taken an active role in the Green Ambassadors Children Network and organized the trainings for the members, led the campaigns and organized workshops, also sent information for the District and North coastal Zone Green Ambassador members and also to the state level members. She is presently working as an Associate Secretary of the GrACCC society and involved in fund raising campaign.
Anandabharathi wants to become a teacher, to train all the children about their rights and take leadership in the Green Ambassadors network to expand their activities in the Nationwide and demanding Public and Government to protect the Environment and leave a peaceful future to the children.
|
Case Story
Anusha
Anusha is very strong, bold and active child developed with dynamic leadership  Qualities addressing the issues of children in Kotauratla. She has the zeal to lead the Green Ambassadors Children Network in the State and a great articulator. Anusha at the age of 4 yrs joined as one of the PF2 child in the child centre in the village Rachapalli.She belongs to Adivasi Community, Kondadora born on 1st September 2002 in Yeleswaram village and moved to Rachapalli along with her parents. Her father Nageswara rao is a migrant agricultural labourer goes out 6 months in search of livelihoods.  Her mother Laxmi works as a social worker. Anusha at the age of 4 yrs mother was working as an Aya in a MPUP School, the child was left in the Child centre run by CeFHA with the support of KNH. Anusha was supported with supplementary feeding like milk, egg and peanut jiggery sweet. In her childhood itself she was monitoring all the children in the child centre. She was very keen in learning alphabets and Rhymes in the child centre. As it is a joyful learning centre, lots of play materials and education materials are provided for children by CeFHA with the support of KNH, she took care of the materials. Anusha has a younger brother named Harshavardhan, studying 4th class in Kotauratla
Anusha at the age of 7 yrs, she became an active child group member at Village Rachapalli.  She was mobilizing all the child group members for the health screening during the health camps supported by KNH. She monitors and checks whether all the children are screened and helping the health team during their visits. Keeps very carefully all the health and Nutrition education charts and flash cards , By seeing her commitment and helping nature and her interest in education ,CeFHA felt that to support her in education and capacitate her in other areas. She was also discussing the children education issues and drop outs in the village, identified, made them to join in the school with the help of the other group members. She mobilized the children to keep clean and green the village and also personal hygiene. She looks always fresh and smiley and make others to keep in joy. She motivated the child group members to plant the fruit bearing trees in the community land.She also educated the Child group members on Protection of Forests.  She was organizing 2 times the child group meetings on Sundays in the village.
Anusha is very regular in school and has 4 friends always shares with them about her feelings, interests and trainings. She is very interested in studies and scores highest marks in the class. Her favorite subject is Mathematics. She scores always above 90 in the exams. She participates in Dance competition on the special events day in the school got a prize. She was also trained by the project in leadership skills; child protection policy and Communication skills. She likes KHO KHO and participated in the Mandal level competition and won the team. She participates in all the events, celebrations and  competitions in school as well as outside programmes. She is very much interested in doing the Science projects in the school. Many of her educational activities are supported by KNH. In 8th standard she wrote a scholarship Exam and got National merit scholarship, getting Rs.6000/- annually. She is the class leader.
Anusha joined as a member of green Ambassador in 2009 and trained in various trainings by KNH on child rights, Child protection policy and Op3. She also trained the child group members in the village on Child rights. After identifying her skills in the group, the project also capacitated her on communication and leadership skills sending her various trainings outside and exposures. She also underwent training on Embroidery, flower making and greeting cards with the support of KNH. She developed few of the greeting cards with a design on climate change, which was printed and also marketed by the green Ambassadors. She is active in fund raising for the Green Ambassadors children Network.
Anusha organized big campaigns in her school on Universal children’s day, she says as many victories for children's rights have been won in the last many years, such as child labor laws, allowing all children to have access to learning; and laws preventing child abuse. In spite of the overall gains, there are many children who have fallen even further behind. She encourages all the Green Ambassadors to move further to take up 3 schools in Kotauratla and lead the campaign; In the same way she organized the World day against child labour in the BK Palli Village, She encouraged all the children. She was one of the speakers in the schools.
She participated in the signature campaigns on OP3; CPP campaign in the schools and hostels. She played a major role in the people’s climate March related to climate change Campaign in Kotauratla. She mobilized many young children and youth from the school to campaign on Orange the world to stop violence on girl children. She participated in all the events on observing and celebration of World wild life week at Kotauratla; earth day; bio diversity day and Environment day at Visakhapatnam.
Anusha actively involved in Cycle yatra, as 100 green Ambassadors decided to generate awareness in the Mandal, she played a key role and mobilized fund for the children cycle yatra. She is one of the speakers sharing on the problems of climate change and food insecurity in the villages as there is no timely rains; addressing children to be alert and take initiative on planting trees in their communities. She also actively involved in School biodiversity programme in the schools.
 As one of the green Ambassador, She was trained by the Dr,Malhotra ji , Environmentalists and professors from Andhra University on the study on Eco tourism and avian study. After that Anusha took up various studies like Wild biodiversity, Eco tourism and study on environmentally destructed areas. Presently she is involed in Avian study in AP. She has been visited three sanctuaries in other state Tamilnadu, Odisha and Karnataka.
She addressed many children Issues in Kotauratla, one of the major issue is a mid meals for children in the schools and hostels, she along with green Ambassadors complained to MDO about the problem, it was tackled and presently the children are getting a good meal. She is one among the surveyors of green Ambassadors in the Mandal, to know about the status of the sanitation, garbage and the Dustbins. As there are no dustbins in the streets, she along with Green Ambassadors reported to Panchayath to place dustbins in the streets as its creating health problems to children and public. Recently Anusha along with other green Ambassadors gave a complaint in the police station about the outsiders entering the school compound and drinking and breaking the bottles. This has give a problem to the children in the school. The police took charge and had a beat and stopped the problem.
Anusha is a very ambitious young girl, wants to become an IAS officer and work for children and Climate change and make the visibility of the Green Ambassadors children Network at National level.
|
Case Story
Seshukumar
Seshukumar is the young, charming, energetic, enthusiastic leader, moving with a commitment to develop the Green Ambassadors Children Network in Nationwide, taking a lead role as a president of the Society GrACCC (Green Ambassadors Collective On Climate Change). Seshu hails from a village called Chowduwada aged 21 years, studying 3rd year  B.E at Avanthi Engineering College. He belongs to Dalit Community. His favorite subject is mathematics. His father Chittibabu is an agriculture labour and mother Dayamani is also an agriculture laborer. Seshu elder brother Venkatesh, aged 22 years working as a soft ware Engineer in an Private company in Hyderabad supports the family and brothers education; younger brother name Vamsi was Pf2 child, presently aged 20 yrs Studying 2nd year B.Tech in Raghu Engineering college, Visakhapatnam and younger sister Srilatha, aged 12 years, was a PF2 child studying 7th std, Montsory school at Makavarapalem. They have a small piece of slope land and cultivate food grains. The family is living in a small tiled house. As the father is sick, mother and brother are taking the responsibility of the family livelihoods and education of the children.
Seshu and his younger brother Vamsi are the Ambedkar child group members, Seshu from childhood he was active and at the age of 10 years, he mobilized children from the village to form the group and enrolled 19 members, named as Ambedkar group. As a child group member, he always organizes the child group meeting in the village on Sundays and trainings on Child rights. This group was one of the active groups involved in all the activities of children and Environment of the project
Seshu organized health camps in the village with the support of KNH and mobilized all the child group members for screening in the camp. He and his brother were also supported with Medical assistance and Educational assistance from KNH. He also distributed the books and bags through green Ambassadors team to the child group members. He is very good in Studies always stood first in the class. He was also giving education in the school on Child rights. Seshu along with child group members initiated a Nursery, 500 saplings they raised with the help of the SHG in the village. He along with other members collected the seed in the village and forest department like mango, Tamarind, Jackfruit and flame of the forest etc… He also actively participated in the relief support to the victims of his own Mandal.He also involved in School plantations and Eco garden in the village.
 By seeing all these Qualities KNH further gave more inputs and training and exposures to Seshu for his personal development. He attended many meetings outside the state, developed himself a strong committed young leader to the Green Ambassadors Network. He also mobilized many leaders in the child group from his own village. He is a very good speaker; with the help of KNH he has undergone much training on Communication and speaking skills. He developed a communication team in the village and performed role plays and dramas in other villages, educating the children and community on child rights and climate change issues.
He likes to play Volley ball and trained the children and youth in the village. KNH supported the Volley ball and Cricket kits along with other indoor games like caroms, skipping ropes and Ludo and spell fun to the child group, they were all trained and went for the Mandal and District level competitions and got many prizes. He also shared the climate change impact on the children and the adaptive measures in the Radio station. He equipped with many leadership Qualities.
Seshu was undergone various trainings like child rights, child protection policy, OP3, leadership training and biodiversity training and climate change with the support of KNH. In every training he gets new ideas and plans to go further to reach the children, he introduced various communication methods like drama, songs , dances and role play and stage theatre. Two of the stage theatre he was the key person. Seshu is a good actor and he always prepares role plays basing on the children issues and mobilizes children to perform the role plays in all the meetings. He also trained the group members on acting.
He actively participated in the Community Biodiversity study training at office; He was very keen and understands the present biodiversity and educated others in the community. He was leading all the 4 groups in the forest for the study of the wild and fresh water biodiversity at Kotauratla. He collected many wild plant species and documented. He also mobilized one of the native doctors from his village to guide the children to understand about the medicinal plants and the children learned from the native doctor and documented. He also made a study on the agriculture biodiversity in his own village and documented. He is one of the key person contributed for the Biodiversity to bring book publication.
He was the main person in Cycle Yatra, campaign on climate change, who took the leading role and called all the child group leaders for the preparatory meeting; He explained the team about the route and what are all the permissions, resources and equipment is necessary. He draws the plan and explained to the team members. He planned to cover 3 mandals 55 kms by Cycle yatra, generate awareness to the public on climate change effects on the agriculture and children livelihoods and the pollution in the area. He also prepared a master plan and went with a team to the local police stations in 3 Mandals and got permission. Then he invited the Circle Inspector of Narsipatnam to inaugurate the cycle Yatra at Kotauratla and moved with a high spirit, encouraging all the children to bring their own cycles. It was really a successful event by the Green Ambassadors under the leadership of Seshu.
He organized other campaigns on “Children Voices for climate justice and protect the Mother Earth and Environment- Biodiversity Our Life”in Kotauratla; We appreciate Seshu for all his energy in organizing a Rally with 600 children from different schools and children hostels. He explained to the school teachers and the wardens about the importance of the campaign and mobilized the local MDO and the teachers to join the Campaign. Media was really brought into to the notice of Public about the children ‘s voices on climate justice & Climate issues in the area.
He was also allowed to participate in the panchayath meetings to share on the children problems in the school. He expressed and narrated about the unavailability of drinking water in the school and school play ground and a compound wall. The panchayath members took it very serious and made all the provisions to the school. He is a role model in the school. He was also prepared a memorandum about the climate related issues to children and adaptation measures and initiatives of the children in the area on the protection of climate. He also took initiative in preparing a document of the children’s activities under KNH and requested the District collector to release more provisions for the children Education in the Kotauratla Mandal and protection of Environment and biodiversity in the area.
He attended many workshops on Climate change; biodiversity leadership and child rights in Kotauratla, Andhra Pradesh, Chennai, Delhi and Odisha. This exposure made him to extend his connections with other groups and developed linkages with other Networks. He has contributed his time, skill , knowledge and energy to the Green Ambassadors children Network and strengthened with number of memberships and decided along with other members in the Network to register the Society as Green Ambassadors Collective on Climate Change. He along with other members prepared objectives and underwent training on the role of the members of the society. Even though he is busy in his Education, he attends the meetings on the holidays and encourages all the children for their active participation.
Seshu wanted to become a software Engineer and document films; As a president of GrACCC , he wants to expand the activities of Green Ambassadors not only in the state but also to the Nation and increase the memberships and address the Climate Justice Issues.
|
Case Story
Suresh
Suresh is an emerging leader, energetic and took the leadership for the Green Ambassadors in Kotauratla. Suresh belongs to Dalit Community and aged 17 years , borned 2 nd ,August, 1999 in Kotauratla. Suresh family is landless; father is Apparao a landless labour and learnt Masonry work and presently an earning member in the family. Mother Arjamma is also an agriculture labour. Suresh is the only son to their parents and very close to her mother. Suresh family is very small and lives in a small house, which was constructed with the supported of Government. The family was also supported with relief activity by KNH for the recent floods Hud Hud.
Suresh is studying Intermediate 1st year; very active, young boy. CeFHA Organised child groups in Kailashpatnam village with the support of KNH. He is one of the child group member in Ravindranath Tagore of Village Kailash patnam .He is very active member in the child group and invited other members to join, presently holding 17 members in the group; He joined in the group 2013 and took the leadership. He is a good mobilizer of children for an activity he initiates in the village.
Suresh first activity in the village was a survey was initiated about the drop out and never enroll children; He was very keen in the survey and collected the data in 2013. He found 7 members of drop out and never enrolled children in the community and immediately with the help of the Child coordinator, CeFHA, he enrolled the children in the Government MPUP schools. He was also received the Educational assistance from KNH and attended regularly the tuition in the evenings , which was supported by KNH. Twice in a month he organize the child group meetings on Sundays in the village. He is focused on raising the child education fund for the child group members and collects Rs.10/- from each member of the group and deposites in the POST office. He is a very good leader in organizing any training for the children or any of the campaigns in Kotauratla
He organized skills training in the village for the child group members on greeting cards and he also took a leading role in the sale of the greeting cards.
Suresh likes sports Cricket and he plays in the villages and also in the college; he always takes the key role in the games and lead them. He also got prizes in the school.
He is very close to Nature and interested to go to forests see the birds and plants nearby his village. He generated awareness in the village, not to destroy the forest as he like the birds more and his concern is to protect them. He strongly believes that the climate change is happening due to the deforestation and organized a campaign in the Kotauratla on protection of Mother earth and Environment. He also shared in the meeting about the I,mpacyt of the forest degradation. He has given a call to all the youth in Kotauratla to take up plantation in the schools and Colleges as well as in the communities. He himself planted 4 plants in the school; 3 plants in the back yard of his house and 20 plants in the community land with the support of KNH.
He generated awareness on school biodiversity in 3 schools and collected seeds, developed a seed bank and prepared a herbarium, collecting the wild species in the nearby forest and placed in the MPP School.
Suresh is trained on child rights; child protection policy; OP3; leadership training and organizing seed banks, Environment and school biodiversity by CeFHA with the support of KNH.
Suresh actively participated in many of the campaigns organized by the Child groups and Green Ambassadors Children Network with the support of KNH and few of the campaigns like World Wildlife Week, he took the initiative and leadership and organized with the help of the other green Ambassadors in Kotauratla. He invited the DFO Narsipatnam personally and organized the programme at Kotauratla. He mobilized wild saplings from the forest department and planted along with green Ambassadors in the community and nearby the Temples.
He also organized with the support of Universal Children’s Day- Stop Violence against Children- covering 3 Schools, 1700 children on 20 November 2015, visited three schools and requested the principal and head masters to grant the permission to organize a campaign on child rights and child protection. He demanded along with other children about the implementation of Child protection policy in the schools.
Suresh organized a programme at Village B.K.Palli on World Day against Child Labor ,invited child group members from other villages and also brought the children whom he enrolled in the school to participate and share on their experiences. He run a campaign in the nearby villages by distributing the pamphlets and posters to the communities and children and SHG. He always closely work with SHG members in the villages. In his villages the SHG members are always support him to lead any program in the village.
He generated children in Kotauratla to take up a campaign on climate justice and ecological child rights and Peoples March. He always takes a leading role in the village and in green Ambassadors Network.
He is very keen in the Nature studies organized by CeFHA, visited Tribal areas in Andhra Pradesh, the eco tourist spots and interacted with various people and shared them about the impact of tourism about the children education and Migration of the children. In fact he played a key role in collecting the data and organizing the survey in Araku and Ananthagiri areas. He was also took part in the study in Eco sanctuary at Bangalore.
He attended various workshops on child rights, Child protection policy ; leadership training; Fund raising training ; Vermi compost and nursery raising training and Biodiversity conservation at Kotauratla organized by CeFHA with the help of KNH. Out of all the trainings he likes very much leadership training as he wishes to be a great leader in the future.
Suresh is an active member in the Green Ambassadors Network and through network ,he has taken up many activities and participated in Event celebrations, trainings on Networks and leadership and organized a seed Exhibition in the Kasturiba school in kotauratla, encouraged other green Ambassadors to collect the local indigenous seeds in the village, preserved and presented.
Suresh actively participates in all the Green Ambassadors Activities in the Mandal and District and one of the Key person for the registration of Green Ambassadors (GrACCC society) in the area and mobilized memberships in 3 mandals.
Suresh Ambition is to become a police officer and take a lead role in the Green Ambassadors society not only in the state of Andhra Pradesh , but in the National level to take the message on Climate change to protect the environment and provide the future generation children a clean air, safe drinking water and food.
Mother- ajjamma;
Suresh belong Dalit community and he is studying Intermediate 1st year and 18 years old. The family living a small village called Kilasapatnam and its Kotauratla premises,Visakhapatanam district. Suresh family is consisting of three members in the family and the family land less and below poverty line. Suresh family is living a small house supported by government. Suresh parents’ father is working as masonry andhe gos to daily for work, mother is a house wife. Suresh is very close with his mother. The family is depending on fathers and there is no other source to earning money. The parents plan and try to save money for his future education .His mother is women group member and MACTCS –society and she participated in women net work campaigns. She took part in training on Micro credit and skills. Every month her mother is saving 30Rs in the women group fund. Suresh is very active and silent boy. During the high school studies he was participate many child programmes. Suresh lead his class as leader. His favorite subject was Mathematics and Hind. He participated SA writing competition in Hindi and he got prize. He likes very much and interesting game was cricket and kabadi. He is very interested in his education and the project provided educational assistance.
After cefha intervention organization was recognized to Suresh as a child group member and he joined in the group at the age of 13 years old and he is continuing every month saving of educational fund. Every month he is conducting child group meeting along with child group members. He is very clever and interest to further studies. In the year of 2014 he completed 10th class with very good marks. During lost three years he was participated several training and exposures. Present he is member of Green ambassadors’ child net work and member of Children moment for climate justice.
He went undergone training programme like child rights, OP3, CPP, Skills and outside exposures Chennai, Bangalore, and Delhi. After all training programmes he involved local and outside of mandal to create awareness among the children he organized campaigns and rally on Child rights, OP3, Eco tourism study and International environment day rally. Suresh is played major roll to raising the Green ambassadors’ child net work membership collocation and CMCJ fund raisin. He is collocated 1000 children signatures for OP3 campaign.
Present suresh he has leading role and responsibility within the (GRACCC) and he talks in front of government officers.
Future ambition Suresh present he is studying Inter 1st year at near Government junior collage Kotauratla and he want to become a good Agriculture Scientist to promote more organic agriculture system.
|
|
|
|
|
Centre for Humanitarian Assistance Trust, Flat.No-501, Revathi Hill, Balaya Sastri LayOut, Seethammadhara, Visakhapatnam 530013
|
© 2012 - 2013 | All Rights Reserved - CefHA |
