More quality of life through knowledge and courage

Villagers in Barhanpur in the state of Maharashtra affected by the impacts of climate change have worked together to improve the irrigation of their fields. This makes them less dependent on the monsoon rains, which are becoming increasingly unreliable. They’ve been able to do this thanks to a project called JEEVAN (“Life”), run by Caritas India with the support of MISEREOR. JEEVAN workers animate the villagers to become self-determined actors of their own development and to demand that the Indian authorities respect their legitimate rights. Although the project workers facilitate the meetings, they do not decide which of the needs in the village will be addressed first.

Moving towards self-reliance

Namdong, a medium size village located in West Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya had set up a Community park with Traditional Medicinal Plant Garden through their own resources. This may sound a simple change but what makes it unique is the process of community involvement to make this village as a model village towards self-reliance. After the FARM Northeast intervention, the community understood People led development concept and the scenario has changed. The community owned up the development process and is now moving towards self-reliance. Community had collected Rs. 500,000 from their own resources and started community park which can be used to mobilize funds to improve the quality education and development activity in the village traditional medicinal plant garden is the attraction of community park with fruit trees and flowers to generate income.