Empowered Communities into Community Led Actions in U3 interventions

The success of any community-centred project is the responsibility of the primary stakeholders of the project who take the responsibility and ensure the developmental activities in the village. Such kind of ownership encourages responsibility and accountability among the community people leading to active participation. It also promotes cooperation, coordination and collaboration between the stakeholders and the community in the U3 intervention areas.

Community members from Hindusgeri village of Kadabagatti Grama Panchayath, Dharwad District willing came forward as a model for Community-Led Actions through Community sharing KSP. In April 2022, U3 team members of BDSSS, Belgaum organized an exercise to Identification social issues existing in the village. The villagers of Hindusgeri actively participated in the exercise and expressed that the school surrounding and campus and temple need to be cleaned. The unwanted scrubs plants in the school campus premisses of Government Primary Higher school in Hindusgeri village has created a shabby view even for the school children to play around. Realising the needs of the situation, the U3 programme witnessed behaviour changes taking place within the communities.  85 women from 7 SHG’s have come forward to undertake the changes through Community Sharing KSP approach. The members decided to contribute Rs. 50 each for purchase painting colours, brush, distemper paint, and other necessary items. Thus, Rs. 4250/- has been mobilized by the community for the good caused. The members have voluntarily conducted Two days of Cleaning Drive which includes cleaning the school campus, whitewashing the school wall and painting the temple.

The teachers including the children were very happy and praised the work done by the villagers, especially the SHG members. The community members are also very much satisfied with the actions they have taken and promised BDSSS that they will take much more community-led actions for the benefit of the public. The villagers have also planned to have a plantation drive and cleanliness of drainages in the village in the coming future.

The determination of such motivation and Influential move was initiated through the U3 programmes of Caritas India supported by Miseroer. Belgaum Diocese Social Service Society facilitate the whole process of capacitating & training the SHGs on various platforms such as SHG management, leadership, social analysis, and Management of the federation. Women SHGs representatives Renuka, Dhanushree, Aishwarya, Mahalaxmi, Vijayalaxmi, Sneha and Shamiya are the main model to initiate the responsibilities of community development through the guidance of the Community Educators who are the main backbone of the U3 programme. The project implementor Mr. Pathan has also accompanied the SHG members in analysing the market sale strategy as well as good paint quality service checking.