Caritas India partners working to free Korku communities from acute food and nutrition insecurity have decided to adopt children and mother focussed strategies for securing physical and social well-being of Korku community. Caritas India had recently started the implementation of ‘SABAL’ programme in 93 Korku dominated villages of Khalwa block of Madhya Pradesh and Chikaldhara block of Maharashtra. SABAL seeks to achieve food and nutrition security for Korkus by working in the sectors of agriculture, protein sufficiency, forest rights and grassroots-level movements.

“Malnutrition of Korkus is a complex reality which has emerged due to several interrelated factors. It is necessary to realise that malnutrition of Korkus is not caused by a single factor. Therefore, we need to work with the Korku in an intensive manner with multiple strategies for helping them achieve food and nutrition security”, said Bishop AAS Durairaj of Khandwa diocese. He appreciated Caritas India and the three partners for starting the intervention for Korkus. Bishop Durairaj expressed hope that the five-year intervention will provide sustainable solutions to not only the health backwardness of Korkus but also the economic and social backwardness as well.

Caritas India implements SABAL in partnership with 3 grassroots level NGOs i.e., Spandan Samaj Seva Sanstha (SSSS), Khandwa Diocesan Social Services (KDSS) and Jeevan Vikas Sanstha (JVS) in Chikaldhara. SSSS and KDSS work in Khalwa block whereas JVS works in Chikaldhara block. During the five year project, SABAL will work with 16,000 Korku households which are largely landless, small or marginal land holding households which migrate regularly for livelihoods and wage labour.

Mr. Peter Seidel, project officer of Caritas Germany, appreciated the vigour that partners have demonstrated so far in the implementation of the project. He explained how the programme is in consonance with the expressed commitments of the Federal Ministry for Cooperation and Development (BMZ) of Germany.

“The project is part of the ‘hunger-free-world’ vision of the Germany Ministry. Hunger, in all forms, should be eradicated from the face of world.

The German government and Caritas Germany believe that hunger could be eradicated. For achieving this vision, partnerships have to be forged and strengthened at various levels and intensive actions should be launched on the ground”, Mr. Peter said. He appreciated both Caritas India and partners for rolling out the programme in right intensity.

Apart from diversifying and strengthening food crop production, SABAL also focuses on improving productivity of food crops, achieving protein sufficiency and functionalising public systems. Dr. Saju MK, Zone Manager of Caritas India in his address underlined the importance of movement building at community level for achieving lasting solutions to the food and insecurity of Korkus. “One of the commitments of SABAL is initiating people’s networks and alliances that will work for advocacy on hunger and malnutrition of Korkus.  SABAL designed as a community-based response to the severe hunger and malnutrition that has persisted among Korkus”, Dr. Saju said.

During the two-day review, Caritas India partners presented the progress of SABAL and their strategies of working with the focus groups i.e., children, mothers, adolescents and community opinion makers including traditional healers and tribal leaders. Mr. Robin George, SABAL programme Manager facilitated the sessions.