Caritas India partners in Maharashtra took the resolution to work with greater vigour for helping communities achieve self-reliance in agriculture. The Diocesan Social Service Societies (DSSSs) also decided to intensify their community mobilisation efforts so that more grassroots-level movements could be generated for addressing local issues. These decisions were taken in the 3-day review-cum-reflection workshop of JEEVAN People-Led Empowerment (PLE) cluster programme that concluded in Mumbai on 7 September 2016.

Ms. Benazir Lobo, country Head of Dialogue and Partnership Services (DPS) of Misereor, while addressing the reflection meeting lauded the contributions of partners in strengthening the voices of communities. “The impressive number of collective actions of communities is an evidence of the empowerment that is happening in villages. Partners’ clarity on people’s empowerment is appreciable and their commitment to sustaining the empowering processes is praiseworthy”, Ms. Benazir added.

Caritas India is supporting nine DSSSs of Maharashtra in implementing People-Led Empowerment (PLE) in the sectors of sustainable agriculture, good governance and tribal identity. JEEVAN seeks to organise communities around issues and participate more meaningfully in the local self-governance processes. The partners presented 65 collective actions of communities in the spheres of good governance, reviving traditional agriculture systems, eradication of social evils and creating community assets. Partners, during the reflection meeting, observed that farmers have lost control over agriculture to exploitative markets. Communities need to launch concerted and persistent efforts for recouping the control that they had on agriculture. Caritas India partners decided to initiate reflection processes among farmers so that they can understand their dependency on market and develop local strategies for freeing themselves from the clutches of market.

Dr. Saju MK, Manager West Zone of Caritas India, facilitated the sessions and stressed the need of strengthening solidarity of communities and helping them channel their strength of unity to address local development challenges. “Grassroots level organisations need to have a clear orientation about the results that they pursue. If communities do not fully own up both processes and results, sustainability will always remain elusive”, he added.
The partners, during the reflection process, expressed satisfaction over the gains realised by JEEVAN. They reached a consensus on scaling up their interventions for helping communities to secure decision-making participation in grassroots-level governance processes.

Accounts of several people’s campaigns were shared during the review meeting. These included convening special Gram Sabha meetings by communities, agitations against alcoholism, revival of traditional art forms, women organising special Gram Sabha meetings with police protection, collective action for the construction of roads and massive water absorption trenches, collective farming and people’s campaign for cleanliness and fighting social evils. Ms. Benazir Lobo later released a compilation of the impact stories of people’s campaigns.
Mr. Melvin Pangya, Caritas India state officer for Maharashtra, appreciated partners for ably supporting local communities in mobilising themselves around issues.