Conservation for dummies
Conservation so easy .... a caveman could do it
Conservation starts at home. It's the small things that matter. Each of us doing our part to conserve will have a dramatic effect on our planet. Pointing the finger at the other guy doesn't help the planet. Let's focus on our own backyard.
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Created: Jan 13, 2009
Updated: Jan 13, 2009
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Swanirvar is committed towards creating holistic and sustainable alternatives for the problems faced by the rural poor. It is working in a relatively small area in West Bengal, but the work it is doing is relevant for the rural poor in India in general.
There is an alternative to expensive high yielding agriculture which uses destructive chemical fertilizers.Swanirvar can successfully demonstrate how it is possible to survive on the basis of carefully planned optimum utilization of natural resources. Several farmers groups have been formed and they are convinced that there is an alternative to high yielding agriculture. Farmers have also created grain banks to protect themselves against bad times.
In addition we encourage the creation of vegetable gardens using the hitherto unutilized spaces of the household so that an option other than the market can be created.
We have noted earlier that one of the key areas of activities related to health is that of mother and childcare. If such activities are aimed at empowering a woman physically then the formation of Self-Help-Groups (SHG) and provision of micro-financial services can be seen as an attempt to empower women economically. The guiding principle being followed is that women should have an equal amount of power regarding decision-making in the family, especially economic decisions.
We think that poor women too can save money, calculate interest rates and do business. Through this programme are saving money on a regular basis, many of them have started to take loans and use them for productive purposes. This has boosted their self-confidence and therefore they are also addressing various social issues especially related to injustice against women.
It is too early to say how far the women have been empowered and how far they are taking key roles in decision making process. But there is no doubt that the idea of SHG has gained popularity and so far more than 300 groups have been formed, altogether involving about 5000 women. The number far exceeds the expectation when Swanirvar started working with CARE. The SHGs are regularly receiving knowledge, training and exposure so that they are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge in order to challenge gender hierarchies.
It is also premature to say whether the 'business' of providing credit facilities to the women in order to substantially improve their economic conditions would be able to become sustainable or not. This remains a crucial challenge before Swanirvar in the near future.
There is an alternative to expensive high yielding agriculture which uses destructive chemical fertilizers.Swanirvar can successfully demonstrate how it is possible to survive on the basis of carefully planned optimum utilization of natural resources. Several farmers groups have been formed and they are convinced that there is an alternative to high yielding agriculture. Farmers have also created grain banks to protect themselves against bad times.
In addition we encourage the creation of vegetable gardens using the hitherto unutilized spaces of the household so that an option other than the market can be created.
We have noted earlier that one of the key areas of activities related to health is that of mother and childcare. If such activities are aimed at empowering a woman physically then the formation of Self-Help-Groups (SHG) and provision of micro-financial services can be seen as an attempt to empower women economically. The guiding principle being followed is that women should have an equal amount of power regarding decision-making in the family, especially economic decisions.
We think that poor women too can save money, calculate interest rates and do business. Through this programme are saving money on a regular basis, many of them have started to take loans and use them for productive purposes. This has boosted their self-confidence and therefore they are also addressing various social issues especially related to injustice against women.
It is too early to say how far the women have been empowered and how far they are taking key roles in decision making process. But there is no doubt that the idea of SHG has gained popularity and so far more than 300 groups have been formed, altogether involving about 5000 women. The number far exceeds the expectation when Swanirvar started working with CARE. The SHGs are regularly receiving knowledge, training and exposure so that they are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge in order to challenge gender hierarchies.
It is also premature to say whether the 'business' of providing credit facilities to the women in order to substantially improve their economic conditions would be able to become sustainable or not. This remains a crucial challenge before Swanirvar in the near future.
