Purulia Project Blog

Two Events in March in Support of Purulia Micro-Finance Initiative

2008-03-06T18:49:00.003-07:00

Village Earth- Purulia is, among many things, a micro credit program which aims to increase the standard of living in West-Bengal as well as create economic opportunities that do not deplete Ayodhya Hill, the local forest. Based on the methods that won Muhammad Yunus a Nobel Peace Prize, the Village Earth- Purulia micro credit program lends small group loans to women in the area, who use the money as capital to start their own enterprises. The womens' groups have shown great ingenuity and creativity in endeavors which vary greatly- from tilapia farming to hand crafts. The events scheduled for April will be fund raisers. The proceeds will go toward expanding the program, which is intended grow to 500 women and to incorporate villages all across the district.

The first event will take place at Alley Cat Cafe, located at 120 ½ W Laurel, on March 17^th at 6pm. The second will be hosted by Matter Bookstore, located at 144 N College, on March 18^th at 7pm. Both events will include a free showing of the film “The Faces of MicroCredit” and will be followed by a brief presentation on the Village Earth- Purulia project and a Q&A session. Participants will have the opportunity to make donations at the event, get involved with Village Earth, and browse our Indian handcrafts. Alternately, those who cannot make the event can always participate in the project by visiting us at www.VillageEarth.org to make a donation or to browse through our project blogs and photos.

India: Financing Dreams

2007-09-24T19:36:00.000-06:00

By Ranjita Biswas
Reposted from Women's Feature Service, Delhi.

The undulating land of Purulia district with the Ayodhya Hill as a background often earns kudos from tourists for its scenic beauty. Purulia is a remote
agricultural area, six hours by train from West Bengal's capital, Kolkata.

Unfortunately, the region is also known for its impoverished local people, especially the Santhal tribal people who have been living there for centuries
and whose lifestyle has been badly affected by the changing times. Many, like Shakuntala Hansda have seen abject poverty. Shakuntala, who is in her 30s, lost
her parents, was abandoned by relatives and, subsequently, was on the verge of starvation.

Fortunately, women like Shakuntala, have found succour as a result of the micro-finance initiative of a self-help group (SHG) working in the Arsha Development Block, a tribal-dominated area of 50 villages where around 85 per cent of the population are below the poverty line.

The SHG is an offshoot of the Village Earth Purulia (VEP) project that undertakes self-sustaining projects. Replicating the international Village Earth Model that was launched in 1993 and replicated in many countries, the VEP project undertakes sustainable community-based development. This is achieved by connecting communities with global resources - through training and networking with organisations, worldwide. The VEP project is, thus, a tool to bridge the gulf between the haves and have-nots.

Incidentally, the aim behind Village Earth Model, the brainchild of Maurice L. Albertson, 88, is to fight poverty and ensure sustainability in developmental
projects. An American engineer by profession, Albertson has been teaching at Colorado State University, USA, for over 50 years. He is also the co-founder of the Peace Corps and was a consultant for the Bhakra Nangal Project in India. He firmly believes in the power of the people at the grassroots to change
their destiny. While in Kolkata recently, he told representatives of NGOs working at the grassroots: "Ask questions all the time. Ask them what they want, not what you think is right for them."

This philosophy of putting the people first may sometimes slow down the take-off time of projects but it is worth the wait, feels Mousumi Dinda, 35. Along
with husband Milan, 42, a social scientist, Mousumi established Village Earth-Purulia (VEP) after undergoing training in Participatory Practices in
Sustainable Development in Colorado. "My husband has been associated with Village Earth since 1993 when he took some courses at Colorado State University. From the very beginning he wanted to apply it for tribal empowerment. In 1999, we were working on an adolescent health and nutrition project in the area, when the tribals showed an interest in joining us. In fact, one of them even wanted to donate his set up on the condition that we would work with them. When my husband and I explained the village earth model to them and they liked it and we initiated the Purulia project."

In line with the idea of putting people first, at Arsha, the duo patiently let people come up with their own ideas. "This intervention actually started six
years ago. We sat with the women several times just to ask questions. At first, the word 'problem' was a problem to them. But slowly, they came out with their
problems and probable solutions. Solutions mostly came from the old women," recalls Mousumi.

One old woman asked for some start-up money for a small business. She was considering businesses such as animal rearing, leaf-plate making, and 'making' rice from paddy. "As a representative of the community, she tried to convince us by saying amader taka diyei dekhna, amra thik kaj kore taka pherot diye debo (Try us... give some money. We'll surely earn and return your money). And thus VEP's micro-finance initiative came into being. It was seen as a way to improve the economic condition of tribal women in the region and decrease the degree of exploitation of Ayodhya Hill, with natural forests succumbing to the rural poverty of the area.

The initiative began in April last year. Mousumi and Milan experimented with two groups, investing their own money. "We were really happy when they came with the profit and said, 'Dekhli! Amader pashe ektu thak, amrao parbo' (See! Stay with us for some time, and you'll see that we, too, can deliver)."

Last year, Village Earth arranged some seed money and began the intervention with more groups, with each receiving Rs 2,500 (US$1=Rs 40). Each group has
designed manageable plans for the small loans that they obtain. For example, one group requested for a loan for Rs 5,000 for a three-month rice-making project. One woman member proposed, "In November, we will buy paddy directly from the field, boil it by collecting wood from Ayodhya Hill and then make rice.
We will sell this rice in the market directly. We can earn more by avoiding the middlemen. Out of the profit made, we will pay back the loan and save the rest as seed money."

"I can now save approximately Rs 250 per month. I am also eager to open a savings account of my own," explains a successful Shakuntala, who has moved on from her days of destitution. With a small loan, Shakuntala initiated a plate-making project using teak leaves collected from the nearby Ayodhya Hill. She then sold these plates in the local markets. Her venture inspired other women in the group to make a collective venture of leaf-plate making. Today,
Shakuntala is the leader of that group and provides technical and marketing support. The group produces around 2,000 leaf plates per day that, on an average, bring in Rs 200 for the group.

In keeping with the philosophy behind the initiative, the women establish the rules and guidelines of the project. At present, 60 women are involved in the SHG project and hope to expand participation to as many as 500 women representing all 50 villages within Arsha.

Besides the micro-finance project, VEP also runs a water project in villages such as Bagmundi, Juri and Pitati to increase water security in a region that annually experiences a severe water crisis in summer. This water project is in collaboration with the Colorado State University chapter of Engineers Without
Borders.

VEP has also initiated 10 Forest Protection Committees (FPCs) that work on creating eco-friendly livelihood strategies. The FPCs operate through the SHGs - with around 10 people per group. Interestingly, the micro-finance initiative evolved from six of the groups composed of women.

While it has been a long journey for Shakuntala and the other women of Arsha, they have proved to the world - and more importantly, to themselves - that
they can cross the hurdles of poverty and make two ends meet.

VE Founders Visit Purulia Project

2007-09-12T13:30:00.000-06:00

In June, Ed Shinn and Maury Albertson spent several days in Calcutta visiting with Milan and Mousumi Dinda. Milan arranged for them to meet with the officials and a group of students from the Agricultural University near Calcutta. These students are from the villages of the Purulia project and are waiting to be trained as Internal Activators (Change Agents) to work on development back in their villages. The University personnel are anxious to work with Village Earth and they are also setting up an International Memorandum of Understanding (IMOU) with Colorado State University to carry out joint activities. With the help of the Agricultural University, arrangements were made for Ed and Maury to give a seminar on the basic principles of Village Earth. With the help of Dr. Subrankar Mukherjee , arrangements were made with the American Consulate in Calcutta to have a seminar on Village Earth for village development organizations based in or near Calcutta. About 30 organizations were represented. A very spirited discussion followed the presentation.

Maury and Ed came away from these meetings extremely impressed with what Milan and Mousumi Dinda have accomplished.

Village Profile: The Microfinance Initiative in Juri, Purulia

2006-10-06T17:30:00.000-06:00

Women participating in the Microfinance Initiative, gathered in Juri, Purulia.

In Juri, a group of 10 tribal women came together in March 2006 and formed a Self-Help Group with the assistance Village Earth-Purulia. With effective facilitation, the group created a blueprint for their future. Using their own savings of 3000 rupees (US$66), and obtaining a small loan from the Purulia Microfinance Initiative of 2500 rupees (US$55), (provided by Village Earth as seed money for the Initiative) these women bought 10 female goats with kids. By rearing both the goats and the kids they are expecting return after six months' time. The projected income is 12000 rupees. Inspired by this group, all of the other women in Juri together formed 8 more groups (10 women per group).

The staff of Village Earth-Purulia have worked closely with these women, and have listened to them share their aspirations to improve their lives and livelihoods by joining the Purulia Microfinance Initiative. Each group has designed manageable plans for the small loans they will obtain. For example, one group has requested a loan for 5000 rupees (US$111) for a three-month rice making project. As one woman explained the project, “In the month of November we will buy paddy directly from the field, boil them by collecting woods from Ayodhya Hill and will make rice. We will sell rice in the market directly. In this way we can earn more by avoiding middleman. Out of the profit, we will back the loan and save as seed money. O babu, takata de, amra thik sodh kore debo [Sir, give us a loan and we promise to pay it back]”.

A Purulia Microfinance Initiative Success Story: Profiling Shakuntala Hansda

2006-10-06T15:50:00.000-06:00

Shakuntala Hansda, a tribal woman from Juri, Purulia, is leading one of Juri's microfinance projects, in which she and other women make biodegrable plates from teak leaves, which they have successfully sold in local markets.

Women gather to make teak leaf plates, a new self-employment project in Juri that promises to increase the women's monthly incomes and improve their living conditions.

Shakuntala Hansda lost her parents and stayed with a distant kin. She struggled to meet even her basic needs and had severe food insecurity. One day, a member of Village Earth-Purulia found her alone under a tree. Through talking with Shakuntala, she found that she had been abandoned. After dialoging with her, the women recognized Shakuntala’s great potential and introduced her to a village women's Self-Help group. Shakuntala has great technical knowledge, particularly in the indigenous technologies of tribal people. With a small loan obtained through the Microfinance Initiative, she instigated a plate making project, using teak leaves collected from Ayodhya Hill, and began selling the plates in local markets. Inspired by the self-employment venture of Shakuntala, the other women in the Self-Help group decided to make a collective venture of leaf plate making. Now Shakuntala is the leader of that group in which she provides technical and marketing support. The group is now making 2000 leaf plates per day and earning 200 rupees per day. Now, Shakuntala has found a place to live in a dignified way in the tribal community of Purulia.

A woman makes plates from teak leaves which she obtains from the surrounding forests of Ayodhya Hill.

Women of Purulia

2006-10-06T15:30:00.000-06:00

"Dance with Us for a Collective Voice"

Traditionally, tribal women of Purulia are joyous and united. They express their joy, achievements and integrity through dance, an important aspect of their culture and religion. Through dance they invite beneficial, external resources to improve their well-being. Women are well-recognized in their society and play a significant role in securing their livelihoods. Although they are excluded from various avenues of social life, they are equally responsive to learn new ways to make their lives beautiful and fruitful. They are eager to change their marginalized status with the support of the Purulia Microfinance Initiative, which has made significant contributions to the women groups' involved in the Initiative, with far-rearching effects on the Santhal tribal society of Purulia as a whole, helping to mobilize and unite these people.

Villagers Install New Well in Pithati

2006-10-04T14:00:00.000-06:00

With help from Engineers Without Borders and Village Earth-Purulia, villagers in Pithati, using appropriate technology, dug a new well. Their effort to create a new well is one strategy they have employed to address the acute water shortage crisis that affects the area every year.

Six Women's Groups Obtain Goats from the Purulia Microfinance Initiative

2006-10-04T13:30:00.000-06:00

Pictured here is one of the women's groups that has purchased goats for rearing, using their own savings and small loans obtained through the Purulia Microfinance Initiative. The women are ecstatic to have the opportunity to obtain small loans for this type of self-employment project. They plan to rear goats in groups and expect a financial return after six months' time. They plan to buy more goats in the future with a portion of the profits that the project creates. Many more women in the region are eager to get involved in the Purulia Microfinance Initiative, which will become possible as Village Earth and Village Earth-Purulia continue to work together to raise more funds.

The Village Earth Model Becomes Reality

2006-05-16T13:18:00.000-06:00

Sunday, 7th May, 2006 we had an important event in Purulia. We have inaugurated our micro-finance initiative with the support of Village Earth. As per our proposed plan we had invited 50 tribal women (project participants), but we had to include 10 more because of their interest to be involved in the process. It was a great day in the history of the Village Earth Purulia. We are also very satisfied with the event and enthusiasm of the tribal women in Purulia. They asked many many questions, clarified plans in groups, presented their plans in front of the others, and made decisions about future activities.

Since my involvement with Village Earth in 1994 in Ft.Collins, I have been trying to translate the idea into reality.  Now I can say that the Village Earth model can guide the poor and vulnerable of this world to live with dignity and that there can be "development with dignity".  We have a vision to reach all 600 Self Help Groups and we hope for further assistance from our supporters.

Let us work together to make the Village Earth model a reality for a sustainable change in the society where no one is left behind or excluded.

-From Milan and Mousomi Dinda, founders of The Village Earth Purulia

Empowering Tribal Women

2006-05-15T13:09:00.000-06:00

These women are excited about the Microfinance Initiative and the positive changes it will bring to their communities. Active participation such as this is very empowering for people who have not had the opportunity to take an active role in the development processes of their communities.

Summation of Plans

2006-05-15T13:05:00.000-06:00

After the women presented their plans, one of the Self-Help Group leaders and the activator sum up their plans and discuss future steps following the Village Earth philosophy.

The Women Present their Plans

2006-05-15T13:02:00.000-06:00

Sixty women sat together in six groups to lay out their microfinance plans through particpatory collaboration. After that a leader from each group presented their plans separately to all of the other women and facilitators.

Microfinance Orientation

2006-05-15T12:52:00.000-06:00

Milan K. Dinda, the internal activator and founder of the Village Earth Purulia, oriented the women about the Village Earth Microfinance Initiative and collaborated with the women to establish rules and guidelines.

Welcome to the Purulia Microfinance Initiative

2006-05-15T12:49:00.000-06:00

This Microfinance Initiative is being undertaken by 60 tribal women of two adjacent villages (Pithati and Juri) in Purulia, West Bengal, India, which is a remote and tribal-dominated district.

Local market

2005-12-09T19:10:00.000-07:00

Appropriate technology!

2005-12-09T18:57:00.000-07:00

People use teak (locally named "sal") leaves to make plates and small bowls and they use them to take foods which lessen the use of water (use and through). They use dry leaves to make these plates, so it is not hamful for nature also.

The source of drinking water

2005-07-10T18:48:00.000-06:00

The villagers use these wells as the source of drinking water. But some of them become totally dry during the dry season and then the villagers have to go far from their houses to collect drinking water.

The Villagers

2005-05-14T18:23:00.000-06:00

Service Center

2005-05-12T18:18:00.000-06:00

The river in dry season

2005-04-15T18:30:00.000-06:00

In Purulia, the villagers are suffering from scarcity of water for 4-5 months a year.The river and most of the water resources become dry. The people has to walk 4-5 kilometers twice a day to collect drinking water.