Gadri village
The well-known phenomenon of tribal disadvantage especially in Odisha requires constant monitoring to ensure diligent attention to equitable protection of tribal people’s right to life due to lack of adequate empowerment. One of them is GADRI village of Dasmantapur Block of Giriliguma Gram panchayat predominantly occupied by tribals. One has to walk approximately 4 km from the approach road to reach village, in between one has to cross a broken bridge constructed above a perineal stream in 2016 and washed away by heavy monsoon rain in 2017.
During rainy season the village is cut off from main land. Since then, people are crossing the broken bridge dangerously to connect with mainland for their daily needs. The villagers belong to Penga Paraja group. Out of 37 households 21 are from Hindu religion and 16 households practice Christian religion. A small church is existing at the end of the village for offering prayer. While discussion it was observed that although many households are aware about the causes and symptoms of Covid 19 but practice of Covid appropriate behavior is a question.
Average income of household is around Rs 1000/- to 1200 per month. The village is surrounded by dense forests and the villagers mainly depend on hunting, food gathering and shifting cultivation to earn their livelihood. It appears that existing government safety net schemes have not made much difference on this tribal population’s socio-economic status in these remote areas. Total literacy of youth is very low. The village youth are not aware about any mainstream information and lack leadership either for self or for community development. At the age of hi-tech still they are not able to give their signature. The existing primary education children are first generation learner, however the quality of education imparted may not make much difference to improve their socio-economic lives. The villagers are absolutely poor the youth are on the cross road of indecisiveness regarding their future livelihood and belong to Penga Paraja group of tribal.
Safe Sanitation and hygiene and safe water is disguised from daily routine even by youth group. As expressed by villagers due to extreme poverty and available of forest arrears sanitation although problem for adolescent girls but very rarely discussed in the village. The adolescent girls were worst sufferer due to lack of sanitation facilities. Due to lack of education and extreme poverty the youth of the village still dependent on old generation. The villagers have good access to water as there are two perineal streams flowing besides the village but availability of safe water is a big question. However, during summer the water flow in the stream substantially reduce and sufferings of the villagers mostly ladies increase. The adolescent girls mostly travel almost one and half kilometers to fetch water. However total sanitation is a big problem. Half constructed damaged toilets are there in the village. Surroundings of Water collection stand posts are totally unhygienic. Due to lack of sanitation facilities the adolescent girls face much difficulty during menstruation period.
It was noticed that although many youths are aware about the causes and symptoms of Covid 19 but practice of COVID appropriate behavior is a question. It was surprising that many youths have several misconception regarding COVID vaccine and many youths are yet to take the second dose. According to them this vaccine will develop infertility. Nobody was using mask. Soap was very rarely even use by adolescent girls.
During Lockdown, villagers did not face any specific problem to access water but as usual sanitation is a regular problem. Nothing special to lock down. Many villagers expressed their main challenge was arranging daily livelihood materials due to shutdown of local weekly markets and strict restriction of movements to nearest urban areas. As expressed, most of the villager cooked food without salt and oil during lock down. However, IDS provided some aid in the form of ration for one week.
It is understood that the local community was not able to differentiate availability of WASH services during COVID situation and pre and post COVID situation due to extreme poverty and lack of awareness. No health worker visited the village during pandemic. As usual availability of water was not a problem but quality was one of the major issues. Due to non-availability of household toilets as well as habituated with traditional practice community has been practicing open defecation. IDS the NGO sensitized them regarding personal hygiene including hand washing but hardly people followed the practice at appropriate time. Two people died during COVID but some community member expressed that the death is due to TB. Historically women developed their own coping mechanism and manage the menstruation in traditional way somehow disguising themselves and still using old cloths instead of sanitary pads
There is no formal written representation was made to either any government / service providers/legal institutions. After the focus group discussion, the community united with the leadership of Mangaladani Muduli and educated youth of the village. They made first written representation to the local Sarapancha for reconstructing the broken toilets.
Through the orientation and focus group discussion it was understood that it is essential to strengthen and empower the isolated communities ensuring participation of young women from the locality building their capacity for strategic advocacy community leadership. Information dissemination process reaching the local community and resource mobilization including financial and human resource to strengthen the process is deemed necessary.
Specific in this context of GADRI village their unanimous, honest demand of reconstruction of the broken bridge which connects the village with the mainland need to be advocated with appropriate authority and some majors to be taken. this might help to build the mutual trust with the villagers.
In addition to Mangaladani Muduli more leaders to be developed for amplify the voice of the voiceless. It has been observed that traders from nearest area who visit the village regularly has also greater influence on the community because of financial involvement on trust. They will be also an important resource to improve the WASH services in the village.
During rainy season the village is cut off from main land. Since then, people are crossing the broken bridge dangerously to connect with mainland for their daily needs. The villagers belong to Penga Paraja group. Out of 37 households 21 are from Hindu religion and 16 households practice Christian religion. A small church is existing at the end of the village for offering prayer. While discussion it was observed that although many households are aware about the causes and symptoms of Covid 19 but practice of Covid appropriate behavior is a question.
Average income of household is around Rs 1000/- to 1200 per month. The village is surrounded by dense forests and the villagers mainly depend on hunting, food gathering and shifting cultivation to earn their livelihood. It appears that existing government safety net schemes have not made much difference on this tribal population’s socio-economic status in these remote areas. Total literacy of youth is very low. The village youth are not aware about any mainstream information and lack leadership either for self or for community development. At the age of hi-tech still they are not able to give their signature. The existing primary education children are first generation learner, however the quality of education imparted may not make much difference to improve their socio-economic lives. The villagers are absolutely poor the youth are on the cross road of indecisiveness regarding their future livelihood and belong to Penga Paraja group of tribal.
Safe Sanitation and hygiene and safe water is disguised from daily routine even by youth group. As expressed by villagers due to extreme poverty and available of forest arrears sanitation although problem for adolescent girls but very rarely discussed in the village. The adolescent girls were worst sufferer due to lack of sanitation facilities. Due to lack of education and extreme poverty the youth of the village still dependent on old generation. The villagers have good access to water as there are two perineal streams flowing besides the village but availability of safe water is a big question. However, during summer the water flow in the stream substantially reduce and sufferings of the villagers mostly ladies increase. The adolescent girls mostly travel almost one and half kilometers to fetch water. However total sanitation is a big problem. Half constructed damaged toilets are there in the village. Surroundings of Water collection stand posts are totally unhygienic. Due to lack of sanitation facilities the adolescent girls face much difficulty during menstruation period.
It was noticed that although many youths are aware about the causes and symptoms of Covid 19 but practice of COVID appropriate behavior is a question. It was surprising that many youths have several misconception regarding COVID vaccine and many youths are yet to take the second dose. According to them this vaccine will develop infertility. Nobody was using mask. Soap was very rarely even use by adolescent girls.
During Lockdown, villagers did not face any specific problem to access water but as usual sanitation is a regular problem. Nothing special to lock down. Many villagers expressed their main challenge was arranging daily livelihood materials due to shutdown of local weekly markets and strict restriction of movements to nearest urban areas. As expressed, most of the villager cooked food without salt and oil during lock down. However, IDS provided some aid in the form of ration for one week.
It is understood that the local community was not able to differentiate availability of WASH services during COVID situation and pre and post COVID situation due to extreme poverty and lack of awareness. No health worker visited the village during pandemic. As usual availability of water was not a problem but quality was one of the major issues. Due to non-availability of household toilets as well as habituated with traditional practice community has been practicing open defecation. IDS the NGO sensitized them regarding personal hygiene including hand washing but hardly people followed the practice at appropriate time. Two people died during COVID but some community member expressed that the death is due to TB. Historically women developed their own coping mechanism and manage the menstruation in traditional way somehow disguising themselves and still using old cloths instead of sanitary pads
There is no formal written representation was made to either any government / service providers/legal institutions. After the focus group discussion, the community united with the leadership of Mangaladani Muduli and educated youth of the village. They made first written representation to the local Sarapancha for reconstructing the broken toilets.
Through the orientation and focus group discussion it was understood that it is essential to strengthen and empower the isolated communities ensuring participation of young women from the locality building their capacity for strategic advocacy community leadership. Information dissemination process reaching the local community and resource mobilization including financial and human resource to strengthen the process is deemed necessary.
Specific in this context of GADRI village their unanimous, honest demand of reconstruction of the broken bridge which connects the village with the mainland need to be advocated with appropriate authority and some majors to be taken. this might help to build the mutual trust with the villagers.
In addition to Mangaladani Muduli more leaders to be developed for amplify the voice of the voiceless. It has been observed that traders from nearest area who visit the village regularly has also greater influence on the community because of financial involvement on trust. They will be also an important resource to improve the WASH services in the village.