Mayurbhanj Area Development Programme (ADP) is located in the foothills of Similipal National Park, in India’s Orissa State.  About 75 per cent of the population are tribal, the majority from the Santhal tribe. Nearly 60 per cent of Mayurbanj’s people live in severe poverty.

Due to its inaccessibility, villages in this area miss out on their entitlement to government services. Officials, landlords and middlemen often exploit the tribal communities. The ADP works with 65 villages, improving the situation of over 35,000 people.

Income generation

Agriculture and other small income generating activities only earn enough to meet families’ immediate needs, leaving nothing for emergencies. The ADP supplies livestock, training and small business loans and promotes alternative activities such as dairy farming so people can supplement their income. ‘Self help groups’ are formed to encourage saving for investment or emergencies.

Agriculture

About 80 per cent of the population earn their income from agriculture-related occupations. Farmers traditionally rely on rain for irrigation and grow a single crop each year.

The ADP levels unused land providing cultivable fields for families without land. Construction of wells enables farmers to irrigate their land and harvest two crops a year. The ADP supplies agricultural equipment and high yield seeds and encourages farmers to experiment with new crops. Farmers learn low-cost, improved methods of agriculture such as mixed cropping.

Health

Dense forests in the area provide ideal breeding places for malaria-carrying mosquitoes. Malaria kills more people than any other sickness.

As there is not enough safe water in the ADP area to serve all of its inhabitants water-borne diseases such as diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid and dysentery are rife.

Wells are dug and regularly chlorinated to help prevent disease. Regular meetings are held on health topics including malaria and HIV/AIDS. Families learn how to grow vegetables to improve their nutrition and are told about the importance of child immunisation and proper sanitation. The ADP links community leaders to government-funded health initiatives such as subsidised mosquito nets to prevent malaria and provision of aids for children with disabilities.

Education

Through educating parents, training volunteers and providing 65 village tuition centres the ADP has raised primary school attendance. However, enrolment in higher education is still low.

The ADP encourages parents to send their children to secondary school and provides school uniforms, stationery, bicycles and hostel fees. Young adults are provided with vocational education. As adults see the progress being made by their children they also become interested in education and join literacy classes.

Community leadership

Each village elects representatives for its own Village Development Committee (VDC). Committee members are trained in leadership, project management skills and how to access government funding. VDCs meet regularly to discuss community issues and become increasingly responsible for planning, managing and evaluating community development. World Vision encourages women to take active roles in the VDCs. Youth groups and children’s clubs ensure that the next generation are also involved in the process.

Sustainable development

World Vision and the people of Mayurbhanj envisage that by September 2010 the community will be resourced and able to continue managing development initiatives without World Vision’s direct assistance. We will keep you updated on the community’s progress.

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