The Banswara community programme
The Banswara community development programme is in the Banswara
district, 220km south of the Indian capital of New Delhi. It
reaches 30 villages with a population of 33,800. World Vision's
partnership with Banswara started in 1994 and will be completed at
the end of 2012, as the community is almost fully equipped with the
resources and skills to take ownership of its own development. In
the past year, significant improvements were made in the areas of
community capacity building and education.
Issues covered: Education, community
capacity building and food security
Updates on World Vision's work
Community capacity building and food
security
- 310 members of community-based organisations in 150 villages
were trained in leadership, project management and development
initiatives to equip them to take responsibility of the development
process.
- Over 700 families with children living in remote areas
benefited from training in growing new types of crops to increase
crop production. Crop diversification, especially during the dry
season, ensures year-round food security and helps increase
families' nutrition and household income.
Education
- 350 children from eight children's clubs, received life-skills
training and were educated on children's rights, and the importance
of education.
- 403 households were supported with solar-powered lights,
enabling children to study and do their homework in the
evening.
The Banswara community is in the fourth year of its development
journey with World Vision.
Life on
the ground in Banswara
Celebrating educational excellence
World Vision supported 403 households with
solar-powered lights, enabling children to study at home and
achieve education success.
In partnership with World Vision, the Banswara community
development programme has celebrated some major educational
achievements over the past year. A total of 74 young people who
completed their schooling, enrolled for tertiary study. Two
students, formerly sponsored by generous Kiwis, are now studying
towards a degree in dental surgery, while others have enrolled for
a bachelor's degree in education and a teacher's training course,
as well as medicine and engineering. One of the keys to these
successes has been a youth career counselling course, that World
Vision and the Banswara community together, have implemented in
schools. The programme is a joint venture with the Indira Gandhi
National Open University. "We are confident these young people,
once they finish their studies, will give back to the people of
Banswara after World Vision completes its work with our community,"
said the World Vision staff.
India at a glance
India is the world's second most populous country and the
seventh largest country by area. Since the I980s, India has been
making unprecedented progress in its own history, but there are
still wide disparities in access to healthcare, education and
infrastructure. The number of poor living below NZ$2 a day has
increased from 421 million in 1981 to 456 million in 2005.
