6 September 2005
Banswara
Banswara Area Development Programme (ADP) covers 30 villages in Banswara District, southern Rajasthan State. Most of its inhabitants are Bhil tribals, one of the most disadvantaged tribal groups in India, but another significant group is the Yadavs, formerly treated as an ‘untouchable’ caste. Government interventions to redress caste-based discrimination have resulted in Yadavs having a higher standard of education and living than the Bhils.
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 Banswara ADP
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Education
Due to their own illiteracy and low incomes, many parents do not encourage their children to attend school. Seasonal migration disrupts children’s studies and the school dropout rate is high, especially among girls for whom education is not considered important.
To encourage school attendance, Banswara ADP improves school facilities and provides pupils with uniforms. The ADP runs village tuition centres for preschoolers and children who cannot attend school.
Village education committees are being established to oversee educational programmes in their communities and promote the importance of child education amongst parents.
Health
Malaria, diarrhoea, night blindness and skin diseases are common and people have little awareness of HIV/AIDS. The latter is of particular concern given the migratory nature of Banswara’s population.
Banswara ADP runs health awareness campaigns using a variety of methods, including cultural performances. These campaigns encourage parents to register the birth of their children, promote immunisation and breastfeeding, and educate people about issues such as nutrition, hygiene and HIV/AIDS.
New wells improve access to clean drinking water and reduce water-borne disease. Traditional birth attendants learn safe delivery techniques and receive delivery kits.
Agriculture
Agriculture in Banswara is dependent on monsoon rains. The undulating terrain and unavailability of good quality seeds limits production. Farmers lack knowledge and technology to develop their land.
Adoption of irrigation techniques and soil and water conservation methods enable farmers to reduce soil erosion, develop previously fallow land and increase production. Banswara ADP encourages farmers to grow new crops, such as vegetables, to reduce reliance on maize and address chronic food shortages and malnutrition. The ADP further assists farmers through agricultural training, seed banks and mobile veterinary clinics.
Income generation
During the dry season farmers and their families often move to industrial towns to seek food and unskilled work. As people in Banswara do not have a strong saving ethic, when a crisis occurs families turn to middlemen and moneylenders who charge high interest rates.
World Vision is establishing small savings societies in Banswara called ‘self-help groups’. Group members learn bookkeeping, credit management and leadership skills and regularly contribute a small amount of money to a pooled fund. They can later borrow from the fund for personal needs or to establish a small business.
Community leadership
Banswara ADP works to bring Bhil and Yadav community members together to address common issues. Each village elects representatives for its own Village Development Committee. Committee members are trained in leadership and project management skills and become progressively responsible for planning, accessing funding, monitoring and evaluating community development. Women’s involvement in community activities is particularly important for improving their position in society.
Sustainable development
World Vision started Banswara Area Development Programme in October 1995. The ADP is working with the community to increase its capacity to access resources for ongoing development without World Vision’s direct assistance. We will keep you updated on their progress.
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