Workshop on Social Inclusion in Rural Development, 21 – 22 April 2009, Bhubaneswar.

WORLP uses the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach and builds on existing assets based on needs of individuals/communities so that people can script their own destinies in a world where there is enough to eat and subsist on. The document highlights WORLP’s mission, which is realized through simple and efficient management of its partners

The Workshop on Social Inclusion in Rural development set up many key activities that are many folded and help enhance livelihood opportunities for the landless, make lives of women easier, help reduce vulnerability to thoughts by using water effectively, help improve food security, strengthen community access to government schemes using simple and efficient management of its partners.

The key activities include developing micro-plans customized to suit the concerned village, providing training through self-help and community groups, supporting micro-finance, sharing information on water conservation techniques, agricultural and horticultural practices, livestock health and pisciculture, creating awareness on social issues through folk art and puppet shows, enhancing and diversifying rural livelihoods, working with government PRIs and NGOs to create livelihood options, and ensuring project approaches are adopted elsewhere in Orissa through a communication strategy, website and periodic workshops.

Aided by WORLP communities in Western Orissa are showing the way to fight century old biases and prejudices. The publication “Whispering Voices” tried to understand various aspects of social exclusion/inclusion in the project districts, and found several encouraging initiatives, where excluded individuals or groups were helped to identify and execute strategies to access benefits, rights and entitlements.
As women got equipped with new ideas, skills and tools, their yields from pisciculture shot up and so did their confidence and joy. Consuming produce from the pond ensured high value protein, biologically available iron and calcium and polyunsaturated fatty acids. As a result of these benefits, women developed increased understanding of business planning, of regular savings of business opportunities and having clear indicators of success and return on investment.

Livelihood Resource Center Network (LRCN) was a successful attempt in WORLP to empower village communities to improve their quality of life by institutionalizing capacity building processes through a network of Cluster Level Livelihood Resource Centers (CLRCs) backed up by resource organizations and project implementing agencies. The CLRCs are anchored by local NGOs and are responsible for delivering capacity programmes to local communities.
Four CLRCs had already started implementing their sustainability plans beginning from April 2009 and had forged linkages with government departments like Forest, Fisheries and Animal Husbandry, Women & Child Department and with agencies like Mission Shakthi and Corporate like Vedanta. The CLRCs have expanded the scope of their activities beyond training to include activities like documentation, training material development, organizing exposure visits, to help generate additional revenue. By accessing new opportunities, the vicious cycle of poverty found a way out with practicing small farm techniques.

New Concept managed the event and designed as well as printed materials for the event - Backdrop, banners, notepads, ID cards for participants, Folder with leaves, name tag and panels. New Concept also compiled resource and information packs in CDs for which New Concept also designed the covers and stickers.

The tribal ethnic artwork from Orissa is used in designing all the materials for the event. The artwork is full of identical characters busy with rustic activities, reflecting a philosophy of community and inclusion, which was in keeping with the theme of the event.

Details:
Website - Western Orissa Rural Livelihoods Project
Documents - Online information not available at the moment