Strengthening Community Data

One of the lessons that FGA has learnt is that the data on communities collected by the communities themselves are the most accurate and most useful. Village Welfare Workers (VWWs) working in partnership with FGA in various sites in Arunachal Pradesh have been keeping basic demographic and health records for more than a decade now. They are using the data they collect to prepare work plans. The records these village women keep also have become the most trusted sources of data, even used by government departments.

This mode of record keeping by the communities is being extended to the new sites where Best Practices Project is being implemented. After attending the Women Only Workshops (WoWs), the women leaders in many villages are already struggling to maintain several registers, with increasing perfection. A record keeping training was conducted for the leaders of the newly formed women's groups in Mechuka, under the leadership of Kago Yam, Project Supervisor. Takhe Meena (Project Supervisor, Koyu) and Anyak Mize (Project Coordinator, Sille) also participated in the training as resource persons.

Nineteen women from six villages participated in the day-long training. As the women were already exposed to the practice, the resource persons were impressed by the efficiency with which they picked up the idea.

Exchange Visit to Yachuli area

Best Practices team from Mechuka and Koyu Korang areas were in Yachuli area recently. They reached Itanagar from their respective villages on August 24 and on to Yazali on 25. The team from Mechuka had reached Itanagar via Along accompanied by Kago Yam, the Project Supervisor there. Similarly, Takhe Meena, Project Supervisor led the one man team from Koyu area to Itanagar via Pasighat.

The Best Practices Project Coordinator, Pura Aiya accompanied the team from Itanagar and they reached Yazali on August 26. Punyo Rina, Project Supervisor of the area was waiting for them. The same evening, they trekked the fifteen kilometer path to Rubdi where the women groups and male volunteers welcomed them. The team, dead tired after walking for hours together through serpentine jungle path was rejuvenated withe cultural programs in the Nyishi village in the evening.

The teams had extensive exchange of ideas and shared the works they are doing in their areas. They later visited Kuch-Kuth village as well and came back to Yazali the next day. The came back to Itanagar on August 28 after a brief visit to Ziro.

The teams, especially with women from Mechuka villages were quite impressed and happy with the trip. They were a bit scared crossing a dilapidated hanging bridge on their way to Kuch Kuth from Rubdi. The wet-rice cultivation system of the Apatanis inspired the women and they are determined to replicate such practice in Mechuka as well.

No woman from Koyu area could make it this time. Apparently the women were willing but their husbands were worried about the landslides and roadblocks. An energetic Gaon Bura of Kakki village represented the area.

Read this for a brief news report about the trip.