Mid-Course Correction

A mid-course meeting between project executing staffs of FGA, FGI and Chairperson of Governing Board, (FGA) Mr. Omak Apang was held on 20^th December 2015 at Sille-Oyan. The meeting was attended by Atul Tayeng, ED, FGA, staffs including Dr. D. Pait, M.O. and Anyak Mize, Project Coordinator (PPP) and FG-India represented by Manjit Singh Bali, Director. Nawang Gurung attended the meeting as outside-in to put his suggestion and feedback. 

To bring development FGA should work according to step of work-plan, implementing of SEED-SCALE methodology and dedications from the Staffs and authorities. 

Future Generations Arunachal (FGA) Chairperson feels that SHG program is ongoing activities but beside this, FGA has to look other entry point to work with the Communities in other parts of the state.

Manjit Singh Bali, Director, FGI suggested that FGA working techniques need to be re-think in Broadway how to involve as much communities for development aspects to strengthen the organization, as suggested by Mr. Bali. He pointed that other potential areas should need to intervene for greater community participation.    FG-India and FG-Arunachal should  work on in partnership how these SHGs can be move ahead in other doable sectors. 

First half meeting was held in Primary Health Center (PHC) Sille where Omak Apang, Chairperson lead the meeting. Then he took the members for Field visit to Sille Village were the team met Neyi Darrang and families shared and recalled past memories of FGA’s work in the area. Then team headed for the lunch in Donyi-Polo Tea Estate and rest of the session was concluded there.

      

     Everyone in the meeting felt that overall proceeding was good learning experience. Few shared that it seems FGA is implementing activities in parallel direction which need to be re-integrate and work as a whole family to strengthen the organization. Few felt that today’s meeting reminded the old days of FGA’s working style. Some said, work-plan and documentation should be maintained for better recognition. 

      Emphasize on work-plan from each site, start with bottom-up, follow up should be done in regular intervals to encourage the ongoing activities. Follow-up gives opportunity to keep in touch with communities, to observe the practices being carried out by them. Need to work as Project Management Team (PMT) as felt by Chairperson.

     After whole day sharing and discussion, Mr. Nawang Gurung felt that FGA has to concentrate in the  following points for Mid-Course Correction, i.e.

·         Activities

·         Documentation

·         Structure

       Vote of thanks by FGA Staffs

Refresher Class for SHGs...

A refresher meeting for Self Help Groups (SHGs) member was organized by Future Generations Arunachal (FGA) in Sille-Oyan, Dambuk, Mechuka, Yazali-Yachuli and Ziro. The meeting was arranged to encourage the SHGs members to take initiative in income generation activities for better sustainability linkages with stakeholders and other partners. The face to-face interactive session was lead by Nawang Gurung, resource person and Takhe Meena, Supervisor (SHG). Neha Mallick, Intern Student from National Law School, Bangaluru also join the team to study about women empowerment.

The participation and interest of the members in the meeting was very positive. An income generation activities is being carried out by the SHG members in different sectors. Some are cultivating ginger and large cardamom in Yazali-Yachuli whereas Ziro SHGs are involved in pigs rearing. Sille-Oyan are engaged in weaving and ginger activities, SHG members in Mechuka are now happily practicing wet rice cultivation and vegetables. Besides these, trained SHG members in pickle making are preparing pickles with available local resource and selling in the Mechuka market.

Nyuch Pada SHG of Mai village under Yachuli are advance in rearing Mithun (Bos-frontalis) for good reason. The SHG members were encourages to start organic kitchen gardening for better health and future.

In Dambuk, Atul Tayeng, Executive Director, FGA participated in facilitating the interested women groups of Dambuk Division along with Nawang and Meena. In Dambuk, groups are engaged in Potato, ginger gardening. The tour which was started in 10^th December was culminated on 17^th December 2015.

SHG members in Delhi...

Eleven members from Future Generations Arunachal participated in day long workshop Bhoomi- 2015 "festival of living soil" in New Delhi on 1st October, organized by New Delhi based organization Navdanya in collaboration with India International Center. The workshop was based on life on living soil and ultimately it is human being to think how to utilize it in prospective way for next generation. The technical session was based on to aware the living people to practice and promote organic farming at the respective levels without compromising our mother earth. The workshops help to drawn the attention of the environmentalist not only across the country but also from foreign soil.

The Self Help Group (SHG) and other stakeholders were oriented not to use chemical fertilizers which are harmful for the soil and to the mankind. The SHG members were also taken to other centers as exposure part to make them self oriented on arts, craft and handlooms. The group was led by FGA's program coordinator Mone Gurung.

Oreintation program at Dambuk

Future Generations Arunachal (FGA) organized day long orientation program on Self Help Groups promotion and formation in Dambuk division under lower Dibang valley district on 14 September 2015. Women groups from seven villages enthusiastically participated in the activities about benefits of formation of SHGs under the umbrella of FGA. It would be mentioned here that FGA capitalizing its resources since 2012 in the welfare of SHGs activities in the state and up to date 67 such groups has been formed and providing and supporting various training in the field of income generation, micro-finance, skill development, conservation and healthcare. The objective of the program is to make the SHGs a self-reliant for sustainable development in the field by pursuing developmental activities among themselves.

Atul Tayeng, Executive Director, in his welcome address appeal the participants to take maximum benefits from the program and try to develop SHGs in the circle and look for the better livable future. Sharmila Ratan, who is earlier Village Welfare Worker with FGA and now inducted as ASHA and an active SHG leader from Baro mile village under Sille circle also shared the experiences and opportunities while working with communities with participants.

As many as 70 women participants along with government department officials from women and child development, veterinary and agriculture participated in the program. The program was facilitated by Mone Gurung, Program Coordinator and Takhe Meena, Project Supervisor, FGA.

CCC federation review meet...

Future Generations Arunachal (FGA) conducted Central Coordinating Committee (CCC-Fed.) meeting of Self Help Group (SHG) federation members at its Office premises on 7th August 2015. The meeting was chaired by Byabang Rocket, Chairman, CCC-federation and supervised by Takhe Meena, Secretary-cum Project Supervisor, FGA. The meeting was participated by federation members from Mechuka, Yazali, Yachuli, Ziro and Palin.

Members shared and presented the ongoing activities report from the respective corners. Chairman expressed heartiest gratefulness to Nawang Gurung for his commitment as Consultant during the tenure to enhancing the community developmental activities through resource mobilization available with FGA. He also informed the CCC members that Handicraft production activities in Palin area is going on full swing and plan to install an exhibition stall during Independence day celebration (15th August). As per FGA's objectives to build the capacity of rural communities and imparting trainings to Mechuka participants on rice cultivation at Ziro, 3 more such SHG members from Mechuka area has started rice cultivation in Mechuka in coordination with Lindu Goiba, a senior and successful woman group member who is guiding the members to grow crops for sustainable manner for self sufficient. Other members in Palin and Yazali area are practicing and growing ginger and large cardamom in their fields. In Ziro, SHG members has started piggery project under the leadership of Kago Yam whereas in Yachuli, Members started rearing of 2 Mithuns and a calf (Bos-frontalis).
It is also mentioned here that in Menchuka, Government Administration helping the SHGs for construction of Toilets in SHG federation market shed. SHG members are selling their vegetables in the market shed.

During the meeting it was also discussed that in the next Plan, SHG members will start up weaving unit to add income for the groups strengthen and its self sufficient fund longevity and see more feasible areas of income generation activities. Piggery training for SHG members is scheduled for September. Revolving fund and micro finance are also discussed in the meeting. Takhe Meena, Supervisor informed the members that a sum of rupees 13680.00 (April-July) has been received as  interests from members and bank interest will be update only after September month.

Apart from this meeting here is latest up date of Photographs from Mechuka area regarding rice and bamboo cultivation which was initiated by FGA since 2009.