Swabhiman Samiti

The flood that struck Uska Bazar, Siddharth Nagar District, Uttar Pradesh, on July 8, 2007, caught the unprepared community off guard, leaving them without basic necessities. ActionAid India, in collaboration with ECHO and Swabhiman Samiti, implemented a Flood Relief Programme that had a significant impact: Provision of Essentials, Improved Health and Nutrition: Nutrition kits distributed to 207 families with pregnant/lactating women, Better Shelter: Rainy sheets provided to 800 families. Increased Awareness about disaster preparedness and response and strengthened Community Resilience. In conclusion, the Flood Relief Programme had a significant positive impact on the lives of those affected by the 2007 flood, underlining the importance of ongoing support for disaster-affected communities to aid in their recovery and enhance resilience.

The Improved Flood-Affected Traditional Shelter project aimed to construct 78 traditional houses with improved infrastructure and facilities to make them more resilient to natural disasters. The project was implemented by Swabhiman Samiti, in collaboration with the ECHO and Action Aid. The project’s civil work was completed on 78 houses in three villages, and the beneficiary profile showed that it has benefitted a significant number of vulnerable families in the region. The project has also made significant improvements to the traditional shelters, making them more resilient to natural disasters.

To support the affected families, Eco and Action Aid in collaboration with the Samiti launched a livelihood support programme. The programme aimed to identify the affected families, and provide them with various livelihood options including general stores, rickshaws, cycle repairing, buggies (horse carts), tailoring, badhaigiri, electronic shops, lohargiri, pushcarts, tea stalls, supply kits, PCOs, egg shops, Gotary, Buffalo rearing and cosmetics. The programme was launched in seven villages in the area. The project had a significant impact on the livelihoods of the beneficiaries. The livelihood support helped the families to generate income and become self-sufficient. It created job opportunities for the beneficiaries, which helped them to earn a livelihood and support their families. There was a positive impact on the local economy as well. The new livelihood ventures helped to create demand for goods and services in the local market, which in turn helped to boost the local economy.

Farmers in rural areas often face numerous challenges such as lack of access to resources, technical knowledge, and modern farming practices. To address these issues, Swabhiman Samiti has established a Farmers Resource Center (FRC) in collaboration with various stakeholders. The FRC aims to provide a platform for farmers to share their experiences and learn from each other while reducing the cost of production and developing technical competencies. The primary goal of the FRC programme is to develop local community resource persons and model farmers who can act as a source of information and guidance for other farmers. Through this programme, farmers can access resources such as modern farming techniques, cropping patterns, and relevant information about agriculture-related issues.

The project aims to ensure non-discriminatory access to livelihood rights through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and access to quality health services for socially excluded groups. The project has enhanced the capacity of these groups to demand and access entitlements under Government schemes like MGNREGA and RSBY, which has had a positive impact on their livelihoods. The project has also contributed to building the capacity of CBOs and encouraging the participation of socially excluded group members in village committees.

Through right-based advocacy, the project has helped ensure access to health services for socially excluded groups, including getting full benefits under Janani Suraksha Yojna. The project has empowered socially excluded groups and fostered a sense of community and collective action.

The Family Planning and Advocacy Project supported by Global Health Strategies aimed to enhance access to informed contraceptive choices in Uska Bazar. 20 champions were trained across various categories, including health workers, women's groups, religious leaders, and community members. The training equipped them with knowledge, communication skills, and advocacy abilities for family planning. These community champions took on crucial roles in raising awareness and addressing supply issues by collaborating with local authorities. This initiative sparked discussions on family planning in community gatherings and Village Health Nutrition Days, leading to more effective policies and a sense of ownership and self-efficacy among champions and the broader community. The project covered one district, one block, and 10 villages, involving over 400 participants. This project's unique aspect is the focus on the community champions' journeys and the volunteer champion-based strategy