READ Odisha

"The objectives and activities of Gender Resource Centre (GRC) and Gender Vigilance Committee (GVC) play crucial roles in-
*Preventing and Addressing Atrocities Against Women
*Providing Legal Aid Support to women's organizations.
*Family Counseling Support
*Empowering women leaders through training programs to enhance their knowledge and resources for community development.
*Evidence-Based Advocacy to promote women's rights.
Some GRC Activities are-
*Awareness Building on gender-based issues.
*Establishing GRCs at the Block level
*Formation and Strengthening of GVCs and GRCs:
*Capacity Building to stakeholders.
*Community Mobilisation
*Promoting and Strengthening GVCs
*Legal Aid Awareness:
*Strengthening Community-Based Organisations (CBOs):
*Community and Family Counseling: "

"READ is committed to addressing the violation of children's rights, particularly early child marriage and school dropout rates among girls, is commendable. These issues are critical to ensuring a brighter future for children in READS operational area. Some of the challenges are:
1.Early Child Marriage: i
2.Early School Dropout Among Girls:
Objectives:
1.Ensure Education Until 10th Standard
2.Empower Children
3.Empower School Leadership and Teachers
4.Create Socially and Environmentally Conscious Citizens
Programs:
1.Teacher Training Program
2.Leadership Training
3.Children's Fair
4.Private Tuition
READS efforts to address these critical issues are essential for the well-being and future prospects of children.By focusing on education, awareness, and empowerment, READ is taking significant steps toward protecting children's rights and ensuring a brighter future for them."

"READS focus on sustainable livelihood and food security in its operational area is vital for improving the well-being of the local community facing challenges of Lack of Fair Prices & Limited Marketing Opportunities.
Objectives of Agriculture & Livelihood are:
*Empower Agrarian Families
*Enhance Productivity
*Livestock and Horticulture
*Access to Farm Credits
*Technical Support

Programs will include:

*Second Crops

*Innovative Farming Techniques

*(System of Rice Intensification) Technique

*Vermin-Composting

*Farmer Collectives & Co-operatives

*Farmers Producer Company (FPC)

Organisation's comprehensive approach to improving livelihoods and food security encompasses various aspects of agriculture, including education, innovative techniques, and collective action. "

READ has been working on women participation in decision making since last 20 years, where as of now at least 60% women from operational community able to proposed their needs and plan in palli sabha and gram sabha and make decision in the meetings. But there is need of increasing active women participation to ensure gender rights as well as good community governance practices by strengthening CBOs and women leaders in the operational villages.

The READ adopted geographical area is prone to natural and manmade disasters. Almost every year or alternative year, disasters like cyclones, floods and flash floods are realized by the community. The recent COVID-19 first and second wave and previous cyclone like Super Cyclone-1999, Phailene in 2013, Hud Hud in 2014, Titlee in 2018, Fani in 2019 and the COVID-19 Pandemic in 2019 etc. taught READ to be an organisation ready for all time to prevent, response and restoration to the victim community for the survival, of course, READ as an organisation been trained on Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and staffs have adequate capacity to adopt disaster management for delivering services to the community in danger situation. READ always stands strongly to managing pre and post-disaster risk in the community to deliver the services.

"READS efforts to promote and strengthen self-help groups for widows are commendable, as it addresses the unique challenges faced by this marginalised group. Challenges:Exclusion and Stigma
Objectives:Integration into Mainstream Society
Programs:
Widows' Self-Help Groups: Presently, there are 111 active groups in Gajapati and Ganjam districts.
2.Capacity Enhancement
3.Income Generation: They earn at least Rs. 12,000 to Rs. 15,000 per annum from their production.
4.Enhancing Dignity"

READ closely works with ASHA and Anganwadi who are also being part of SHGs and GVCs. In fact, the team has no direct intervention but they reach out with a lot of health information, and schemes and made aware the community to access the benefits. The team also counsels pregnant and lactating mothers for regular attendance and participation in VHND to access immunisation and other nutritional benefits. Apart from these the community are made aware to depend on medical and health institution like CHC, PHCs and district medical in order to free from blind believe practices and bring back the healthy environment of the mother and children in the community.