ANNUAL REPORT 2016-2017

SUNDARBAN SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CENTRE www.ssdcindia.org.in COMMITTED TOWARDS UPLIFTMENT OF THE DEPRIVED About SSDC

Sundarban Social Development Centre (SSDC) is a not for profit making non-government organization situated at Sundarban delta region of in . Since its advent as a social development organization from 1986, SSDC has been keeping itself involved for the wellbeing of the people living at disaster prone Sundarban island areas which are typically identified as socio economically backward in all senses of remoteness and poor living standard. Being a registered NGO under Society Registration Act 1961 and FCRA, SSDC is devoted and has been working on community based development activities. SSDC believes in collaborative approach and right from the situation analysis & project planning stage up to evaluation at the end, it involves people of all strata in the community.

VISION: Build up a society where love, MISSION : Uphold the human dignity

peace and equality is discovered, lived of the poor and marginalized through

and nurtured. the process of empowerment.

OBJECTIVES OF THE ORGANIZATION I. Community wellbeing through service, facilitation, empowerment & behavior change on practice. II. Close association with community & adopt participatory development

initiatives.

III. Undertake rural development projects in joint hands with Govt., NGOs, INGOs, donor agencies & individual donors. IV. Make all endeavor fit to survive, all round development & check on poor indicators in standard of life. V. Organizational infrastructure development & create child friendly atmosphere .

STRATEGY Sundarban Social Development Centre (SSDC) continues its unending journey in a collaborative approach involving each and every people of the Community for a better future. SSDC believes in collaborative approach and right from the situation analysis & project planning stage up to evaluation at the end, it involves people of all strata in the community. The organization involves all the l ocal youth organizations, women’s group & Samities, Village Education Committees, children, adolescents, ICDS workers, Government health personnel and others in development process in a range from advocacy and strong network. The organization also takes in itiative to form Child Parliaments, Kishor Kishori Bahinies, Child protection groups & committees, Village Development Committees and ensures participation of these groups & committees in the community level actions, which makes the initiative people orien ted and also generates sense of ownership on developmental programmes. The organization does not believe in free service delivery and always motivates people for their physical, psychological & financial contribution.

CORE INTERVENTION AREAS Eye Hospital services Maternal & Child Health care (MCH) Nutrition Rehabilitation Centre (NRC)

WASH intervention

Child protection

Adolescent health & anemia control

Women empowerment & livelihood promotion

Environment protection & disaster risk reduction

Clinic Boat services

Health Interventions TOWARDS A HEALTHY COMMUNITY

Eye care • Sundarban Eye Hospital • Vision Centre • Outreach Eye Camp Nutrition MCH • NRC HEALTH • Clinic Boat service • Community based • Home Visit initiatives INTERVENTIONS

Adolescent health & anemia control WASH

Eye Care SUNDARBAN EYE HOSPITAL

SSDC has extended Eye Care service for the community at hard to reach areas of Sundarban delta region in . It has its base hospital well equipped with modern instruments and state of the art facilities with a patient friendly environment, hospitality and clinical follow ups to reach at door steps. The hospital has been rendering a bucket of services like cataract surgery with

medicines & black spectacles, pathological investigation, biometry test, check up by physician before

surgery etc. u nder one roof. In addition to that, SSDC has developed a community based process of

VISION FOR SOCIETY FOR SOCIETY VISION continuous awareness & knowledge sharing on health issues, especially eye care.

MAJOR SERVICES THIS YEAR’S MILESTONES

Low cost eye screening, OPD patientsp treated (New 21456 & Old

examination & treatment facilitiesities 15462) Cataract & other surgical incidentsdent s TotalTota cataract surgery cases: 5279

PHACO surgery Free-2961;Free Paid-1102; RSBY 1216

Free medical camps & check upsups SpectacleSp distribution to 14048 patients Optical & Pathology opportunitiesti es ExtensionExten s of OPD, OT & Vision Centers Clinic Boat, Ambulance & Mobilee vanv an

services MobileMobi Van introduction for patients School screening camp InclusionIn under ‘Sastha Sathi’ Scheme RSBY accessibility

VISION CENTER

ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN v Refraction test for eye

examination. v Spectacle distribution in minimal cost. v Cataract screening & other

diagnosis.

v Referral to eye hospital for advanced cases.

MAJOR IMPACTS v Total 8 Vision Centers in 7 blocks. v Low cost & affordable eye

testing, diagnosis & spectacle for the poor community. v Bringing the service at the door step of rural people.

v Total 15983 patients attended in the reporting year.

OUTREACH EYE CAMP

Key features of Outreach Camps

Eye care service in remote areas at doorstep

Treatment to general & refraction patients

Refer surgery & critical patients to base hospital

Awareness on eye health care & Govt. schemes

Message dissemination on Vision Centre & Base Hospital

Major impacts

Poor & unable people getting access to basic eye care facilities at door step

Reintegration of working youth in normal life

Social rehabilitation to aged people

Decreasing misconception on cataract & other eye ailments

A CASE STORY

51 years ago, Abdul Gaffar Sheikh was born in a poor family at Monirhat village at Joynagar, South 24 Parganas. At present, Abdul Gaffar Sheikh is 51 year old but he still lives in a poor family. He has 8 children, which includes one son and 7 daughters. All the daughters of Mr. G affar have been got married while his son lives separately with his wife. Mr Gaffar’s daughter-in-law never took any care of her father-in-law and mother-in- law and they abandoned them. After that incident, Gaffar and his wife were forced to spend their lives in empty stomach. Having no option left in his hand, he started repairing of nets of the villagers, engaged in the jori work, operating tailoring machine to weave shirts and pants, making basket from bamboo stick and selling in the market at high price rate. Thus Abdul Gaffar Sheikh started spending his days on earning wage as daily labour and was enjoying a simple life.

But after some days, his eye sight becoming very low. He could not see anything as earlier which results to hamper his daily economic activities. As a result, his family income started becoming low, his debt had started to increase day by day. In such a condition he went to a homeopathy doctor for eye treatment with his wife. The doctor prescribed him some medicine for a month. But there were no improvement of his eye sight after one month went past.

Abdul after the surgery Abdul after recovery One day, he attended an eye camp organized by Sundarban Eye Hospital in the primary school of Mr. Gaffar’s village. He was screened and identified as a cataract patient at the eye camp. Immediately he had been provided an opportunity for cataract operation in free of cost from Sundarban Eye Hospital.

After successful operation, now he is seeing everything clearly as earlier. He told his neighbors that he is able to see everything very clear as compared to his childhood. Mr. Gaffar and his wife are so mu ch happy now after the successful cataract operation of him. After the operation, Mr. Gaffar took a month’s rest before he has started his works again efficiently. Nowadays he is getting orders again from the neighbors to repair their net. Now he is able t o operate the tailoring machine quickly and there is no problem for him even to attach thread in the needle. In addition, he can now do the jory work more quickly comparing to the earlier past.

He expressed his heartiest gratitude to the SSDC Eye Hospital for the hospitality he received there from the medical team. He prayed to the God for prosperity of the Sundarban Eye Hospital.

HEALTH FOR EVERYBODY Adolescent Health & Anemia Control

Adolescent Health & Anemia Control is a part of Basic Health Care & Support programme, which is an integral part of SSDC’s health care intervention in joint hands with Govt. health service providers based on Sub Health

Centers, ICDS centers and through pocket outreach health camps and clinic boat services. SSDC workers & medical t eam are dedicated to cover the whole population of , Gopalnagar & Durbachati GP under Patharpratima Block, South 24 Parganas district.

IMNCI Promotion-27 SHG Group Members

18 Adolescent networks formed (116 adolescent Girls referred to clinic for

Anemia treatment)

VHSNC formation in 49 Sansads

Capacity building of ASHA/ANM/PRI ACHIEVEMENTS OF THISACHIEVEMENTS YEAROF members

A CASE STORY

Rakhi Pattanayek is an adolescent girl who lives with her parents in Chintamonipur village of South 24 Parganas district. Her father Rajaram works as a daily labour to earn a living for the whole family. Rakhi studies at 10 th standard but used to suffer from weakness and gets tired very easily. Even she was having an interrupted menstrual period because of her ill health. On a certain day, SSDC health workers visited her home and talked to Rakhi’s mother Anjali and came to kno w about her ailment. They advised her to send Rakhi to the adolescent health meeting organized by SSDC. Rakhi attended the meeting and found out the exact reason for her illness which was haemoglobin deficiency in blood or anemia. She also knew about sub c enter where she can do blood test and sensitized on nutritious diet needed for adolescent girls of her age. On 7 th February, 2017, Rakhi got her test report which revealed that haemoglobin content in her blood was 8 grams/DL which is way below normal (10 grams/DL). After knowing that, her parents started to maintain a nutritious diet for her containing fresh vegetables, fruits, fish, pulses, eggs, meat etc. She also developed the habit of having lemon with her meals which enables body to absorb more iron fr om the food. Rakhi started taking Folifer Iron tablets distributed at school. On the day of 5 th April, 2017, Rakhi again did haemoglobin test which revealed that her haemoglobin level has gone up to 10 grams/DL within this two months. At present she is hav ing a normal menstrual period and her weakness is gone. Rakhi’s parents are very happy with such an improvement of their daughter’s health and they genuinely want more of these adolescent meetings to be conducted in their village by SSDC.

Rakhi Pattanayek Rakhi in adolescent meeting

Basic Health Care & Support Nutri-mix preparation Core Activities of Reporting year 1. Strengthening community monitoring

system 2. Assist developing health plan

3. Training of PRI

4. Capacity building of health actors

5. Small local initiative (Nutri- mix food preparation) Strengthening community monitoring 6. Developing advocacy plan & action on system

policy advocacy

7. Facilitating & supporting planning

Supporting VHSNC

Major Achievements

1. 8 active VHSNCs are monitoring

activities of ICDS centers, sub-centers

and the local Water Sanitation system.

2. SHG groups are strengthened on IMNCI and 16 groups are actively counseling the community. 3. PRI, ASHA & ICDS members were oriented on health plan and implementing health planning in 13 Sansad Sabha. 4. 116 adolescent girls have access to anemia treatment & after recovery, they are counseling the community. Facilitating & supporting planning

STRENGTHENING ROUTINE IMMUNIZATION

SSDC has passed second year of its project implementation of Strengthening Routine Immunization programme at and Blocks in South 24 Parganas district with the aegis partner collaboration of UNICEF Kolkata. This has a direct coverage to 16 villages in 15 Sub Centers areas of both Blocks those are prescribed and mostly recognized as either under served and un- served areas having a track record of high prevalence of left out and drop out incidents among both mother and children. Major activities have been followed under this process as identification of immunization left out and dropout children getting involved to due list prepare and collect from ASHAs and ANMs, target oriented approach to bring those children under routine immunization coverage accordingly by family motivation, counseling and even accompany mother and children on immunization and outreach camps attend.

Activities in the reporting year Major achievements v Immunization camps at SC and v Directly Covered 15 SCs at 8 GPs Outreach areas v Total Population covered – 26880 (HH covered – 5420 numbers) v Awareness Generation ( Meeting with v Numbers of R.I sessions attended - 411 mothers and other care givers) v Total Children brought under immunization – 2621 v Left out Children Vaccinated – 50 v Drop Out children Vaccinated – 659 v Health camps (Doctors Camp) at v Conducted Health Camps at underserved areas – 24 underserved areas numbers (Total number of patients attended in these health camps was 1210) v Magic and Talking Doll Shows v Conducted mid- media Magic and Talking Doll Shows – 48 numbers (Total number of participants in these shows was 6895) v Pulse polio Immunization programmes v Mothers’ Meeting at Hamlets – 607 (Total number of (RI/MI Camps days) participants in these meetings was 8480)

A CASE STORY

Mr. Tajamel Halder is a van driver who lives with his wife Asida Bibi and their three children at Dadpur village of Mandirbazar block. Both of their two sons were born at home but Taniya , their only daughter, was born at a nursing home after counseling ANM, ASHA and a social mobiliser of Sundarban Social Development Centre. When Asida Bibi was pregnant, the social mobilizer went to her house and explained of antenatal care, mother nutriti on, personal hygiene and institutional delivery. But after the birth of Taniya, her parents decided that they would not go for any vaccination for Taniya from any institution . Neither the couple completed the vaccination to their elder two sons. The elder two sons took a few vaccination and avoided taking other vaccinations for fear of suffering as after effects of vaccination. After few days, our social mobilizer came to know through home visit that Taniya had not taken any vaccination. Social mobilizer, Nayana Bhandari asked them why Taniya had not taken vaccination seven after born for two months. They explained that Taniya is their only daughter and they do not want to take any risk involving her. In reality both the husband-wife were suffering from the fear of adverse effects of following immunization. They also informed that there is no need of vaccination to Taniya as one of their neighbor’s child was suffering in paralysis after taking the vaccination. After few days Nayana ag ain went to Tajamel’s house to inform them about the vaccination date and place. She explained them the benefit of vaccination and tried to pursue them to take vaccination. But they replied that after vaccination child might fall sick from fever. Tajamel r eturn home after hard day’s work that time he will not be able to take rest for her illness. So they do not agree to give vaccination to Taniya. Even after lot of persuasion they refuge to go to the immunizati on centre. Nayana informed this matter to the c oncerned ANM as there was no ASHA worker in this area. The ANM went to Taniya’s house with Nayana for counseling so that Taniya will take the vaccination. Yet they did not listen to any speech of the ANM. In this situation after few days Nayana contacted w ith Taniya’s uncle who is a political leader and a familiar person in this area. Nayana explained all to him. He assured us that he would try his best to pursue them to take vaccination. Then Nayana went to Taniya’s house with her uncle and convinced them about benefit of vaccination through ro utine immunization session. At last they agreed to take vaccination under the routine immunization session. Nayana went to Taniya’s house before the next vaccination day and informed the vaccination date and place and also asked them to prepare from morning for going to immunization centre with her. At the day of vaccination Nayana had informed the ANM that AsidaBibi would come to take immunization for her daughter at immunization centre. Next day Nayana received them from their home and come to centre and gave immunization first time to Taniya. At last Taniya is vaccinating under routine immunization schedule. At present Taniya is carrying a good health and her parents are very happy.

Nutrition N NUTRITION REHABILITATION CENTER

SSDC has been running a Nutrition Rehabilitation Centre (NRC) since 2011 at its campus as per West Bengal State Nutrition Strategy guideline. Severe Acute Malnourished (SAM) children are usually admitted to provide 14-21 days nutrition care by medical team of NRC. Mothers also learn about child nutrition care with practical exposure. Apart from that, SSDC is doing home based management on growth monitoring, counseling, follow up and awareness for complete care of child health & nutrition. In this work, integration of Govt. health workers like ICDS, ASHA, ANM etc. has been also possibl e. In this reporting year, workers from 473 AWCs under 15 G.P.s of Patharpratima block were trained on MUAC measurement which is essential for growth monitoring.

ACTIVITIES TO COMBAT MALNUTRITION AMONG U5 CHILDREN

FIGHT AGAINST MALNOURISHMENT

v Growth monitoring of every U5 children. v MUAC Screening of Low Birth Weight & malnourished children (LBW, SAM & MAM child care) v NRC refer, Home Management & Clinical follow up. v NRC care to Sever Acute Malnourished (SAM) children. v Participatory Learning & Action (PLA) exercise for mothers & adolescents.

ACHIEVENMENT IN FIGURES

NRC care to Severe Acute Malnourished (SAM) children

Category Total No. SAM children identified 157 Children Admitted 107 Children Discharged 109 Children Cured 72 Non Respondent 24 Defaulter / DORB 1

HOME BASED MANAGEMENT

Low Birth Weight (LBW) baby care

Discharge Status LBW Identified LBW LBW Discharged Cured Non Transferred Defaulter

Enrolled Respondent

208 96 103 68 27 3 5

Coverage to Moderate Acute Malnourished (MAM) children

Discharge status MAM children MAM children MAM children Cured Non Transferred Defaulter Identified Enrolled Discharged Respondent 636 630 608 318 271 9 10

INITIATIVES TO PREVENT MALNUTRITION

KEYHOLE HOMESTEAD GARGEN PLA EXERCISE An adaptive model of kitchen gardening An innovative & attractive way of engaging suitable for disaster prone areas. 139 mothers through participatory learning on health community gardens & 17 ICDS gardens have & nutrition. 187 clusters of 5700 population has been developed been covered under this programme

TRAINING ON NUTRITIOUS FOOD GROWTH MONITORING OF EVERY U5 CHILD COOKING Regular follow up & growth monitoring of under Handholding learning of mothers to prepare 5 children through measurement of MUAC & proper nutritious food for their under 5 other parameters. Weight measurement of children. 189 such cooking demonstrations have 9988 0- 59 months’ children & MUAC been arranged in the community measurement of 9575 6- 59 months’ children has been done this year.

A CASE STORY Weighing 6.8 KG and having MUAC of 11.3 at the age of 18 months, Julaika Purkait is the daughter of Zulfiqar Purkait Julaika with her mother of Nileraat village under the Dakshin Gangadharpur Gram Panchayat of Patharpratima block within the district of South 24 Parganas.

One year ago the Health Workers of SSDC identified the girl child as Severe Acute Malnourished at the ICDS (centre no. 003) of the area and immediately she rushed to the child’s house and informed them about the health status of the child. The Health Worker asked the family to take special care of the child along with nutritious food. To provide the child best service and to get her rid of SAM status, the Health Worker recommended the family to admit the child at NRC at SSDC campus immediately. Though her mother, Julaika readily accepted the recommendation while other family members, specially the male members, rejected the idea. The Health Worker of SSDC tried to convince them several times keeping in mind the seriousness of the child’s health status but all went in vein.

Julaika Purkait was born on 11.07.2015 in a family where number of family members is 66 and where

male members dominate over the female. The female m embers of the family do not have permission to go out of the house frequently, they are not even permitted to attend the PLA meetings. Most of the members have some misconception within them, like the NGOs are Christian organizations and being a Muslim family they would not receive any service from any Christian organization. One year went by, after repeated try by the Health Worker, the family disagreed to send Julaika to NRC. Neither had they taken any special care of Julaika.

One day, after the children of a Haji and one Panchayat staff of their area returned fully cured from SSDC NRC, the male members were agreed to send Junaika along with her mother to NRC at SSDC. They called the Health Worker of SSDC and she made arrangements to get the child and her mother admitted at NRC on 11 th January 2017. After receiving treatment at the NRC for 15 days, on 25.01.2017 returning from the NRC, Julaika’s weight and MUAC showed increased result of 7.3 KG and 11.8 respectively. The mother of the child and all the family members are so much happy to see the child’s health status growing. Not only that, the mother vowed to obey and maintain the process and ingredients for the child’s food, will complete the immunization of the child and will aware other women too. The family even jointly took decision to set up a keyhole garden in their premises by their own.

Motivation session ongoing

regarding homestead garden with Julaika's mother

Julaika with her mother at their home

Motivation session ongoing regarding preparation of home made pesticide with Julaika's mother

HEALTH SERVICES FOR MOTHER & CHILD

Sundarban Social Development Center has given major focus on Mother & Child health issue to ensure safe motherhood at disaster prone and outreach islands at Patharpratima Block in South 24 Parganas district, West Bengal and has been providing basic health care support for mother, children and adolescents. SSDC follow a collaborative approach with Govt. facilities through review, monitoring and advocacy.

CLINICAL FOLLOW UPS INSTITUTIONAL DELIVERY

CLINIC BOAT SERVICE HOME VISIT COUNSELING STRENGTHENING VHSNCs AMBULANCE CARE VDND OBSERVATION ANC PNC CAMPS TRAINING TO ASHA/ANM WORKER S

STRENGTHENING RI PLA EXERCISE

ANEMIA CONTROL IEC & BCC ACTIVITIES

CORE ACTIVITIES CORE ACTIVITIES CARE GIVERS’ ORIENTATION ADVOCACY & NETWORKING

MAJOR OBJECTIVES OF MCH

Provide addendum support to routine immunization in collaboration with Govt. Health Service providers

Work for the underserved & poor coverage areas- suggested by Govt. Health Department

Interventions in left out & drop out cases of children and issues related to the mothers

Make better ANC/PNC & child immunization in joint initiatives at SC & outreach camps

Change in behavior among the community through mid-media shows

Ensure involvement of community representative/PRI members for better execution of the project

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS

Population covered 14998 Nos.(HH covered 2829 Nos) PW registered & follow up: 381 Nos Total 1493 Institutional Delivery ensured Ensured Birth Registration: 319 Nos Ensured exclusive Breast Feeding: 178 Nos 18 children completely recovered from malnutrition Total children brought under immunization coverage: 2246 Nos Left out children vaccinated: 38 Nos Drop out children vaccinated: 165 Nos Built good rapport with ASHA, ANM, AWW & PRI members Conducted 168 RI sessions & 200 Boat Camps at underserved areas

CLINIC BOAT SERVICE

REACHING THE UNREACHED KEY ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN v ANC/PNC care

v Anemia control of adolescents & mothers

v Basic medicine distribution v Basic health checkup & follow up activities

ACHIEVEMENTS THIS YEAR v Enrollment of ANC/PNC mothers 2212 Nos v ANC/PNC mother access

treatment from clinic boat service 710 Nos v Treatment, medicine distribution and counseling to patients at

clinic boat 13165 Nos. v Home visit follow ups to the clinic boat camp patients 8633 Nos. v Anemic mother and adolescent girls enrolled for home based

programme 325 Nos. v Anemic mother counseling 355 Nos. v Adolescents Girls referred to

BPHC Aneshwa Clinic 16 Nos.

A CASE STORY

Pathar Pratima block is situated at South 24 Parganas district in West Bengal where more than half women and adolescents suffer from anemia. Anemia is the scarcity in the number of red blood cells or the amount of hemoglobin in the blood. The major health consequences include poor pregnancy outcome, impaired physical and cognitive development, and increased risk of morbidity in children and reduce work productivity in adults. Nutritional deficiencies, unhygienic practices prevalent among the adolescents are also responsible for anemia. Sarathi Das Sarathi Das is a 16 years old minor girl who lives at Herombogopalpur Gram Panchayet of Dakshin Kashipur village. During home visit, our health worker came to know about Sarathi’s menstrual problem. Initially, her mother did not want to speak about her daughter’s problem but Sa rathi herself informed about her problem to our facilitator that her period was happening once in a year. Then our health workers convinced her mother to send her to our clinic boat for treatment. After counseling, Sarathi attended our clinic boat camp two times for check up and took medicines prescribed by doctors. Now, Sarathi’s health condition is far better than before and she also informed that her period is happening regularly.

Water Sanitation & Hygiene Programme WASH

Motto of WASH Drive Safe Drinking Water has become the need of the hour for the people of Sundarban delta region. Lack

of sanitation and hygiene practice is also a matter Awareness Service of concern which results in various health hazards and malnutrition. School water & sanitation CommittmentCommittmen t infrastruc ture needs to be upgraded to make it child friendly and ideal for adolescents to maintain proper menstrual hygiene.

SSDC has its core intervention in WASH project in Every Family..Every School..& Every Clinic the villages of Patharpratima & Mandirbazar Block. Safe drinking water supply & proper san itation Will have access to Potable Drinking Water & Sanitation Facilities That Lasts practice for overall health of the community have FOREVER... always been the major focus of WASH activities

This Year’s Achievements

· WATSAN committee is active in 25 High schools · Child Cabinet is active in 82 Primary schools · 250 Water committees with tariff system is active in community level · 75% Water committees are handling the minor repairing without the support from G.P

· 50% VHSNC/VWSC doing good in terms of WASH Programme. · 6 Schools have raised maintenance fund through fund raising event · 46 Wall writing through the women for EF Campaign · Active Block Monitoring committee for WASH programme monitoring · Urine harvesting programme for 6 Primary schools · 11 Active Jalabandhu for hand pump maintenance at Community and school level. · 21 Active Nirmal Bandhu for School Toilet Maintenance

WASH Impacts 2016-17 IMPACT BENEFICIARY

Successfully achieved 100% water coverage in 8 EF 62 new & 172 repaired hand pumps G.P Jalabandhu & Nirmal Bandhu are effectively working in 800 hand pump and 25 high schools Community and School level. Stopped Open Defecation. 95% house hold toilet covered. Reduced Water borne Diseases 85% targeted beneficiaries

Improved health status 80% targeted beneficiaries Increase awareness of Hand Wash. 75% students

Increased KAP of targeted Beneficiaries. 50,000 beneficiaries

A CASE STORY

Patharpratima is a geographically remote yet populated block of Sundarban. It is a cluster of several islands crisscrossed by saline river channels. G- Plot is one of the Gram Panchayets situated in this block at the very southern estuarine part towards . This hard to reach area can be approached only through water ways by boat and this story is about a community living in one of the villages of this G.P. named Krishnadaspur.

Scarcity of safe drinking water was an alarming issue for the community living in this village. It was a back breaking task, especially for women who used to fetch water from very long distances. Even with that amount of water, there was no structure for water test ing to ensure its safety. Consequence was spreading of various water borne diseases.

When the crisis was at its peak, SSDC with the support of Water for People and active cooperation of local G.P. started tube well installation at different places of G-Plot. One of these community tube wells was installed at Krishnadaspur village at a selected pin point. People from the community participated in the installation process. Members of WATSAN committee even decided to carry the mat erials from long distances for smooth completion of the process. Initially it was decided that Rs. 10,000/- will be collected as local contribution for the installation. But it became unaffordable for them and they agreed to work as labours or masons and contribute a small amount of cash. That is how the whole installation process was completed.

At that time, the committee was being operated by 12 members out of which 4 members namely- Usharanjan Das (President), Nityananda Majumdar (Secretary), Nakul Das (member) and Phulkumari Koyal (members) were took the lead role. They had their meetings each week and decided to fix a water charge of Rs. 2/- per month for each household who use any particular water source. The collected money was deposited in a bank account for repairing and maintenance of the tube well. Since then, they introduced this system and took ownership of that tube well which has been immensely contributed to its sustainability till now. By their own fund they successfully maintained its platform, roof, soak pit and the tube well itself. To remember their team work they celebrate the foundation day of their life giving water source each year and protects it as their own asset. For almost 11 year they have been maintaining the tube well successfully.

Very recently they have restructured the WATSAN committee but the system is so well established, that it runs efficiently from the very first day . Presently 38 families are dependent and consume water from that tube well and Rs. 6000/- is still deposited in their bank account for future requirements. Additionally they have saved Rs. 4000/- as cash in hand for any urgent need.

The journey of this community to protect and maintain their water needs has been remarkable in terms of their commitment, their sense of responsibility and their enthusiasm to serve for a social cause to bring change in lifestyle of a whole community. This could be the ideal model to replicate and a true example of community based development work.

Krishnadaspur community tube well Meeting with WATSAN committee

FIGHT FOR DIGNITY Child Rights / Equality Programme

SSDC has its prime concern for child protection from all types of deprivation, abuse, violence & other risk of vulnerability. Over 30000 children between age group of 0- 18 years from Mandirbazar & Patharpratima block are directly intervened through integrate d child development activities. Early marriage, Child Domestic Workers (CDW),

trafficking, school dropout are the key issues that relatively brings target oriented intervention carried out to all children in multi sectorial approach.

Duty Bearers e.g. Service providers, Government

ACTION

ACHIEVEMENT OF CHILDREN’S RIGHTS BASED RIGHTS BASED APPROACH RIGHTS APPROACH INCREASES STRENGTHENS Change for the ACCOUNTABILITY CAPACITY most marginalized children

ACTION

Right holders e.g. children,

young people

ACHIEVEMENTS THIS YEAR

Total MAC Enrolled Mainstreamed Drop Children trained on Students oriented Children linked with out children Life Skill on anti-trafficking gainful employment

1879 1146 1889 445 838

Linkages MAC Advocacy Vocational Core Activities Training Counseling Rescue through CHILDLINE

STRENGTHENING THE RURALYOUTH Vocational Training

SSDC provided vocational skill development training to the adolescents & youths between the age group of 15-20 years targeting those who are victims or have chance to be victimized by negative impacts of the society due to unemployment. Overall objective of this programme was to develop job oriented skills in adolescents and y ouths so that they get opportunity to build up their capacity & competence in order to earn a living. Reducing unemployment leads to reduction of adverse impacts existing in the backward class society at Sundarban region in West Bengal.

Employment

Certification

Training

ACHIEVEMENTS

Girls Trained in Boys Trained in Boys Trained in No. of Candidates No. of Beautician & Electrician Motor Mechanic Completed the Candidates Nursing Course Course Course Course & Certified Employed Stably 177 131 117 425 122

ACTION AGAINST INEQUITY

COMMUNITY CAMPAIGNINGG INTERACTION POSTERING

DRAMAD SHOWW

PARENTS' COUNSELING

WALL WRITINGG

Key Activities Major Achievements v 144 parents meetings done v TotalTo 272 children out of 320 children

v 254 Graduate meetings done bebecame graduate.

v 4 community interaction meetings v DirectlyDi prevented school dropout of 12

organized childrench

v 12 drama shows performed for v DirectlyDi prevented 2 child marriage

sensitization cacases

v 3 G.P. level sensitization meetings doneone v DirectDi prevention of 6 child labour cases

v 6 mass campaigns organized v DirectDi intervention for prevention of

v 48 V.D.C meetings done adaddiction to tobacco/alcohol/drugs of 1 3

v 144 K.K.B meetings arranged childrench

v 48 M.M. meetings arranged v TotalTo population of 16688 was covered v 192 training sessions to 14-17 years underun this programme in 13 villages children v TotalTo 3621 households could be v 2 action events organized inincorporated into the programme v 32 game events organized

CARE FOR BUDS TO BLOOM Child Protection

1272 CHILDREN MAINSTREAMED TO FORMAL EDUCATION

2856 CHILDREN GROUP MEMBERS SENSITIZED

VOCATIONAL TRAINING TO 425 ADOLESCENTS

1240 CPC MEMBERS STRENGTHENED

838 CHILDREN LINKED WITH USEFUL SCHEMES

EVERY LAST CHILD 2770 DROP OUT CHILDREN ENROLLED IN MAC

Free To Live, Free To Learn,

Free From Harm.. 445 SCHOOL STUDENTS ORIENTED ON ANTI-TRAFFICKING A CASE STORY

Name - Sahara Gaji Father – Manirul Gaji Vill – Nilamberpur Age – 14 years old Early marriage prevention by CPC & CG members Ms. Sahara Gaji is a 14 years old poor girl who lives with her family members in village Nilamberpur. She is studying in class VI. Her father has no work and addicted to Ganja. Her mother maintains all family expenses by vending misc items. In most cases the Muslim community have got their girls married in early age i.e. child marriage. Sahara was not exception as her parents decided her marriage early with a boy from neighbouring village. At that time CPC & CG members came to know of this marriage of Sahara a nd went to her house for counselling with her parents not to give this child marriage which is illegal in our country and punishable. When their counselling failed; one of the CG members informed child line no 1098 of this child marriage. The child line in turn informed the local police station, Mandir Bazar. On getting this information police took immediate action and went to Manirul’s house and picked him up to the local police station. After counselling and convincing him about law of child marriage, he agreed to all in writing that he could not get marriage his daughter before 18 years old. Now Sahara is well in home and she is going to school. After stopping of this early marriage some Muslim community created problem and told us not to work on the iss ue of early marriage in this area. At last VLCPC members convinced them after some meeting and they understood their mistakes and result of consequence of child marriage.

ACTION FOR EQUALITY PROGRAMME

SSDC team has been implementing Action for Equality Programme throughout the last reporting year at

6 Gram Panchayets in Mandirbazar block in South 24 Parganas. This has been intended to carry out activities by involving local boys in learning sessions towards equitable behavior practices in the society. The targeted villages fall under socio- economically backward section and the resident population is at risk of issues like child marriage, child labour, Child Domestic Worker (C DW), violence related to dowry and child trafficking.

Sharing / Reporting to Learning Sessions on Equitable

Stakeholders Behavior

Capacity Building on Leadership Addressing Child Protection Quality Issues

PROGRAMME PROGRAMME Engagement Activities like

awareness, home visit, parent ACTION FOR EQUALITY 720 Boys Engaged counseling, mid-media performance

A CASE STORY

About 15 year old boy Somjit Sarder lives with his parents at Chhakurat village of Krishnapur gram panchayat under the district of South 24 Pargans. Somjit, the only child to his parents, studying in class - X. The incident is about ‘gaining awareness on physical cha nges during adolescent period’. Focus on the problem: Being a student of class- X, Somjit suddenly noticed some physical changes within him. Though it is very much normal for an adolescent child to notice physical changes during this period of time, being unaware of this fact, he started feeling shy and hesitant to discuss this with hi s friends and with his parents. About the family: Somjit belongs to a poor family. The annual income of the family is INR 36,000. His father, Mr. Gauranga Sarder works hard to run his family, while his mother Mrs. Chitra Sarder is a housewife, who looks after the family. SSDC’s intervention: After being enrolled in HBRP, he came to know from his mentor that these physical changes are natural to every boy or girl of his ag e. SSDC staffs made him feel easy with them so that Somjit can discuss every matter with them. After attending the training sessions, Somjit felt confident enough to discuss about this change with his friends, where he found that his friends too experience d the same physical changes within themselves. He is not feeling shy anymore to discuss this with his friends. The Change: The parents of Somjit told us that before attending the training session, they noticed that Somjit was remain frightened and shy, th e reason of that was unknown to them. Now, the parents can see that Somjit is back to his normal life like before, after he attended the training sessions.

Counseling of Somjit by SSDC workers An exuberant boy after training session

Disaster Risk Reduction RESILIENCE TO CLIMATE CHANGE

Learning & Institutional Knowledge Capacities Cyclone Aila (25th May, 2009) caused a huge damage to Sundarban delta region in West Bengal • Social Learning • Mechnisms & Policies which leads a disaster situation in the region. In • Technological • Facilities & this cyclone prone area each year calamities Innovations & Local Knowledge Structures cause devastating consequences like death, loss of

live resources, disease etc. SSDC started an

Participation Integration initiative on emergency response through relief works. Since 2012, SSDC took initiatives on DRR • Community • Integrating relief, Preparedness/resilience at 7 Gram Panchayets, Participation recovery & implemented various training and awareness • Multi-stakeholder development Partnerships • Intersectoral programmes in schools and built disaster Linkages resistant assets for the community.

MAJOR ACTIVITIES 2016-17

v 62 New high raised Tube Wells installed v 172 Repair/renovation/high rising v Chlorination of tube wells 800 Nos. v Formation of VDMC & DRR training to

groups. v School Disaster Preparedness programme at schools of 7 Gram

Panchayets. v High raised homestead (keyhole) kitchen

gardens promoted: 156 Nos.

SHARING KNOWLEDGE & INFORMATION Education / Awareness

To ensure education for all, SSDC has undergone several activi ties at community in collaboration with Education network on advocacy mode. On right based approach, based on RTE- 2009 perspective, SSDC team is in a continuous process to bring all children into coverage under formal schooling system through mainstreaming and re- admission. Beside it, stress has been given on advocacy for rural educational infrastructure development and facilitation on quality address ensuring free and compulsory education.

Key activities undertaken

Major Achievements v Monitoring of schools in the realm of RtE v Curbing dropout rate and increase in enrolment. (child tracking by KKBs, VDCs, CGs & VLCPCs) v Total number of dropout children enrolled in MAC is 2770 v Establishing MAC (Multipurpose Activity Centre) for v Community action ensuring proper implementation of RtE: 75 Nos mainstreaming dropout children towards formal education. v Mainstreamed to formal education 1272 Nos. v Strengthening of existing groups like Mahila Mandals, KKBs, and youth groups, farmers’ groups, VDCs and v No. of Panchayets activated on RtE:: 12 Nos. VECs with regards to RtE and quality education. v Identifying, linking and working with new and likeminded v No of schools intervened on infrastructure development: 12 Nos. CBOs, NGOs and Pos in regards to ensuring educational Rights. v Strengthening the Alliance processes in addressing the issues of the district at both district and State levels.

SHARING INFORMATION IEC / BCC Activities

SSDC use community media locally acceptable and MAJOR IEC/BCC ACTIVITIES IN THE REPORTING YEAR attractable towards dissemination of good practice v Play street theatre and school on health hygiene messages to all stratum of the community. Any messages by adolescents groups. IEC/BCC Activi ties usually conduct pro people v Flipbook picture messages on Disaster considering local langu age, tradition and by search preparedness & WASH behavior change. v Wall writing in talent in the community and learnt from old age v Railway station campaign on child protection issues experiences. v Puppet show by children groups. v Manifesto signature campaign. v Community interaction & one to one counseling. MAJOR FOCUS AREAS v Cultural events, competitions, rally & mobile campaigning v Celebration of special days & events by audio visual MCH curriculum activities and shows. v Message through Calendar & cloth posters. • ANC, PNC, Institutional delivery, Neo-natal & child health, Nagative cultural norms & dietary practices during pregnancy, Anemia control,Nutrition • Breast feeding, Immunization

Adolescent Health

• Issues of adol. Girls/boys • Menstrual health hygiene. • WASH • Sources of nutritional food

Gender Equality

• Gender-Son preference • Declining girl child

Child Protection • Preventive measures • Different Acts • Parents counseling

• Child rescue

Advocacy / Networking INSTITUTIONALIZATION

Networking

Education

Strategy

E

ADVOCACY ACTIVITIES LAST YEAR

District level consultation on Child Protection & Child Rights

Block level sharing meeting on Women & Child Development

Regular 4 th Saturday PRI meetings on Women, Adolescent & Child health Case study based advocacy to PRI administration

District level consultation on G.P. issues involving police & other duty bearers on child protection

Block level sharing on WASH activities

PROMOTING NEW IDEAS Innovation

SSDC has been always eager and enthusiastic towards community welfare and adopting innovative and feasible approaches in its day to day intervention and field activities. SSDC’s experienced and expert team always seeks the methods for betterment with more outpu t through community response and active involvement. Research and pilot projects are its regular and integral part from all asp ects of human need, especially in health, nutrition, child protection and DRR issues .

Nutrimix Food Practice Incinerator for adolescent girls

Handholding learning of mothers to prepare proper To make girls’ toilets equipped with sanitation nutritious food for their under 5 children. 189 such facilities for adolescent girls during their

cooking demonstrations have been arranged in the menstrual period, Incinerator is included. Girls can community dispose menstrual waste at school comfortably and burn them later in incinerator

PLA exercise ECOSAN toilet An innovative & attractive way of engaging mothers SSDC has introduced and promoted use of high through participatory learning on health & raised ECOSAN toilets for disaster resistance and nutrition. 187 clusters of 5700 population has been ecofriendly disposal and segregation of solid and covered under this programme liquid waste.

Photo Gallery A JOURNEY THROUGH THE LENS

School event on Water & Foundation Day Celebration Sanitation

Awareness on Eye Health Demonstration on nuritious food preparation

Rally on child rights Routine immunization

Nirmal Bangla Abhijan WFP community visit

District level consultation Community Fair at SSDC campus on Child Protection

Capacity building training of VWSC WFP Partners Workshop

Reminiscing Special Moments CHERISHING SUCCESSES

Celebration of the Foundation day Celebration of community fair

on 13th September 2017 at SSDC 'Melan' through certification of campus successful vocational trainee

Celebration of World Water Day, Belgium Tour on invitation from

2017 on this year's theme 'Waste our friend & funding organization Water' with VWSC, VHSNC, PAZ, Belgium

Jalabandhu & local administration

OUR PARTNERS & DONORS

v Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt, of India & Govt. of West Bengal v Ministry of Panchayet & Rural Development, Govt. of West Bengal v District Magistrate & all the Additional D.M. of South 24 Parganas District

v Sabhapati & all the Karmadhaksha, South 24 Parganas Zilla Parishad. v CMOH, South 24 Parganas v Sabhapati, all the South 24 Parganas Panchayet Samiti v BDO, all the South 24 Parganas Block Development Office

v BMOH, all the South 24 Parganas Block Primary Health Centre v Pradhan & Panchayet member, all the South 24 Parganas Gram Panchayet v Bart Massart & PAZ, Belgium v UNICEF, Kolkata v Save the Children, India & UK

v Terre des homes Foundation, Lausanne v Water For People, India v Humming Bird Foundation, U.K & ECF, Mumbai v WBVHA & Memisa, Belgium v KFB, Austria

v CRY, Kolkata v Taj Public Service Welfare Trust, Mumbai v Volkart Foundation, Mumbai

AN APPEAL

SSDC’s governing body, members, staffs, volunteers would like to place an appeal before all development concerned individuals or groups to extend your support towards the people of Sundarban region. It is a humble submission to all of them to render benevo lent service to the poorest of the poor living in Sundarban region. In accordance with our integrated developmental efforts, we are also committed to reach more people to escalate the socio –economic & health development in the rural Sundarban. Your valuab le support may ensure an enormous change in human life in terms of raising their dignity to a different height forever. FINANCE & ITS UTILIZATION

A FURTHER STEP TOWARDS CHILD SAFETY & DEVELOPMENT

Vill: Sultanpur; P.O: Krishnanagar; 24 Parganas(South); West Bengal 743343; India. Tele-Fax: 91-03174 277286 Email: [email protected], Visit us at: www.ssdcindia.org.in