Report - Helpage India Programme

Project Activity Report of Odisha State
Project name:
Project reference number:
Reporting period:
Project Worker’s name and job title:
Sponsor – a – Grandparent Program, Odisha
NA
1 st October’11 to 31 st Mar’12
Panchanan Pradhan, Programme Manager-Odisha
Kalpataru Behera, YP-Social Protection, Odisha
Project partners and locations:
Project Name of the partner agency Location (no. of blocks/districts)
code
1000302 HelpAge India, Direct Nimapada Block of Puri district
Implementation
1000413 PECUC, Balianta Balianta block & Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation Area of
Khurda district
1000428 VARRAT, Mahakalpada Mahakalpada Block of Kendrapada district
1000246 BSS, Baliguda Baliguda Block of Kandhamal district
1000197 USO, Kolnara Kolnara Block of Rayagada district
1. Direct beneficiaries (Old Groups) Direct beneficiaries (New Groups)
Age
group
Able Elders Assisted Elders Destitute
Elders
Men Women Men Women Men Women
55-79 99 171 91 101 114 158
80+ 14 04 07 06 20 25
Total 113 175 98 107 134 183
Age Able Elders Assisted Elders
group
Men Women Men Women
Total 87 82 122 68
2. Indirect beneficiaries of the project (grandchildren, family members or community members) (Current
year 2011-12)
Directly involved with the
beneficiary
Indirectly involved with the beneficiary (ie in the
community)
Older
peopl
Family members
(other than
Grand
childre
Older people
in the
Family members
(other than grand
Grand
children
e grand children) n community children)
Number of INDIRECT 495 1979 1003 580 1338 767
beneficiaries
HOW have they
benefitted
The indirect beneficiaries are being benefitted from Health services, Physiotherapy
Consultation and are involved in advocacy activities and benefitted from government
schemes. The grand children and other community members are getting aware
about Rights & Entitlements related to Senior Citizens, their social security, taking
care of elders in the community, intergeneration bonding of grand parent and grand
children through various community mobilisations.
3. PROJECT ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT IN THE PAST 6 MONTHS

HEALTHCARE
In Odisha across 5 project locations 120 free medical consultation camps were held in last six months and
around 1339 elders were benefitted from these camps. In these camps free medicine and treatments were
provided to ensure healthy ageing of elders. To provide free medicine to the elders, the Partner Organisation
has linked with NRHM. Through a good networking, partners are getting the medicine from PHCs / CHCs to
distribute to the elders in the health camps. In DI project one special health check up camp was organised in
coordination with SUM hospital, Bhubaneswar where more than 350 elders treated by the specialised doctors
from the hospital. Free blood test to Diabetics, ECG and eye screen test for ophthalmic surgery were done in
the camp. During the reporting period 476 older people screened for ophthalmic treatments, 268 people
received non-surgical eye treatments and 59 people under gone cataract surgery. In DI project community
managed Physiotherapy combo unit is running successfully by the management of “Elders Health Care
Committee”. The partner organisation USO, Rayagada also initiated the physiotherapy combo unit in the
implementation village and providing facilities to the elders in the community. In this last six month all total
104 nos. of physiotherapy consultation were conducted in the respective project area where 714 elders availed
the physio care services.
ESHG FORMATION
In last six months 35 Elder Self Help Groups have been formed across the projects
and 468 elders are directly involved in group process. All groups have opened
their saving bank accounts in nearby banks and doing regular savings. All the
groups are having their own group records and in some case the groups are
maintain their record with the help of local volunteers and in other cases the
project staffs helping them.
LIVELIHOOD SUPPORT
All the ESHGs are doing income generation activities in group as well as individual
based on their skill, practices, available of local resources and marketing facilities.
Most of the ESHGs involved in IGP activities like petty shop, agricultural activities,
vegetable cultivation, vegetable vending, coconut business, traditional activities
like rope making, basket making, poultry, etc. In case of individual business, the
members are taking loan from the group for income generation activities with
minimal interest rate and paying back in easy instalments. The groups are
providing support to the destitute elders from their profit.
COMMODITY SUPPORT
3 New grain banks have been formed by the partner organisation and all total 16 grain
banks are managed by the groups in the community. Till now all total 59 destitute elders
have been provided with consumable food grains from the ESHGs. The grain banks are
managed by the ESHGs members in a well manner.
ADVOCACY
In advocacy legal literacy camp, district level rally cum work shop, sensitisation of senior citizen meeting,
celebration of international Day older persons and other activities were organised during the reporting period.
Activities conducted at district level were on rights, demands, legal provision, social security, livelihood
provision, health insurance. For social security and economic protection of elder persons OAP, Antodaya,
Annapurna and Widow Pension forms has been submitted to the concern officials in the blocks for sanction.
Advocated with Mission Director, NRLM, Odisha for the inclusion of elderly as a vulnerable group in the project
and have submitted written request.

4. CHANGES OR IMPROVEMENTS ON THE LIVES OF THE BENEFICIARIES AS A RESULT OF THE PROJECT
With free medicine and regular medical health check up camp along with frequently physiotherapy treatment
and consultation under primary and requisite health care, the elders are living healthy lives. They are able to do
their daily routine works independently on regular basis. The elders are more organised after joining the ESHGs
in the community. They are aware about their rights and demands, increased their savings habits, sharing
problems with each other, increased their capacity and capability to do the work in old age. The feeling of
social and economical security increased among elders, developed leadership quality and through the support
of livelihood seed capital, the elders are engaged in various income generation activities as their livelihoods.
With the support of this project they are managing community grain bank and getting food security benefit
from this activity. The activity ensures commodity support to the destitute elders in the community which is a
great improvement or changes in the lives of the beneficiaries.
5. SHARE ANY POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE CHANGES IN THE LIVES OF THE BENEFICIARIES AS A RESULT OF
EXTERNAL EVENTS (LOCAL, NATIONAL, EMERGENCIES, ETC)
The elders are self reliant as they are also becoming productive part of the society. They are more organised
through the group and sharing their problems with each other. Providing commodity support to destitute
elders ensured food security. In last year the elders faced an emergency due to high flood which caused them
to lose their agricultural and house hold articles in individually and community as whole. Keeping that in mind
one community managed disaster risk reduction (DRR) training was conducted for 120 elders from all 60 ESHGs
by batch wise in Puri.
6. CHALLENGES FACED IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS AND STEPS TAKEN TO OVERCOME THE CHALLENGES
Major challenge was to complete one year project activities within last six months due to delay in approved
budget and transfer of funds. But with more effort and extra time given by the staffs we overcome the
challenges and achieved the target within last six month.
7. PLANS FOR THE NEXT 6 MONTHS
Regular health check up camp will be continued for the health benefit of elders in the community for
healthy ageing.
Frequently Physiotherapy treatment consultation and follow up will be continued.
Eye screening test camp and cataract surgery will be done in this period.
New house hold survey will be completed in this period for the formation of new ESHGs.
At least 50 new ESHGs will be formed in this period in the project area.
All old and new groups meeting will be continued for the strengthening of groups, increasing in savings
habit and development of leadership among them.
Monitoring and assessment of various income generation activities of the group as well as individuals will
be continued for better result.
Gradation of both old and new groups will be completed along with identification various income
generation activities and business development plan.
Monitoring and follow up of community managed grain bank will be continued for responsive community
based age cared and support to the destitute elders.
Submission of various forms like Old Age Pension (OAP), Widow Pension, Antodayacard, AnnapurnaYojana
card, health insurance card, linkages with NRHM for free medicine, NREGA for job security and advocacy
with NRLM will be for the social and economic security of elders.
Orientation and capacity building of old groups will be completed.
Initiation will be taken for the linkages with microfinance institutions or banks for the micro credit to the
groups for various income generation activities for their livelihoods.
Documentation and reporting of the project and will be continued by monthly, quarterly and half yearly.