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India - Focus on the Kalahandi project
(December 2009)

Where is Kalahandi?

Kalahandi is in the south-western region of Orissa state, on the eastern side of INDIA. The district occupies 8,365 square miles and is a primarily agricultural region. Over half the district area is covered with dense jungle forest. Industry is very limited but there is some mining of bauxite and graphite. The area is very prone to prolonged dry periods with irregular rainfall. Successive droughts have caused crop failures on a catastrophic scale and dragged the population into poverty.

What is life like?

Food: Malnutrition and hunger are major concerns of the area amongst the poorer sections of society. Children and women are the worst hit. Reports of sickness and death due to malnutrition are very common. Some families resort to selling their children in order to have one less mouth to feed, and to get money to buy food for the remaining family members.
Health: Another main concern is the lack of medical facilities. People in this area die from malaria, diarrhoea, sickle cell and other treatable diseases. The nearest major hospital is 70km away, and the local hospital is poorly equipped and maintained. Good health care is only available for the middle classes, rich, and politically connected people.
Illiteracy: Almost all the tribal peoples are illiterate. Only about 34% of the total population of the area are literate.
Bonded labourers: High prices and low income force people into the situation of having to borrow from money lenders who charge a very high rate of interest. Soon people are so indebted that they are unable to pay back, and if they own land, it is taken in payment towards the debt. Landless labourers are forced to work for landlords who make them work very hard, for very poor wages. It is a situation from which there is virtually no escape.
Child labourers: Child labourers can be found working in quarries, in fields, and on construction sites for as little as Rs 25 (approximately £0.33) per day. Parents are forced to send their children to work as family survival is dependent on it.

The Kalahandi Project

The aims of the project are
100% literacy amongst children in the area
Inclusion of children in formal education
Good health through nutrition for children
First aid for medical emergencies
Self-help groups
Eradication of child labour
Alternative income opportunities for the parents through self-help groups
Holistic development of the community
86 children are currently enrolled in the project. Of these, 6 have been rescued from child labour. The project provides nutritious food on a daily basis. There is a day care centre for children under the age of 7, and non-formal education for others which operates alongside the government primary school. This includes Christian spiritual input. Extra-curricular activities for the children include planting saplings around the village to enhance the environment. This has the added benefit of teaching the children about agriculture. Children are taught about health and hygiene, and mothers' meetings provide more advanced information for the parents. Medical facilities are provided for the children and the wider community. ROPE grants fund food and medicines for the children in the project, and contribute to educational expenses. We also fund the salaries of two social workers attached to the project.

Crossing the class divide

Rodanti lives in the village where the project is based. She and her family never associated with the majority of villagers because they belonged to a higher caste. Their position in society extended to not speaking to staff at the project because they mixed with "lower class villagers". Over the years the family watched the good work going on at the project and eventually, reluctantly, Rodanti started to attend women's meetings. Bible studies affected her profoundly and she has now become a valued member of staff.