POWER Bijapur.

People’s Organization for Wasteland and Environment Regeneration (POWER) was established in 1999 at Bijapur (Northern Karnataka) as response to the needs of the region. It has executed several projects on participatory watershed development, tank restoration, a forestation, sustainable agriculture, drinking water, health and hygiene, education etc. Its project area covers around 50,000 families in 300 villages of four districts. To meet the Natural Resource Management need in the drought prone area.

As POWER is already implementing the watershed project in Kakamari village the same village was chosen for CBM activities during the first year and later the area will be extended to neighboring villages. 

POWER is conviction of philosophy of Sustainable Development has strengthened from the rich and varied experience gained.

At the organizational level, the past year has been one of learning though some innovation methodologies adopted convergence workshops and watershed activities.

Community Based Organization are the means of Development programs and the effort put in to strengthen these have borne fruitful results in all spheres of our work, enabling people to expand the horizon of their knowledge though training and exposure visits or rebuilding lives of poorest of the poorer.

Our achievement and learning’s have been the collaborative efforts of all our partners in the process. Beginning with the communities and NGOs who trusted us and enthusiastically participated in all our programs, our Governing body for being the pillar of strength and advice, and our staff who pursue the vocation of dedicated service to the poor communities and learning from them.

Initiation of Natural Organic farming has fine-tuned our activities indoor provide likelihood is the rural Community In every Project of POWER team has included sustainable Agriculture as one of the major activity brownest tremendous chooses.

POWER pool resources by way of additional Development groups

NABARD: POWER is recognized as a agency for implementing Watershed programs at Bijapur districts. The support envisions holistically developing the community and enabling them to manage the natural resource of the community.

SUJALA: A World Bank Assisted project in collaboration with Govt. of Karnataka- Watershed Development Department has entrusted to POWER to organize and provide necessary support to community for implementation of   Watershed project at Haveri districts. The programme has a community based approach.

Karnataka Forest Department: Village Forest   Community Capacity building programme is undertaken by the Dept for a  period of 3 years in Bijapur district.

IDF/ RDF-MFI: Micro finance activities have been initiated to the tune of Rs. 24.00 lakhs  with the support of IDF Dharwad & RDF Bagalkot.

AME Foundation: Eco net work partnership is established since 2005 for Sustainable Agriculture promotion in 20 villages of Bijapur.

JSYS: (World Bank Assisted Project): Government of Karnataka has partnered with POWER to rehabilitate tanks in Hanagal taluka of Haveri district. The programme is implementing and Managing by the community.

NORAD: Swavalamban a project of Women Development Corporation (Govt. of India) has support to train 100 women on Zari craft and patch work.

CAPART: POWER has recognized by CAPART and took leadership for CNRI (Configuration of NGO’s of Rural India) in Bijapur districts and continued partnership for National Resource Management Project.

NGO’s: POWER had a hand to hand partnership with other NGO’s in Bijapur, Haveri and other districts of   North Karnataka. Working effectively as member in RIOD India. Fevord-D and Fevord-H networks of Ngo’s.

Green Foundation: In order to Conservation of Bio technology by conserving local seeds and Local animals, Technology sharing partnerships were initiated. Community based Bio diversity management – South Asia project is under progress for the 2^nd year at Kakamari village of Athani block of Belgaum Dist.

Livelihood: NABARD has supported Rs. 72 Lakhs under UPNRM project for on lending to 300 families thru SHGs as livelihood support thru Tree based Goat farming activity at Muttagi cluster. 12 villages selected for the project. Three goats laon will be providing to each beneficiary for a period of two years @ 14% service charges.

Rural Mart :  An Organic food items marketing outlet was established thru Tejaswini Mahila Maha Sangha, Kakamari with the support of NABARD Bangalore.

Deshpande Foundation: Organic food production and marketing project is sponsored by Deshpande foundation. Tejashwini Mahila Maha Sangha is involved in the activity and for the product s named as Tejus Foods, which is now available in Bangalore, Mysore and Hubli markets.

IWMP: Partnered with Watershed Dev, Department for community participation part at Hangaragihalla Watershed project at B. Bagewadi taluka of Bijapur Dist.

NWDP: Partnered for community mobilization in Babalad Watershed project at Indi block of Bijapur Dist with Watershed Dev department.

Dept of Science & Technology: 100 SC family development project is under pipeline with Dept of Science and Technology thru Mitraniketana NGO as Nodal organization, Tiruvanatapuram.

NABFINS: NABARD Financial Services Ltd has partnered with POWER as Business correspondent. It has lend Rs. Abour 100 lakhs to 60 SHGs promoted by POWER

Our VISION: To make the rural poor by organizing them in to POWER FUL Self reliant Community Based organizing in to viable Institutions and Improving their of lives though Managing Natural Resources on their own.

Community Organization:

1 To Strengthen the Community based  Organisation in Northern Karnataka creating self reliance improving  lively hoods.

2 To encourage for Micro-Enterprise Development through need based credit and marketing support.

3 Promoting Women CBO’s and Building capacities to take role in all fields of development

MICRO-FINANCE

1 Creation and promoting Micro Finance for land based and non-land based sustainable livelihoods.

2 Building Capacities of the networks of the CBS’s engaged in similar activities.

NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

1 Conserving the natural resource as if is order to meet the legitimate demands on the system.

2 Developing and demonstrating innovation Participatory approaches and Methodologies

3 Developing the wastelands in drought prone areas

NETWORKING:

1 Networking with other NGO’s in order out to the vision of the POWER at National and International level.

2 To join hands with the local NGO’s on the basis of Helping to grow and Growing to help.

3 Promoting CBO;s network to get resource linkage to address development needs on sustainable basis.

Achievements..

Community Organizations:

Capacity building of CBO’s enhanced people’s Standards of living, POWER main important strategy has been to organize and empower the vulnerable rural poor in Northern Karnataka with emphasis on women, in to Self reliant Community Based Organization (CBOs). These CBO’s have been the main channel to carry out all development programs, thus involving them completely and making them responsible for their growth and development. This approach endeavors to ensure sustainability of the CBO’s, so that they are enabled to identify their needs and find suitable and lasting solutions to their problems. POWER strongly believed that any developmental efforts can be effective only with people’s participation.

Sustainable Agriculture

The Team of POWER was totally dedicated and worked committed for promotion of Organic forming, certification, marketing of organic products like vermin compost, vermin wash, value added food products, plant based bio-pesticides and nutrients etc.

20 villages of B.Bagewadi & Bijapur Taluka have been selected for farmers field school (FFS) approach supported by AME Foundation, Bangalore. 8 staff of POWER have undergone master training for the period of 5 months.

Jimmy Memorial Training Centre.

The purpose of Establishment of Jimmy Memorial training Centre has fully served, many Govt, NGOs, CBO,s have conducted their Trainings and Workshops apart from POWERs regular programs

Jimmy Memorial training Centre has been utilized by many organizations, Govt departments, Banks etc for conducing various trainings and workshops.

640 candidates have been trained during the year on various topics. POWER is continuously offering various trainings to Govt. NGO’s, Bank officials on Self-Help Groups. Concept of Watershed Development, Participatory Rural Appraisal, Joint Forest Planning and Management Community organization etc. Also conducted trainings on building of people institutions.

Jai Gurudev Bachelor of Social Work   College, Bijapur

POWER has started in 2006 a Bachelor of Social Work College Affiliated to Karnataka University, Dharawad with the intention of Promoting the Social Work Profession in the North Karnataka for the Social Development. This 3 Years under Graduate Course split into Six Semesters. The Course is based on Practical Field Work and Field Exposure to the trainee Social Workers. It is the First Social Work Educational Institute in Bijapur District   

PAVAN Open School: POWER is running a open School for SSLC drop outs at B.Bagewadi Since Years. College of BSW has been in the process of Approval from Karnataka University, Dharwad and it will be staring from June 2006 onwards at Muttagi village. POWER is regularly conducting a Personality Development Programs for Children’s at Bijapur during vacations.

Brief note on Programs

NABARD Assisted Watershed Project

1143 ha. Watershed area has been treated with Bunding, Afforestration, Horticulture, and Fodder for development. 240 acres of Block forest activity is undertaking with Jatropha  a bio-diesel plantation in waste lands. Ground water table recharged to a measurable extent and community attitude is changed towards the development. Capacity building programs for Community are on going

Sujala watershed Development Project:

Govt has recognized our strength in Natural Resource Managemnt after the successful completion of the project

POWER successfully completed its task at World Bank assisted Sujala Watershed project at Haveri district. Our team has made the achievement in terms of its performance 81 SHGs are self sustained with various Income Generation activities. We promoted one federation of SHGs for their sustainable management

Jala Samvardhane Yojane ( Tank management Project) :

30 Tank developments was another mile stone in the history of POWER. It has successfully handed over all the tanks to the community after participatory development of all tanks in Hanagal block of Haveri district.

Vedio Conference with BRAZILLIAN Farmers

Institute for Permaculture of Brazil has supported to have Video Conference with BRAZILLIAN Farmers and North Karnataka farmers to exchange the knowledge about Agriculture practices adopted  in the region.

UNDP - GEF Project:

Centre for Environment Education has supported to have the Baseline survey with respect to the Conservation and Characterization of local animals. It has been carried out in Kakamari, Kottalagi, Kannal and Bannur villages of Athani taluka of Belgaum and Muttagi, Takkalaki, Nagwad and Golasangi villages of B Bageawadi block of Bijapur district.