Major Issues

We, at SUPRATIVA have set our Focus with these issues

National Child Labour Project

Elimination of child labour is an article of faith and commitment on the part of Government under the Ministry of Labour; it has to be viewed as the concern of the nation. As the population increases at an alarming rate, more and more children enter the world of wage labour at their school going age (5-14) that becomes a matter of grave anxiety and concern to the policy formulators, framers of law and social awareness inducers as well as guardians like us.

Since 2001, the Organization is implementing National Child Labour Project in Cuttack District. After withdrawing children from hazardous occupations, the organization rehabilitate them in the special school established for this purpose, where they are provided with non formal education, vocational training, stipend, nutrition, etc. The children in the special schools are taught through a non-formal mode with a condensed syllabus for a maximum period of 3 years. After 3 years of special school education, the children are reaching a level of 5th standard. After completion of the special school education children are being joined in formal stream of education in 6th standard.  After mainstreaming of 100 children in first & second phase, another 50 children have been admitted to the special school running at Garudagaon village of Tangi Choudwar Block by SUPRATIVA. The performance of this project is appreciable and worthy of replication. No doubt, this school is essentially acting as bridge institution to enable children withdrawn from work to join mainstream education.

Under Campaign Against Child Labour (CACL), the organization has been intensively working in the field of child rights and trying its best to make the society free from child expatiation.

The various objectives of the campaign for which, the organization is working are-

  • To create mass awareness and mobilize public opinion against child labour.
  • To pressurize Government to evolve a comprehensive policy for eradication of child labour.
  • To review policies, legislation on child labour issue, ensuring strict implementation of existing child labour law.
  • To intervene in cases of violations of child rights and abuse of child labour in fact finding and litigation.

Reproductive & Child Health

The Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) Program being implemented by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MOHFW) through Mother/Field NGOs, supports various interventions aimed at enabling clients to receive councelling and education for responsible and health sexual behaviour, make informed choices, access user-friendly services for preventing unwanted pregnancy and safe abortion, maternity care, child survival and management of reproductive tract infections and sexually transmitted diseases.

The underlying philosophy of the scheme has been one of nurturing and capacity building. The objectives are for addressing the gaps in information or RCH services in the project area, Building strong institutional capacity, promote advocacy and awareness generation.

The Project has been sanctioned to SUPRATIVA in recognition of its 15 years service to the rural population through innovative, need based community health & development projects.

NGO are expected to complement and supplement the government health infrastructure and not substitute it. The NGOs’ efforts are more effective by developing linkages with local government, related government departments and establishment networks with technical and resource institutions.

FNGOs under the MNGO scheme are involved in service delivery in addition to advocacy and awareness generation. The key delivery areas under the MNGO scheme are maternal & child health, adolescent & reproductive health, family planning, prevention & management of RTI.

Disaster Preparedness

Orissa is vulnerable to multiple disasters. Due to its sub-tropical littoral location, the state is prone to tropical cyclones, storm surges and tsunamis. Its densely populated coastal plains are the alluvial deposits of its river systems. The rivers in these areas with heavy load of silt have very little carrying capacity, resulting in frequent floods, only to be compounded by breached embankments. Though a large part of the state comes under Earthquake Risk Zone-II (Low Damage Risk Zone), the Brahmani Mahanadi graben and their deltaic areas come under Earthquake Risk Zone-III (Moderate Damage Risk Zone) covering 43 out of the 103 urban local bodies of the state. Besides these natural hazards, human-induced disasters such as accidents, stampede, fire, etc, vector borne disasters such as epidemics, road mishap, animal diseases and pest attacks and industrial / chemical disasters add to human suffering.

Considering the need preparedness at community level, we conduct training programme for NCC and NSS Programme Officers regularly. The thematic genesis of the training is based on the management of natural and manmade disasters by dissemination of scientific knowledge & technological know-how. The main objective of the programme is to inform the participants about various disaster reduction components and also tech them to reduce the venerability of disaster. The programme is catalyzed and supported by National Council for Science & Technology Communication, New Delhi.

Integrated Pest Management

Everybody is aware of the menace of overdose of chemical pesticide which is being used indiscriminately by the farmers during cultivation. It not only reduces the soil fertility but also increases pesticide toxic residue inside the human body. Now it is common knowledge that one can find chemical pesticide reside even in mother’s milk! There is unanimity that it is high time, the world moved towards a chemical pesticide-free world. Ideally there should not be any use of chemical pesticides during cultivation. But the fact remains that the humankind has to live with pests and thus there is a need to manage pests scientifically so that minimum harm is causd to living beings without compromising with yield or quality of fertility of soil.

In order to address the problem SUPRATIVA is popularizing use of Neem and Pongamia Soaps for Integrated Pest Management in vegetable crops. “Bioneemo’ and “Bioponga” are two brand names. Pests like Aphids, Armyworm, Brown Planthopper, Citrus Aphid, Citrus Leafminer, Corn Stem Borer, Flea Beetle, Green Leafhopper, Leafhopper, Leafminer, Psyllid, Pulse Beetle, Rice Caseworm, Scale Insects, Whitefly, Whorl Maggot etc. are being controlled by using these biopesticides. To our credit, the concept and idea “Using neem and pongamia soaps as effective bio-pesticides for growing vegetables” has won the India Development Marketplace Award-2007 sponsored by the World Bank, New Delhi. Now, this project is being implemented in six villages of Cuttack Sadar Block of Cuttack District by involving hundreds of vegetable farmers. The innovative procedure is its simplicity of preparation, readily available of raw materials, cost effectiveness and convenience of use by the farmers. Training workshop on organic methods of pest control, preparation of neem and pongamia-based soap, application of biopesticide, organic manure etc. are key activities of the project.

Road Safety and Accident Prevention

Over the past few years there has been a phenomenal increase in the number of vehicles. This is not surprising keeping in mind the corresponding increase in the purchasing power of the people in general. However, with the increase of vehicle traffic number of accidents have increased correspondingly – many of these accidents prove fatal. Studies carried out by different agencies and research organisations have shown that most of these accidents can be attributed to road accidents are more than many spectacular natural disasters. However, as this accident are spread over through the year and occurs at different points of time deaths due to these accidents do not attract much public attention. So, road safety is a must for everybody, even for the pedestrians to negotiate the ever-crowded roads safety.

Everybody keeps on talking about road safety. However, there are only a few organisations actually make the words into deeds through their sheer determination and vision. SUPRATIVA has been doing exemplary work for the cause of road safety & accident prevention. Since 1997 it has been working actively to spread the message of road safety among the common people.

These efforts have given the organisation rich dividends. During its illustrious work in road safety programme, the organisation has achieved many milestones. Some of the more important achievements, which have directly been responsible to brings down accidents, are given below-

  • It has been making relentless service in educating, motivating & involving thousands of road users every year. A series of activity like seminars, workshops, training camps, symposiums, foot rallies, competitions, street theaters, audiovisual shows, eye testing camps etc. for road users have been conducted by him at regular interval of time. Around 50,000 road users have been benefited within last 10 years.
  • Many useful printing materials on road traffic education has been developed in local language (Oriya) which targeted groups like pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, and motor vehicle drivers etc. The organisation is now publishing a periodical “Safe Roadway” through FPRA.
  • It is conducting refresher training course for heavy motor vehicle drivers with their brief medical checkup, personal accident insurance, cash incentive etc. More than 3000 drivers have been benefited so far. Broadly the refresher training course covers different subjects like essential quality of a driver, causes of accidents & their remedies, traffic control measures, road signs, traffic rules, lane discipline, overtaking, parking etc. with test check.
  • Under the aegis of SUPRATIVA, Forum for Prevention of Road Accidents (FPRA) has been established with the mission to overcome the uphill crisis of endangered human life live on roads. The Forum is equally concerned with evolving new alternatives in road safety measures through continuous research works, debates, critics etc. on this core issue.
  • The organization has analyzed the various contributing factors of road accidents in national & state highways and recommend some constructive suggestions on road safety & accident prevention to the State Transport Authority.
  • To identify passengers and good carrying vehicles under off road condition, violating the permit conditions and breaking traffic rules etc., a video recording program is being conducted periodically. On basis of this, many offenders have been prosecuted by Transport Commissioner, Orissa recently.
  • Considering the need of proper driving training among the light as well as heavy motor vehicle drivers, it has established a training school at Fakirpada. This School is functioning on a non-profit basis to enable wider impact and reach.
  • The Secretary of the organization has been conferred with IRTE and Prince Michael International Road Safety Award in 2007 for his outstanding contribution and achievement in the field of road safety and accident prevention.

Science and Technology Communication

SUPRATIVA has been founded with one of a primary objective of science popularization. It has since evolved into a Peoples’ Science Movement with a clear mandate of shaping science & technology and ensuring its utilization to benefit the weaker sections of society. It believes that in a world dominated by science and technology, science communication and popularization is of utmost importance especially for our country where a large population needs to be told about the impact of science and technology in their daily lives.

The organization has been actively engaged in undertaking several programs in science popularization and stimulation of a scientific temper among people. SUPRATIVA is successfully transmitting the message of science and scientific knowledge through traditional media in particular through folk songs, street plays, film shows and through symbols and images on wall papers and posters.

It is also working on many interesting projects with National Council of Science & Technology Communication (NCSTC), Government of India.

  • Nature Science Activity Camps-In nature study camps, the participating students and teachers are used to learn different scientific experiments, observational methods on various living and non-living components of nature, process of scientific enquiry into environmental problems and their solutions etc. They are exposed to nature in balance, eco-systems of a pond, world’s biomes, wetland, living trees, flowers, living soil and animal communities etc. Interactive theme based games and discussions are also conducted in various sessions of the camp. Major activities learned by the trainees are collection and analysis of samples, preserving leaves, leaf zoo making, setting of terrarium, taking bark prints, bird watching, building of greenhouse, making garden in a jar, herbarium making, potter making, aquarium making, star gazing, water and soil testing, bamboo crafts, animal care, nature games and skits etc.
  • Root and Shoot Program-The program is developed as an activity for schools or local science clubs. It is being implemented by SUPRATIVA for a cluster of at least 25 science clubs, saplings are planted and nurtured for a minimum period of three years. Each group of students maintains the life history of their respective plant/tree in a record book developed by SUPRATIVA. The students perform many interesting activities viz; conservation of soil, rational use of water, etc. The aim of this program is to involve groups of students in such hands-on activities, experiments and observations that would give them an understanding of various components of environment and their relationship with each other.
  • Volunteer Plus – Disaster Preparedness Training- The activity involves training volunteers in skills useful during natural disasters or calamities like accidents, fire, floods, cyclones, earthquakes, etc. The module includes safe construction from engineering aspects, techniques of giving first aid to disaster victims, reviving victims of drowning, handling of fires, development of search and rescue skills, skills for team formation under stress, psychological support to disaster victims and other related topics. Practical demonstrations and exercises follow theory sessions. A training manual is prepared by SUPRATIVA for the benefit of trainees.
  • Explaining So-called Miracles- A highly successful training program for teachers and activists of voluntary agencies to demonstrate and then scientifically explain hundreds of `miracles’ is being employed by self-styled god-men. Numbers of demonstration have been carried out in rural areas by the experts of the organization.
  • Detection and Prevention of Food Adulteration- School teachers and activists of science based voluntary organizations are being trained on various aspects of quality consciousness of food and other consumables, adulterants, toxicity, detection of adulteration through simple chemical and physical tests, laws pertaining to adulteration of food and spices, health hazards, etc. A testing kit with operational manual has been developed by SUPRATIVA in local language on how to detect adulterant in foodstuffs and animal feeds.

Environment Education

The Ministry of Environment and Forests has been conducting National Environment Awareness Campaigns (NEAC) every year since 1986 to create environmental awareness among the general masses. A central theme is selected for the campaign every year and the activities focus on this theme. The campaign is being conducted with the help and active participation of non-governmental organization, education and training institutions, professional associations, scientific bodies, community organizations, and also a whole range of official agencies. These bodies singularly or in partnership with other organizations, will organize programs for creating environmental awareness of the local, regional and national level. Since 1998, SUPRATIVA has been participating in the campaign with the objective to create awareness among the public and make environmental protection a people’s movement, so that each and every citizen of this country should be involved in the protection of the environment.

The organization conduct seminar, workshop, training program, motivation camp, lecture, demonstration, exhibition, competition etc. targeting students, youth, teachers, women, NGOs, farmers, rural folk, general public etc. The following are the yearly themes specified by the Ministry of Environment and Forests for conducting the campaigns-

2009

Climate Change

2008

Biodiversity Conservation

2007

Solid Waste Management

2006

Solid Waste Management

2005

Water – Elixir of Life

2004

Water – Elixir of Life

2003

Water – Elixir of Life

2002

Sustainable Development

2001

Keep our sources of drinking water clean and protected

2000

Keep our environment clear and green

1999

Keep our environment clean and green

1998

Keep our environment clean and green

MAJOR PROJECTS

SUPRATIVA is reaching out to the mostly deprived and marginalized in many ways

National Child Labor Project (NCLP)

There are thousands of children working in large number of different industries and occupations all over the Odisha state. Taking the above scenario of the state into consideration, Government of India established special schools for child labours under the National Child Labour Project in Cuttack district. As an implementing agency, SUPRATIVA opened a Special Schools at Dadhibamanpur, Saffa and Dibati of Cuttack district. The objective of this project was to identify and withdraw child labours within the age group of 6 to 14 years engaged in hazardous occupations and rehabilitate them by giving value based primary education in an intensive manner, so that they could be mainstreamed in formal school of education. In order to attain the above objective, SUPRATIVA is providing non-formal education, skill development training, supplementary nutrition, monthly stipend, and health care service to 200 child labours. Now all of them are studying in different formal schools.

Prevention of Child Labours through Education

With support received from Sir Dorabjee Tata Trust, Mumbai, we opened special schools at Chandanpur and Chagharia Pada villages of Tangi Choudwar Block of Cuttack district. The project was planned to combat child labour and take immediate steps for withdrawal and prevention of children participating in the worst forms of labour. First, the community was empowered through social mobilization process by motivating them to provide education to their children instead of sending them to work. Second, through creative pedagogy and joyful learning, effort was made to keep the children interested in the learning process. After withdrawing of children from hazardous and non-hazardous occupations, the organization rehabilitated them in two centers established for this purpose, where they are provided with non-formal education, vocational training, health care service and nutrition, etc. The performance of this project is appreciable and worth replicating. No doubt, these schools are essentially acting as a bridge to various institutions, sincerely trying to withdraw children from work and mainstream them with better educational facilities.

Urban Slum Health Project

In order to provide quality reproductive and child healthcare to the urban poor, our organization implemented an Urban Health program for 20 selected slums of Cuttack Municipal Corporation covering 20,155 slum dwellers consisting of 10,292 males and 9,863 females. The project was supported by the National Urban Health Mission with an objective to provide various clinical and non-clinical services related to reproductive and child health care to the slum dwellers. Suprativa, had its OPD facilities at Kanheipur, where patients were provided with free treatment and medicine. The OPD was functioning six days a week. On an average there were 50-60 footfalls in the OPD per day. Other activities were outreach health camp, antenatal/postnatal care, promotion of institutional delivery, family planning, impregnation of community bed nets, immunization, observance of Nutrition Day, cleanness and sanitation drive etc.

Reproductive and Child Health Program

The Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) Program was implemented by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare through Mother/Field NGOs. The objectives were for addressing the gaps in information of RCH services in the project area, building strong institutional capacity, promote advocacy and awareness generation. As a project partner, SUPRATIVA provided services in un-served/under-served areas in Berhampur and Sankarpur GP of Cuttack district identified and allotted by the District Health Authority. The services were based on maternal & child health, adolescent & reproductive health, family planning, prevention & management of RTI etc.

Vocational Education

A three-storied building with carpet aria of 3300 sq. feet each is constructed on own land at Fakirpada, Cuttack as training center. At present the training infrastructure facilities of the Institute include a total of 9 rooms. The administrative section of our organization has within it, office rooms, and two training halls, a computer center, a library and a reception room. The training halls having the capacity to accommodate 30+30 persons and are equipped with LCD projectors, computer, TV etc. Our organization is also equipped with computers (desktop and laptop) with internet facility, landline and mobile phone, vehicle, teaching learning materials etc. This training center has been accredited by National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) as a District Accredited Vocational Institute (AVI) for ASHA Certification Course. Our institution has already conducted following courses.

  • ASHA Refresher Training on Certification Program
  • Field Level Training of Mahila Arogya Samities
  • Refresher Training of ASHAs
  • Training of ANMs on HBNC Program
  • Training of ASHAs on Module 6 & 7
  • Induction Training for Newly Selected ASHAs
  • Training of Low-performing ASHAs on HBNC
  • Training of MAS Members on Accounting and Book Keeping
  • Training of ASHAs on Population Based Screening Program on NCDs
  • Training of MASs on Newer Contraceptives and Client Friendly Services

Road Safety Awareness

Everybody keeps on talking about road safety. However, there are only a few organizations actually make their words into deeds through their sheer determination and vision. Our organization, Suprativa has been doing exemplary work for the cause of road safety and accident prevention. Since 1997 it has been working actively to spread the message of road safety among the common people. These efforts have given the organization rich dividends. During our illustrious work in road safety program, we implemented many projects. Some of the very successful projects, which have directly been responsible for bringing down road accidents, are given below.

  • Road Safety Awareness Campaign through Community Radio
  • National Road Safety Week
  • Refresher Training to Heavy Motor Vehicle Drivers in Un-organized Sector
  • Road Safety Awareness Program
  • World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims

The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, Government of India have been the major partner of these projects.

Science

The organization has been founded with one of the primary objectives to popularize science in the society. It has since evolved into a Peoples’ Science Movement with a clear mandate of shaping science and technology, ensuring its utilization to benefit the weaker sections of society. We believe that in a world dominated by science and technology, science communication and popularization is of utmost importance especially for our country where a large population needs to be told about the impact of science and technology in their daily lives. The organization has been actively engaged in undertaking several program in science popularization and stimulation of a scientific temper among people. The organization is successfully transmitting the message of science and scientific knowledge through traditional and digital media. We have implemented many interesting projects with Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India. Those were:

  • Detection and Prevention of Adulteration in Food Stuffs
  • Root and Shoot Project for School Children
  • Resource Persons Training Program for Nature Study Activities
  • Volunteer Plus: Resource Persons Training Program on Disaster Preparedness
  • Motivational Program for the Talented Students of Higher Secondary Education
  • Resource Person Training Program for Open Ended Experiments Based on Hydroponics
  • Training Program on Prevention and Detection of Adulteration in Food Stuffs
  • Training Program for Science Communicators through Digital Media
  • Workshop on Mathematical Model Making and Problem Solving for Secondary School Teachers

Establishment of Technical Resource Centre under PROBE Program

National Environment Awareness Campaign

Our organization has been participating in National Environment Awareness Campaign (NEAC) activities for more than two decades. we have been conducting a series of workshops, seminars, awareness camps in association with Centre for Environmental Studies, Bhubaneswar.

Awareness Generation Project for Women

An Awareness Generation Camp organized with “Central Social Welfare Board” was a platform for the rural women to come together to exchange and share their ideas and experiences and through this process they have developed an understanding of the real life situations to be able to tackle and handle problems and also fulfil their needs. The camps continued with the household survey with the objective of selecting participants, finding out the issues that needs to be discussed. From this survey, we found out that the households faced certain problems such as dowry, alcoholism, domestic violence, unhygienic ways of living, improper sanitation, unemployment and lack of awareness on Government sponsored program and schemes, etc. Keeping their needs in mind, the objectives were finalized. We got really positive response for this awareness program and it is also encouraging to note that participants are looking forward to more such programs in future. As a part of follow up activities, we conducted a survey and found that maximum women have been taking the advantage of their knowledge and exposer gained in the Awareness Generation Project.

Leadership Training Program for Minority Women

Amongst the minorities, Muslim community is the largest community but still far behind the benefits of development. Unlike in many other community’s leadership qualities among the minorities, especially among the Muslim community are lagging behind due to socio-religious causes. So, there is a need to make the women from the minority community aware of their rights and duties so that they can take leadership position to speak not only for themselves but for their own community. Considering the needs, the organization conducted Leadership Development Training Program, benefiting 350 minority women in selected places of Cuttack District, Odisha. The main objective of the leadership development program was to empower the women from the minority communities and emboldening them to move out of the confines of their home and community and acquire leadership roles and assert their rights, collectively or individually, in accessing services, facilities, skills, and opportunities besides claiming their due share of development benefits of the Government for improving their lives and living conditions. The program was sponsored by the Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India.

Consumer Awareness

For the last many years, the organization is working actively to protect consumer rights and interests in various ways viz., by organizing training seminars/workshops for generating awareness among consumers, documenting relevant legal provisions and case studies to provoke consumers to fight for their rights. Our organization along with Department of Food, Supplies and Consumer Welfare, Government of Odisha are taking various steps to promote consumer education among the masses. To promote a strong and broad-based consumer protection movement in Odisha state the department has given us the responsibility to organize consumer awareness program in different blocks of Cuttack district. The main objective of the program was to educate the consumers about their rights and responsibilities as provided in the Consumer Protection Act 1986 and other Indian laws. A large number of PRI Members, SHG Leaders, ICDS Functionaries, School Teachers, Government employees, NGO representatives etc. participated in the Consumer Awareness Programs.

Food Safety

All most all our essential commodities are being adulterated with either substances of inferior quality or excess quantities of chemical additives or have pesticide residues which produce toxic effects and are detrimental to the health of people. All this is happing due to unfair trade practices & lack of people’s awareness. Considering the need, a series of training program has been designed for science teachers and communicators of Odisha state. The main objective of this training was to train them on various simple methods for detection and prevention of adulterants in food articles and motivate them to teach such tips to the students and general people in their respective fields. Under this project, an attempt was made to develop a testing kit consists of a plastic box with some solutions, a few test tubes, a dropper to transfer the solutions, watch glass, lens, filter papers, litmus papers and an instruction manual, which can be used to test adulteration in essential food commodities.

Disaster Risk Management Programme (DRMP)

Being a coordinating agency, our organization implemented Disaster Risk Management Program with the help of other CBOs in 21 Gram Panchayats of Cuttack Sadar Block. Under this program village & GP level Disaster Mitigation Committees were formed; Evacuation & Rescue Group, First Aid & Medical Group, Sanitation Group and Monitoring Group were constituted in each revenue village; community contingency plans were completed and approved by Palli Sabhas; Training programs for the task force constituted from the village; preparedness exercises were held in selected villages. As Panchayat Raj Institutions are playing an important role in the development of disaster management plans, they were given training on disaster management at regular intervals. We developed Disaster Management Plan for Cuttack Sadar Block which was highly appreciated by Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA).

Village Disaster Management Plan (VDMP)

Development of Village Disaster Management Plan is the most important ingredient in implementing Community Based Disaster Risk Management in any area.We were assigned by the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), Cuttack to develop Village Disaster Management Plan in 34 villages of Niali and Barang Block of Cuttack districts. The main objective was to empower the community to deal with disasters on their own as a way of life. Our volunteers organized meetings, formed committies/teams, at each village as per VDMP guidelines.

Training Program on Disaster Preparedness

We keep conducting training programs on disaster preparedness for NSS Program Officers and Volunteers. The objective is to promote and develop the culture of preparedness among the NSS Program Officers and Volunteers for management of natural & manmade disasters by adopting modern scientific knowledge & technological know-how. During the training program, the participants were provided with live demonstration, lecture, film show, mock drill exercise and exposer visit etc. on how to save human lives and properties from the grip of natural and man-made calamities. Around 250 NSS Program Officers have been trained by our organization so far.