Taanaa baanaa- weaving prosperity for the SHGs of MSRLM: Participatory identification of the poor, PIP....

Taanaa baanaa- weaving prosperity for the SHGs of MSRLM : Participatory identification of the poor, PIP....

Self help groups or Mahila Bachat Gat as they were popularly known, bring forward the connotation of a group of women coming together, collecting small sums of money for small enterprises or activities, essentially making paapads ( Frys ) , pickles and spices. The second generalised comment I normally hear is that so many organisations are creating SHGs , what is so different about MSRLM.
During the last two and half years the number of SHGs created by MSRLM has gone upto 0.38 millions. The number of households under its fold are over 4 millions. More than 1 million livelihoods opportunities have been created.
This is because there is whole science and a meticulously established system for inclusion of every person into the social fabric of the community.
The primary step is creation of SHGs based on the SECC data by the Wardhinis, a team of 5 dedicated women who stay for 15 days in a village .
SHGs are then congregated into village organisations and Cluster level Federations creating three tiered community based organisations.
A year after VOs are formed a process known as process is known as Participatory identification of the poor, PIP is undertaken. Here, the the SECC data is compared with a survey which is done to ensure that the poorest of the poor and every single person in the village is included.
This is a seven day process, out of which two days are dedicated to train all stakeholders of the village about the process. What follows is a five day survey, discussions and meetings like the aam sabha, gram sabha to finalise the social inclusion of all the stakeholders .
Activities for each day are identified and planned so that nobody or nothing is left out. These include visits to the villages, gaon pheri, mashaal pheri at night with torches, prabhat pheries in the morning, meetings at the chowk etc to spread awareness.
The village officials, non-officials, public personalities, men, women, youth, in short every single person from the village is involved in the process. Villagers are identified for the planning, committees are formed and work is allocated to all the stakeholders. The whole process of PIP is also explained to them.
Two days are devoted to visit every house and conduct a detailed survey of all the households.
The format has minutest details about the family, it's size, it's assets, sources of income, their education, their access to various schemes of the government. All these are part of the survey. Based on these details households are graded into very poor, poor and moderately poor categories. The plan needed to support them for six months and thereafter for a year is also chalked out.
On completion of survey , a map including the presently available resources is drawn in a public place for the benefitof all stakeholders. Discussions on the various needs of the village are also facilitated. Aanganwadis and the children there, schools and their facilities are also observed.
Interest of the community is ensured through games like Taanaa Baanaa, Pulley and the game of bottle.
Taanaa Baanaa centres around a pregnant woman and those connected with her including her in-laws, husband, family, friends, community workers. She weaves a web with each person involved around her wellbeing during her pregnancy and the services of those who are required for her healthy pregnancy.
The bottle game is like the game of a dog in the manger where a lady is shown a bottle. She is then blindfolded and made to walk over it. In reality the bottle has been removed and the woman is actually walking over imaginary obstacles. An analogy is established towards our attitude to life where imaginary impediments hamper our growth.
All these interactive sessions lead to an assessment of their own self by the villagers. Families outside the SECC data, defunct SHGs, the poorest and the needy are thus identified to be included for sustainable development and discussed in the aam sabha and gram sabha.
The importance of being part of the SHGs and the value it brings to their life is also discussed. The ten cardinal principles, Dashasutri, of regular meetings, savings, internal lending, repayment of loans, writing books of accounts and social aspects of health, nutrition and sanitation, education, participatory governance, entitlements and sustainable livelihoods are also explained.
The five day exercise culminates in planning for the overall development of the village as also including the poorest of the poor, the differetly abled, old, destitute, transgender etc.
This detailed and meticulous exercise is a  part of the social, financial and economic inclusion and sustainable livelihoods under NRLM.
The team of MSRLM is fully committed to propogating this vision and mission.
Attending a workshop of District Managers- Social inclusion and Master Trainers organised for 20 districts of Maharashtra to implement PIP was an eye opener for me.
It ended with a beautiful story of a lamp lighting the darkness and bringing people together when the mighty tubelight fails due to tripping of electricity.

There was a fervour in our spirit as we sang an inspirational song.....

"मेरे सीने में नहीं तो तेरे सीने में सही
हो कहीं भी आग लेकिन आग जलनी चाहिए...

सिर्फ हंगामा खड़ा करना मेरा मक़सद नहीं
मेरा मक़सद है कि सूरत बदलनी चाहिए...

हम यहाँ पर आये हैं कुछ सीखने के लिये
द्वन्द आपस में हो लेकिन काम करना चाहिए...

एक चिंगारी कहीं से ढूंढ लाओ दोस्तों
इस दिए में तेल से भीगी हुई बाती तो है ....

A single lighted candle ignited several others spreading the message of hope, love, compassion and a renewed confidence to reach out to new horizons reverberating with the spirit of Umed....
This granularity and thoroughness and reaching out to the last person is what makes the SHGs of MSRLM different from others. We are fortunate and blessed to be working for that cause !!!!