In March 2005, we went with Priya Ranjan and Balaji Sampath to meet the members of the HBP (Hundred Block Program) Cell of the Bihar BGVS (Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samiti) - the President (Usha Sahni), General Secretary (Prof. Sachidanand), Treasurer (Asharfi Sada) and Dineshji. We discussed a lot of matters. The HBP Project commenced from June 2005. The following is a short report of the work done since then.

Two or three such reports have been prepared (and sent out) during the year. Recently, the data for the 2nd round of weighing has also been sent. However, data from Makhdumpur and Kishanpur was not included. Data collected from Makhdumpur did not appear to be very reliable. In November, the entire staff of male Full Timers (FTs) was replaced with female FTs, and they were not able to handle the work completely. In our opinion, it would be best to reorganize the team after the Panchayat elections and start the work.

Overall, the experience during the past year has been bitter-sweet. In June-July, we thought that in each village we could organize a women’s group that would be given complete training regarding malnutrition in children. This would facilitate the work at the Block level and gradually we could combat malnutrition at the village level itself. We also expected that such groups could raise awareness about other matters related to women as well. The situation today is that there is a Women’s Committee in each village that meets regularly in all but 2 Blocks. This certainly is a very significant achievement in the context of Bihar. However, it will be a long and laborious process to strengthen these groups, and will be depend mainly on the active role of the Cluster FTs. In addition, 283 Self Help Groups (SHGs) have been established and are functioning in the villages.

We planned also to establish relationships with the Public Health Centers (PHCs), Additional PHCs and ICDS (Integrated Child Development Scheme), so that our Program could be strengthened. We were able to establish our presence and get some cooperation in Manpur, Chand, Jehanabad, Dehari, and Kishanpur, but it was less than our expectations; perhaps because we could not convey our enthusiasm well to them, or perhaps due to feeble cooperation from their side.

After the 1st round of weighing, a meeting was held in each village but we could not sensitize the Panchayats as well as the general public to the status of malnutrition in their village.

Each village has Village Health Activists (VHAs). They maintain their registers and update them with data regarding vital events. Whenever a Cluster FT or other visitor meets them, they are very cordial and helpful. However, we have not been able to undertake any special programs to keep them enthused and motivated.

In addition to our Activists and FTs, we have several friends and well-wishers who have been of great help. Other than the previous Cluster FT of Kishanpur, all our previous FTs are very helpful, like Ramraj and Ashok in Chand, Shashi in Manpur, Ashok in Jehanabad, Suchitra and Harishchandar in Daljeet Pattarghat. There also several others who are like tonics to the Programs, people like Sushila in Chand, Manju in Dehari, Binod and Surendra Fauji in Manpur, Jimedar Babu in Jehanabad, NC Sharma and Rikesh in Rajauli, Bhimji, Arvind, and Nandlal in Shankarpur, and Chandradevji in Pattarghat. Sadly, we have not had any programs to keep up their enthusiasm and commitment either.

Our processes of reporting and documentation also remain rather weak. When we look back at our achievements in the year gone by, it is difficult to list a lot, but we have regularly got a lot of routine work completed. We had a successful campaign in the Chahe Pahhartalli village in Manpur to get medicines for dozens of TB patients. Our activists were elected in Asha ki Bahali without having to pay any bribes. On the village-level, in some places there are some changes in the health of children and their mothers ask our activists for advice. Workers like Rekha, Snehlaata and Anita have brought a lot of hope to the women-folk in the village. Today people in each village know that malnutrition can be assessed by weighing the children, and that it can be combated via a healthy diet and appropriate care. The advice given by Female Health Activists is being followed by expectant mothers. The specific changes will become clear when AID volunteers analyze the data and Kamayaniji makes a report, but we eagerly anticipate the analysis and report. Last time, we received the report after a slight delay and were hence unable to circulate it amongst the people here.

After the program had been running well, I made a visit to Chennai. I was unable to get much practical experience in the field there, but there was a discussion on linking up two or three components of our Programs. There is a likelihood of the work becoming boringly routine; hence there is a need to add some new features regularly. We made a plan to assess the health of adolescents. We organized a State-level Training Camp for this. Kalpanaji came for this and the charts were also finalized. However, they have yet to be published.

In addition, we made plans for a library program. For this, we now have 11 sets of 75 titles from BGVS, New Delhi, and 9 sets of books from NBT (National Book Trust) and CBT (Central Book Trust). We also have a brochure ready. Our State EC (Executive Committee) has decided to commence this program after the Panchayat elections. At present, we have 6 Science Concept books translated into Hindi, and Hindi versions of the posters and flip-chart for malnutrition. We need to get them published and start using them. We did not prepare a monthly bulletin this time: there is an urgent need for this.

Based on these, we can list our goals as follows:
o    Strengthen the Women’s Committees. For this, the meetings have to be conducted regularly, and in each meeting, a poster or a Resource Bulletin should be a focus of the agenda for discussion.
o    Organize regular meetings of the SHGs and discuss the various problems they face. The aim is to change the economic activities in the villages.
o    Provide information about our Program to the government officials and Panchayats. For this, the report on malnutrition has to be distributed.
o    Organize classes in each village for school going and adolescent children.
o    Link the Program to the Rural Mission Program of the government.

There are some thoughts that we wish to share with Balaji. They are
o    Organize a Health Festival at the Village- and Cluster- levels
o    Hold a large event in Patna for all the participation of all the activists
o    Hold follow-ups of this event in the Blocks
o    Use these events to award Certificates of appreciation and/or Prizes for achievement
o    Hold training sessions for First Aid and common feminine disorders/diseases
o    Arrange training classes for library and SHG

Now, after the 4th round of weighing, the columns for children and nutrition have been filled. The training books were printed only once. Now that we have new activists, and the old books are worn out and falling apart, we need to print new guidebooks, handbills, and other necessary materials.

Presently, the Panchayat elections are going on here. This time, the elections will be held in 10 phases. During the elections, it becomes difficult to travel, and regular work also slows down. Most of the discussions in the villages revolve around the elections; hence it becomes a bit difficult for us to do our work. Due to their public role, our activists also get involved in election-related activities. Since there are strong political forces in the village, our people also get drawn into various camps or groups. In fact, there have already been 25 murders in the first two phases of the elections. But we have undertaken programs to increase voter awareness. We have prepared a document and are holding meetings to urge the voters to elect good candidates.

In addition to all this, BGVS has been active in education, CE and samata. Along with SDTT, we are working in three areas. We are organizing street plays to encourage the people to send their daughters to school and support education of the girl-child. This program will be conducted in Purnia Pramandal in the districts of Katihar, Purnia, Araria and Kishanganj. We plan to hold 31 such programs in the 31 Blocks; in each play, there will be the 10-15 girls’ plays. We want to complete this program in June. The Bihar Education Project Council of Patna has a project – the Sarva Shisksha Abhiyan in the Jehanabad District. We are trying to get that project also.