|
Strengthening People’s Organisations and Legal Aid
 IDYWC has promoted a local mass organisation Adiwasi Shramik Sangathan, which has presence in all the villages of the target area. The Sangathan works as the most potent force to address the socio-economic-political causes of the poverty in the villages. The Sangathan has created a phenomenal sense of solidarity amongst the village residents. It has emerged as a forum for collective action of the marginalised and impoverished families.
Adivasi Shramik Sangathan is proactively engaged in changing the position of women in the society. It provides them a conducive atmosphere to enable their participation and representation in local governance. It is particularly perceptive about the larger political reality especially the roles concerning about the panchayats and community in relation to their villages and their lives.
Village Fund and Grain Bank
Creation of village level assets like Village Fund and Grain Banks to deal with the outside exploitative forces has proved itself as a boon for the downtrodden.
Gram Kosh is the fund created and managed by the monthly savings of Sangathan members towards self sufficiency and to save themselves from the clutches of moneylenders. Smaller loans and emergency requirements are made from the Gram Kosh, on the interest rates varying between 3 to 10 per cent monthly, as decided by the Sangathan members.
The grain bank plays an important role in ensuring food and livelihood security. It is stored in the villages. In the rainy season when the stock reaches its bottom and there is no work in the village, the grain bank becomes a boon for the poor families. It is repaid by the members after harvesting of first crop.
Legal Aid Support
IDYWC provides legal aid to the villagers so they can fight injustice and exploitation. Over the years this legal awareness has helped the tribal community to evade injustices and exploitation moneylenders and other market forces. The organisation provides training on topics related to first information report (FIR), arrest procedures, revenue laws, laws and rights related to forests and non-timber forest produce (NTFP), laws related to women, marriage and property and the government schemes and processes to avail them.
Lack of awareness and access to legal services often compels the tribal to withdraw from fighting any case of injustice or exploitation meted to them. The organisation advocates the right of poor people to access the legal aid through the state. In immediate need, however, it supports the cases of the impoverished tribal people. These cases may be related to land, revenue or to a criminal offence.
|
