One human family, food for all

One human family, food for all, is a confederation-wide campaign by the global Catholic confederation Caritas Internationalis aimed at ending hunger by 2025.

Pope Francis’s campaign messageFood is not just a basic need but it is also a right. It is a right which is trampled on every day for the 842 million children, women and men who are hungry in the world.

“We are in front of a global scandal of around one billion – one billion people who still suffer from hunger today. We cannot look the other way and pretend this does not exist. The food available in the world is enough to feed everyone.”

All 164 Caritas member organisations are invited to take part in the campaign. This includes national members and the diocesan Caritas which belong to them. Caritas Internationalis will coordinate the campaign.

The foundation for any real change comes from within ourselves first and foremost and our ability to see the face of Christ in those who are suffering from hunger. When we start to look deep within ourselves regarding the issues around hunger at home and abroad we realise that it is only by working as one human family in a spirit of compassion and unity that we can finally bring an end to a grave injustice: that there is enough food in the world, and yet people still suffer from hunger.

Caritas asks all of its member organisations to pursue national goals which address hunger issues in their country. This could be, for example, on food waste, the promotion of market gardening, advocating to their government.

Caritas believes that the implementation of the right to food in countries where it doesn’t exist is a fundamental step to eliminating global hunger. Caritas will produce a draft framework law on the right to food which national member organisations can encourage their governments to adopt. Caritas will also advocate at the United Nations for a session on the right to food at the 2015 UN general assembly.

Caritas works in 200 countries. However, caritas is also the Christian love for humankind and exists wherever people reach out to perform an act of charity.

Food is essential to living a dignified life, it is also central to the Christian faith since bread is transformed into the body of Christ and shared with the faithful during the celebration of the Eucharist.

The first Millennium Development Goal is to eliminate hunger and poverty. As the MDGs are coming to an end in 2015, the Caritas confederation wants to put its collective power and good will, and join with many other organisations to contribute to the post-2015 Development Process and bring an end to the suffering of millions of hungry people around the world.

Bridging the Gaps....

Situation before intervention 

People were unaware about the animal vaccination and veterinary camps which are freely available from the veterinary department. Many buffaloes, sheep, goats, and cows were dying in these villages. People were not ready to give vaccination to their animals. They believed that it will harm their animals. 

Intervention 

Awareness classes, discussions , meetings , group formation of the livestock owners , input sessions by the experts from the veterinary  college, KVK , and veterinary department doctors, application to conduct vaccination camps & veterinary medical camps with the collaboration of veterinary college and KVK Mathura  brought a drastic change in these villages. 

Turning Point 

The doctors from the veterinary department accompanied the ADHIKAR staff to the different villages from house to house and gave vaccination to the animals and arranged a veterinary medical camp in Junsutty village on 8th December 2012.  Follow up is done by the project staff time to time. 

Challenges faced 

In the beginning people were not ready to give vaccination .Through the continuous effort of the staff and doctors we could achieve our goal. During the camp one goat died and after vaccination some buff allows gave less milk and fallen sick. Communication is one of the major problems in these area. Roads are not in good condition, during the rainy season we cannot go to these area 2 villages get cut off in rainy season. 

Present status or changed situation 

Within 10 months time we could give 6070 vaccination to the animals and conducted 3 veterinary camps along with artificial insemination, operations, free medication to 627 animals. During these months not even one single animal died in this project area. This is the best effect of networking with the veterinary college and KVK Mathura. There assistance is assured at any time by the project staff. 

Sr. Lima

Junsutty village

ACDSSS, Agra

STRUGGLE FOR MNREGA WAGES

Padria Dalelpur village is 7 km. away from Banda block. The villagers belong to SC and OBC categories. Most of the people are poor and about 90 % women are illiterate.   Major source of income of the people is daily wages and small farm products. Their main cultivation is Paddy, wheat & sugarcane.  Under MNREGA 42 people had worked 15 days in November-2012 for road making. The staff came to know when they visited the village in June 2013 that they have not yet received their wages. Through our motivation people wrote a complained letter to SDM Powyan. On 2nd July 2013 our animators along with the people went to Tehsil to submit the letter. The authorities (PD) accepted the letter. Turning Point: - following day the authorities (PD) visited the village for inquiry.

1

}  Concerned people-Pradhan, Secretary, Rozgar sewak & laborers were called & listened to their complains. Since the estimate was not submitted before the work being done, they were asked by the authorities to pay the wages to the labors within a week from their own money, if not,  action will be taken in favor of labors.

}   Challenges faced: Pradhan threatened the animators & the people who complained saying that they will not support for any other program.

}     Overcome challenges: ADHIKAR team assured the people that they will be with them in their struggles to get the justice being done.

}   Changed situation: 35 labors received their wages on 17th August 2013.

}   Rs.142/- per day for 15 days.  These achievements encouraged all villagers & they gained confidence in MNREGA.

Village: Padria Dalelpur, Block- Banda, District-Shahjahanpur, State U.P

Adhikar Lucknow activating School Management Committee (SMC)

‘LOKPAL’ In SAPAHI PANCHAYT, WEST CHAMPARAN, BIHAR

On 2nd August 2013, Mr. Nagina Prasad, Lokpal, West Champaran District Bihar along with Mr. Goutam Kumar , MNREGA Technical Officer Ramnagar Block visited Ramnagar Block ,West Champaran. They visited Ward No. 6 Sapahi Panchayat of Ramnagar Block. Nearly 85 villagers and ward members Mr. Jata Sankar and Ramiya Devi were present. Mr. Nagina Prasad, Lokpal got introduced to the villagers and explained the purpose of his visit. He come today to Saphi Panchayat to know about the about the MNREGA program and its functioning. Mr.Nagaina Prasad, Lokpal asked the people about the MNREGA Payment made by the Officials.  Then he told the MNREGA Technical Officer to take the name of the beneficiaries who are not paid. He also discussed the problem related to payment, job card & pass book. Many members raised their voice against the corruption in MNREGA Scheme.

Adhikar Project Staff Sr. Nirmala, Mr. Amit with Lokpal

a) Some people complained that they have worked in pond digging but they are not paid so far.

b) Some expressed that they are partially paid; some said their money has been taken by Meth. After that Mr. Nagina Prasad went to the Bakhari Post office and enquired about the payment in MNREGA with regard to partial payment and money withdrawal by meth from the beneficiaries Account. Mr. Nagina asked the MNREGA Technician Officer to clear their pending payments and to help the people in solving the various problems with regard to MNREGA Scheme in collaboration with BDO and other Block officers.

Villagers said that 

”Hammar Jindigi main Pahila bar koi Bada afisar iee gaon main aail baa”

Improving Access to Social Security Schemes (Widow Pension)

Ranju age 22 an empowered women lives in village Asthawan, Panchayat Lahna, Block Chewara Sheikhpura District.  Her husband Pappu Mahato died on April 1, 2011 in Delhi in a gas cylinder blast in a private company. She had lost her hope of survival without any support of family members. She has got 2 children 1 girl of age 2years and a boy of 5 years. She has to take care of her children so she made up her mind not to marry again.  On the other side she is facing problem from her in-laws who is attempting to capture her agricultural land. Life has been difficult for her with lot of struggle. Ranju belief that, together with her 5 year-old son, she can manage her family in future. She very often get harassed and forced by her in-laws and family members to go back to her father’s house leaving behind her children.  She discussed this problem among her fellow members of Rajmani SHG. She is a regular member of Rajmani SHG and does regular savings too. SHG members suggested her not to get panic from her in-laws. She got full protection and confidence from the SHG members

She acknowledges the support of SHG members who always helped in reducing her sufferings that was really unbearable for her. In her words as she said that group members not only helped me in accessing the ‘widow pension’ and also to take the benefit from other government provisions. She is getting Rs. 300 as widow pension every month and work under MNREGA to feed her children and run the family. She acknowledged that due to continuous support of ADHIKAR PARIYOJNA group members and she started to live at in-laws house. Thus Ranju found the rays of hope in despair and taking care of her family. Sr. Francis, Mr. Aloysius, Patna, Bihar. 

Caritas India Chairman Bishop Lumen visit to Adhikar Project area in Bihar

Reaching Community by Walking Extra Miles 

Bihar is one among the priority states for Caritas India to intervene. Bihar is also known for rigid caste systems leading to discrimination in all form especially in south Bihar. Caritas India Adhikar cluster programs being implemented in both south Bihar. Adhikar project is an initiative for the poor and marginalized community for ensuring 100% entitlements for all especially dalits and tribals. Caritas India Chairman Bishop Lumen along with Fr. Paul Asst. Executive director and Mr. Philip Head of Department visited 2 cluster programs in Bihar i.e. Partners for Resilience and Adhikar. In Adhikar Project of Bihar the following 2 visible changes in are.....

Community Organization: Villagers of Dharampur, Nokha block, Rohtas district through Adhikar project formed 2 community based organizations i.e. MNREGA workers forum (MWF) and Women self-help group (SHG). The MWF is formed with the basic objective of streamlining the MNREGA implementation through removing the obstacles created by service providers. Some of the problems were like Job card making, job card not in the hand of beneficiaries, no planning meeting for MNREGA the MWF took such issues to Gram Sabha and forced to solve their issues. Due to the pressure from community the service providers were forced to solve the problem.  

Women Empowerment: Women of Chewara block Sheikhpura district got together in the form of SHGs and acting as pressure group in their respective villages to ensure entitlements for all. The SHGs formed under Adhikar project is not only doing thrift and credit business but also working as strong pressure group in the community. They strongly ask the service providers like ANM, Anganwadi workers rojgar Sewak and BDO reasons of not getting their due entitlements.    

While looking on the above 2 positive visible changes in Bihar some new dimension are also brought out. The challenges like, community sanitation issues, leadership development, safety and security issues while working on rights and entitlements. The team also brainstorms on the usage of renewable energy as prime factors for the overall development.