Community Health and Development Project

Chotanagpur Area  | North-East Area

Chotanagpur Health and Development Project

PROJECT AREA
 6 districts of Jharkand and 2 disticts of Orissa

PROBLEMS

Area
Chotanagpur area has been one of the most backward areas of the country, though it is one of the richest areas in the natural resources in entire country. It has poor infrastructure, with limited access to health services, and socio-economic inequities. The area is predominantly tribal, with a majority of the people living below the poverty line.

Specific
To respond to the various problems in the area, the first phase of the project (1996-1999) focused on primary health care, with extra attention to malaria and tuberculosis. The second phase (2000-2003) focused on development, especially self-help groups, micro-credit and livestock development.

With different interventions implemented in the first and second phase of the project the life of the people improved. While there is much work still to be done, the third phase which started in 2004 is planned to be the last phase of the project. Therefore, the need is to strengthen the sense of ownership by the church, and to create linkages and activities that can help sustain the impact at the community level.

STRATEGY

• Strengthening of the existing women’s groups with transformational agenda
• Strengthen the church involvement and ownership of the project
• Motivate and build capacity of new churches to take-up similar project.
• Disseminate learning from project, women’s groups and other experiences through regional workshops and conferences
• Equip projects and churches to access and tie up with local support- government and other NGO’s

METHDOLOGY

Target group 
Tribal communities in 13 micro projects in Jharkand and 2 in Orissa and the churches in the areas.

Process
The role of CMAI has been of a facilitator to its partners. CMAI provides technical expertise and build capacity of the partner churches by providing training and other technical expertise.

OBJECTIVES

• To build ownership and the capacity of partner churches to manage and sustain the community health and development programs.
• To prevent the spread of malaria, TB, HIV/AIDS and alcohol abuse in the community by increasing the knowledge of the community and improved the capacity of the community to access services from government and other non-government agencies with similar interest.
• To facilitate community participation in improving the health and socio-economic status of the community
• To facilitate the community in improving their socio-economic status.

ACTIVITIES

1. Building ownership and capacity of partner churches
2. Building capacity of project staff and community health workers in the malaria, TB, HIV/AIDS and alcohol abuse
3. Continuous health education and health awareness in the community
4. Regular dialogue with the government health officials to ensure quality health care services in the project areas
5. Strengthening the mahila mandals by improving their knowledge regarding health
6. Developing the capacity of SHG’s to avail government loans
7. Training in livelihood promotion and food security

RESULTS

1. Partner churches and their congregations have greater ownership of the project
2. Increased knowledge of the community on malaria, TB, HIV/AIDS and alcohol abuse
3. Women and other groups involved in addressing community issues.
4. The community is empowered to improve their socio-economic status.

LATEST UPDATES
Community Health Insurance will be launched in Feb. 2006 in five project areas.