Let’s Celebrate! Children's Day with Ibtada

On 14th November 2010, Ibtada celebrated Children’s Day with 500 plus girls studying at Taleemshala and IIMPACT team. All girls who passed Class V exam were proud to be presented at the stage in Mahua Khurd Village. None of the girls were shy away to perform dance and songs in front of big audience. No agitation or complains from village elders who attended the event. What I saw was the remarkable transformation of people around the girl child education.

It was this very village where I spent 15 days with 29 girls who first entered Class V exam in 2004. Girls from five different villages got together in one farmer’s house to catch up with Class V exam. There was no running water, nor electricity in the village, so we pumped up water, purchased 400kg wood for fire, used two gas-lights to study at night. All girls cried after few days, as they missed their families. Some girls gained weight as they could eat as much they want, not waiting for male family members to complete meals. Many of them complained to me that I made them write lots of English every day that their hands were aching. None of them dropped out from the camp, and all of them passed Class V exam.

Back then, everything was uncertain. Teachers and coordinators were not sure how much girls can perform in the exam. Villagers were very skeptical to girl child education. Some religious leaders preached against dancing, singing, and drawing animals. It was just 6 years ago, Ibtada sent out first 29 girls out of its school (Taleemshala), and today, the number reached over 200. I saw confidence in everyone’s eye; coordinator, supervisors, teachers, students, and village elders on girl child education.

It’s truly the day of celebration for Ibtada.
Congratulation for all!
And thank you for letting me in the part of your journey.

(Mana Tanaka, Former Coordinator of Ibtada)

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INTIMATE MOMENTS

It is way past sunset. Mother and son are enjoying a cosy evening together. While she prepares dinner for the family, he gives her company. He turns to the book momentarily every time she calls his attention to his studies. It seems like any other ordinary evening – only it is not@ In fact, life has altered entirely since the advent of biogas in their home. In the days preceding it, the kitchen was steeped in darkness with one corner lit up by the kerosene lamp – if at all. Mother was huddled up in the corner throwing twigs and other wood scraps under the old earthen chulha. The constant smoke from the lamp and the chulha weighed heavy on the health of the family, but there was no choice.

Now, the gas lamp burns brightly and the electric stove makes her task hassle free and quicker. The combustion of biogas has very little odour or smoke, making it a health-friendly bio fuel, apart from being very simple to manage and maintain. No wonder, she smiles from ear to ear… she could have only dreamt of being this comfortable in her kitchen. Biogas has freed her from the daily struggle of fetching fuel wood as well. It is the recent installations that bring a broad smile to the boy’s face too; even the prospect of doing home work does not seem to dampen his enthusiasm! No doubt the gas lamp makes his reading less strenuous, but what excites him is the whole experience of ‘light’… to see his mother smile, sit with her and chat to a dozen!
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All girls from Taleemshala program pass with flying colors..

Ibtada has been running Taleemshalas, alternative learning centres for girl child since the year 2000. The girls study in Taleemshalas till Class V and appear in the exams of Govt. system for class V. This year 205 girls sat in the exams. This has been a matter of proud to us that of the 205 girls, 191 passed with 1^st division and 14 girls passed with 2^nd division. Shabba Khan from Mahua Khurd village topped the list with 89.14 percent marks followed by Muffi and Praveen with 88.85 percent and 87.42 percent. The parents of all these girls are very excited and look forward to their continued education in Govt. schools.

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Heifer Visit- A photojourney through day three.

9th April 2010 was the last day of Heifer delegation's visit to Ibtada. Villages that delegation visited this day were Moreda and Bagar Rajput. Both of these villages are close to the Alwar City and Ibtada has a considerable history of Intervention in these villages. In Moreda, delegation met Anandi a very active women leader and women para vet,In Bagar Rajput delegation met a group which had received goats and had plans to transfer their goats to other groups as gifts.

SMILE OF SUCCESS:- Anandi was an illiterate women of Moreda. This introduction changed few years back when she joined Ibtada. Now She has been chairman of her group, cluster and Federation. She has trained and motivated hundred of women to improve their lives by joining Self help groups and taking other trainings. She has treated more than 1000 animals of her village as Pashu Sakhi(Woman Para vet).

Women looking at video of Passing on Gift ceremony which was pictured on them.

Passing on the Gift:- A small gift from women of Moreda to Paris.


Clive with kids.


Taking the retreat.. Leaving Moreda village.

Santo is member of Arti Goat rearing Group. She was very happy that group has changed her life. Now her position has improved in her family. Her happiness on telling her story to people from abroad was reflecting on her face.

Kids of Bagar Rajput village gathered for a group Photo.


Delegation with Arti Goat rearing Group and kids of Bagar Rajput Village.

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Heifer Visit.... A photojourney through day two.

Heifer delegation on second day of its visit to Ibtada visited three villages where they saw a group meeting in one village, met a new group in second village and saw Gender training in the third village. Here are some glimpses of the second day.

(Women of group explaining basics to group members and visitors)

(Clive shooting the meeting)

(Avni(Director,Heifer India explaining to Dawn)

(Village girls checking out the meeting through a window)

(Pamela entertaining with Village women with their gifts )

(Birgittes taking portraits)


(Dawn checking out some papers while waiting for Lunch at a Woman Village Leader's house)


(Women sitting in a group meeting in village)

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Heifer Visit:- A photojourney through day one.

A delegation from Heifer Project International comprising 11 Individuals visited Ibtada from 7th april to 9th arpil 2010.
During first day Delegation visited Pratapgarh nodal office of Ibtada where they met women para vets of groups of this region. Than they went to Moridi village to see Passing on the Gifts ceremony.
Here are some moments from the first day of visit.

Delegation talking to the Pashu Sakhis(Women Paravets) in Nodal Office of Ibtada, Pratapgarh, Alwar.

(Clive ,Dawn,Whitney and Annie with Pashu Sakhies.)

(A traditional welcome to Birgittes.)



(Little Paloma with a small gift for Women of Moridi)



("And another corner stone is SHARING AND CARING"telling the guests what they have learned in training)



(Clive Overlooking the Passing on Gifts ceremony)


(Dawn dancing with the local women, Sheer joy of watching her efforts turning into success could be seen on her face.)

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Heifer delegation visits Ibtada.

Ibtada had a visit by a delegation from Heifer international fron 7^th April to 9^th April. This delegation consisted Mr. Clive Bailey, Ms Dawn Baillie, Ms. Paris, Ms Paloma, who belong to same family and are big supporter for Heifer international. Mrs. Birggit Lacombe, an ace Hollywood photographer was with them. She was accompanied by her assistant Ms Marian &Ms Whitney. Another members of the delegation were Ms. Pamela ( Heifer International) and Ms. Annie Bergman ( Staff writer,HPI).Ms Avni Malhotra (Director , Heifer India) and Mr. Prabhakaran(Heifer India) were escorting the delegation.

This delegation intended to visit project areas, meet women groups and see the change that Heifer International had brought in their lives. They intended to make a documentary, get some photographs and some stories from these project areas so that they can showcase and motivate people back in US about the changes brought by their efforts.

“Heifer International has been a partner of Ibtada for last three years. Ibtada is running several projects with Heifer as partner. One of the projects is Community development through livestock rearing. The main philosophy of HPI is fostering 12 cornerstones among the project partner members, leading to overall development in the lives of the members. The core to these 12 cornerstones is ‘Pass on the Gifts’.

So any member who receives any kind benefit, be it material, training, information or any other form has to pass it on to next needful member. Goat or any small ruminant is used as a tool to enhance the incomes of the families. The project also focuses on improving quality of life through various skills and interventions such as promoting gender sensitivity in the family, better sanitation and hygiene, improved nutrition through kitchen gardening, and focus on education and literacy.”

Please check out this blog again for detail reports about this visit.

Read experiences of delegation on heifer blog by Annie Bergman.

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Community finance and livelihood resource centre (CFLRC)

Over the years, Ibtada has gained a rich grassroots and strategic experience of community based savings and credit program. Using this rich experience, it has evolved itself as a resource agency for community based savings and credit program. Ibtada has provided many trainings and orientation trainings for bankers, Government functionaries, Alwar Milk Union and other NGOs of Rajasthan. It organizes regularly exposure visits for individuals, organizations and agencies. Building on the expertise, Ibtada has started providing inputs to the groups promoted by banks and ICDS for strengthening their systems and management.

CFLRC is a joint initiative of IBTADA, Alwar and CMF Jaipur. This centre has been established to cater the need of quality, timely and professional resource support to CBO’s, SHPI’s, government departments, banks on microfinance and livelihood promotion.

Ibtada and Cmf have gained considerable experience in community based microfinance and livelihood promotion and want to share this knowledge with wider constituencies and stakeholders.

Mission of CFLRC
Mission of CFLRC is to create and disseminate knowledge and provide quality support inputs SHGs and SHG based institutions, SHPIs, bankers and other stakeholders which in turn would enhance the quality of these institutions and the overall microfinance sector to improve credit access to the poor, facilitate enhancement of their livelihoods and contribute to their empowerment.

Roles and service of Resource Centre
RC will offer the following services:
 Training facilitators, book-keepers, leaders and board members (CBOs)
 Developing training material/modules for use of the facilitators
 Hand-holding of SHG facilitators
 Handholding services to selected SHPIs for mF programmes
 Grading the institutions – SHGs/ SHG Federations
 Training other resource persons such as community level Resource persons.
 Seconding services of CRPs to other SHPIs
 Conducting microfinance immersion program for bankers and NGO heads
 Providing customized services to other agencies on request
 Conduct studies and document good practices for own learning and dissemination.


Activities carried out under CFLRC are:

Certified Trainers in Micro Finance
November 21-25, Ibtada Resource Centre, Nogawan
20 participants from different NGOs.
Tejinder Singh Bhogal and Sanjeev Kumar as trainers


Perspective Building on SHGs and Leadership
Four NGO partners of CEE Ahmedabad
December 21-23, CASA Resource Centre Udaipur

Training of HGVS, Almora
HGVS Staff training on Community based Micro Finance Institutions
January 27-29, Ibtada Resource Centre, Nogawan
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Community development through livestock rearing.

Community Development through Livestock Rearing: The project is supported by Heifer Project International (HPI), USA. The main philosophy of HPI is fostering 12 cornerstones among the project partner members, leading to overall development in the lives of the members. The core to these 12 cornerstones is ‘Pass on the Gifts’. So any member who receives any kind benefit, be it material, training, information or any other form has to pass it on to next needful member. Goat or any small ruminant is used as a tool to enhance the incomes of the families. The project also focuses on improving quality of life through various skills and interventions such as promoting gender sensitivity in the family, better sanitation and hygiene, improved nutrition through kitchen gardening, and focus on education and literacy.
There are 173 original families and 132 pass on families under the project.

any kind benefit, be it material, training, information or any other form has to pass it on to next needful member. Goat or any small ruminant is used as a tool to enhance the incomes of the families. The project also focuses on improving quality of life through various skills and interventions such as promoting gender sensitivity in the family, better sanitation and hygiene, improved nutrition through kitchen gardening, and focus on education and literacy.
There are 173 original families and 132 pass on families under the project.

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Sharifan meets Rahul Gandhi..

Sharifan is the Chairperson of Sangharsh Mahila Manch, a federation promoted by Ibtada. She had an opportunity to meet Rahul Gandhi. The event was training of Indian Youth Congress and NSUI Leaders. A panel of distinguished speakers was selected for the opening session, 'Vision for India 2020'. Other panelists included Tarun Tejpal of Tehelka; Anil Bordia of Lok Jumbish fame; Sunil Khairnar of Agriwatch; Arvind Kejriwal of Parivartan; Rekha, another SHG leader from Indore and Harsha Moily of Moksha Yug.

Rahul Gandhi had half an hour private session with Panelists before the main session during which we all sat together. Rahul explained the purpose of the training and the coming session. He shared his concerns on democracy and attempts to build democracy within party first.

Being the only illiterate member in the whole gathering, and the quality of speech she delivered, Sharifan got the best applaud among all panelists. Tarun Tejpal in his speech emphasising education, could not resist saying that "imagine where would she reach if she was educated".

Many people came to meet her after the speech and congratulated her and Ibtada!

Memorable day for Ibtada!!

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