Community Welfare Society
Working with marginalised groups in the slums of Rourkela
CWS is working in 5 colonies in different slums of Rourkela. People who got leprosy in the past and were forced out from their villages found refuge in these colonies.
CWS sponsored 3 dressers in 3 colonies who are paid 10 rupees per dressing. CWS is also supplying freely dressing materials to residents.
Project country: India
Project region/place: Rourkela
Planned duration: On-going Project
December 2023
Detailed Project Description
1. Setting of the Project
a. Geographical
The project covers marginalised groups living in the slums of Rourkela. CWS (Community Welfare Society) has been working in the slums of Rourkela as a registered society from 1977. Rourkela city is divided into two parts, namely, Steel Township and Civil Township. Steel Township is the well planned area of Rourkela which is divided into 21 sectors and is administered by Rourkela Steel Plant. Civil Township is the town which grew up adjacent to the steel plant and is divided into 33 wards and is administered by the municipality. Earlier the slums were concentrated in the civil township, but as the city grew, slums have sprung up in the steel township as well.
The project covers former leprosy patients living in 5 colonies, rickshaw pullers, waste pickers, widows and street vendors living in the slum areas of both steel and civil townships.
b. Economical
The poorest people of a city live in the slums. Among the slums dwellers, the economic condition of the marginalised groups the project covers is more precarious. The average earning of the members of these groups may vary from 200 to 400 rupees per day. The daily earning of some widows may be even less.
Among former leprosy patients living in the 5 colonies, begging is the major source of income for most people. They may earn about 200-250 rupees per day. Rickshaws are used to transport both people and goods. The demand for rickshaws to transport goods is better than that of people. A rickshaw puller may earn about 300-400 rupees per day. Waste pickers earn about 200-350 rupees per day. It is difficult to ascertain how much a widow earns. Generally it can be said they earn less than other groups in a day. During and after Covid pandemic we distributed cooked food and dry rations to those who had no savings or no work. Even now we are distributing dry rations to 36 widows due to their meagre income. Street vendors are of two kinds. Those who sell goods on push carts and are mobile while others are stationary selling goods at fixed places on the side of the road.
c. Socio-cultural
The very fact that leprosy patients were forced out of their native places and had to seek refuge in exclusive colonies in the slums is indicative of the fear the disease arouses in the general public. After former leprosy patients, waste pickers as a group is treated with contempt due to their occupation, shabby clothes and unkempt appearance and are kept at an arm’s length since many consider them as petty thieves. Historically women were not treated equal to men across all continents. In the case of widows, it is still worse. The status of the widow in comparison to a widower is always lower. Rickshaw pullers and street vendors do not suffer from the type of social discrimination other groups face. But their profession is looked down upon which is evident from the language, tone and the general deportment of their customers.
d. Educational
Most of the older people belonging to these marginalised groups are either illiterate or barely literate. The fact that they live in slums and are engaged in least sought after occupations is indicative of their low levels of literacy. More than the literacy of the adults and the aged, what is of relevance to the project is to ensure the education of the children who are growing up. There is enabling legislation by the government of India to ensure free and compulsory education of all children upto age 14 called Right to Education Act, 2009. But this is easier said than done among marginalised people due to poverty, illiteracy, overcrowding, and lack of facilities and an enabling environment for learning at home.
e. Housing and Infrastructural facilities
Slums come up on government lands and the legal status of the slums is problematic. Once a slum is recognized and notified by the municipality, infrastructural facilities like roads, electricity, water, sanitation, schools etc. are made available to that slum. Still the resident has no legal claim on the land which his house stands. A slum dweller becomes the legal owner of the homestead only when he/she gets a land deed from the government. This enables the person to get government subsidy to construct a house on that plot of land. Without land document, the person is only an illegal occupier of government land. Houses constructed on such plots are temporary structures made with low quantity materials offering scanty protection against the elements, especially the rains.
f. Who initiated the Project?
The project has been initiated by Fr. Bennichan K. Peter SVD, secretary of CWS, in association with the staff of CWS with long years of experience in working with and for the people living in the slums of Rourkela. The present project is a combination of some older projects. Rehabilitation of former leprosy patients living in the colonies is a project which is funded by St. Gabriel’s Austria. Rag pickers and Rickshaw pullers was funded through the Generalate of the Society of the Divine Word, Rome. Widows were part of the Women’s empowerment project funded by CWS. To these existing groups, a new entrant is street vendors. So the present project combines all these marginalised groups. This was done to streamline the activities, rationalise staff strength, and improve focus on project monitoring and implementation.
g. How did you assess the need for this project?
Hundred former leprosy affected patients living in 5 colonies were surveyed in 2017 to identify their major concerns. A survey was conducted in 2022 among 644 widows living in the slums to identify the major problems they face. The concerns of waste pickers and rickshaw pullers were assessed through observation and interaction with members of these groups. The suggestion to bring street vendors into the ambit of the project came from CWS staff who are working in the slums for many years.
h. Has a similar project been carried out in the region?
As far as we know, nobody in the region has undertaken a similar project involving so many marginal groups living in the slums.
2. Target group/ beneficiaries
a. Who is the target group?
The primary target groups are men and women living in the slums belonging to marginalised groups like former leprosy patients living in isolated colonies, rickshaw pullers, waste pickers, widows and street vendors.
b. How many persons belong to this group?
Former leprosy patients - 461
Rickshaw pullers - 176
Waste pickers - 400
Widows - 378
Street Vendors - 100-120
c. What age groups are involved?
All age groups are involved from 18 to 75 years and above: In the case of waste pickers even children are involved in the trade.
d. Why were the target groups chosen?
The only criterions to choose these groups were their willingness to work with CWS to improve their lives and ensure a better future for their children. There are many members among these marginalised groups who do not want to associate with CWS since it involves self-discipline and hard work for them.
3. Problem Analysis
Many problems which marginalised groups covered under this project face are common, and there are certain problems specific to some groups.
Common problems
a. Poverty
All the members of these groups are migrants or children of migrants who have come to town in search of work and are engaged in low paying and least sought after jobs. With their meagre income enough for bare survival they are caught in a vicious circle of poverty with little money left for savings and capital accumulation.
b. Literacy
Majority of the people have little education and low skills. Their children also struggle to complete basic education. So higher education and vocational education for career advancement is a huge challenge.
c. Low self esteem
They live in a harsh environment where every day survival is a hard struggle and people in general look down on them and their work. This leads to low self-esteem and little ambition and drive for advancement. In fact low self-esteem is a coping mechanism to survive in a difficult situation.
d. Alcoholism and drug addiction
Another coping mechanism to deal with the difficulties and problems of life is alcohol and drug induced euphoria and ecstasy however temporary it is. It helps them forget the miseries of life and be on top of the world for some time.
e. Land and housing
Many of them do not legally own the land on which their house is constructed, so their houses are temporary structures or shacks.
f. Identity documents and welfare benefits
Some of them do not have identity documents like aadhaar card, ration card, health card etc. depriving them of many government benefits like subsidised food, old age pension and health insurance.
Problems of Specific groups
a. Former leprosy patients
They suffer from social rejection due to physical deformities and wounds and are forced to live in segregated colonies. Most of them earn a living by begging.
b. Waste pickers
People generally treat them with contempt due to their occupation and shabby appearance. Many are also frightened of them since they carry the stigma of being petty thieves.
c. Widows
During the rains some of their houses leak profusely. Some widows are engaged in begging and some others are malnourished.
4. Strategy
4(a). Overall objective
The overall objective of the project is to animate the members of different groups and help them organize themselves so that they can deal with the many problems they face with varying degrees of success. The most important tool in dealing with the problems people face is the formation of self-help groups (SHGs). There are 13 SHGs with 133 members among former leprosy patients living in the colonies, 20 SHGs among rickshaw pullers with 176 members, 52 SHGs among 400 waste pickers, 34 SHGs with 378 members among widows and one SHG with women as members among street vendors. Our animators play a key role in animating the people to form SHGs, help them conduct monthly meetings, train them to keep records and accounts and help in every possible way for the smooth functioning of SHGs.
SHGs help in dealing with problems mentioned in point 3 in the following manner.
a. Poverty
People with low income and no savings, find it difficult if not impossible to get out of the poverty trap. The SHGs help individuals to cultivate the habit of regular savings and capital formation. They provide loans to their members from own funds and loans obtained through banks.
b. Literacy
In spite of enabling legalisation it is difficult to retain children in the school due to adverse circumstances. Groups support and encourage the education of children and act as a moral force to prevent school dropouts to a large extent. The project has a component for tuition classes for school going children so that they have a better grasp of what is being taught in the school. More often than not, children absent themselves from the school since they fail to comprehend the lessons.
c. Low self esteem
Marginalised people as individuals feel helpless and powerless when they face powerful individuals and uncaring society. Groups provide strength and confidence to weak individuals and a sense of self-worth and dignity in the work they do. This is best illustrated in the case of trade unions in factories and employees associations at work places helping them engage in collective bargaining for better wages and working conditions.
Our animators educate groups about health, personal hygiene and how to keep their homes and surroundings clean and healthy. Better clothes, smarter appearance and cleaner surroundings encourage wider acceptability of vulnerable groups in the society.
d. Alcoholism and drug addiction
The problem of alcoholism and drug addiction is almost insurmountable in the slums. SHGs act as a safety net to prevent people from falling into the trap of intoxicants to some extent. They also help women deal with husbands who physically and sexually abuse their wives in an intoxicated state.
e. Land and housing
Groups help in the construction of temporary structures and shacks.
f. Identity documents and welfare benefits
CWS staff liaises with government authorities to obtain identity documents, ration, pension and insurance cards. Groups embolden people to approach civil and police authorities with their problems and needs and find solutions for them.
Problems of Specific groups
a. Leprosy patients
Arrangements are made in 3 colonies for dressing their wounds. Better personal hygiene and appearance helps to improve social acceptance of former leprosy patients. There are no viable solutions for sustenance other than begging.
b. Waste pickers
Waste pickers are encouraged during group interactions to wear cleaner clothes and improve their unkempt appearance so that people may not be repelled by their appearance and consider them as petty thieves.
c. Widows
Tarpaulins were provided to widows whose houses leaked badly during the rains on the recommendation of groups. Regular dry rations are provided to 36 widows during and after Covid pandemic. This will continue under the project due to their miserable condition.
What would be the long term implications of the project for the region and beneficiaries?
One should not overestimate the effects of the project on the region. We are minor players as agents of change in the lives of people. It is the government and civic authorities who can bring about perceptible changes through policy changes, legislation and action.
The project is not a panacea for all the problems of the beneficiaries. But it will help to alleviate their immediate problems and in the long run the project will make the life of the younger generation a lot better than that of their parents.
4(b). Project results
Results
Activity
Indicator
Time
Resources (costs)
5 new SHGs among rickshaw pullers 5 new SHGs among waste pickers 5 new SHGs among widows 10 new SHGs among street vendors
Achievement of project objectives
174 Children attending tuition classes from various groups.
Quarterly audit of 144 SHGs Documentation of monthly project progress reports
8000 Annual dressing of wounds
Provision of dry rations to 36 widows
Appointment of 8 animators
Appointment of 2 project coordinators
Appointment of ten tuition teachers
Appointment of project implementation manager
Appointment of 3 dressers
Purchase and delivery of rations on monthly basis
Number of new SHGs formed among the groups Number of functional ones from the existing 119 SHGs
Number of project objectives achieved
Low dropout rates from school Improved academic performance of children
Number of SHGs audited quarterly Number of monthly project progress reports filed
Number of dressings done in an year
Number of widows provided with dry rations
Dec 2023
Dec 2023
Dec 2023
Dec 2023
Dec 2023
Dec 2023
Salary and travel expenses of 4 animators covered by project fund Salary of 4 animators covered by CWS
Salary and travel expenses of 2 project coordinators paid by project fund.
Salary of 4 teachers paid by CWS Salary of 3 teachers paid by SVD Jharsuguda Salary of 3 teachers paid by project fund
Part of the salary paid from project fund
Payments of dressers by SVD Jharsuguda Cost of medicines and bandages by CWS
Cost of dry rations covered by CWS
5. Project Budget
Sl. No
Particulars
Amount in INR
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Salary for 2 Project Coordinator @ Rs. 11,000 x 12 x 2
Travel Expenses of Two Project Coordinator @Rs.2,500 x 12 x 2
Salary of 8 Animators @Rs. 10,000 x 12 x 8
Travel expenses of 8 animators@Rs.1,500 x 12 x 8
Payments of 10 tuition teachers @Rs. 2000 x 12 x 10
Part time payment of project implementation manager
Payment for 8000 dressing of wounds @Rs. 15
Cost of bandages and medicines for 8000 dressings @Rs. 8
Cost of dry rations to 36 widow on monthly basis @Rs. 10,397 x 12
Total
2,64,000
60,000
9,60,000
1,44,000
2,40,000
80,000
1,20,000
64,000
1,24,764
20,56,764
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