Surekha Khairwal President of Dada Lakhmichand Foundation Bhopal India, visited villages area in Raisen,Vidisha, Hosangabad, Shivpuri, Guna and Ashok Nagar Districts, Madhya Pradesh, to assess the work done and the need for further interventions. On 21 Jan 2014, she visited Diwatya Village, Obedullaganj Block, Raisen District and 6 April 2014, Anand Vidya Mandir School, jahangirabad Villages, Bh
opal District. Arvind Khairwal interacted with the self-help members in these villages. The women expressed their gratitude for the home made work available to them through DLF. They seemed to be motivated to save and engage themselves in income-generation activities. Though the majority took loans to set up or strengthen cattle-rearing enterprises, many expressed their interest to learn new skills. They were interested in engaging themselves with income-generation activities that does not take them away from their home; towards balancing their household and income-generation activities. Another area that the women felt the need for intervention was the provision of setting up of toilets at the individual household level. Water scarcity and lack of access to safe drinking water were other areas of concern for these villagers. They thanked the organization for the medical camps conducted in these remote areas with little or no access to healthcare. Following the visits, Dr.Ganesh suggested certain immediate interventions that could help the villagers in Madhya Pradesh, namely,
» Provision of percolation ponds to reduce water scarcity
» Provision of toilets
» Provision of literacy training to illiterate women
» Provision of skill training to enhance income-generation opportunities
» Provision of Girls Computer Education
During the visit, Mr. Arvind also assessed the existing DLF Group & Synapse Solutions (P) Ltd, Child Labor Elimination through Education and Health Program me of the organization in these villages. While the Natural Resource Management team of the organization would look into the possibility of providing the villages with small percolation ponds, proposals for skill-training for 200 DLF Group women are under way.
