MAINTENANCE OF SENIOR CITIZENS' HOMES FOR ELDERLY WOMEN
The CHETANA is running "Senior Citizens' Homes for Elderly Women" at Chudakhiakateni in Dhenkanal district where 50(Fifty) elderly women from different part of the district were provided free accommodation, food, clothing, shelter, vocational training, health services, counseling, recreational support etc. The programme is supported by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowenment, Government of India. For rendering effective services to the inmate beneficiaries, counselor, part time doctor and centre superintendent etc have been appointed. The officials from the local line department are monitoring the progress of the activities and the program is running smoothly, All the services were provided during the pandemic period without any interruption.
PHOTOGRAPHS OF SCH
INTEGRATED REHABILITATION CENTRE FOR ADDICTS:
The Integrated Rehabilitation Centre for Addicts (IRCA) located at Kolhua, PO. Bainsia of Dhenkanal is supported from Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Govt. of India, This intervention is considered as a stepping stone in the social reform activities of the organization. The centre has 15 bedded facility equipped with necessary infrastructure and facilities providing multifaceted activities for prevention of alcoholism & substance abuse. During the reporting period only indoor services were provided for Covid-19. In 2021-22 total 185 persons were provided indoor services. To its credit 69 patients are now free from addiction. The organization also got referral and request from parents of few minor addicted for which District Administration was consulted for their services during the reporting period. Necessary steps being taken for the rehabilitation of relapsed cases in family/communities.
PHOTOGRAPHS OF IRCA
MOBILE MEDICAL UNIT FOR OLDER PERSONS:
Keeping in focus the health needs of senior citizens and older persons living in remote inaccessible areas, The Chetana is running one mobile health unit called “ Mobile Medical Unit for Older Person” in the year 2015-16 in Gondia & Bhuban block of Dhenkanal district. During the year the project has been sanctioned by the Social Security & Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Department, Govt. of Odisha. Although for lockdown imposed in the state in most part of the year, the medical unit could ply to some remote areas, screened health status of older persons, sensitized family members to care the elder persons during Covid-19 situation. Masks were distributed along with medicines to the ill older persons. The organization has made arrangement for hiring annually one well equipped Medical Van with one part-time doctor and a staff nurse that visited different locations on weekly basis to provide health check up and instant care services to the needy older persons. The year 2021-22, total 18 locations and 1235 older persons were covered.
OLD AGE HOME (Senior Citizen Home):
The Chetana opened one Senior Citizen Home in as previously known “The Old Age Home“ at Hemsarpada of Angul district since 1st January 2020. The Home had admitted 25 poor economically distressed older people who were uncared and deserted by the family. The inmates are provided residential facility with free fooding, recreation and health care. During the year 2021-22, as Covid-19 surged utmost care were given to inmates and regular watch with Covid appropriate behavior was promoted. The Home is functioning as per the fixed daily routine. All the inmates are getting free boarding, lodging and clothing, recreational facilities. Besides, weekly health checks up & treatment is conducted by the part time Doctor & Nurse.
RESPONSE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC:
As we all continue the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic during the year 2021-22, the isolation, lockdown, and suppressed economic activity have hurt families adversely impacting the most vulnerable and disadvantaged people in our project areas. In many villages, people lost their livelihoods. THE CHETANA continue to work hard to prevent COVID-19 spread in communities through WASH intervention and organized 34 Hand washing demonstrations. There are three precautionary measures advised by Govt. like Regular Hand Washing, Use of Mask and Social Distance. Our volunteers created awareness and distributed 35,000 cotton made masks in different villages. We ramped up our efforts to help ensure that vulnerable communities have adequate resources and clear guidance on their use. Following the guidelines by the Government we have been taking appropriate and proactive steps to protect people and communities.
RURAL SPORTS:
Rural Sports is a regular programme of The CHETANA. However due to local restrictions, all the planned sports programmes were cancelled for Covid-19. However, the local youth clubs were provided with sports equipments for both indoor and outdoor games.
PHYSIOTHERAPY CLINICS FOR OLDER PERSONS:
A Physiotherapy centre for the older persons has been opened at Dhenkanal town in the year 2011-12 and continued its services that includes healing practices to the patients suffering from different endemic and health hazards. The centre continued its services during the year 2021-22 with temporary closure for around three months for lockdown and a total 656 older patients having the worst case of health hazards were provided free clinical and physical therapeutic services during the reporting period. Apart from this, village level awareness on Covid-19 and its risk for older persons were organized where field level assessment organized for screening different older patients having the severe health hazards and advices given accordingly.
NURSERY RAISING & PLANTATION PROGRAM:
With the idea behind the tree plantation activity of THE CHETANA, we constantly propagate the message that planting the trees helps to maintain clear eco-friendly environment reduces pollution and improves the green ambience. During COVID-19, different Temporary Medical Centres were opened for migrant workers. THE CHETANA with the help of these migrant workers initiated plantation in schools.
OBSERVATION OF INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY:
Following Covid-19 guideline taking limited participation of 35 SHG leaders, THE CHETANA organized the International Women’s day celebration where these women SGH leaders were sensitized to create awareness on Covid-19, demonstrate hand washing and ensure physical distancing at community level to break the chain of virus. Women are the true soldier during this pandemic. Even women SHG members were encouraged to stitch cotton mask for use by the public.
YOUTH LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT TRAINING:
During the year under report, THE CHETANA indentified and created a pool of youth volunteers in Bainsia Gram Panchayata to assist in its endeavor to contain the spread of corona virus. These youth volunteers were sensitized and encouraged to identify themselves with the needs and aspirations of the poor and deprived sections of the community and to work with them in situation of this pandemic, THE CHETANA organized a three batches of youth volunteers leadership training in different villages to work for awareness creation, identification of migrant workers, reporting of deviations to home quarantine and ensure village level compliance of Covid-19 guideline.
AWARENESS ON WOMEN AND CHILD LABOUR:
Keeping in view the plight of women labourers, a one day sensitization programme for women labourers was organized at Bhuban block head quarter in Dhenkanal district on 23/11/2021. Total 57 women labour participated and got sensitized on their rights and protective laws. During the year 2021-22, The Chetana also organized five Awareness campaign involving members of community based organizations, SHGs, PRIs, local line department for sensitize the general public about the ill effects of child labour and women labour and to capacitate the vulnerable women and children to assert their legitimate rights, duties and responsibilities to build the Nation.
PUBLIC LIBRARY SERVICES:
The Chetana has a well functional Rural Library Centre located at Chudakhiakateni in Gondia block, Dhenkanal district, which promotes literary pursuits and enhances knowledge of the community people in rural areas of the locality. The Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation, Kolkata has sponsored the Library Centre. The library is enriched with more than 7180 books which include books of history, culture, children’s literature, Novel, periodicals etc. in Odia , English & Hindi languages. Magazines and news papers in English & odia languages are subscribed for documentation purpose. Besides, one documentation cell has been developed and equipped with qualitative rare books & palm leaf manuscripts. The students/ non-students, organisation staff and the general public are using the services of the library uninterruptedly. Due to Covid-19, the library was opened for limited period and maximum attention was given for social distancing while reading books.
VOCATIONAL TRAINING FOR EDUCATED DISABLED:
Skill development is one of the major focus area of The Chetana and during the reporting period 2021-22 vocational training for the educated disables (orthopedically handicapped, and deaf & dumb) on trades like coir craft making, Garment making and candle making were continued. Unlike previous years each of these trades covered 15 trainees and the training imparted over a period 15 days only.
| Trade | Location | No. of beneficiaries |
|---|---|---|
| Garment Making | Gondia block of Dhenkanal | 15 |
| Paper Plate Making | Gondia block of Dhenkanal | 15 |
| Candle making | Sadar block of Dhenkanal | 15 |
| Total | 45 |
PROMOTION OF INDIGENOUS CULTURE:
Like previous year, THE CHETANA also organized one workshop in 15th July 2021 to promote and restore traditional cultural heritage in Odisha, during the workshop, steps were taken to list out the different cultural practices, their status and the action points required to revitalize the same. Only 32 participants were covered for Covid-19 situation.
FOOD PROCESSING TRAINING PROGRAM:
Like previous year, The Chetana organized the food processing training for SHG women in Chuadakhiakateni training hall. The training on micro trades like, manufacturing of Jam, Jelly, Sauce, Pickle and other food craft items were provided to 25 women beneficiaries. This is an income generating venture of the SHGs being initiated by the organization towards economic empowerment of the women. The duration of the program was one month and efficient master trainers imparted training to the SHGs.
RURAL CONSUMER AWARENESS:
The consumer awareness programme mostly focused on the exploitations by horders during the pandemic. THE CHETANA conducted awareness program for the rural consumers using IEC materials and leaflets only as no physical awareness programme was possible for Covid-19.
WORKSHOP ON LAND AND WATER MANAGEMENT:
The Chetana also organized one workshop on Land and Water Management by Local Initiatives taking representation of local farmers and PRI members in Bainsia Gram Panchayata in January 2022. The workshop was attended by some social activists and community leaders besides farmers and youths. Resource persons highlighted different aspects of land and water management and discussed the role of farmers and community for in situ management process. Total 18 farmers, 10 PRI members and 15 NGO activist and other leaders participated in the workshop. The Covid Guideline of use of mask and physical distancing was followed while organizing the meeting.
RURAL SANITATION PROGRAMME:
Rural Sanitation is one of the major focus of THE CHETANA. The volunteers were engaged to ensure the use of IHHL by the people in Bainsia Gram Panchayata. Cleanliness, hand sanitization and proper waste management was promoted in Bainsia Gram Panchayata during 2021-2022.
DEVELOPMENT & EMPOWERMENT OF ADOLESCENT:
During the year 2021-2022, The Chetana organized life skill education and training programme for adolescents in groups to make them act as change agents in changing community life style during the pandemic. Four adolescent empowerment programmes were organized to empower them on hand washing, hand sanitization, social distancing and guiding their parents to use mask while going out. These programmes were organized on 18th October 2021 in Joranda and Kabra Gram Panchayata of Gondia block of Dhenkanal district.
YOGA TRAINING:
The Chetana for promoting and popularizing yoga, organized yoga training in the TMC created at Bainsia High School for quarantine of outsiders during the Covid-19 pandemic. In these Yoga sessions, local youths, all migrant people under quarantine attended. During the year 2021-2022, total 25 Yoga Sessions conducted.