Inventory of medicinal plants for conservation focus in East Africa

NAIROBI, KENYA, 6th August 2011: Nineteen members of Muliru Farmers Conservation Group gathered together to prepare a preliminary inventory of medicinal plants species found in Kakmega district of Kenya. The inventorying concentrated on plants occurring in Shibuya location of Kakmega encompassing Luvili, Shelelo, Lsechno, Ikasali, Munderema, Lubambo, Ileho areas. Need for establishing a botanical garden and a Herbarium was identified during the meeting (as there are none in Kakamega), to benefit the community, tourists and researchers. The meeting was held as part of a Pragya initiative in East Africa to conserve Medicinal Plants for Health and Livelihoods.

Citizen Government Meet addressing health concerns at high altitudes

RECKONG PEO, INDIA, 25th November 2011: As a part of Pragya’s rights based initiative supported by UNDEF, a Citizen Government Meet was conducted in Kinnaur to facilitate interaction between the health department and the citizens. The interactive session and constructive dialogues enabled the people to become aware of the various health related government schemes and provisions and to raise concerns regarding the services of the department. The event, attended by 38 participants, included representatives from 18 villages in upper and lower Kinnaur, members of the High Himalayan Forum (HHF), NGO representatives from across the district and officials from Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and Auxiliary Nurse and Midwives (ANMs).

The meeting started with a brief presentation of Pragya’s rapid participatory assessment of the healthcare status in Kinnaur district. Following this, Dr. S.S. Negi, representing the Health Department spoke about the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and the schemes available for citizens in Kinnaur. Concerns raised during the interactive discussion session regarding the status of Primary Health Care in remote villages included: lack of gynecologists at block level, incapacity of medical personnel and lack of knowledge regarding the major schemes for pregnant women and children among the community members. A request was put forward for the department to conduct more health camps at the block level instead of village level, where surgeries and eye-checks could be done. The issues raised were documented by the representatives from the health department and they assured further interventions in coordination with the state level machineries.

Clean water for Il Ngwesi community at Emurua Olaragai

NAIROBI, KENYA, 11th October 2011: As a part of the clean water initiative by Pragya in Laikipia and Samburu districts, a village level meeting was conducted in Emurua Olaragai village of ll Ngwesi community to map the local water sources and to identify the issues concerning these sources. Three important sources were identified - Oltamam Spring, Loiragai Spring and Looltuka Spring out of which, people prioritized the Oltamam Spring for protective measures. As a result of the intervention carried out in the months of July and August, about 30 households in Emurua Olaragai village now have access to clean and safe water evidenced by lesser incidences of water borne diseases in the area.

Culture Workshop at Darchula

DARCHULA, INDIA, 11th September 2011: For documenting the Himalayan cultural heritage, Pragya along with Heritage Conservation Council of Pitthoragarh conducted a grassroots workshop to identify the most threatened and vulnerable cultural forms. Scientific threat analysis tools were used in presence of experts of different cultural sectors from Rung and Kumouni communities. Through the workshop 15 culture forms under high threat of extinction were prioritised for detailed documentation.

Training of ASHA workers for improved service delivery

JOSHIMATH, INDIA, 23rd September 2011: A advanced skill building training was carried out for ASHA members (Accredited Social Health Activist) in Joshimath block of Chamoli district in Uttarakhand to impart necessary skills required for better service delivery. 33 ASHA members took part in the event where their knowledge on their responsibilities was tested; group activities and discussions were conducted on roles and responsibilities of ASHA, pregnancy care, postnatal care. The training as part of a larger health and nutrition programme supported by the Ashmore Foundation, UK also brought into light those areas where further training/workshops are required.

Community toilets in Dalit settlements of Dolpa

KATHMANDU, NEPAL, 22nd March 2011: Members of Dalit communities in Ralli village of Tirpurakot VDC in Dolpa District were very happy as the construction of the community toilet blocks were completed last weekend. 19 households would benefit from this initiative. This is part of a Pragya’s water & sanitation initiative in Nepal, which also has a focus on interventions related to potable water and irrigation. The initiative is underway in the high mountain districts of Dolpa, Humla and Mustang.

Debrief meeting for Economic Justice Programme Evaluation

DEHRADUN, INDIA, 9th February 2012: As part of an evaluation study of Oxfam India’s Economic Justice programme in Uttarakhand, a briefing meeting was held at Dehradun. Consultants from Pragya Solutions discussed their initial findings from field visits and documents appraisals with the representatives of 9 implementing partners and Oxfam India staff. Inputs for final assessment report were collected and way ahead discussed during the meeting.

Field visits to remote lands in East Africa

NAIROBI, KENYA, 16th April 2011: Taking forward Pragya’s initiative to address the needs of communities in remote areas of the East African highlands and the indigenous peoples of the arid savannah lands in the region, Ms. Gargi Banerji and Mr. Sunil Pillai visited Kenya and held discussions with stakeholders in the target region.

The stakeholders they held discussions with included representatives of the NGO Coordination Board, ACORD, DFID and ICIPE. Field visits took them to Kisumu district in Nyanza province and Kakamega district (highland area in the Western province of Kenya), and they visited the programs run by WEAEP, a local NGO, and the Muliru Farmers Cooperative. They also visited the Il Ngwesi community (Maasai people) in the remote parts of Laikipia district (arid lands in the Great Rift Valley), where they interacted with traditional healers and studied village water needs. Pragya plans to consolidate the relations built during the visit and take its development actions in East Africa a step further.

A multi-stakeholder workshop on ‘Himalayan Heritage: Valorization & Preservation’

NEW DELHI, INDIA, 16th November 2010: The workshop - ‘Himalayan Heritage: Valorization and Preservation’ - organized by Pragya at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi was aimed at catalyzing heritage-based enterprises, collaborations and networks in the Himalayan region. The two-day event held on 15th and 16th of November 2010 got together a cross-section of stakeholders to a common forum for interactions, deliberations and participative problem solving. The said stakeholders ranged from from local cultural actors and producers of Himalayan products to national experts and policymakers, as well as industry representatives.

The workshop began with the cultural performance by Bhotiya Sanskriti Kala Manch Samiti from Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, giving the Himalayan artists an opportunity to showcase their talent. Kumari Agatha Sangma (MoS, Ministry of Rural Development), who graced the inaugural session of the workshop as the Chief Guest, inaugurated the website ‘Himalayan Voices’ (www.himalayanvoices.org), a portal meant to bring the voices of the people of the Himalayas to the rest of the world and bridge the information gap existing in the Himalayas. Mr. Uday Kumar Varma (Secretary, Ministry of MSME) addressed the participants as Guest of Honour on the second day of the event. The workshop also included keynote addresses by Mr. Mahendra P. Lama (Vice Chancellor, Sikkim University) and Mr. G.B. Mukherji (Ex-Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs). During their brief presence at the workshop, Padma Bhushan Major H.P.S. Ahluwalia and Mr. P. Udayakumar (Director, National Small Industries Corporation) addressed the participants with a few words of encouragement.

During the workshop, apart from other deliberations, a session was dedicated to facilitating interactions among buyers, community producers and experts specific to identified Himalayan niche sectors. The session enabled discussions and dialogue on potential opportunities, issues and strategies for each niche sector. At the conclusion of the event, the district level conveners of the Himalayan Heritage Network facilitated by Pragya shared their experiences during a panel discussion. Ms. Ellen Pedersen (EU delegation to India) and Mr. G.B. Mukherji, who joined the network conveners at the dais, shared their own experiences with the Himalayas and in the mountain regions in other parts of the world.

Stakeholder Workshop to contribute towards ‘Protocol for Safe Working Conditions of the Migrant Road/Dam Workers’

KEYLONG, INDIA, 15th October 2011: A district level stakeholder workshop was conducted at district headquarter Keylong to draft policy recommendations for ‘Protocol for Safe Working Conditions of the Migrant Road/Dam Workers’. As pat of a series of stakeholder discussion oriented workshops across various high Himalayan districts, the workshop explored various concerns shared by the migrant workers working in these harsh terrains and the employers and discussed possible solutions.

Healthcare and nutrition for the High Himalayas

LONDON, UK, 8th April, 2011: Pragya would now be implementing a project to address the health and nutrition issues in the high altitude Himalayan belt of India supported by the Ashmore Foundation, UK. Under this 3-year long project Pragya would focus on provision of better nutritive input and health care for the people in remote Himalayan districts, especially the women and the children, and also build capacity of local human resources for health.

Himalayan Literature Award - Kinnaur

RECKONG PEO, INDIA, 15th April 2011: Mr. Ram Bhagat Negi of Chango village of Pooh block received the first Himalayan Literature Award for Kinnauri literature from Deputy Commissioner Mr. R. Sharma during the ‘Himachal Day’ celebrations at the district headquarter. The award was introduced this year as part of an initiative by Pragya to revitalize Himalayan literature.

Governance & advocacy training in Chamoli

JOSHIMATH, INDIA, 24th April 2011: A two-day training on “Governance and Advocacy” under Pragya’s initiative “Active Democracy and Political Participation of Tribal Communities of the Himalayas” was held in Joshimath under the guidance of Dr. Furqan Ahmed of Indian Law Institute, Delhi. Total 103 participants took part in the event.

Active Democracy and Political Participation of Tribal Communities - Pragya’s new initiative supported by UNDEF

GURGAON, INDIA, 10th November 2010: Pragya has launched a new initiative to encourage active democracy and political participation among the Himalayan communities. The initiative is supported by the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF). An addition to Pragya’s ongoing programmes on indigenous rights and evidence-based advocacy, the project would seek to empower especially marginalized groups - the women, the disabled and the pastoralists in the Himalayas.