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	Abhiyan – a District level network of Voluntary Organizations based in Kutch The wide geographical expanses of the Kutch District coupled with the harsh living conditions gave birth to varied community groups and self-help groups who started working towards improving the livelihood of the people in general and development in particular like drought proofing, etc. Over a period of time, these groups were formalised as Community Based Development Platforms (locally known as Non-Governmental Organizations or NGOs in short). However, different priorities and competencies of these NGOs created uneven development and exclusion zones in the District. This was reminiscent in the June 1998 Kandla cyclone when the immediate relief operations were either duplicated or missed by lack of co-ordination among the governmental and other agencies and due to gaps in implementation processes. These prompted the NGOs to come forward to provide support to the affected people under a common umbrella, which drew synergies from each other’s competencies. Thus, started a collective effort of various organizations towards rehabilitation of the affected people. 22 local organizations came together, and started working as a group. The group also worked collectively during the 1999 Kutch cyclone. The group thus formed came to be known as - Kutch Sankat Ane Punarvasvat Abhiyan, which had a common goal of working for the rehabilitation of the cyclone affected people. This practice enabled the NGOs to build capacity and gain confidence to perform as a collective, even in totally unexpected disaster situations. Consequently it was realized that NGOs need a common platform to share the developmental efforts. Thus, Kutch Sankat Ane Punarvasvat Abhiyan was renamed as Kutch Nav Nirman Abhiyan to work as a supporting & networking organization to voluntary organizations of Kutch, on the issues, which are of common interest.
	Abhiyan Believes in … The network’s core belief is inculcating self-rehabilitation of the individual communities and given the drought prone nature of the area, is constantly ensuring that local capacities are built and the resources are maximized to avoid dependency. Abhiyan is committed to leveraging available resources to catalyze reconstruction and development and further strengthen the innate force of the community. External aid invariably carries the danger of weakening the spirit of self-reliance, and the challenge before Abhiyan is to make sure that the people of Kutch emerge stronger and richer in experience of cooperative and collaborative work.
	Abhiyan – NGO Linkage The NGOs that gathered under the network belonged to varied backgrounds. This grouping along with the help received from voluntary, technical and professional organisations form a strong collective of multi-speciality groups working in tandem towards a common goal. This common platform enabled the partners to share their developmental efforts in sectors like education, natural resources and disaster management, and work as a network that could influence policies. Abhiyan as a network plays a supportive role to its members to enhance their capacities to work for collective developmental activities and at the same time taking special care of not hindering their own core competencies.
	Collectively, the member organizations of Abhiyan cover around 450 villages in the district through their work in various sectors – such as

Natural resource management
Watershed management
Micro-credit
Livelihood up gradation and generation with craft artisans
Empowerment of Women
Health
Education
Drought management

In 1999 Abhiyan members identified a collective need within Organizations and initiated

Fellowship programmes for training a cadre of rural youth of the district in rural development and social work management. A detailed socio-economic, political and ecological database for each village Policy Advocacy within the district and State, focusing on
* Primary Education
* Drinking Water Management
* Disaster Management

The Earthquake The 26th January 2001 earthquake had its impact on the entire State of Gujarat, devastating in particular, most of the villages and towns of Kutch. The calamity took thousands of lives, left many injured, orphaned and homeless. Out of the 25 districts of Gujarat 21 districts, 181 talukas and 7633 villages fell prey to this devastation. After 16th June 1819, this was the first time that Kutch had suffered such an enormous loss of human life and property. The epicenter of the quake was 20 km North East of Kutch that caused maximum damage to Bhuj, Rapar, Anjar, Bhachau, Gandhidham and Mundra, affecting 884 villages. The total number of human deaths in Kutch was 12221 and the number of severely injured persons, 14382. In a tremendous response by civil society to the situation, more than 200 NGOs have been working in different sectors, namely, housing reconstruction, dam repair, health, education, handicrafts, livelihood and legal. With its prior experience in disaster management and local presence and network in all the blocks of Kutch, Abhiyan emerged as a nodal coordination point in the relief and rehabilitation efforts that began on January 26, 2001 in Kutch District.

By 2001, the network has grown into a caucus of 27 primary and associate community-based organizations.

• Relief Coordination(156 NGOs) • Setting up of the Setus (Earthquake Rehabilitation Support centres), which are rural information and co-ordination centres(also mandated by the State); iis a network of 18 centers covering 409 villages including vandhs. • KLINK (Kutch Local Information Kendra) provides comprehensive and updated socio-economic information on Kutch in order to service the needs of major three stake holders- the village community, Government and NGOs. It is being developed as the first online communication • Shelter Innovation & Support Centre to develop designs for seismic safe and cyclone safe houses, promoting local viable material. It has supported 30 villages and 20 organizations. • Craft Resource Centre to provide need based support to the NGOs working in the craft sector and to facilitate market linkages to various NGOs, individuals and group of artisans • data management and compilation of earthquake related information for the government, voluntary organizations and the general public through a six monthly publication - Coming Together; • Support to city rehabilitation processes through city groups

• Semi-Permanent Shelter (21,651 shelters in 253 villages) • Dam Repairing (10 minor irrigation scheme dams & 58 small dams) • Permanent Shelter ( 7035 permanent shelters in 105 villages) • Retrofitting (1506 houses in 47 villages) • Disabled Friendly Homes for Paraplegic Patients (43 houses in entire District) • Work shed reconstruction for artisans (192 work sheds in 11 villages) • Community Based Rehabilitation (Health Project covering 3100 patients under door to door physiotherapy) • Livelihood support to 63 Para Patients. • Drought Proofing Programme (30 Water Storage Structures constructed in 28 Villages) • Support to 300 tenant families for permanent housing in urban Bhuj (Ongoing) • Repairing of Hamirsar Lake.

As a coordinating Umbrella

As a network of NGOS

Funding Partners

The agenda of Abhiyan is supported by many national and international agencies, development organizations, the Government and most notably by American India Foundation (AIF), Care Today, Housing and Development Finance Corporation (HDFC), Janpath Citizens Initiative, Ministry of Rural Development (MORD), National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), National Tree Growers Co-operative Federation (NTGCF) / Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF), Sadbhavna, Save the Children, Swiss Development Corporation (SDC), Tata Relief Committee (TRC) and United Nations Development Program etc.

Abhi

Next Step

yan is on its way to search new frontiers of development in Kutch. The spirit is high and the vision is clear. The work executed till now is exemplary and hope it will not only continue but also increase and improve many folds. More well-wishers more experts and professionals will strengthen our effort, and join for the cause. The work might not be possible without active support and motivation of the various known and unknown voluntary organization, government officials, industrialists, donors, and dedicated individual volunteers.

Abhiyan expresses its deep indebtedness to all and believes this mission will continue for better!

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