Empowering Communities Through Trust, Integrity and Expertise
Dist. Churu, Rajasthan, India had problems related to drinking water. She had to fetch the water from a Community Kund located at a distance 500 meters. Away from her home and wait for a long time in the queue. She came to know about the roof-top rainwater harvesting program of BCT. She decided to build a Kund in her house connected to the roof for the collection of rain water. She willingly contributed 15% of the construction cost in the form of labor. Now the Kund fulfills the drinking water needs of her family and a buffalo that she owns. The milk yield of the buffalo also increased because of sweet water, which resulted in an additional income of Rs. 1000/- per month.
Krishna Devi, 38, village Bhorugram, Dist. Churu, Rajasthan, India married at an early age of 7 years and has for children. Her husband is migrant agriculture labourer, and hence seasonal employment made it difficult to meet the day to day needs of the family. Krishna Devi and 13 others women formed Shitla Mata SHG and started saving Rs. 50 per month. In the year 2004 she availed a loan of Rs. 20,000/- from the group and started a bangle shop in the village. Now she is able to earn Rs. 1500 – Rs. 2000/- per month to meet her basic needs. She now feels financially more secured and increased the saving from Rs. 50 to Rs. 100/- per month in the group. Her total savings are now Rs. 8,600.00/- and she is planning to avail another loan of Rs. 50,000/- to construct a room for her son and expand the bangle business.
Keshra Ram, a BPL farmer of village Ghumanda of Ratangarh block, district Churu, Rajasthan, India was motivated to join the District Poverty Eradication Programme (DPIP) a World Bank funded program, especially for the upliftment of BPL families. He along with 9 others formed a Common Interest Group (CIG) under the name of Shri Ganesh CIG. The group identified horticulture through rainwater harvesting as livelihood opportunity, by constructions of Kunds in their small piece of land. Ber was identified as the possible fruit plant for the arid region. The group members contributed the margin money (labour cost) of Rs. 70,075/- against which they received an amount of Rs. 7,00,750/- as subsidy for the construction of 10 Kunds and plantation in their small piece of land to develop Ber orchard. Within a period of two years the small piece of barren land was converted into an orchard of Ber enabling Mr. Keshra Ram to earn Rs. 25,000 from the first crop.
Jai Singh, aged 45, a resident of village Dhani Kumharan, Rajgarh block, Dist. Churu, Rajasthan, Inda had lost his all hopes of seeing the world again. He came to know about the Eye Camps held at BCT Hospital & visited the camp. The ophthalmologist suggested him that he could regain his eye sight by corneal transplantation. BCT arranged for his trip to Jaipur & with the assistance of Eye Bank Society of Rajasthan the corneal transplantation was carried out successfully. Now Jai Singh & his family members are very happy that he is able to see the light of the world again and lead an independent life.
