Director’s Note

The Coronavirus pandemic has disrupted lives across the globe, even as countries struggle with lockdowns, and medical experts try to grapple with newer manifestations of the disease. In India, as bad as the pandemic,  is the distress conditions of untold daily wagers as they suffer without work and without food in the cities, and long very much to return to their villages. The Governments are hard put to handle the huge numbers.

In Agragamee we have been working closely with the Government to help as many stranded migrant labourers as we can. Even though the impact is small, considering the magnitude of the problem, we feel happy, we have been able to at least help a few people. Our campaign of distributing food and hygiene kits in the villages has continued. More importantly, responding to the community’s felt needs we have started evening learning centres for early grades and drop outs, and have taken up planning and designing village development with the Government and the community so that people need never again migrate in distress.

We invite you to join with us, and make all effort to help the toiling people, on whose shoulders our economy rests.

Visit of District Collector Nabrangpur

On 13.05.2020, Dr. Ajit Kumar Mishra, Collector and District Magistrate, Nabarangapur graced the food distribution programme of Agragamee in Padaaunli village, Lamtaguda Gram Panchayat, Tentulikhunti Block, along with the Block Development Officer, and 2^nd Officer of Indravati Police Station.

He also reviewed the land development works under the MGNREGA and interacted with women and community representatives. Reviewing the list provided by the  Ward Member, he instructed the BDO to ensure pensions to 30 aged, and 5 PWDS who were excluded.
 
To improve accessibility to the village, the District Collector instructed the Assistant Engineer (AE) to construct a Culvert. He also told to expedite completion of the Anganwadi building.
 
In Tagapali village, Lamtaguda Panchayat, the DC reviewed the MGNREGA Work, including the dressing and grass turfing of the farmpond, and land development over 45 acres.

These were taken up as part of the GO-NGO collaborative efforts under the Echo-village development project implemented by Agragamee, with support from  BMZ-KKS, Germany.

This collaboration has effectively driven an additional Rs.13,50,000 for village development works under MGNREGS.
 
Dr. Mishra praised Agragamee for taking up these noble initiatives for the needy people of Tentulikhunti Block.  

Agragamee School Goes to the Villages

Responding to the demand from the villages,  Agragamee sought volunteers who would take take up education in the villages. Very happily, several youth stepped forward eager to provide a service to the children in their villages.

First amongst these were Lata Harijan from Badamaribhata, Susheela Majhi from Katali, Koitha Jhodia from Ratapada and Santoshi Jhodia from Parajashila.
 
We are truly proud that three of these girls have studied in Agragamee School, and are now in the middle of their Plus 2 classes. As their colleges have closed indefinitely  they are eager to contribute and help children get basic education.

Mrs. Kanakamani Das, Head Mistress Agragamee School put them through a two-day training programme, helping them understand the Agragamee School model and innovative methods of classroom management, developed through our long experience in non-formal education. Very importantly they also learnt games and songs to engage and involve children in the classroom processes and  made TLM and song sheets to take with them to the village schools.

They will be provided regular refresher training on a weekly basis, so that they can develop their understanding along  with hands-on teaching in the village education centres.

Campaign to stop the Transmission of COVID 19

In Rayagada Block, Agragamee organised COVID-19 Preventive Awareness Campaign in 19 villages under  Kutuli and Kumbhikota GP of Rayagada block. A total of 1778 households were sensitised, 500 soaps distributed for hand-wash and  15 village hoardings were posted  on CORONA-19  prevention measures like wearing of mask , maintaining of one meter social distance in public places like at tubewell, bathing places beside the river, and at market places and offices. Instructions include use of herbal teas and hot water and description of symptoms when the doctor should be consulted.