Changes and Challenges

Interventions of BJSA in its operational area have resulted in the following impacts:

  1. There has been a marked increase in awareness level among the disadvantaged and dalit community regarding their rights and their self-esteem and have now started raising assertive voices.
  2. The people in the area were being exploited in the matters of land entitlement and wages. They have obtained land in 10 villages and started getting appropriate wages as well as equal wages both for men and women in a number of villages.
  3. CBOs have been formed and their capacities have been strengthened at different places in the operational area.
  4. The organisation has established excellent rapport with government officials at the block and district level. Through direct dialogue with the community and participation in their activities, BJSA is becoming a partner in the progress of the area.
  5. The organisation has established good relations with the print media who participate in its activities and provide adequate coverage in the local dailies. This has resulted in the recognition of the organisation at district and state level.

However at the same time the organisation also faces some tough challenges, such as:

  1. The issue of poverty is still potent. The poor and dalits have very little land, the rural non-farm sector has failed to generate employment, and the poor lack the skills required to make use of available opportunities.
  2. The society is still plagued by social evils and practices. The domination of men over women still continues; a consequence of this is female foeticide. The feudalistic mindset still exists leading to discrimination and denial of the lower castes and classes, including untouchability, exacerbated by the rise of capitalism.
  3. Upper caste people do not want to work with people belonging to lower castes. Prevailing casteism and class differences in the society affects the development of the area.
  4. The rapidity of climate change has put everything in disarray; winters are getting warmer, and monsoon uncertain. Farmers do not know when to row and when to reap. Global warming is affecting the environmental system.
  5. The economic downslide is affecting the organisation badly. The quantum of funding has decreased and donors are not willing to either extend the contracts further or take new proposals. As a result, the organisation is unable to extend its reach or make use of manpower to provide the cutting edge of professionalism to its interventions.