This program is being implemented in 100 villages of Patan district. Out of school children between 9 -14 years of age who are engaged in child labour or other activities are identified. The parents of such children are counseled and the children ware sent to school again. So far 1107 have been identified as out of school children and 672 of them have been given admission in schools again. In addition, 896 families of child laborers and other vulnerable families have been linked with the various welfare schemes of the State Government.
Yonganjali is a local partner of CottonConnect under BCI Program. The objectives of the BCI programme are to make cotton production Better for the Farmers, Better for the Environment and to ensure a Better future for the cotton based industry.
The programme is aimed at promoting judicious use of water and reduction in chemical fertilizers and pesticides in cotton farming. The programme also helps to share international information related to cotton production and brings traceability and transparency in cotton supply.
The cotton, under the BCI programmes is produced with the minimum use of pesticides and economic use of water resources. In addition, the programme also takes care of fertility of land and the quality of cotton produced. Thus, the cotton produced is known as ‘better cotton’..
This program is being implemented in 99 villages of Patan, Chanasma and Harij blocks with the primary objectives of reducing the investments made in agriculture and increasing production output and profits by growing better/organic cotton.
Around 8000 farmers are part of this program. As part of the program the farmers are given training in soil preparation by soil testing, seed identification and seed testing, using only as much chemical fertilizer as needed, economizing use of water during irrigation, limiting use of harmful pesticides for crop protection, quality of cotton fibres etc.
They are also supported for the implementation of these on their farms. Demonstration plot has been made to explain these as well as use of organic fertilizer, kitchen garden, micro-nutrient foramen tap, spray pump etc.
Farmers participating in this program have also been linked with various government schemes. It has been observed that those farmers who participated in this program have reported a decrease of 35-40% in expenditure on cultivation and an increase of around 5-10% in cotton production.
Different activities and programs are organized to instill Gandhiji’s sarvodaya philosophy among children. A sarvodaya patra has been kept in the school where children and social workers put in their offerings after their prayers .The amount collected is used for the needy children. Sarvoday is a term meaning “universal upliftment”.
During 1990 to 2006 total 1250 toilets have been made in under developed 45 villages of N.G. and explained to the village people the importance of cleanliness.
Under the Total Sanitation Campaign, 2500 BPL (Below Poverty Line) families in Siddhpur were supported for construction of toilets in their homes.
Save the Girl Child campaign was organized in Siddhpur and Visnagar blocks. Meetings were organized in different colleges, with caste and community groups, women’s groups etc. A huge women’s convention was organized in Visnagar town attended by more than 2000 women. The issue of declining number of girls in the society, its consequences and the scenario for the future was shared and discussed in an attempt to create awareness on the seriousness of issue.
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