The document describes the activities of the Bombay Mothers and Children Welfare Society's Rural Development Project in Rajgurunagar, Pune district. It began in 2004 with the goal of improving health, education, sanitation, and livelihoods across 33 villages. Key programs include the Reproductive and Child Health program, adult literacy programs, vocational training for women, school beautification projects, health initiatives like de-worming, and empowering women's groups. The project also partners with organizations like TCS and HDFC to support activities like computer education, loans for sanitation, and more. Overall the project aims to foster self-sufficiency and empowerment across rural communities.

1. The Bombay mothers and
children's welfare society
THE RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECT AT
RAJGURUNAGAR, PUNE DISTRICT

2. Contents:
 Introduction
 The Reproductive Child Health Program
 The Modified Reproductive Child Health Program
 Novel Activities of the RCH program
 Other Activities of the Organization
 Empowerment of Women
 Association with TCS
 The teachers Club
 More on sanitation, health, and hygiene
 The Adult Literacy Program (ALP)
 Conclusion
 Future Plans
 Acknowledgements

3. Introduction
o Charitable trust established in 1919
o Functions via donations provided by both public and private trusts
-the Shahani Trust, the Dorabji Tata Trust, the Mahalaxmi
Temple Trust, and the Shri Sidhivinayak Mandir Trust.
o The organization has received 1.5 crores in donations
o All donations accepted are project specific
o Four major sectors of operation
o 1) Health in both city and rural areas
o 2) Child Care
o 3) Education
o 4) Comprehensive Rural Development Support System.
o Over the years the Trust has been involved in several activities in both urban and rural areas of
Maharashtra.

4. The Rural Development Project
 In 2004 we initiated the Rural Development Project
 Based in taluka Rajgurunagar of Pune district
 Brought to 29 villages (now 33) around our charitable Rajgurunagar
Hospital
 The program stemmed from the Reproductive Child
Health (RCH) program of the government of India,
which caters to mothers and children.

.

5. The Modified Reproductive Child Health
Program
o The modified program included the following new
objectives:
 Long-term family planning
 Targeting all age groups, not just one strata of the village population
 Improvement in areas of health and hygiene
 Inclusion of vocational training
 Improvement of schools
 Environmental protection
and improvement activities

6. Novel Activities of the Modified
RCH Program
 Informative audio-visual shows to school children
- Health and Hygiene
- Historically relevant and Fun
- Stories from the Isop and the Panchatantra
 Circulating libraries with twenty-five books each
 Donation of volleyballs and nets as well as carom boards to all schools for recreational purposes
 Regular health check-ups and vaccinations
 Development of cordial relationships between the students, parents, and teachers
 Encouraged schools to build playgrounds

7. Extension of the RCH program:
other activities of the program
 Eligible Couples Program
- Informs young mothers and fathers about:
- Importance family planning
- Use of birth control
- AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
- Use of informative films to spread awareness of such matters
 The De-worming Program
- Part of the regular health checkups
- Distributed 7000 de-worming tablets free of cost to all school
children and the neighboring villages

8. Extension of the RCH program cont’d:
other activities of the program
 Special training for adolescent girls
- Focus is on changes that occur during puberty
- Informative discussions with mothers and daughters
- Utilizing audio-visual shows
 Vocational Training
- Sewing and Tailoring classes
-Have benefited 1500 women in these areas so that they could
acquire new skills and start a business of their own.

9. Extension of the RCH program cont’d:
other activities of the program
o Horticultural classes
- very effective in informing the villagers about the means of increasing
and improving their yield
o Introduction to Composting

10. Empowerment of Women
 Partivartaks
- they are Volunteers/Liaisons
- Responsible for 15 to 20
households
- Promoting active leadership
roles, improvement of self-
confidence, & independence
 Dai Training program
- Primary medical care in the
villages in case of emergencies
- 80 girls have completed the
training and are working in
villages and nearby hospitals.
 Several women have begun
their own tailoring business
 Self-cultivation for rural girls
- Learning of Rangoli &
Mehendi, and participation in
various drawing and essay
writing competitions

11. Empowerment of women
 We have set up consciousness raising groups
 Women in each community discuss their problems,
concerns, joys and fears
 A group of fewer than 20 women sits in a circle
 In so doing, women share common experiences,
learn from each other, the community is brought
closer together, and women feel empowered

12. Association with TCS
 Our collaboration with Tata
Consultancy Services (TCS) has
provided a optimistic outlook
for the whole program.
 A computer lab equipped with
25 computers was donated by
TCS for rural students. Thus
far 800 students have passed
the official MSCIT exam.
 In order for students to best
benefit from these computers,
we trained 250 teachers from
the various schools in the most
up-to-date computer skills.
 Since English and computers
usually go hand-in-hand, we
offered, with the help of TCS,
English speaking classes for 40
teachers.

13. The Teachers’ Club
 A Teachers’ Club was started to help
spread awareness the best way possible:
directly by the villagers, to the villagers
 It brings various villages together so that
they can actively discuss the crucial
development of their futures.
 The teachers club satisfied the interest of
80 housewives from Rajgurunagar who
were looking to get involved. After three
months of training, these women became
volunteers for the organization.
 A group of 25 volunteers are actively
involved in conducting activities at
schools; they coordinate drawing camps
and also assess the English speaking and
computing classes.

14. Sanitation, Health, Hygiene
 The government of Maharashtra has recently begun an innovative contest where a
village that has constructed a certain number of toilets gets a sizable cash prize.
 We think this is a good program and have spread awareness to the villages on these
issues. So far 4 villages have met the 100% sanitation requirement, and many others are
following in their path.
 We have collaborated with HDFC bank, which has now begun to provide loans for the
village sanitation program. This way, the goal has become far more realistic.
 We also give lectures in the village schools; we describe the importance of basic
sanitation.

15. The adult literacy program
 Adult literacy program in 11 villages. TCS has been kind
enough to provide CDs in audio-visual format, which are
more interactive. The villagers themselves have been trained
in the programs and have now taken on the responsibility of
conducting them independently.
 We are also inaugurating 7 resource centers, each equipped
with 2 computers, sewing machines, 60 CD’s, and a library.
 Three villagers have already been trained for the operation of
computers and will conduct programs every day for different
age groups. We will shortly start an internet awareness
program in these centers as well.

16. Achievements:
 1500 ladies trained in complete tailoring.
 95 girls trained as ‘Dai’.15 in training now.
 280 girls trained in Tailoring, Computers, Rangoli Mehendi
and English speaking from vacation batch. (This will be a
regular feature now, continuing in all vacations.)
 1435 boys from schools trained in basic computers.
 350 students completed certificate exam of Maharashtra Govt.
 250 graduates hold good jobs due to computer training
 50 housewives are trained in computers.
*They now earn in non-farming seasons.*

17. Sanitation Programme
 4 Villages completed sanitation programme.
 Were awarded Nirmal gram prize by President of
India.
 2 villages have completed 95 % work in sanitation
 Several villages have taken loans from HDFC bank to
complete sanitation program.
 Innovative method for loan – no mortgage, no
surety, no Guarantee; small savings Groups.
 Constant motivation and continuing education
through posters and audio visual shows.

18. De-worming
 7000 students receive anti-helminthes tablets, free
of charge, every year.
 Initiative has shown remarkable change in health.
 Increased attendance in school.
 Reduced medical expenses.

19. BANANA PLANTATION
 Planted 7500 banana trees so far.
 At first one plant in each house; now two.
 Tissue culture plants
-guaranteed yield, pest resistant.
 Each tree yields 800 BANANAS IN ONE YEAR
 Good healthy supportive NUTRITION, which is
especially important for Rural children.
 Also will augment family income
-they can sell the surplus fruit as they wish

20. Small Savings Group Leaders Training Programme

21. Banana Plant Distribution

22. A maturing banana tree

23. A GIANT banana tree!!

24. Micro-Financing Education
 We provide support for education up to Rs 1000/
 No interest if returned in 3 months.
 Has helped 200 Students to complete
their computer education.
 Facilitation of larger loans through banks.

25. School Beautification
 Started in 39 schools from 15 August 2007
 We hoped it will impact positively:
-School environment and surroundings
-Creativity
-Pride in
school and self
-Academic
performance
-Camaraderie
among peers

26. Impact of Rural Development Program
 250 English teachers from entire Taluka are eager to take
English speaking classes.
 10 surrounding villages are pressing upon our organization to
initiate the programme in their villages; we hope to do so.
 Initiative has shown we care and given villagers hope, and
therefore the necessary boost to pursue their dreams.
 Small saving groups have become advisors to villagers for
improving income.
 Micro-financing possibilities have been facilitated.
 Widely spread awareness of various critical health issues.
 Proactive mitigation of health problems in villages.
 We have shown an innovative way to reform the RCH program.
 Will we spark a similar interest in others? We certainly hope so!

27. Future Plans:
 Although the organization has come a long way there
still remains room for improvement. Some of the
future plans of the organization include:
 Planting of one more banana plant in each home
(and perhaps more) in August 2008.
 Building of Science labs for standard 8th, 9th, and
10th children at the center.
 Continued training of a batch of 250 teachers in
English as the demand keeps rising, and
 Hobby Home for children Age 7-10 to improve and
develop flight of imagination

28. How You Can Participate:
 One village can be developed over a period of 2 years.
 All the above mentioned activities will be conducted.
 2 trained workers from village will conduct the programme.
 Supervised by our staff.
 We can do this all at very affordable cost.
ONLY RS 350,000/
Three lakh fifty thousand/year/village

29. Impact an area of your choice:
 Support a Patient Rs 2500-10000.
 Fix someone’s Vision Rs 2500.
 De-worming Programme Rs 45000(7500kids)
 Support Child Education Rs 2500/yr.
 Computer Education Rs 2500/child
 Bicycle for a Student Rs 2500.
 Library in School (39) Rs 12000.
 Science Laboratory (7) Rs 70000.
 Beautify a School Rs 7500.
 Sports and activities Rs 7500
 Banana plants (2/house) Rs 60.
 Vermiculture unit/house Rs 4000
 Horticulture training Rs 4000/person
 Fruit bearing trees (5/house) Rs 1000/per house

30. Impact an area of your choice:
 Tailoring training Rs 1000.
 Rangoli mehendi classes Rs 7500/pm
 Sewing machine for women Rs 3500.
 Plant 5 useful trees per house Rs 500
 Construction of toilet Rs 8000.
Summer activities for rural girls
 Computer education Rs 25000/pm
 English speaking classes Rs 25000/pm
 Tailoring classes Rs 25000/pm
 Rangoli,Mehendi,ceramic Rs 25000/pm

31. Conclusion:
 The rural development project is a multi-faceted and
innovative program.
 It has grown and has already fulfilled almost all of its
initial objectives.
 The program has also been very remarkably successful in
motivating the villagers to make a change in their lives
and their respective villages by taking responsibility and
initiative for several activities started by the organization.
 Perceptible change in one’s mindset is the true
development.
development.
 Our Goal: Bestow upon villagers the Knowledge, Knowledge,
Skills, Well-
Skills, Well-being and Confidence to pursue
their dreams.

32. Thank you for your attention!

33. Bombay Mothers and Children Welfare Society
Rural Development Project

34. Science olympaid
 250 rural students appeared for science Olympiad
exam.
 HIGHEST NO OF STUDENTS APPEARING FROM
ANY ONE CENTER IN MAHARASHTRA.
 87% result. And 30%scoring more than 85% marks