Collaboration with Government:
MYRADA collaborates with Government because it recognises that this is a strategic link in its effort to upscale in terms of programmes as well as to initiate policy change. Apart from the initiative related to rehabilitation in the Upper Krishna Project, and the watershed management programme in Gulbarga, MYRADA has entered into formal collaborations with i) The Women Development Corporations of both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu (both in IFAD supported projects and in the Devadasi programme), ii) The Karnataka Forest Department in the Western Ghats Project (supported by DFID-UK), iii) The Department of Non-Conventional Energy Resources in the Biogas Programme, iv) The Agricultural Engineering Department of Tamil Nadu in Kattery Watershed project, an Indo German Bilateral initiative, v) The Andhra Pradesh Government in Anantapur District under a UNDP sponsored rural poverty alleviation programme, vi) The Government of Karnataka (RD & PR) in a Drinking Water and Sanitation Programme supported by the World Bank, vii) The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in a Krishi Vigyan Kendra based in Talavadi, Erode District, viii) The Karnataka Watershed Development Society (KAWAD) supported by DFID-UK and the GOK to implement a watershed programme in Molakalamuru, Chitradurga District.

MYRADA has a long standing collaboration with NABARD in several innovative initiatives over a period of 13 years starting with NABARD's support under R & D in 1987 to promote Self Help Groups and policy change related to SHGs. The related training and exposure programmes have so far covered 3650 Bank Officers. NABARD is also involved with MYRADA in developing a District Strategy by bringing in RRBs and DCCBs to promote SHG Districts.

Programmes Abroad: MYRADA has been actively involved in promoting the SHG and watershed strategies in other countries, notably in Cambodia, Myanmar, and Kyrghiz Republic. Our staff visits these countries to train local people and to assist in strategic planning.

Health: MYRADA has not taken the lead in this sector; it has learnt from others. MYRADA's health programme, however is a major one. It focuses on providing infrastructure support to existing Government facilities which are ill-equipped, arranging health camps and early detection and referral of chronic diseases and disabilities, capacity building of local level health volunteers, intensive school health education and check-up for children from standards 6 -10. During the past two years a pilot project supported by PLAN has been promoted in 30 villages for the prevention of low birth weight, maternal and child malnutrition and the promotion of intellectual and mental development of the child through early infant stimulation by the family care giver. A unique community based awareness campaign on HIV-AIDS prevention, which started in 1994, has been completed successfully in 4 taluks of Belgaum District. A major programme on environmental hygiene is being promoted in collaboration with the World Bank and Government of Karnataka in two Districts. A nine-month family planning and health training programme sponsored by the Population Foundation of India was conducted in Chitradurga District for Panchayat representatives.

Aloysius Prakash Fernandez

Director, MYRADA