Enhancement of Income of the Mica Collector Communities in 10 Villages in Kodarma District of Jharkhand
01 November 2017 - 31 March 2019
Project status : closed
Locations(s) : Kodarma District in Jharkhand
Partners : Terre des Hommes (TdH), Netherlands , Association for Stimulating Know-how (ASK)
Related SDGs : SDGs: SDG 1, SDG 4, SDG 5, SDG 10
This project aims to make appropriate livelihood interventions for the communities dependent solely on the collection of mica for their livelihood. The objective is to improve their economic status, further leading to improvement of their overall living conditions and access to education and rights for their children, particularly the child labour.
Brief Overview of the Project :
The Project “Enhancement of Income of the Mica Collector Communities in 10 Villages in Kodarma District of Jharkhand” is an initiative of Terre des Hommes Netherlands, Association for Stimulating Know-how (ASK), and its implementing partner At-Grassroots, which aims to increase the income level of the mica collectors (individual and group collectors) in 10 villages in Kodarma district. The project will be implemented for a period of 17 months (from November 2017 to March 2019) and will be executed two phases, namely: Inception & Preparation Phase (Zero Period) of 5 months (from November 2017 to March 2018) and Implementation Phase (from April 2018 to March 2019). This project is designed and forms part of a broader Mica Initiative that TdH-NL is implementing with a variety of stakeholders in India and Europe. The Mica initiative is designed for a period of five years with a specific aim to address Child Labour in the Mica Industry in Jharkhand, India. The identified project initiative focuses on community based initiatives. The TdH-NL Mica initiative in Jharkhand has a clear Child Protection focus and is designed to remove child labourers from the Mica mines and industry. Providing families with a steady and regular income is one of the important project components identified, which will contribute to a sustainable removal of Child Labour from the Mica industry.
Developments So far: Following developments have been occurred in the project so far:
- identification of a cluster of suitable villages for the interventions (based on criteria : almost all families involved in mica collection, presence of interested mine owners/ buyers/ processing units)
- setup of field office, recruitment of suitable field staff for ATG team, orientation to staff, capacity building to staff members
- situational analysis assessment of the mica supply chain from villages to Kodarma processing units,
- a detailed baseline study about every individual families in the selected villages
- a detailed study on the existing additional/ alternate income generation activities in the region including explorations with Krishi Vigyan Kendra (Agriculture Research Centre), Animal Husbandry Research Centre and other relevant institutions in the district.
- Mapping of existing NGOs working in that area, microfinance institutions, formal banking institutions, etc.
- Establish and strengthen the rapport with district officials related to livelihood of mica dependant families.
- Consultations with others stakeholder who are connected with mica supply chain.
Activities planned:
The project will be in full-fledged action in all villages. This project will focus on the mobilisation and organisation of the men and women in mica collector groups & their federations. It will aim to strengthen capacities of these groups, and facilitate credit support and market linkages. The project will ultimately aim to provide the opportunity for a steady family income throughout the year and ensure that their children are not engaged in Child Labour practices but can go to school.
Proposed Interventions with different actors during the Project Implementation Phase:
Children of the Mica Collectors/ Families: This livelihood initiative will work closely with the parents of Child Labourers, and aims to contribute to increase and sustain a family income which will result in the sustainable removal of children from the mica mines and allowing children to attend school. The project will measure how additional family income is spent and how it contributes to the wellbeing of their children.
Families and Communities (Focusing on Mica Collectors: both Individuals and Group): The project will build the capacity of collector groups and the Mica Workers Federation for effectiveness and organisation sustainability. The project will facilitate collective marketing and access to fair prices for the Mica collected. It will also facilitate financial support and linkages for potential alternative/supplementary livelihoods, wherever possible. Relevant linkages with existing Government livelihood schemes will be ensured.
Government: The project will establish linkages with relevant government departments to facilitate access of target communities to government schemes meant for the informal sector and unorganized sector workers. The project shall also work with relevant government departments to promote additional income generating opportunities (like veterinary services, cattle insurances, etc). The identification of the relevant Government departments and appropriate schemes shall be undertaken during the inception phase of the project.
Civil Society Organisations: Local civil society organisations (including existing CBOs & NGOs in the area), who are working with the same target groups will be linked during the implementation phase in order to leverage relevant resources for the benefits of the mica collector groups.
Private Sector: Relevant private sector players, such as mica traders, locally-operating micro-finance institutions, and other relevant entities will be identified and necessary linkages will be forged between them and the mica collectors.
The project is to improve the livelihoods of mica families and children in the target villages in Kodarma district of Jharkhand. Six (6) priority activities of the project include:
- Community Mobilisation and Organisation of the Women and Men workers around Mica Collectors Groups and then formalizing these groups into Federations.
- Capacity Building of the Collectors Groups and their Federation
- Facilitating collective marketing and access to fair price for Mica collection
- Providing opportunities for alternative livelihood, wherever possible
- Financial Support and establishing financial linkages for the men and women Mica Workers through their Collector Groups & Federations
- Facilitating Access to Government Schemes meant for the informal sector and unorganised workers
