Shristi (meaning – Creation)
is an evolving organization with ample
substance and hidden treasure of doable
ideas for next generation development
happenings. The organization has been
started and promoted by three IRMANs with
more than half a century of experience
among themselves in practicing and researching
rural development. Over the years, the
organization has been able to create its
niche in the development sector. Thematic
focus on micro finance & access to
preventive health practices, livelihoods
and micro enterprise has evolved over
the years as its thrust areas for impacting
change and development in the villages
of Orissa. Creativity and efficiency is
considered as benchmark for staff members
for leading various programmes on behalf
of the organization. In the operational
areas of SHRISTI in tribal dominated Keonhjar
and adjoining Dhenkanal districts of Orissa,
a majority of rural populace lives with
abysmal poverty with lack of livelihood
options and do not have access to formal
credit systems. Taking the advantage of
then enunciated Self Help Cooperative
Act by Govt of Orissa, SHRISTI tried to
bring in innovative micro-finance model
to enhance access to easy credit. However,
having learnt about the use of almost
three fourth of the loan on health remedies,
SHRISTI expanded its portfolio to enhance
access to preventive health practices
to enable loan utilization on productive
purposes. Search for enhancing production
from investments of labour and money and
an easy access to products, drove SHRISTI
to launch its livelihood programme.There
is a group of distinguished advisors drawn
from academia, rural development professionals
and senior citizens to guide the organization.
Self Help
Cooperatives Leaders’ Training Programme
in Keonjhar
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During its existence of only five years,
the organization has been able to develop
and promote democratized and viable village
and GP (Gram Panchayat) level institutions
and groups, which are truly owned, controlled
and managed by its members. The beauty
of Shristi’s approach in building
people’s or community organizations
lies in its belief and promotion of self-reliance
and democratic governance. While building
people’s institutions like women
self help cooperatives, farmers’
groups and forest protection groups from
the very beginning, SHRISTI emphasizes
democratic participation and decision
making by the members as well as ensures
members’ contributions in management
of the institution.
The organization has been capacitating
people’s institution in such a fashion
that they themselves play a pragmatic
role in shaping the future of their members
and their own locality. Shristi has promoted
the first breed of Women Self Help Cooperatives
in Keonjhar and Dhenkanal districts of
Orissa by taking advantage of the new
self-help cooperative act 2001 of the
state. There is now a conducive environment
for replication of the women self help
cooperatives in other parts of Orissa.
The organization is guided by core belief
of infusion and diffusion of knowledge
and technology for holistic development
of the society. Shristi has been able
to introduce and ensure adoption of innovative,
locally relevant, food security technologies
like rice ratooning, multi-tier paddy
cultivation, use of biopesticides and
organic manures etc. Simple, innovative
technologies, which can bring about improvements
to quality of life and livelihood of the
impoverished is nurtured and practiced
by all the staff members. Rice ratooning
and tall rice cum dwarf rice cultivation
system helps to get double return from
same piece of land. Both the practices
are being popularized among the farm families
in the operational area of Shristi in
Keonjhar and Dhenkanal.
Rice ratooning
demonstration
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In-depth understanding of development
and related issues precedes all the development
interventions by the organization. The
organization also participates in relevant
studies and research that has a bearing
in impacting positive outcomes in the
life and livelihood of the poor. Shristi
is the nodal agency for scouting, documentation
and dissemination of green grass root
technologies on behalf of NIF (National
Innovation Foundation), an independent
body under the Department of Science and
Technology, Government of India.
Net working and alliance building to
disseminate innovative ideas, approaches,
and models is one of the key areas of
interest of Shristi. There has been a
very cordial and effective collaboration
and partnership with many NGOs, research
institutions and government departments.
Shristi has been able to forge effective
and working relationship with national
and international donors, Govt departments,
undertakings and research institutions.
The organization plays a platform to
bright ideas and provides opportunities/scope
to young and senior development workers
to plough back their expertise and innovative
ideas, which has a potential to transform
the poverty geographies of Orissa. In
the process the organization has been
able to rope in professionals and scientists
having educational (mostly rural management,
technology and social sciences) background
from reputed institutes like Institute
of Rural Management Anand (IRMA), Gujarat,
Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology
(O.U.A.T.), Tata Institute of Social Sciences
(TISS), Xavier Institute of Social Sciences
(XISS), Ranchi etc. and work experience
from leading institutions like India Council
of Agriculture and Research (ICAR), New
Delhi , Professional Assistance for Development
Action (PRADAN), New Delhi, Ramakrishna
Mission Ashram, Kolkata, Centre for Youth
and Social Development (CYSD), Bhubaneswar,
Agragamee, Bhubaneswar and United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP).
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Organizational Experiences
of the key founders
Implementing projects of leading organizations
like WFP, UNDP, SDC, CARE, UNICEF, OXFAM,
Andheri Hilfe, Action Aid, BASAID, Ramkrishna
Mission, IGSSS and Corporate experiences
of Nagarjuna Group, ITC, ZENECA, ADVANTA
& Godrej Group etc
Skills with Key Founders
Fair knowledge of all the specific tools
of LFA, SL Framework, Baseline surveys,
Techno-Economic feasibility study, Benchmark
studies, Interim project evaluations,
Project monitoring & control, Market
access studies, PRA, RRA & PRM etc.
Experience of Shristi
