A. Women’s Cooperative Bank
The Women’s Cooperative Bank was set up by Chethana Women and Community Development Multipurpose Cooperative Society Limited, a community-based organization, which was initiated, established and strengthened by CHRIST (Deemed to be University) in Yelachammanahalli. The bank began its operation from 7th February 2019.
The bank is catering to around 650 women belonging to 55 Self-Help Groups of women from 14 villages. CHRIST (Deemed to be University) is continuing to provide technical support to the bank.
The Women’s Cooperative Bank has enabled women to enjoy financial and livelihood security and to ensure a good education for their children.
B. Models of Sustainable Rural Development (MSRD):
1. Modification of Drinking Water Borewell Recharge Pit in Yelachammanahalli:
This interventions carried out in February 2019 is helping 40 families in the village to get potable water. The bore-well was the only source of drinking water for the 40 families. The recharge pit was modified by placing a steel mesh in between two layers of 2 mm stones. Charcoal placed in between the layers earlier was done away with as it gets destroyed within three to four years. The other designs remained the same as before. However, old damaged stone materials were removed and replaced with new ones.
The community people especially women provided the labor and they pledged to manage the recharge pit by themselves from henceforth. The water that was not potable before the modification work has become potable now and the water levels are likely to increase after the rains. 40 families are getting benefited.
2. De-silting of Check Dam in Yelachammanahalli:
In the same village, a Check Dam was de silted in March 2019. This will help in recharging the ground and surface water. As a result of the de-silting work, water collected in the natural water canal, which is around 2km long leading to the check dam, will be useful for the people and the cattle.
3. Construction of a Drinking Water Borewell Recharge Pit in Thaggali Hosahalli:
In Thaggali Hosahalli village, the drinking water bore well recharge pit, which was constructed in March 2019 is catering to 50 families. The water levels will increase after the rains and will not get too low during the summer.
C. Solar cum Electric Powered ‘Fan Gasifier Smokeless Chullah Production Unit‘
The smokeless chullah production unit is a collaborative effort of Christ (Deemed to be University), Bangalore, (through Centre for Social Action), Chethana Women and Community Development Multipurpose Souharda Cooperative Society and BlueMatch Clean Cooking Solutions Private Limited, a social enterprise.
The unit began its operation in July 2017 and is in Halasakaipura village in Hoskote Taluk and its services have reached many villages apart from the six villages chosen for the UBA project. From a humble beginning in a few villages, at present, it has expanded to two districts namely Bangalore Rural and Chikkaballapura.
Eight rural women and four personnel of the BlueMatch social enterprise are working in the production unit. Six more rural youth girls and women have been trained in sales and they are marketing the smokeless chullahs called as The BlueMatch Pragathi EcoStove, which is a Solar cum Electric Powered ‘Fan Gasifier’ Smokeless Chullah. The women are also producing BlueMatch EcoPellets, which is the optimum fuel for the Pragathi EcoStove.
The students and faculty of Christ (Deemed to University) are visiting the smokeless chullah unit and are getting sensitized about the importance of such technologies. They are providing support to the unit by creating awareness in the villages and motivating the rural families to purchase and use the smokeless chullahs.
So far more than 500 smokeless chullahs have been sold to the SHG members and others and they are reporting that they are getting benefited from less internal pollution (in the kitchen and the house).
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