Questions/Answers

This initiative “Mission for Empowerment of Tribal Bonded Laborers” started with the rescue of bonded laborers identified by the District Administration during 2014-2017. Thereafter 101 acres of land was allocated for them in a village called Meesanallur in Vandavasi Taluk where Housing infrastructure along with livelihood activities are provided to them. It aims to address various issues faced by them like Poverty, Illiteracy, Homelessness, Caste based discrimination, Child labor, Gender inequality, Social stigma, Child marriage and Others. All the above issues needed a “Target Specific Innovative Approach” rather than the conventional “One Size Fit All Approach”. The Objectives of the initiative are : Ensuring necessary living conditions to them, Permanent recovery of them from the Bonded labor system, Ensuring decent standard of living, Improving their social status, Providing sustainable source of income, Socio economic empowerment of them, Providing child friendly environment, Shifting to Renewable energy, Improving health consciousness of themselves and their family members, Holistic community empowerment, Educational empowerment, Increasing access to safety financial nets through SHGs, Effective implementation of various government schemes through Convergence, Enhancing Community leadership , Increasing health and nutrition, Increasing their confidence in government welfare and rehabilitative measures, Increasing Community resilience, Increasing the protection of women and children, Reducing migration in seek of Job opportunities, Reducing and nullifying their vulnerability to bondage disaster, Reducing unemployment, Holistic rehabilitation leading to physical and psychological restoration.

This initiative for Nominations for the UNPSA 2021, is linked to the second category which is Enhancing the Effectiveness of Public Institutions to reach the SDGs. The District Administration have converged and collaborated a total of 21 Government departments under the chairmanship of the District Collector to provide complete rehabilitation for the victims of bonded labor. All the livelihood activities are owned by the beneficiaries and all the decisions relating to social and financial issues are taken in a democratic.

The SDGs chosen for this initiative, NO POVERTY: by providing sustainable livelihood, education for the younger generation this whole community could be retrieved from the condition they were in, earlier. By promoting profitable income generating activities as providing Milch animals, setting up brick kilns, charcoal making units and Azola cultivation. The next SDG is ZERO HUNGER: it is notable to say that even in this Pandemic season, the Public Distribution System had ensured a community common kitchen was established for the food distribution. The next SDG, GOOD HEALTH AND WELL BEING: these are monitored by the village Nurse for any health, psychosocial for any traumatic situation arising out of the pandemic situation and in general. The next SDG this entails is the GENDER EQUALITY: this initiative promotes this equality through equal job opportunity for both the genders at par, in livelihood activities at brick kiln, charcoal making and Employment Guarantee Scheme related work. The next SDG is QUALITY EDUCATION: through sophisticated Anganwadis, evening activity centers, ensuring school education without any dropouts. Next SDG is the CONVERGENCE: About 21 Government Departments converging in the execution of this initiative, for enhancing the effectiveness of Public Institutions to reach the SDGs.

The District Administration has accomplished the social sustainability by eradicating the social stigma associated with them through issuance of citizenship entitlements like Food safety, Comprehensive Health Insurance, Educational facilities for the children. Economic Sustainability is achieved by Rotational and Passive economy model for the livelihood activities in which the beneficiaries after sharing profits will ensure certain quantum of profit gets reinvested into next cycle of production. Environmental sustainability is ensured by inclusion of eco-friendly infrastructure in the project like Solar gas panel, Biogas plant, Vermi compost unit. Grass cultivation for the cows is done within the community housing.

With reference to India, Tiruvannamalai District, the significant shortfall faced by the District Administration is that, when this community was freed from bondage, they were provided with conventional Relief and Rehabilitation measures like relief amount, free land and houses for the betterment of their lives. Ironically, the relief amount could not reach many on time, due to lack of identity proof, community certificate and bank accounts. The land provided for housing facilities to be built was very far from habitable environment like school, hospital, transportation. With lack of money, they could not even invest initial investment to avail the free houses sanctioned to them. These short falls were addressed through sustainable mechanisms like creating ownership of the livelihood projects like brick kiln, charcoal making, Paper bag making. They were registered for identity proof, like ration cards, Aadhar cards and open bank accounts, any changes are also immediately taken note of. This community has also been provided with voters’ card for exercising their democratic rights for the first time. The need to educate the children, by providing transportation, funding for higher studies, so that there are no drop-outs has been addressed to.

All the livelihood activities are manned by women SHG who will decide requirement of man power on a daily basis. They also look after the management of livelihood activities including bank transaction and preparation of balance sheet. Also all decision making in the community is made by women, as a Human Centered Design. Equal job opportunity for both the genders with equal wages are paid. Membership card for each livelihood activity is given under the name of women indicating women as family head. Additionally, Petrol bunk and the Paper bag Making unit is completely operated by women.

The target group the IRULARS’ who are known for their prowess for catching snakes, rats, venom extractors, tribal clan, perennially illiterate,downtrodden, ignorant of their basic rights to live. This initiative has been taken to rescue, relieve, rehabilitate and empower them. After rescuing them, it was imperative for the District Administration, to provide them with sustainable livelihood, create work opportunities for this tribal group. This was sorted out by building brick kiln, charcoal making units, creating community based self-sufficiency. This project is successful because of convergence of 21 Government Departments at the cost of US $ 2,572,226.47. For instance, earlier they earned merely USD 0.5 per day – USD 3-5 per week, now they are able to earn USD 4 per day – USD 29 per week. On observation, the current income generation status i.e., income of about 25 families engaged in Brick Kiln is about USD 6047 per month, for charcoal it is about USD 4031.80 per month. According to business plan, this earning capacity is expected to double or triple in the next year and thereafter to many folds in the upcoming years, enhancing their quality of life with uniqueness as to see family, as an unit and not individuals.

This distinctive initiative came into action, when 100 families were rescued from the clutches of the rich landlords, who have had them as bonded laborers for years. Their plight was so worse that the District Administration, sought to give them an alternate housing facility by identifying 101 acres of land in consultation with community at the cost of USD 2,572,226.47. After settled on their housing project, for sustainable economic growth they were provided with livelihood activities like Milch Cows, 143 Milch cows were bought and one cow was given to each family. The aim was that these cows will really give these families a meaningful income, but when cows were not maintained owing to lack of knowledge they were immediately converted as a community asset than individuals. Brick Kiln was set up by the District Administration along with the raw material for making them, they were bought back by the District Administration for their other housing projects. Charcoal unit was set up creating employable opportunities along with the allied raw materials needed. Paper Bag unit has been set up to supply the district demands since plastic ban. Petrol Bunk are being set up in IRULARS’ society, to which effect a land has been identified near highway given to the society, a self-help group has been formed for this purpose at a cost of USD 49724.60. Education has been the prime issue after housing, livelihood, transportation has been provided for children so that they attend school and there are no drop-outs. Older children are being helped with financial assistance for college education. Health camps are being conducted to assess their health conditions. Self-reliance, equal wage pay are also the keys to success for this community empowerment.

The major obstacles encountered are: there were lots of hesitation among them to accept any change in their way of living, lack of capacity building among them led to poor maintenance of cows resulting in their death, lack of feeling of togetherness among themselves, fear of losing livelihood, inability to sell milk. These obstacles were overcome by: creation of sustainable livelihood opportunities, pucca housing infrastructure, creation of Integrated cow shed as community asset, inculcating sense of community social responsibility through activities like mass cleaning, procurement of their products directly by Government or selling to private buyers with support of Government.

This initiative is innovative in the following context : not focused on the temporary upliftment of the bonded labors but on their permanent empowerment, did not rely itself on a single source of income due to diverse employment opportunities, with almost every livelihood activity being tribal friendly none needed any specific training for the tribal to get employed, unique mechanism of income sharing – i) Weekly payment of Salary ii) 50% of the profits given as dividend iii) 50% of the remaining will be used for providing soft loans to save them from falling into the trap of money lenders again.

During 2006 as part of Tsunami Relief and Rehabilitation measure the Nagapattinam District Administration was involved in the rehabilitation of 25000 fishermen families who were the major victims of disaster. The district administration not only provided alternative shelter for them but also their traditional occupational needs like Boat, Fishing net, Inland fishing farm. This became one of the successful rehabilitation project which ensured improvement in the physical, economical and psychological wellbeing of the community. The same sustainable rehabilitation model where I have worked as Tsunami Relief and Rehabilitation Officer for 3.5 years is incorporated in this initiative with some advancements.

This initiative features, usage of digital platforms like Public Distribution system, Unique Identity number for individuals for their health. Smart phone usage is secured through public private partnership for communication, decision making and leadership promotion. Payment of wages for some through the online transactions via banks. The limitation of illiteracy is overcome with smart phones for voice notes, videos and photos. The vision Digital India is implemented for transforming into Digitally empowered society, where people are connected to various departments of the District Administration. Also other frontier technologies like Bio gas plant and Solar Panels were installed on each household.

YES, the initiative had been transferred and adapted to other regions of the district : i) the concept of creation of community housing infrastructure was done in 9 regions of the district – Thandrampattu (35 houses), Thellar (49 houses), Kananthampoondi (66 houses), Puthupalayam (15 houses), Pazhaveri (10 houses), Anakkavoor (6 houses), Vembakkam (7 houses), Nallalam (5 houses) and Chengam (90 houses). All these houses were constructed with infrastructures like Interior Roads, Street lights, Water facilities, Transportation facilities and others. ii) the concept of employment marketing platform – Narikuravar Market in Vengikal, Jawadhu corporate office in Jamnamarathur, Mahadeepam Groundnut oil brand in Tiruvannamalai. iii) the concept of Ecological sustainability involving the use of Renewable energy like Solar power – Solar dryer in Jawadhu Hill Mechanical Processing unit

The potential for transferability can be seen from this initiative as a role model for other housing projects for irulars’ in the near future. The basic accessibility to the housing project, being in remote area, should be strengthened for development services to reach these community. Easy and effective communication should be the next potential, for their progress and to accelerate their contacts with the outside world. The need and emphasis should also be there for technical training, with officers guiding them, to be electricians, welders, carpenters, motor mechanics, so that they curb on migration. The futuristic potential would be to have poultry farming, apart from cows, as there is a growing demand in the community. They can be taught to grow medicinal plants for their own consumption and for pharmaceutical purposes. Apart from grass, fodder, fruits, vegetables growth in the vast area these could also be considered for transferability of this unique housing settlement. Apart from bricks, charcoal they can be trained to be proficient in other spheres of technical based skill sets. It is with this basic set-up being provided, it is the need of the hour that they become more self-sufficient with lives other aspects too.

The specific resources needed to implement the initiative : Rural development and Panchayati Raj for implementation of the project, Tamilnadu State Rural Livelihood Mission- Magalir Thittam for all livelihood activities, Tamilnadu Rural Transformation Project for provision of soft loans, Adi Dravida and Tribal Welfare Department for procurement and disbursal of funds into tribal schemes, Industrial Department for the operation of industrial units, Tamilnadu Cooperative Milk Producer’s Federation Department for procurement and distribution of Milk, School Education Department for enrollment of all children in school and ensuring no dropouts in the school and various other departments.

This initiative is the first of its kind to be followed with many housing projects for Irulars, Public Institutions work for the betterment of the most downtrodden, backward community, so the project should by itself be of very sustainable quality, standards wise. This project has cost the District Administration USD 2,568,242.10 Which is seen as a one-time expenditure, for the enhancement and improvement of a very impoverished tribe. This is a big housing settlement in that particular district where this community is predominantly settled. This is sought with the center and state grants given to the District Machinery.

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Internal assessment: The district administration along with 21 government departments has been conducting regular monthly reviews of the project. External assessment: Primary evaluation is done by 2 external agencies i) International Justice Mission(IJM) – Chennai based global organization that protects the most vulnerable from exploitation. ii)National Agro Foundation- Chennai based Charitable trust involved in development activities focusing agenda 2030. Also Secondary evaluation is done by 2 agencies namely Madras School of Social Welfare (MSW) and Madras Christian College(MCC).Both these organizations have worked with Central and State Governments on various forms of human trafficking.

The indicators are as follows: Infrastructural Development, Livelihood promotion in the project, Capacity building of the community, Social protection of the community, Integration of the services and amenities, Community resilience, Convergence of the departments, Equity among the community for sustainable growth, Creativity in the project, Digitalization in the project. The tools used are: Household survey using android application, Field level Crop data analysis, Direct observation by study team, Focus group discussion, Key Informant Interviews, Constraint and Stakeholder analysis, Sustainability analysis. Overall the project performance and Impact Assessment is assessed using OECD/DAC evaluation principles in line with achieving 2030 agenda.

The project (convergence of 21 government departments’ stakeholders) has brought the 143 families out of the clutches of bonded labor and has helped them attain self-sustainability. The community are involved in every management process and have now taken a lead role of management with external support. Though the dependency of the community on the implementers is gradually decreasing it is important to create a sustainable community owned structure for sustaining and carrying this forward. There is significant improvement in the development indicators. The scores of the project in various indicator is specified in Page number 13 of Primary Evaluation Report by IJM.

This initiative is a success model with coordination from the Institution, who have been with the community throughout for easy, smooth transition despite the niggling issues within the community. This project has time and again proven to restore hope, faith, belief in the tribal people who are ostracized from the main stream of the society. This institutional relationship has instilled among other things community living where they can handle themselves and the society at large. The participation of about 20 departments of the institution has brought about this huge change in the lives of this tribe. Instead of the people approaching the institutions, for a change they were present before them at the time of need and help. The Institution has played a major role in transforming them from bondage to ownership status. Various livelihood opportunities, self-reliance, sufficiency have been reiterated to the tribal people. The importance of education, awareness of child labor, child marriage has been repeatedly told. The Public Institution has been supporting the community with regular monitoring by appointing a Nodal Officer, who counsels them periodically. Self Help Groups are provided with financial assistance for their livelihood with partial profits being ploughed back.

Collaborative partnership are agreements and actions made by 21 Government departments, Global Non-Profit Organization, Educational Institution and community based Institutions in Meesanallur, consenting organizations to share resources to accomplish a mutual goal of uplifting the beneficiaries of Meesanallur Smart Irulars’ Colony- A global non-profit International Justice Mission, Chennai and an Educational Institution, Madras Christian College, Chennai are coming together for the welfare of this community for enhancing partnership and participatory development. The role of IJM is to effectively coordinate, mobilize the Irulars as well as bridging the gap between the community and the District Administration. They represented the irulars woes, grievances as they are an expert consultant in the issues of bonded labor and human trafficking. The role of MCC, is to organize capacity building and awareness programs for the benefit of the community to retrieve them from their old ways. It is a commendable forethought of the District Administration to have thoroughly studied the problems faced by this community and to have given an overall solution to their problems. The engagement of these stake holders have been done for their expertise on their field, accuracy, solution finders for the tribal community’s woes.

The key lessons learned from this initiative: i) Though there is stipulated policy of Government of India for abolition of Bonded Labour system, still there are 0.313 million bonded labours found indicating failure of Sustainable Rehabilitation model. ii) ii) Any problem will resolve only when democratic decentralised study is made involving the stakeholders. iii) iii) Rather than top down approach bottom up approach will give reliable solution. iv) iv) Only financial empowerment of the affected community will not ensure improvement in their dignity of life. The organization plans to improve the initiative with following interventions: i) Formation of community welfare resident association to better represent their grievances. ii) ii) Training on self-governance thereby electing their own leader. iii) iii) Giving physical, social, psychological counselling to ensure them dignified life with improved social status. The District Administration’s well learnt lesson is that, it should not only look for temporary or momentary solutions to the IRULARS’ COMMUNITY’S woes and problems, but, long term, sustainable, improved, enhancing ways and means to their bonded-free years. So that, they too have the belief, faith and hope that they too can see better, goods days, years, ahead, the one which is “FREE OF BONDAGE”.