During the period from 1993 to 2008, Samajik Seva Sadan has implemented a project for Rehabilitation of Cured Leprosy Patients in Dhenkanal with an aim to dignify their living standard in the society. We could change their attitude and convert them from being beggars to people who do jobs, running grocery shops, keeping goats & cows and petty business as Income Generation Activities besides, kitchen gardening. The Rehabilitated colony is known as “Navajeevan Nagar” literary translated as “Resurrection Township”. They have a new life, living with dignity and self-respect.
Assets created at Navajeevan Nagar by SSS
- 4 acres of paddy filed purchased and raised it with Muharum (Hard soil).
- 41 houses for individual families with 3 decimal lands for kitchen garden.
- 24 rooms with enclosed verandah in 4 blocks for the single elders.
- Community centre cum school building.
- Health centre.
- 2 dug wells.
- One tube-well.
- One large pond for fish cultivation.
- Provided with Rs.1,50,000/- as revolving fund for Income Generation Activities to 3 Self Help Groups.
- Individual Latrine & Bathroom with pipe fitting and 24 hours water supply.
- One Bore-well, submersible pump and a 18000 liters capacity over head water tank
Good Governance at grass roots
From December 2007 to December 2008 SSS implemented a project titled as "Enhancing Accountability and good governance in Dhenkanal District" covering 96 Gram Panchayats of 8 Blocks with involvement of we 8 Network NGO partners in order to mobilize people in 200 rural backward villages of the District. The Partners had focused on creating awareness on Panchayat Raj system, building capacity of PRI members and potential leaders for ensuring good governance at the grass roots. Social Watch Groups comprising seven trained personnel promoted in all the 96 G.Ps for active involvement in PRI, development process and for working in close association with the village development committee (VDCs). They have taken up monitoring of human rights violation and Panchayat development activities such as Social Security & Food Security Schemes, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), RTI Act etc. Ninety six volunteers called as Social Watch Monitors were involved in promotion of the project through empowerment and good governance at grass roots / down to Palli Sabha level. In 4 Blocks we conducted Social Audit of MGNREGS work, the result was a Junior Engineer of a Block and a Secretary of a G.P was suspended. A lot of manipulations in various ways were un-earthed. This action of ours with blessing from higher level District administration has given a shudder to the lower officials and Panchayat representatives
