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An evening with Mr Shishir Kumar

Introduction

On Friday, April 4, we had the 189th session in the ICFAI WiseViews series featuring Mr Shishir Kumar, a leading social activist in the country. He has been leading a remarkable transformation of rural communities in the most backward regions of India, by building awareness of government schemes, skill development and financial inclusion.

About Mr Shishir Kumar

Mr Shishir Kumar is a seasoned professional with over two decades of field experience in social development. His expertise spans a diverse range of issues including Disability, Inclusive Development, Water Sanitation & Hygiene, Entrepreneurship Development, and Financial Inclusion. Mr Kumar has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to improving the lives of marginalized communities in India.

As the founder member and Director of Naman Seva Samiti, Mr Kumar has established an organization dedicated to sustainable inclusion for Persons with Disabilities. Based in Madhya Pradesh, Naman focuses on creating inclusive environments where individuals with disabilities can thrive alongside the broader community. The organization's efforts have ensured that the marginalized segments of society are heard and their needs are addressed.

Mr Kumar firmly believes that the success of any social intervention rests on the ability to effectively organize and mobilize communities. He has tried to foster a sense of ownership and participation among community members. When people realize they are not alone but have the support of others, they feel empowered, and the community grows stronger.

One of Mr Kumar’s core convictions is the importance of comprehensive and sustainable development. Lasting change cannot be achieved through short-term measures. It requires a holistic approach that addresses the multifaceted challenges faced by rural communities. Mr Kumar has strived to design interventions that not only provide immediate relief but also lay the groundwork for long-term improvement.

Working closely with people in rural areas, Mr Kumar has learned that economic empowerment and financial stability are fundamental to the well-being of rural populations. Without a secure economic foundation, other aspects of development cannot be effectively pursued. Consequently, Mr Kumar has prioritized initiatives that promote financial inclusion and entrepreneurship, enabling individuals to build sustainable livelihoods and break the cycle of poverty.

Mr Kumar also provides technical advice to various committees of NABARD and the Madhya Pradesh Government. He sits on advisory panels of multiple development and international organizations. He has created programs for state, national, international NGOs, bilateral agencies, and private sectors. He has formed partnerships with NABARD, NABFINS, Central Bank of India, DFID, Government of Japan, CBM International, The Hans Foundation, Lilliane Fonds, and Hindustan Unilever Limited. To date, Mr Kumar has built 14 institutions.

About Naman

Naman Seva Samiti was established in 1999 and registered under the Madhya Pradesh State Society Registration Act 1973. Naman has transformed marginalized communities in Madhya Pradesh and enabled them to become independent and self-reliant. The organization focuses on collaborative and sustainable community development, striving for the inclusion of poor and marginalized communities. Its tangible achievements include a cooperative credit and savings bank, a spice processing and packaging unit, and organic farms. More importantly, Naman has helped numerous impoverished individuals lead dignified and happy lives.

Naman started with 100 Self Help Groups (SHGs) with the Department for International Development (DFID) under (PACS) poorest Area of the Civil Society & Zila Panchayat Betul as a part of the Swarn Jayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojna (SGSY) in 2007. This was extended by NABARD by the formation of 200 another SHGs in 2013. Today, Naman has 2633 Self Help Groups.

As it has scaled, Naman has ensured that its culture is protected with a volunteer led model. The volunteers espouse the core values of the organization and become role models for others to emulate. The organization believes in ethics and transparency. There are core values such as extending help first to the most vulnerable (like women who have just lost their husbands). Thanks to these values, the community engagement is very strong.

Modus operandi

The formation of inclusive SHGs is the initial step in targeted villages. Capacity building of SHG members enables them to engage in savings and credit activities. Like banks, there are various kinds of savings products. These SHGs and individual members are linked with the Naman Cooperative Society.

Skill development

Skills are required to run any business. Members of SHGs interested in agro-based livelihoods receive training in organic farming, horticulture, apiculture, animal husbandry, and dairy. They learn to prepare bio-dynamic composts, vermicompost, NADEP compost, and bio-pesticides. Selected fields are dedicated to organic farming. Farmers are registered under group organic certification and the APEDA – Government of India.

Farmers’ Federation

The Farmer's Federation comprises thousands of farmers, with one representative from each Farmer's Interest Group (FIG) constituting the Haldhar Farmer's Federation. (These members form an executive body comprising of 11 members who are the directors of Producer Company.) The Federation is engaged in procurement of organic wheat and organic gram from farmers. Approximately 50 metric tons of organic wheat are procured by the Federation. The federation has evolved into the Tapti Organic Producer Company Ltd., currently encompassing 14,003 farmers from 863 villages. The federation engages in the procurement of organic wheat (about 50 metric tons) and gram.

The centralized spice processing unit, supported by the Government of Japan in 2010, involves around 250 women and persons with disabilities. This unit produces 10-15 tons of spices annually, including chili, turmeric, coriander, and gram masala under the "SKC" brand. The unit has also piloted four new organic products: wheat flour, broken wheat (dahlia), multi-grain atta, and gram flour. It is now registered as Kutir Agro Producer Company Ltd.

Marketing of produce is conducted through 500 outlets in Betul district, as well as 100 restaurants, 50 hostels, 100 primary schools, and 100 dhabas. Naman has marketing linkages with the Madhya Pradesh Khadi Gram Udyog Board. The agro produce of SHG members is marketed under the "Vindhya Valley" brand of the board.

Watershed development

The Sigohan Watershed Development Project aims to restore the ecological balance by harnessing, conserving, and developing degraded natural resources, such as soil, vegetation, and water. The project covers an area of 885.814 hectares, including 601.230 hectares of rainfed land in the Patra River watershed.

Micro case studies Ramsevak

Consider Ramsevak, a mentally challenged young boy. Though he was 16 years old, his mental age was only 7-8. Once while attending an SHG meeting along with his mother, he got the idea of buying a buffalo. His mother wondered how they would raise the money. His sister chipped in with her savings of Rs 5000 from her scholarship. Ramsevak then received training and secured a loan to buy a buffalo, which now provides a steady income for his family. He also obtained a disability certificate, granting him access to various government schemes. Ramsevak has also learned to develop organic manure and manage milking animals.

Ramsevak's story is a remarkable testament to how individuals with mental disabilities can thrive with proper support. Living in a community, which lacked awareness of disability rights, he might have been doomed to a life of misery. But a timely intervention changed his life. The smile on his face says it all.

Mahadev Chadokar

Despite being visually impaired, Mahadev Chadokar has remarkable achievements. He serves as a village volunteer and is an active member of a cooperative. He also leads an organization dedicated to supporting persons with disabilities. Mahadev has successfully opened over 90 accounts within the cooperative and facilitated pensions for more than 50 widows, persons with disabilities, and senior citizens. Additionally, he is a master trainer in organic farming management. He shares his expertise with others to promote sustainable agricultural practices.

Financial inclusion

Thanks to Naman, loans are available for both agricultural and non agricultural projects. This is important because banks are typically unwilling to lend to these villagers. The only other alternative would have been high-cost loans from money lenders.

Q&A

After his graduation(chemistry) and post-graduation (law), Mr Kumar was working as an intern in Madhya Pradesh. Suddenly he was involved in a serious accident. He thought he would not survive. He resolved that if he survived, he would do something meaningful for the community and for the benefit of the poor. He did survive and plunged into rural development. As he started working with 75 panchayats, he understood the difficulties of the villagers and explored ways of tackling them. The results started to come. The community did not leave him. They wanted him to continue the good work and assured him of their full support. That is how Naman was formed. Today, Mr Kumar’s works spans 4 states, 1500 villages, 50,000 families and some 17,000 physically disabled people.

Mr Kumar is a change agent committed to the development of the underprivileged comminates. As an example, he illustrated how three tribal villages faced pressing problems. Water was in such shortage supply that women would wake up at 3 am and spend the whole day trying to collect water. But thanks to a watershed project sponsored by NABARD and supported by Naman, the water shortage was resolved. Today, there is water in every home. The district collector was impressed by the work and soon houses and toilets were built. Compost pits have also been built along with bio gas and gobar gas plants. There have been climate change projects and traditional crops have been revived with support from NABARD. Thanks to these initiatives and all-around development, 95% of the villagers stay back and do not migrate. In the past migration was common.

Naman is structured as a not-for-profit organization. It has empanelled many domain experts. There is a board, a set of advisers and project managers. The project teams are staffed with account officers and other qualified field staff.

There are many schemes available. Mr Kumar provided a few examples.

Pension schemes: To start any venture, finance is important. The starting point in generating some savings is linking people with government pension plans. These vary from state to state.

District Training Centers: To run any business, skills are needed. This is where the district training centres become relevant. Embroidery, basic computer literacy, etc are some of the topics covered.

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005 or MGNREGA: This aims to enhance livelihood security in rural areas by providing at least 100 days of assured and guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to at least one member of every Indian rural household. Women are guaranteed one third of the jobs made available under the MGNREGA. Within MGNREGA, there are many useful schemes which villagers can access.

Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana Gramin (PMAY-G): Launched on 1st April 2016, the program aims at providing a pucca house, with basic amenities, to all homeless people and those living in kutcha and dilapidated houses.

National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM): The NRLM, launched by the Ministry of Rural Development, aims to mobilize the poor into community-owned institutions, promote financial inclusion, and strengthen livelihoods. NRLM works with SHGs to provide access to credit, training, and other support services, helping members to start or expand income-generating activities. Loans provided under NRLM can be used for various purposes, including social needs, debt swapping, housing construction, sanitation, and sustainable livelihoods.

State government initiatives: There are many of them. Consider the Mukhyamantri Ladli Bahna Yojana, launched by Mr Shivraj Singh Chauhan, the former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh. This is an important initiative aimed at enhancing the economic self-reliance, health, and nutritional status of women. The scheme aims to empower women economically and strengthen their decision-making role in the family and society. By linking Aadhaar with an active DBT-enabled bank account, the money (monthly Rs 1000) is directly transferred to the women's accounts. Women then start figuring out how to save money and buy a sewing machine or beauty parlour kit.

Mr Shishir Kumar’s organization has various experts in the area of carbon credit. In general, organic farming with agro forestry can be very beneficial when it comes to carbon credit. But carbon credit requires volumes. So, it is important for farmers to work together in a group.

Messages spread when the sender has credibility. The volunteers are an important part of Naman’s model. It is the volunteers who spread awareness about government schemes. It is the volunteers who also stepped up during Covid. Ultimately, more than any top down strategy, what works is people helping and informing each other.