Operational Area

KARMI (Kalahandi Organisation for Agriculture and Rural Marketing Initiative) which the non-governmental oganisation formed in the year 1997 in the field of tribal and Rural Development is registered on society registration Act. It started in most tribal dominated village in Golamunda block of Kalahandi district named Jayantpur initially started with the support of German Agro Action and Hivos Netherlands with the support of Agragamme Kasipur and started the watershed programme in the village and started qualitative tribal education programme with support of HRD Govt. of India. The operating area of KARMI in the 1st phrase of the work of the project started the most interior and adjourning area of Golamunda block the most backward and tribal dominated block of the world famous Kalahandi for its underdevelopment and backwardness. With the modest beginning of evolving 4200 people of 2 GPs KARMI spreading its coverage to 12350 families of 114 village of Golamunda and M.Rampur Block of Kalahandi district and 3 G.Ps of Bongomunda block of Bolangir district. KARMI engagement with people has broadened and deepened inline with its et criteria of extending its coverage to areas dominated by tribal and scheduled cast population, remoteness with deprivation of basic facilities, absence of service of Government and NGOs and areas offering opportunities to expand the programs geographically.

During the First Phase (1997 to 2000) KARMI adopted an option of process building to finesse strategy of awareness building, mass consciousness, promotion of education and awareness with the support of Agragamee and started 10 Qualitative Education Center with support of Ministry of HRD Govt. of India and stared the watershed progamme with support of German Agro Action and People empowerment with support of HIVOS Netherlands through Agragamme and under took the wholes tic development process with coverage of 15 village in Mahaling and Kuhura GPs of Golamunda Block of Kalahandi district. For the development of people organization in village and cluster level KARMI formed Youth clubs, MahilaMandals, Vana Surakhya Samiti (Forest protection committee) and formation and strengthening of Women Self Helf Groups. Formation of community based grain-bank and by this programme KARMI able to resist exploitations by the moneylenders was an important programme at that time. Protection of forest, and management of community village property was the main programme of that phrase.

The second phrase (2001 to 2003) KARMI got the FCRA started all its activities independently with out the support of Agragamee and identify as an independent NGO and undertook its education project with support of Indo German Social Service Society (IGSSS) New Delhi with and National Education Group New-Delhi and undertook the Qualitative Tribal Education Project in most remote pocket of Golamunda block of Kalahandi district as its focus programme and continue all the programme of tribal and community development. The Self Help Groups (SHG) programme was an important programme in that phrase, simultencely protection of natural resources, its management and Development of Agriculture and Horticulture management of natural resource with support of CAPART, Department of Rural Development Govt. of India. Emphasis on micro-finance and micro-enterprise, community fundraising and community participation in program implementation along with social action on cross-sectional themes highlighting rights-rate and livelihood based issues. This period when community structures were enlarged horizontally to fulfill greater functional requirements in the form of formations of Cluster Level Organisation (CLO) through linkage of already established VLOs and different district and block level forums. The grain bank the fund rising by the women self-help groups are the focus programme by that time and recognized by the district administration.

In the Third Phrase ( 2004 to 2007) KARMI adopted approaches to lead the community o a point of self-growth through further invigoration of community structure in creation of the federation of VLOs and CLOs in Block level and AMASAMITI the forum of women self help group and village level women organization forum. KARMI Human Resource center was started and started a Public Library programme with support of Department of Culture Govt. of Orissa the Raja Ram Mohan Ray Library foundation, Kolkata and increase the literacy and awareness programme. The Accelerated Women Literacy Pogramme is also undertook by KARMI with support of Ministry of HRD Govt. of India through National Literacy Mission and the area of KARMI also totally covered the Golamunda Block and KARMI stared its M.Rampur Project and the coverage of its area also extend to Bangomunda block of Balangir district. During this period the people organization formed and guided by KARMI also got its legal identity and support in all programme of in a wholes tic way and its lead on regional, zonal and district level and lobby and advocacy, Gender became he main issue and AMASAMTI also undertook the gender issue in a serious way and able to solve the women issue relating to dowry, divorce, equal pay for man and women. In this period KARMI also focus the Community Health Management through the people organizations and Village Health Committee with support of MISEREOR, GERMANY and a wholes tic health development for the tribal, rural people focusing on women and children.

In the Fourth phrase ( 2007 to 2010) In this fourth phrase of KARMI develop of policy system and procedures aims at infusing self sufficiency (both operational and financial ) to the people's organization a district level a LASK and Ama Sangathan at block level . By this phrase we given much emphasis and health and self help Groups promotion, bank linkage, sustainable agriculture and development of agriculture and horticulture in watershed model. Misereor health project also helps a lot to intervention on health sector and able achieve a better result in health status rural and tribal of Kalahandi. We also focusing the land and water issues in this phrase as the main issues of this time and KARMI prepare a long term action for this.