Rural Development Institute (RDI)
Background
RDI saw its inception as the rural outreach of a multifaceted hospital
complex, the HIHT, in 1990. Harnessing its very strong medical base, RDI
started out in a major way to address the immediate pressing problems of
health, especially among women. Working with the community, it listened
to their needs and slowly but steadily evolved over the years to include
other programs like education and income generation. RDI has thus been
following a need-based approach, introducing and refining programs
according to the requirements of the community.
Although working since 1990 on the frontiers of health, income generation
and education, In lieu of limited funds from individual donors, the
educational program has not been able to take off in the full scale
intended. Educational activities undertaken up till now:
- Non-formal education centres were run for about 250 children.
- Teaching aids, uniforms and snacks were provided
- Cultural and sports events were conducted
- Drawing, poster competition held periodically
- Health checkups and health education provided for 2500 children.
- Vocational training provided lantena furniture making, envelope making, greeting cards etc.
- Summer camps held for children (120 children)
- TV, video shows and puppet shows were held.
- Training of NFE teachers were held
Teaching Techniques:
Teaching techniques are mainly based on inductive methods like known to
unknown, playway technique, Montessori technique and project method. RDI
adopts traditional as well as innovative methods, keeping in mind the
cultural background of the people and their needs, regardless of their
level of literacy. This approach called Information Education and
Counseling (IEC) includes puppetry, flash cards, posters, songs and
street plays for reaching and educating the general public.
The education program for children also explores innovative methods :
developing teaching aids and kits is one of its integral components.
These kits are developed so as to enable the children to develop their
motor, sensorial and practical skills. The objective is the overall
development of the child and not just pure academics. Thus games, events
and other cultural activities form a major component of the education.
Additional services in education by RDI
RDI provides teachers training for NFE centers/government schools,
teaching aids, teaching kits, stationery for school use, furniture, study
kits, and library resources for its schools. Competitions, games, and
cultural activities are also held in all schools to encourage all-round
development. The children are furnished with uniform and general clothing
(both summer wear and winter wear). In LB school the children are
provided with milk and fruits as they come from poor families.
Other Developmental Activities of RDI
Health: The major focus is on Reproductive Health care.
RDI has 24 satellite and 24 mobile RCH projects service 1,20,000
people in the remote rural areas providing pre-natal care, immunisation,
promotion of contraceptives, education in health care, and reproductive
tract infections.
Water Management and Sanitation: RDI provides technical and scientific
expertise to the villages in the judicious use of their water
and innovative methods of getting water where the water sources are scarce.
This program is funded through grants from government and
national/international agencies.
Income generation: These projects focus on empowering women to sustain themselves and their
families economically. The goal is to provide them with economic stability.
The projects include agarbatti, stitching( tailoring and embroidery) and
beekeeping. Beekeeping is the highest yielding income generation project:
Garhwal has a climate and landscape favorable for bees to make honey.
RDI's approach to promotion of beekeeping are:
-identification of benefeciaries
-providing them theoritical/practical training
-providing loans to buy bee boxes
-training them to market their products
-supporting their unit technically and financially
Other Activities:
Social forestry: RDI has recently embarked on a special scheme with the
National Horticultural Boardof distributing fruit trees in Garhwal region.
Appropriate technology: designing smokeless chulas and training
villagers in constructing these chulas.
UP Diversified Agriculture Support Project :
Act as liason between research units of universities and farmers to
facilitate technology dissemination and credit mobilisation to farmers
(supported by the Bill Gates Foundation).