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n a country with over six and a half lakh villages, a number of reforms are needed to make the life happier and healthier. With government having a number of schemes for the welfare of rural masses, only a fraction of the budget, gets properly utilised and rest gets vanished (lost) in the bureaucratic and middlemen loop. The life of an Indian farmer is full of difficulties too. In spite of his hard labour, he lives a life of extreme poverty. ‘He is born in debt, lives in debt and dies in debt’. His crops are at the mercy of rains. Famines or floods often take away the fruits of his hard labour. Still he his contended and god fearing. When he falls ill, he finds

BLISSFUL Targeted at harnessing the hidden potential of villages across the country and making them self-sufficient in terms of their needs and constraints, Khushi Grams are working towards making them lively in a true sense. Praveen K Singh takes a trip around these villages to explore the model of Khushi Grams.

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that there are no appropriate medical facilities for his treatment. Often he dies untreated and uncared and there are also only a few schools for the education of his children. The kachha house in which he lives are very vulnerable to natural disasters and they often get damaged or fall down during rain and all his humble belongings go wasted. Such is the life in most of the Indian villages. People in cities cannot even imagine the hardships of hard life in an Indian Village.

KHUSHI GRAMS

Khusi Grams divide the entire enterprise in four broad groups / sectors: n n

n n

Gurukul: Education, Sports, Art & Crafts, Development, Research, Skills, Training and Action like Products / Services Agriculture, Energy and Allied Activities: Natural Farming, Biogas, Goshala, Oxpower, Biomass, Biofuels, Solar Energy and other forms of Renewable and Alternative Energy, Bullock Cart & Horse carriage for local transport and bicycles Wellness: Yoga, Meditation with Naturopathy, Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Unani and Allopathy (if need), online and offline Media, Entertainment, Art, Culture and Tourism: Leisure activities for livelihoods as well as healthy entertainment including Agri, Rural, Religious, Eco, Culture, Educational, Spiritual, Wellness etc. Also media like Community Radio, Local Newspapers / TV / Internet / Mobile / and natural Out of Home (outdoor) would function there.

In order to address the problems of villages in the country, Khushi Grams have devised a model to make these villages self-sustainable. According to Ajit Kumar, founder of Khushi Grams, the organisation is taking social and green business initiative at all levels. “We are recreating and reviving Khushi Grams. We will have a development, skill, culture, and media hub for research, training and action, a sort of model to be adapted and adopted in all the units based on our understanding and local peoples’ wisdom. Our Gurukuls will impart Indian traditional wisdom and latest technology. Students have creative freedom to learn and work as per their aptitude and calibre. In higher education, we will try to be a private university, starting as a community college by 2013-14.” says Kumar. With a strong stress on sports, he adds, “We have few sports like football, wrestling, hockey, martial arts, athletics, kabaddi, swimming etc from the age of 4-5 years (nursery/class I).” Towards better environment, he explains, “Fuel and power are being generated through renewable resources like small units of biogas / animal driven / biomass / solar / waste to energy modes and methodologies. We will use low carbon transport and our vehicles will be run on renewable fuels. Buildings and houses will use low cost, eco friendly technology using bamboo and other items.” These villages are growing natural vegetables

and fruits with the help of a pair of oxen and have the desi (indigenous) cows for milk, gobar (cow dung) and gomutra (cow urine, used in farms as insecticides, weedicides and pesticides and also in medicines). Healthcare is provided by a small centre with the Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Naturopathy, Unani, Yoga, Meditation and Counseling. As per the need, allopathic medical system will also be used physically as well as online (mails, video chats, internet)

“We have planned development, skill, culture, and media hub for research, training and action, a sort of model to be adapted and adopted in all the units. We have started a junior school, Gurukul with Indian traditional wisdom and latest technology.” Ajit Kumar

Founder, Khusi Grams

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innovation OTHER ACTIVITIES UNDER KHUSHI GRAMS g-Education (gurukul-Education)

The purpose of Gurukul education is to not only bring the most relevant global education, training, skill development and awareness at local level but also with the help of technology impact mass population of India and help them earn a decent life and a suitable livelihood. E-Learning materials will be used blended with the help of facilitator in classroom and visit to the operational centres to see and do the practical work at the local level to impart education, training and skill development activities. One of the uniqueness of the teaching methodologies is using more visuals rather than textual content and focus is on simplified and innovative learning approaches with the help of practical tools and visits to relevant places. Online video classes will also be used. This move is towards self-sufficiency and to rebuild the capacity of the people at local level and revive the wisdom: Educational Counseling: Advice, Advocacy, Awareness and Career Counseling School education with focus on activities and fun based behavioural and soft skill training as per age and need using both traditional and modern means Nurturing employable youth by developing their soft skills, language skills and computer literacy Skill training as per the aptitude and capabilities Train the Trainer programmes using Instructional Design methodologies for teachers of schools and colleges at local level International Institute for Local Development would be set up to study the Development needs of the

district and prepare reports and organise advocacy campaigns for action bring all relevant stakeholders together

n-Health (natural-Health)

A health care centre where government recognised doctors will be invited and treatment of local people at village panchayat and the block level will be given at very nominal fees. The focus area of health will be in the following categories: Health Counseling: Prevention, Advice, Advocacy & Awareness Ayurveda, Naturopathy, Homeopathy, Unani, Yoga & Meditation and Allopathic Medical System, both live and online (Through VSAT / Video-Conference/ e-Mails, mobile, etc best doctors of state capitals and metro cities will be made available at local level)

n-Agri (natural-Agriculture)

An Agri-Centre will be developed where natural farming without using pesticides, chemicals, fertilizers, herbicides, weedicides, insecticides, etc is

grown. The focus area of n-Agri will be in the following categories: Agri Counseling: Advice, Advocacy & Awareness Cultivation: Vegetable, fruits and plants of medicinal value Natural Diary - Milk, ghee, butter, paneer, cheese, sweets from milk of Desi Cow and Goats Food processing unit: for production & packaging unit of Jam, pickle, sauce, papad and fruits Natural energy drinks made up of fruits and vegetables Seed Bank for conservation and distribution of natural seeds Natural manure from Cow Dung & Urine Fisheries: Using small ponds Construction and Rejuvenation of Ponds, Lakes and Water Bodies for Water Recharge Greenhouse centre: to promote plantation at local level & floriculture Cold Storage Unit: to help local farmers store items

n-Power (natural-Power)

Gurukool not only generates power by natural

The model is working towards promotion of bullock carts, horse carts, and bicycles as the preferred mode for travel to and from short distance and telemedicine (SMS and calls) with local doctors there and experts at distant places. Treatment will be chargeable to patients as per their capacity. People’s or their kin’s services will be utilised in lieu of the discount or waive off for the products or services (as per their capacity). The model is also focusing on agro products manufactured and services like retail/KPO/BPO. “We will use local resources to churn out best regional and original content. People who will be invited for lectures will stay at our premises and have the option with coming

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with family -- work, relax and play and have good food from the community kitchen and be stronger when they leave our environs. Trees planted by them and children can be on the names of their choice.” Talking about the tourism in these villages, Kumar says that the model is working towards promotion of bullock carts, horse carts, and bicycles as the preferred mode for travel to and from short distance within and near the Gurukul, supplemented by other Eco friendly vehicles for longer distances. They will have regular art exhibitions/ musical, theatrical, puppet, folk

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sources to fulfill it’s usages but also for neighborhood requirements. This move is towards self-sufficiency of power generation at local level by: Agri Counseling: Advise & Awareness Power generation from Biogas: Using Cow dung and other animal waste for cooking and fuel Power generation from Biomass: Using rice husk, maize waste, etc. for lighting and other electrical appliances like computers, mixie, juicer, grinder, TV, etc. Power generation from mechanical energy: Using Ox / Buffaloes, etc Bio-fuels, Baggase and other means will also be tried Small Thermal-Captive plant will also be tested at one of the locations

e-Info-media (electronic-Information & Media) This District Centre will have Information Kiosk and

full fledged Media Centre, doing research, training and producing print, online, radio and TV, OOH (Out of Home) content and programmes, doing advertising, PR, Events, online promotions etc. This can be achieved at local level by: General Awareness and Advocacy: Information, Awareness and Advocacy about sanitation, health, environment, government policies, market condition, weather, etc shall be provided to local people. Right information at right time: Right information at the right time can be obtained by local people from the info desk at a very nominal fee using internet. This information desk could also be used by the organisations to promote their products and services. Space will be provided on rent to promote their products after scanning. Block level Media Centres: Incentive mechanism will be launched for the local people to furnish news to the centre.

performances/ screenings of good films / lectures/ discussions / events etcetera at the Cultural Centre, an integral part of the Khushi Grams. “We are also trying to revive the ponds, lakes, small rivers and rivulets as well as do water harvesting and afforestation. We are planning for the community and areas up to 50 years in advance and train people in disaster preparedness, rescue, relief and rehabilitation,” adds Kumar. He said that the organisation is working closely, in partnership with the local community and 31 partner organisations (government, private and public and like-minded individuals) on this and more are joining us almost every month. “There will also be waterless toilets in drought prone areas and waste management will be taken care and no waste would be put into the ground water, ponds or rivers,” he explains.

Business outsourcing centres will be opened to provide information. For this local resources to be used for the best regional and original content The Centres will have facilities for doing outsourced work for national and international organisations and companies. This will include: - Content Generation, Aggregation, Proof Reading, Printing, Designing and Editing - Public Relations outsourcing - Audio Visual Production outsourcing - Legal Process Outsourcing - Other KPO and BPO work

e-Tourism (eco-Tourism)

The Khushi Gram Centres will be promoted as centre for eco-tourism and local art and culture. This can be achieved at local level by: Rural, Religious, Agri, Eco, Art, Culture, Heritage and Wellness Tourism Promotion of local tourism: Local tourism will be promoted by providing information using internet, website and blogging and our partner networks Cottages and decorated horse-cart and bullock-cart and a small museum Local people will be promoted to market and sell their handicraft items, handmade materials through these units of the Centre Local dance, song, art, crafts and culture will be promoted by providing platform and sponsors. Art, Cultural events and festivals will be regularly organised by the Students and artists

PAN-INDIA SPREAD

Currently, the organisation is mostly working in the villages of Bihar and Jharkhand. Kumar says that the organisation is committed to expand the model in other states too. “As of now, more than 20 villages from other states have proposed to us in principle,” he informs. Discussing the transparency in the model he tells that the action and activities, including funding, shareholding and accounting will be transparent and decided after discussions with respective individuals / institutions. “In short, we partner with the owner of infrastructure/land, create low cost and nature friendly establishment, have locals in the team and around as shareholders and stakeholders and try to create happy and sustainable livelihoods, so that people just do not have to migrate just for a living,” says Kumar. August 2012

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