2. BEYOND THE BACKWATERS

How SCOPE Reached Beyond the Koyna Dam Backwaters?

SCOPE has been working in Rural Pune for sustainable development trough the Womens' Groups (SHGs)since1999. In the year 2003 SCOPE was working in Nhavi Sandas, one of the villages on the outskirts of Pune districts. From this village hailed one of the Governemnt's Agricultural Officials. He was newly appointed in the year 2004, as the District Agricultural Officer of Pune. Therefore, he came one of his visists to the village. He happened to encounter interaction with a group of Women who  were on that day meeting for their monthly savings and credit transaction. The official was very surprised to see the women interacting quite confidently with some certain knowledge of the proceeding of meeting. After the Group ended their meeting, the official casually spoke with some of the group members. Being more curious, he later visited the families of these women. He saw Biogas-cum-sanitation area, wormyculture and kitchen garden on the waste-water of the family near every house of the Group's member. He also leafed through the savings and credit records. Seeing men also engaged in working on the Biogas plants, he was quite impressed.  He wanted to know about the source of their knowledge of the above things. After they told him that certain NGO called SCOPE was workiing for them, having given the Phone number and the whole address, the officer conbtacted me.  As our visits became frequent, he came to know much about the wirk and the successes of SCOPE. At the end of all this he oneday requested me to work in the Koya Backwater Area of the SATARA districts. He was earnest in his request to take various Sustanable programs in the said Area. That's how the SCOPE began its work in the SATARA area. 

1.) Milk cans are brought from beyond the waters in a launch and unloaded on the mainland. In the evening the cans are taken beyond the waters for fresh milk collection for the next morning.

2.)District Milk Dairy works from the mainland to the district collection centre.


3.)Women are carrying firewood for cooking and other purposes.







4.) One can see the firewood wellstacked in this hut view of rainy season.

5.) Domestic animals like country cows and buffelows do not yield milk more than 4-5 litres of milk. Hence, they do not really addmuch to the economic leverege of a family.