1	Name of Member	:	Mrs. Nirmala Pradhan
2	Age	:	45
3	Type of Disability	:	Locomotor
4	Village	:	New Sara
6	Block		Kasinagar
7	District	:	Gajapati

One of our DPO members, Nirmala Pradhan was married in Andhra Pradesh, surviving with two teenage daughters. One daughter is now married and the other is a mentally challenged dependent on Nirmala for living. Nirmala’s husband was addicted to alcohol and the family was passing through some of the tough times in their life. She was running the family with very little income from her husband’s daily wages.

One day Nirmala, unfortunately, met with a truck accident and lost her right leg in the process. She was devastated and helpless with the overall situation. Unable to perform her daily chores, frustrations started spreading in her life managing her challenged daughter and her condition as a locomotor. The family started falling apart with her husband's addiction to alcoholism and the special needs of the daughter that cannot be attended like before.

With frequent confrontation and domestic abuse from husband, Nirmala moved back to live with her mother in a remote village of Newsara in Kasinagar block located at Gajapathi. She was forced to separate from her family, leaving the daughter with special needs to be with her husband. Nirmala was extremely heartbroken of her situation and time. Her father passed away a while ago and her brother holds the possession of her father’s property. Nirmala’s mother was living alone and unable to attend to her daily needs, she started begging on the streets.

Nirmala was devasted by her situation and the condition her mother was passing through. To survive, Nirmala and her mother started begging on the streets and door to door for a single meal a day. Their existing shelter was under the miserable condition and with the fear of unstable roof looming, they spend most of their days sleeping outside their home. To her misery, cyclone Tithle washed away her home and all her belongings including utensils, clothing, and little handy cash she received from her begging.

CCD NSIP staff came across her case and decided to meet with Nirmala to provide possible assistance. They apprised her about the benefits of the self-help group (SHG) and SAMARTH program.  Nirmala agreed to join in the self-help group (SHG) Mahamai Bhinakhyama Dalo in her village, to regain control of her life. After joining the SAMARTH/ CCD, she was provided with proper clothing through relief support by CCD. Nirmala later started actively participating in regular SHG meetings and shared her everyday plight in her life, with the group members. 

CCD staff encouraged Nirmala to actively participate in local panchayat meetings and requested the panchayat group to extend their support for her upliftment. Her situation was also explained to the BDO, Kasinagar and after a quick verification by block and panchayat officials, her mother was granted a work proposal of approximate Rs. 1,30,000.00 under PMAY. Nirmala also received Rs 1,19,000.00 through the Tithli cyclone relief fund by the state government. She was also signed in for a monthly pension assistance program of Rs 500.00 per month and 35 kgs of rice grains from the panchayat.

Nirmala getting better control of her situation started rebuilding her home for shelter and opened a small grocery store near her house for business. She was able to get complete control of her situation and started living a more independent and self-esteemed life being able to take care of her aging mother for now. She one day is determined to bring her child with special needs back to her home and provide a better life for her. Nirmala feels happy and fortunate to find CCD and advises people in great need of this organization.

1	Name of Member	:	Mr. Sachin kumar Guru
2	Age	:	23
3	Type of Disability	:	Blind
4	Village	:	Serongo
6	Block		Gumma
7	District	:	Gajapati

Sachin Kumar from Serongo was a young high school student who just appeared for his Intermediate examinations in his village. He was very confident with his performance in the examination and eagerly waiting for the results when one-day things started taking a wrong turn. Sachin fell sick, unable to move or respond was immediately rushed to a local hospital for emergency care. Doctors diagnosed him with cerebral malaria along with tuberculosis meningitis. His condition slowly slipped into a coma for almost 15 days while ultimately resulted in vision loss.

Sachin passed his intermediate examination but with the grief of losing his eyesight to the sickness. His life took an unfortunate turn with depression and uncertainty at a very young age. Sachin’s mother was earning very little through AWW and the income was not self-sufficient to run her family. With all his hopes trashed and big dreams sublimated before turning to reality, Sachin was physically and mentally crippled.

After hearing about the condition of Sachin, CCD approach him to provide motivation, confidence, and a direction to step out of his situation. CCD offered him through the SAMARTH program in Gajapati to join a self-help group at the village level to benefit from their skill development training program, financial inclusion, and mainstream job adoption. Sachin showed interest in the manufacture of home cleaning detergent (Phenyl) as a profession and agreed to join the training program organized by Sightsavers through CCD. After the successful completion of his training, he was awarded Rs.5000.00 by CCD on behalf of Sightsavers as financial assistance to start up a business unit.

1	Name of Member	:	Mr.M. Venketes
2	Age	:	31
3	Type of Disability	:	VI (100%)
4	Name of Group	:	Bansadhara Bhinakhyama Dalo
5	Father’s Name	:	M. Appa Rao
6	Village / Block	:	Kasinagar
7	District	:	Gajapati

Venketes is a VI person residing with his family of 2 children, father, mother and wife with total member of 6. He belongs to washer man family. Their main income is from washing the cloths of the villagers and getting monthly income of Rs. 1000 to Rs. 1500/-.  With the low income he is not able to maintain his family and even not able to provide 2 times food.  His son is reading in Nursery class.  The income from washing the clothes is also seasonal.  In rainy and summer season, it is very difficult to get income.  His blindness is also creating hindrances and he was always felt useless for his family.  But when he came into contact with CCD / SAMARTH, he was being counseled in every monthly network meeting.  He is assured to extend support from SAMARTH if he could start some business activities for daily income. 

He has decided to start a petty shop infront of his home and started the business.  Initially he invested his own and with low investment, he was earning Rs. 800 in an average and getting net profit of Rs. 100 (Approx.).  His self confidence is enhanced and inspired by the counseling of SAMARTH activists to improve his business.  CCD / SAMARTH has supported Rs. 12000/- on Sept, 2015 as micro credit and Venketes has invested more in the business.  Now his business transaction is increased and getting Rs. 1500/- per day with net profit of Rs. 400/- per day (Approx.).

1	Name of Member	:	Mr. Santosh Raita
2	Age	:	27
3	Type of Disability	:	LV (70%)
4	Father’s Name	:	Late Siripa Raita
5	Village	:	Anukumpa
6	Block		R.Udayagiri
7	District	:	Gajapati

Mr. Santosh Raita is living with his family consisting of 5 members i.e., mother, wife and two children (one son and one daughter).  Two children are reading in 1^st std in school.  He is having only 0.50 acre of land.  They are cultivating maize and getting very low income in a year.  The living condition was very poor.  Due to his disability, he was unable to go outside to search employment.  He is studied upto 5^th class.  Without any livelihood options, he felt very alone and helpless to maintain his family and very much discouraged to live with dignity. 

When CCD identified him, Santosh was asked for his interest for livelihood.  He could not select any options rather left on CCD staff.  CCD and SAMARTH have decided to provide some vocational training to that he can get his own livelihood.  District administration has declared khalli stitching training at Andhra Bank Rural Self Employment Training Institute (ABRSETI) at Paralakhemundi for 10 days at free of cost.  Mr. Santosh has interested to join the training and learned khalli stitching technique.  After the training, CCD has supported one stitching machine to Santosh with the support of NSIP.  He has collected leafs and prepared khalli.  Initially he earned Rs. 50/- daily approx.

In the mean time, OTELP / ITDA has supported Rs. 55,000/- and with the support, he started a petty shop at his house.  Now he is earning Rs. 400/- daily approx from the petty shop and side by side he is also stitching khalli.  His earning is also increasing and able to save monthly Rs. 50/- in the group.  Now he is saved upto Rs. 5000/- in the bank.