Not many people in Odapada, where Purnima lives knew her real name. Everyone knew her as Kaania Bou (blind bride). Almost four decades back, Purnima had arrived in her new found home for the rest of her life to this village. Just a few years into her puberty, Purnima only knew that she is being sent to a new place where she will have a new home. The moment she landed in her new home a few miles away from her parents’ house she was welcomed by a motely group of old and not so old women of the village. They all rushed to lift her veil to have a glimpse of her face. It was not the welcome which Purnima expected. Someone in the crowd laughed at her protruding teeth while someone else made fun of her lean and bony appearance. “Has your father not fed you enough?” Purnima acted as if she has not heard anything while trying to hold back her tears. As Purnima was escorted out of the house to another house nearby, Purnima stumbled against a bucket of water which spilled over and drenched some clothes nearby. All hell broke loose and Purnima was given the task of wiping the mud floor and clean the clothes at that very moment. Purnima was quizzed as to why she stumbled and spilled the water in the bucket; Purnima innocently told that she had not noticed the bucket. ‘Are you blind?” someone shouted at her. “Yes, Yes, She is blind!!”Someone spoke from the crowd.

It was since that day, the day she got married and came to her new home, Purnima had a new name Kaniaa bou. A name which was to remain with her for the rest of her life. As the years passed by, Purnima recalled her original name only when she had to go to the government public distribution to claim her monthly quota of food ration. On every other occasion, Purnima introduced herself as Kaniaa Bou.

Many years later, Purnima was asked to accompany her old father in law to a nearby eye screening camp being held in her village primary school. Her father in law a frail old man of 70 years has requested the daughter in law to escort him to the camp being organised by Kalinga Eye Hospital at the school. As Kaniaa Bou sat in a corner waiting for the turn of her father in law, someone jokingly asked one of the team members of Kalinga Eye Hospital to check Kaniaa bous eyes. “Hey brother, why don’t you check our Kaniaa Bous eyes? She is blind too!” she mocked at her.

The team member of Kalinga Eye Hospital persuaded the reluctant Purnima to go for an eye examination. She was thoroughly examined by the optometrists of Kalinga Eye Hospital and was found to have high myopia. She had vision which barely enabled her to recognise faces not beyond 10 metres.

The compassionate team at Kalinga Eye Hospital gently persuaded a hesitant Purnima to undergo an eye examination. After a thorough check-up by the skilled optometrists, it was revealed that she had high myopia. Her vision was so impaired that she could barely recognize faces beyond 10 meters.

Patiently, the team counselled Purnima and her family, pouring their hearts into convincing them of the importance of wearing glasses. After much effort, she finally agreed. The glasses were carefully ordered, and a week later, the team personally delivered them to her home.

With a mix of hesitation and embarrassment, Purnima tried on the glasses. But the moment she saw the world clearly for the first time, her expression was beyond words—it was a moment of pure transformation. Overwhelmed with gratitude, she thanked Kalinga Eye Hospital and the Sri Rajchandra Love & Care organization for not only restoring her vision but also her sense of social dignity and confidence.

Today, Purnima stands tall, a beacon of self-assurance. When asked her name, she responds with pride and joy, “Purnima!”

Right from her childhood, Manasi had high ambitions and big dreams. She grew up in a small rural hamlet where every day she watched the young children of her age go and come back from school. She also wished she could go to school, but at 10 years she already had the responsibility of babysitting her two younger siblings. As she grew up, and her younger brothers were big enough to go to school, she was too old to go to school. Instead her parents wanted Manasi to get married and start mothering children. Manasi tried to convince her parents to delay her marriage, but her words fell on deaf ears.

At 16 she was a bride with a new home and a whole new set of responsibilities. Husband, parents in law and an extended joint family. Manasi was not happy, but the brave girl that she was, she knew her fate was inked and she soon adapted to her new home.

As the years passed by and she was a mother of three young children, she always wanted to do something on her own. She found time from her busy schedule to join a tailoring class run by a social organization not too far off from her village. She soon picked up the tricks of the trade and her deft fingers created some beautiful clothing for the children and womenfolk nearby.

Very soon she was able to generate a small income of her own, which not only gave her a sense of achievement and pride, but also augmented her husband’s meagre income. As her children grew, Manasi was devoting, a substantial amount of her time in her own venture. No one in the family complained either, thanks to the money which trickled in regularly.

As the years passed by, Manasi started to feel some problems while she carried on with her stitching work. She could feel, she was no longer able to stitch and work with the threads as easily as earlier. Her eyes were watery after few minutes of work and she would often get a nagging headache. She felt she was not able to see clearly in low or moderate light, and hence she could work only during the day time. Some of her patrons also started complaining about the quality of the work she was delivering. While some complained of a misplaced button hole, someone else complained about a crooked embroidery.

This left Manasi very worried, and she seriously thought of giving up her work which she had been pursuing so passionately for so many years. She did discuss the matter with her husband, but none of them knew what to do.

It was then that heard of an eye camp being organized by Kalinga Eye Hospital near their village, the next day. Manasi made up her mind to visit the camp, and she did go to the camp the next day.

The optometrists of Kalinga Eye Hospital examined Manasi’s eyes and diagnosed her to be having Presbyopia for which they recommended glasses. Manasi was reluctant an expressed apprehension about what would the village folk think of her when they see her with glasses. The team members of Kalinga Eye Hospital explained to her patiently about the benefits of wearing glasses and, also cleared many of her doubts, she had about spectacles.

With heartfelt gratitude, she finally received a pair of presbyopic glasses. Though hesitant at first, she soon embraced the joy of clear vision once more. Overwhelmed with happiness, she thanked Kalinga Eye Hospital for diagnosing her condition and expressed deep appreciation to the Sri Rajchandra Love & Care organization for their generous support in providing the spectacles.

Today, Manasi is again busy in running her enterprise and never forgets to mention about how the simple glasses changed the way she saw things, quite literally!

Santosh, a dedicated teacher from Odapada Village in Dhenkanal District of Odisha, found his world gradually losing clarity. Over the past few months, his vision had become blurred, making everyday tasks difficult. Reading books, preparing lessons, or even checking messages on his phone became a nightmare. Concerned, he visited the nearest Community Health Centre, where he was prescribed eye drops. While the drops provided temporary relief, his vision remained unclear, leaving him frustrated and uneasy.

As weeks passed, Santosh's discomfort worsened. Persistent headaches disrupted his focus and stole his nights' sleep. Simple activities, like reading expiry dates on medicines or responding to chats, became nearly impossible. The fear of losing his ability to teach and connect with his students began to weigh heavily on him.

One day, he heard about a free vision screening camp organized by Kalinga Eye Hospital in partnership with the Shri Rajchandra Love & Care. The camp was being held right in his village. With hope in his heart, Santosh attended the camp, where his eyes were examined by the hospital’s expert team. The diagnosis was simple yet life-changing—a refractive error that could be corrected with a pair of glasses.

Santosh was handed a pair of glasses on the spot. As he put them on, the world around him came back into focus. The blurry lines of words became crisp, his headaches eased, and his confidence returned. Grateful beyond words, he thanked Kalinga Eye Hospital and the Vision Care Project for restoring not just his vision, but his ability to live and work with dignity.

This is not just Santosh’s story; it is the story of countless individuals in rural areas who silently struggle with preventable vision problems. With your support, initiatives like these can continue to transform lives and light up the path to a brighter future. Vision is not just about seeing—it’s about living fully.

Gita Dehury a 15 years old girl hails from Janasanpur Village of Telkoi Block under Keonjhar District, Odisha. She is the only daughter of her parents. Her father is a daily laborer belongs to Tribal community and her income level is very poor to manage his family. As her parents are not aware about the health and education facilities for their child from the Govt., so that they are not taking proper care of her child.Gita Dehury did not identify her vision disorder (Tosis) during early age. But when she was enrolled in school the mother found her daughter facing problem during reading of book and close her one eye. Later on, she faced difficulties in mobility being unable to navigate. During 8th standard in school the teachers suspected the vision problem with her. Meanwhile she was screened at school under School Eye Health Program as a Tosis case and her parents were counseled to conduct surgery at Kalinga Eye Hospital. Accordingly, she was assessed thoroughly by the ophthalmic specialist, vision technician, refractionist etc. Her parents were apprised of the vision status and counseled for Gita’s surgery. By the way another 8 cases are referred from the School Eye health Program Keonjhar to Kalinga Eye Hospital on the same day.

Hence Gita with her parents were admitted in the hospital and her surgery was undertaken by the pediatric ophthalmic surgeon of Kalinga Eye Hospital and the pre-& post-operative care was extended by the medical team of the hospital. After the Surgery the Hospital Team also done the follow up at base hospital of all 9 cases including Gita in 7day and 1month intervals.

Her father though was very scared of the dear daughter’s surgery at the time she was taken to Operation Theatre but later on he seemed to be relaxed finding the daughter in normalcy. Owing to the counseling of Kalinga Eye Hospital team I realized the probable vision loss to my daughter. It had to be beyond my capacity to afford the surgery with my hand to mouth earning. The hospital team has extended every support and care to us. We wish good luck to the team for continuing this spirit of serving the poor and disadvantaged”.

In the heart of Keonjhar district, Kalinga Eye Hospital, embarked on a transformative mission to bring clarity and hope to the lives of young students. Little did they know that on the 22nd of November 2023, they would uncover a touching story of resilience and triumph at SG High School, Godhihudi, Telkoi Block.

Meet Payal Sahu, a 15-year-old class 10 student burdened by the pressures and anxieties that often accompany this crucial academic year. Once a stellar student, Payal's grades had slipped over the past year, catching the concern of her teacher. It was during the eye screening camp that Kalinga Eye Hospital discovered Payal's hidden struggle.

Delving into Payal's history, the dedicated team uncovered refractive errors in both her eyes, casting a shadow on her academic pursuits. With a visual acuity of 6/18 in the right eye and 6/9 in the left, Payal found herself unable to decipher the blackboard clearly. Desperate to keep up, she resorted to copying notes from her friend, concealing her visual acuity issues from her parents and teachers.

Payal's reluctance to share her challenges weighed on her, affecting not only her education but also her overall interest in learning. Fortunately, the Kalinga team intervened at the right time, providing Payal with a lifeline. Through refraction, her corrected powers were determined to be -1.25 cylinder at 180 degrees for the right eye and -0.50 cylinder at 10 degrees for the left.

The realization that clear vision was within reach brought immense joy to Payal and those supporting her, including her teacher and the Kalinga team. With refractive corrected powers, Payal not only regained her visual acuity but also the potential to reclaim her status as an excellent student.

The story doesn't conclude with the prescription. Recognizing the emotional nuances tied to wearing spectacles, especially for young girls, the Kalinga team provided vital counselling to both Payal and her teacher. The aim was to encourage Payal to embrace her corrected vision confidently and to ensure ongoing support.

Today, Payal stands on the brink of a brighter future, armed with clear vision and renewed determination. Kalinga Eye Hospital's timely intervention not only saved Payal's lost vision but also contributed in nurturing a future nation-building aspirant. This emotional case study serves as a testament to the impact of right intervention at the right time, turning a tale of struggle into one of success and resilience.

Laxmi Guru (a fictional name), a 20-year-old woman from Talcher in Odisha's Angul District, arrived at Shakti Sadan Shelter Home in Dhenkanal on 8th June 2024, holding the tiny hand of her two year old daughter. Her eyes carried the weight of grief, confusion, and silent suffering, the result of prolonged domestic abuse and abandonment. Yet, beneath her pain lived a quiet strength, one that would soon begin to shine.

Pinky had faced life's hardships early on. Having lost her mother in childhood, she was raised by a stepmother in extreme financial difficulty. At just 16, she was married to Banamali Guru (name changed) from Bhuban village, Dhenkanal. Though her marriage began peacefully, cracks began to form when her husband's maternal relatives started interfering in their personal life.

Even after moving to a rented house in Jharda village to seek peace, Laxmi's challenges deepened. She faced financial neglect and frequent violence from her husband, especially under the influence of alcohol. Eventually, on May 12, 2024, she left home in despair and took temporary shelter with a friend in Bhubaneswar. With little support, no income, and a child to care for, Laxmi was on the edge of surrendering her daughter to the Child Welfare Committee, a heartbreaking decision born out of desperation. But that's where the turning point began.

On the advice of her friend, she approached Gondia Police Station in Dhenkanal. There, the police and social workers didn't just listen they stood by her. With their emotional support and guidance, Laxmi was counselled, reassured, and reminded of her worth. Moved by this support, she made a brave decision: to keep her child. That moment, the reunion of a mother and daughter who were almost torn apart was the first big victory.

At Shakti Sadan, Laxmi found more than shelter. She found safety, care, and dignity. She received medical attention, trauma counselling, and vocational training in tailoring, leaf-plate making, kitchen gardening, and rakhi designing. Her daughter, too, was cared for with love and began early childhood learning.

Within weeks, Laxmi began to transform. Her confidence grew, her laughter returned, and she bonded beautifully with other residents. She became an active participant in group activities and festivals, contributing ideas and supporting others like her. The belief that she can stand on her own feet became her second big breakthrough.

In a remarkable effort toward healing and reconciliation, the shelter home reached out to Laxmi's husband and his family. With consistent counselling and negotiation, the wall of anger and bitterness began to break down. Laxmi, having gained inner clarity and emotional strength, expressed her wish to reunite with her husband not from dependence, but with dignity and awareness.

On November 7, 2024, Laxmi's husband, in-laws, and her mother came to the shelter. A joint counselling session was held an open dialogue, full of emotions, where both sides spoke, listened, and committed to change. In that room, forgiveness happened, promises were made, and a decision was taken that Laxmi would return home, not as a victim, but as a stronger, more self assured woman.

Today, Laxmi is back with her husband and daughter, rebuilding her life with new confidence. The marriage is now grounded in mutual understanding and respect, and the family unit, once on the edge of collapse, has been lovingly restored.

From this matter we learned that even in moments of deep pain, hope can be renewed with the right support. It shows the transformative power of empathy how a few caring individuals, such as police officers, our counsellors, and our shelter staff, can change the course of someone's life. Her journey reminds us that empowerment through counselling, vocational skills, and emotional care can help survivors reclaim their dignity and rebuild their future. It also highlights that strained family relationships, when approached with sincerity and guided conversations, can find healing and restoration. Most importantly, Laxmi's experience proves that asking for help is not a sign of weakness, but the first brave step toward change. Her story is a witness to the strength of women, the value of second chances, and the importance of community based support systems that protect, nurture, and uplift those in need.

Kabita is a 28 year old from Jenapur, Jajpur. Kabita was first married when she was only 17. However, her first husband was not able to provide financially, and soon began to physically and mentally abuse her. When her husband was arrested for robbery, she moved back in with her father and began working again. After a while, a relative forced her to start working a job she did not enjoy. A man named Dilu Naik helped her to escape this Job and return home. She got pregnant by Dilu Naik and got married to him. However, he too began to abuse her physically and mentally. When Dilu Naik threatened to kill her, she went to the Family Counselling Center to seek justice. The FCC referred her to NYSASDRI Swadhar Greh for accommodation and rehabilitation, where she engaged in vocational training so she could be self-reliant and counselling for personal improvement. After counselling, she met her husband at the Swadhar Greh office with the counsellors. There, Kabita and her husband came to a mutual agreement, and today they are living together in peace and happiness. The efforts of Swadhar Greh counsellors were very successful in Kabita's case and greatly helped to improve her life. This is the beauty of the Swadhar Greh model: it gives individuals the tools and skills to overcome future challenges on their own. This case exemplifies how counsellors, especially the highly-skilled ones at Swadhar Greh, can be a powerful force for change in society.

Sangita Sethy, a 25-year-old woman from Kantiokateni village in Dhenkanal district, Odisha, was married to Suresh Sethy, 34, from Badaindipur, Kamakhyanagar, in 2019 through an arranged marriage with the consent of both families. Suresh, who is employed in a service job, lives in a joint family, while Sangita took on the role of a homemaker, caring for her in-laws. A year after their marriage, the couple was blessed with a son, who is now four years old.However, over the past year, Sangita began experiencing domestic violence and mental harassment from her husband and his family. With no support or empathy from her in-laws, the situation worsened. Eventually, the family forced the couple to separate, asking Sangita to leave the house while keeping custody of her son.

Distressed, Sangita returned to her parental home and decided to take a stand. On January 20, 2025, she filed a case at the Family Counselling Centre (FCC) in Dhenkanal. After reviewing the case, the FCC issued notices to both parties. During the counselling sessions, both sides presented their viewpoints, and FCC staff conducted several rounds of discussions to promote mutual understanding.Over time, with legal support and continuous counselling, both Sangita and Suresh agreed to reconcile. An agreement was signed by Suresh and his family, committing to respect Sangita’s rights and responsibilities as a wife and mother. The couple reunited and are now living together peacefully, with ongoing follow-up from the FCC.

Intervention by the FCC

After reviewing the case, the Family Counselling Centre (FCC) conducted three psychosocial counselling sessions for both parties. In the first session, held on 30.01.2025, Sangita appeared fearful and hesitant to speak due to the presence of her in-laws. However, the counsellor created a supportive and comfortable environment, which encouraged her to gradually open up.

Given the seriousness of the situation, a second joint counselling session was held on 03.02.2025, where both Sangita and her husband participated. This session was more effective, with both parties calmly listening to one another. Following individual and joint counselling, the couple mutually agreed to return to Suresh’s house and continue living together. Their families also promised to support them and maintain healthy communication.

A follow-up call on 07.02.2025 confirmed that the couple was living happily. The FCC will continue regular follow-ups to ensure a harmonious family environment.

Rina Sethy is a 35 year old woman who was blessed with a child. However, she had been caught up in a family dispute for the past 7 years and had been mentally tortured by her husband and in-laws following the marriage. She came from a poor family, and she is a housewife by trade. Her husband had an affair with another woman while her son was 2 years old. Her husband, in-laws, and even the woman her husband had an affair with had been psychologically abusive towards her. She had no one to support her. Her husband was using all his earnings to pay for the family of the woman he was having an affair with, saving none for his wife and child. As a result, she had very little money and struggled to raise her son. Thus, on 15/12/2022 she filed a case in Family Counselling Centre, Dhenkanal. After listening to her situation, the counsellor issued a notice to both parties to attend counselling. During a long meeting at the Family Counselling Centre, both parties expressed their side of the story. Taking both perspectives, the staff of the Family Counselling Centre had a long discussion with Rina and her husband. In the end, all parties came to reach a mutual understanding and understand each other’s importance and values. At the end of the session, both parties were very satisfied and mutually agreed to end the case. Her husband, Bharat Chandra Sethy, signed a contract promising to stay away from the woman he was previously having an affair with. He also agreed to focus instead on his family and to bear all the expenses of Rina and their son. He promised to take responsible for the family, addressing problems that might arise and looking after his family members. Following this successful counselling by the FCC, both are living together peacefully and happily with their son. This is but one example of the transformative power the FCC can have for families.

42-yearold Digamberpur native Bhajaman Rout, the son of Dhadi Rout. He is mentally handicapped and suffers from schizophrenia (70% disabled). He was declared mentally handicapped at age 15. Since then, his mental health has continued to degrade, despite medication. He is married and has a 12-yearold daughter. He is from the schedule caste neighbourhood and earns a living by trading dried fish. His family, who live below the poverty line, get a little help at the gram panchayat level. For instance, they receive the handicap allowance of Rs. 500 and rations of 15 kg of rice each month. However, this isn’t enough to maintain the family. His family's traditional business of dry fish has been managed by his wife, but it has not been profitable enough to meet their daily needs.

When Bhajaman’s difficult situation was brought to our notice, we stepped in to help. He was provided a revolving fund of Rs. 20,000 in December 2022. For someone whose business makes just Rs. 250-300 in profit per day, this financial support was life changing. It changed the way they lived and their entire outlook on life. Using this funding, his wife can purchase larger quantities of dried fish to resell, causing her income to gradually increase. Today, her family is finally able to make ends meet. She hopes to continue growing the business and improving their situation. She is resilient enough to shoulder her family's burden and support Bhajaman, previously she simply lacked the access to capital to do so. Now that she has these resources, she can make a living and be a valuable contributor to society. She is readjusting to independence and overcoming her reliance on others. She is very thankful to NYSASDRI & REHASWISS for this life changing support.

Bhimsen Kamar from Dhanianali village was able enough to earn as much to feed his two parents, three daughters, one son and his wife. The surname of Bhimsen clearly spells out his traditional occupation i.e. Blacksmith (preparing and repairing of iron based agriculture and household implements). Although the shift to modern practices in agriculture has reduced the role and income of this village traditional artisan, but Bhimsen has updated his skill with added value to his practices that continued his demand in the locality. Life was running normally till 2012 when Bhimsen met an accident while travelling in a vehicle that made him disable around 70% and his mental condition also degraded due to physical and internal injury. NYSASDRI reached at Bhimsen and realising his suffering discussed with his family and planned a rehabilitation measure that is based on their experience and traditional practice. NYSASDRI extended financial support to run the blacksmith work and all the family members joined hand to continue the business and within short time they restored their name and income. It was again the CORONA that hit the family in 2020-22 and the family again came to road as lock downs stopped all the works. Again it was NYSASDRI that came forward to support financially from the revolving fund of REHASWiSS and all the 4 members of the family started their work and today they are earning average rupees 1000 per day. Besides putting the livelihood on track, Mr Bhimsen is now slowly regaining his mental ability. The family extends their heartfelt thanks to REHASWiSS and NYSASDRI for their timely cooperation, support, guidance and handholding.

This case study is related to a 35-year-old woman, Pranati Sahoo from Baladiabandh, Ps - Gobindpur, District Dhenkanal. Pranati has a daughter of 9 years old and a son aging only 6 years. For the last 10 years i.e. immediately after her marriage she experienced all sorts of domestic violence against her at her in-law’s house. Her husband is a business man and Pranati is a house wife. As her in-laws live in a joint family, Pranati’s working time stretches from 5 am morning to 10 pm night and in return of her hard work, she receives abusive words and physical torture from family members including her husband. When the amount of torture exceeded its limit, she approached FCC and filed a case on 1st Jan, 2024, at the Family Counselling Centre, Dhenkanal. After assessing her problem, the counsellor issued a notice to both parties to start counselling and case redressal process. Both parties attended the Family Counselling Centre and continued counselling meeting for a long time, both of them placed their grievances before the FCC. Knowing the reality of the situation, the members of the FCC, tried their best to reconcile the matter. After an intensive counselling session, the family members as well as Pranati and her husband agreed to live peacefully together. They realised the value and importance of living together with dignity and respect to each other’s needs and feelings. Her husband promised to take care of Pranati and look after the children. He also signed an agreement before the FCC to follow the decisions taken mutually at the counselling meeting. Now both of them are living together with their children peacefully and happily.

Kankadahada Block is one of the tribal-dominated areas in Odisha, where most people depend on farming and the collection of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) for their livelihood. Bansidhara Naik, a member of a backward community and a person with a physical disability, was unable to engage in agricultural or physically demanding work due to his condition.He lives in Makuakateni village (under Bhagabata Jew VSS) in Kankadahada Block, Dhenkanal district. His family consists of five members who live together in a joint family and depend mainly on a small cycle repair shop for income. However, due to limited earnings, they struggled to invest in spare parts for repairs. They live in a small thatched house. Although the government has sanctioned a house for them, they are unable to construct it because of their poor financial condition. The family is landless and earns just Rs 200 to Rs 250 per week from the shop, making it very difficult to meet basic needs.

Recognizing their situation, the VSS President and Development Officer, Mrs. Anupama Mohanty, identified Bansidhara’s financial need and supported his cycle repair business. He received a first-phase POP loan of Rs 5,000, followed by a second installment of Rs 10,000. A Business Development Plan (BDP) worth Rs 20,000 was also prepared to help him scale up his business.In Makuakateni Gram Panchayat, many local residents and school students depend on his cycle repair services. Recently, he started installing electric motors in bicycles, which has become very popular among school-going children.Bansidhara now aspires to start a small business in the village to further support his family. With the help received, his monthly income has increased to Rs 6,000 to Rs 8,000.

“I am grateful for the opportunity Vana Surakshya Samiti has given me. Because of this support, I feel empowered to run and sustain my business,” says Bansidhara Naik.

Formation always takes more energy. It happened in case of the Marang buru SHG of Jambu pabal sahi. It composed of women who neither had any intention for any group formation nor any desire to sit unitedly. They also admit it in their own way. A worker of NYSASDRI Mr Gobardhan Kabi contacted the community members of Pabalsahi. Initially they hesitated to form any group. But after consistent persuasion they convinced to be member of a group.

They sit together for literacy classes. This process brought confidence within them. Gradually they know about different aspects of SHG and 2 such groups took shape. Initially they meet twice a month. Bank accounts opened in a nearby State Bank of India branch at Joranda. The bank offered a loan of Rs.25,000 our deposit. A member Ms Phula Hembarm says that she buys a she sheep by paying Rs 2100. This sheep produced three lambs. She sold grown up lambs and got Rs 5100. She calculated that her profit is Rs 3000 in initial year. Other members of the group said that they are well versed about different govt. schemes through this project.

They came to about the role of Palli sabha and Gram Sabha. They have a savings of Rs.10,000 in their bank account. All women members are earning regularly through income generating activities. All members are feeling empowered and participating in the electoral process. The pabalsahi people thanks to German Agro Action(GAA) and NYSASDRI for this change.

Radha Gadika is a Kondh tribal girl from Jugapada village of Bissam-Cuttack block in Rayagada district. Her father died three years back, leaving her mother, brother and two sisters. The family depends upon the drudgery of wage work as they have hardly any assets to maintain life and livelihood. Her mother Lachhma Saraka is the only breadwinner in their family. Her brother, sister and herself were regularly engaged in helping their mother to enhance their family economy. In India, poverty and economic deprivation are the majour threat on the way of educating Radha. Instead of sending her to school, Lachhma was preferring to deploy her in collection of minor forest produces and fuel woods or force them in the drudgery of wage work.

Mr Chitta Mishra & Ms Mandakini Mishra of Jiridamali, Dhenkanal has two daughters. One of the daughter Tapaswini was a burden for them. Poverty stricken Mishra familiy was in trouble dur to her vision impairment. But Tapaswini has a dream to be a teacher in her future. Her sole purpose was to overcome her family condition. She took admission at Jiridamali Primary School. She has shown her talent in the education as well as in the sports. But she found her poor eye sight, which was really an obstacle in her success. Tapaswini was struggling a lot and could not see the letters on the blackboard. She did not discontinue her studies. The school teachers helped her. After a number efforts under trial & error, she found the team of Kalinga Eye Hospital in their village on 22nd September 2010. Dr Garnayak has done diagnosis of her eyes and referred to the base hospital for cataract eye surgery. Dr. S K Jagadala has conducted the surgery. She got a vision of 6/36 from CF-2mtr on her first follow up. Then her another eye need surgery.

Somanath is illiterate and poor old man of 80 years, lives in a dilapidated damaged thatched house with an unhygienic environment in the Saliasahi slum- the largest slum in Bhubaneswar. Noticeable cataract in his eyes has made him a virtual blind. The Eviction Drive by the State Government is one more setback to his life. His wife Sashi is the only breadwinner of the family of two. However, the past of Somanath was much better than his present declined condition. Originally he belongs to Gandhinagar, Ganjam. His first wife who had no children, passed away 30 years back. But latter he managed to have a contented life with his wife, one son and four daughters. He was engaged in agricultural activities in his six acres of land.'The earning was sufficient to feed two adult and five children' reminisces Somanath. Unfortunately, his happy family shattered by sudden death of his only son died of fever, when he was in class 8. Poverty started its invasion to the family. Marrying four daughters, in the age of dowry, was a strenuous job for Somanath. He spent all his assets for the purpose. His rice bowl, six acres of agricultural land, along with his residential land was also sold. Life became a challenge for him. He was compelled to opt for the drudgery of daily labour.

In view of dearth of labour works and excess of workforce, getting a wage work daily was not possible for the family. They have the experience of spending days together without any food. On the other hand, he came to know that in Bhubaneswar plenty of labour work is available. This prompted Somanath and his wife to go to Bhubaneswar, 20 years back. With support from their relations got a space in the Saliasahi slum. Again started a new beginning in their life. Somanath was going to daily work and the family was on the threshold of normalcy. This time, their hopes again wrecked by visual problems of Somanath. Due to cataract problems he gradually lost his vision and was barred from daily work. Now survival of the family in the costly city was a big question for the couple. His daughters and son-in-laws helped them for some time. But as they were earning hand to mouth, they could not support any more.

Poverty and hunger again took over the couple. Sashi, his wife, engaged herself in the wage work, getting work regularly was not possible for her. Health of Somanath deteriorated due to nervousness and anxiety. At this juncture, NYSASDRI extended hands of support under "Adopt A Granny Programme", supported by The HelpAge International, London from April 1997. Regular assistances like food commodities, clothes, medicines, laundry items and pocket money are provided under this programme. Regular Health check-up camps are also organised. In these camps Somanath like other beneficiaries avails medical services and medicine free of cost.The support has proved to be water in the desert. Now he is relatively happy with the support. The assistance not only feeds Somanath but also provides means of survival for his wife. Now they have some food in their thatched house. Similarly, like Somanath, there are 119 needy and poverty stricken abandoned elders, deserted by their family or destiny, are being supported by NYSASDRI- with assistance form HelpAge International. They have accepted the staffs and officials NYSASDRI as their own child.

Brahmini Devi WSHG of Phuljhar is running since last 7 years. Total members of this WSHG are 10. The Public Distribution System there was irregular and not accessible for all the people. The SHG took responsibility of distribution of Kerosene, Sugar, and Rice etc. All the management has been done by the SHG and now the people can avail all the facilities from the Government. NYSASDRI has given them training on record keeping and group management. It help them a lot in managing their group and maintaining their records.

Susama Pradhan of Bajuria village of Dhenkanal District had fall in love with a guy Chandan Pradhan of her village. The family members of Susama were ignorant about this affair. After 2 month of their affairs Susama came to know that she was pregnant. She told it to Chandan and request to marry her, but Chandan denied. So Susama lodged a FIR at the nearest police station. Then Chandan was sent to jail for 2 months. When he released from the jail he accused that she has illegal relationship with her own father. After few days Susama delivered a girl child. But Chandan and villagers did not allow her to live in the village. At the mean time Susama came to know about the short stay Home of NYSASDRI.

In the month of September 2005 she came to the Short Stay Home for shelter and started leading a better life there. The superintendent of the Short Stay Home thought to rehabilitate her permanently. So she arranged marriage for Susama. After several counseling sessions, her family members agreed to support her. Her so called lover Chandan also agreed to attend the function and contributed 5000 rupees for Susama's marriage. In September 2007, Susama got married with Mr Bhatrat Natia. Then Mrs Susama is living happily with her husband at her in-laws house.