Capacity building
LWSI work promotes new organizations of the poor, strengthens the existing people's organizations and prepares them to participate actively in the development process, and exercise their civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights. It is accepted that NGOs and communities have got the dual task of collaborating with the government while at the same time engaging the policy makers through lobbying, campaigns and advocacy processes to influence policies in favour of the poor and marginalized and for better socio-economic justice. Capacity building trainings enhance skills in different sectors. LWSI views the target communities as partners. In the spirit of true partnership, communities contribute resources in the form of cash, kind and labour. This process of partnership instills among them a sense of ownership -- a key to sustainability. Community Based Organizations, Self Help Groups and their networks and alliances are supported to register as legal entities to deepen the scope of partnerships with government and non-government agencies.

Health
In the area of health, LWSI encourages communities to avail existing government healthcare facilities for treatment of major ailments. LWSI supports communities to improve the general health status, and focuses on preventive and promotive healthcare, environmental sanitation and safe water supplies. To make healthcare facilities available within the communities, LWSI trains community health workers and traditional birth attendants, supplies safe delivery kits and promotes their use. Trained community personnel provide primary healthcare services, including antenatal and postnatal care, immunization, etc, and network to enable mothers to get the benefits of institutional healthcare.
Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) is a major tool for preventing spread of diseases. BCC is used for prevention and control of STD and HIV/AIDS. The projects organize mass education and awareness camps, and special training and orientation for community and opinion leaders to generate awareness. HIV/AIDS awareness building and control programmes are integrated into the community healthcare programme.

Education
Primary education is a government responsibility. Due to extreme poverty, children from deprived families are not enrolled in formal schools and are denied their rights. Community organizations and groups are encouraged to monitor the functioning of the local schools and work with teachers and other stakeholders to improve the quality of education. In order to reduce dropout rate, communities are supported to operate Study Centres to guide the school going children. Special motivation and awareness programmes are organized for parents to enrol their children in formal schools. Since a section of children, particularly girls, do not go to school because of poverty, LWSI supports such students to buy textbooks and other necessities. LWSI supports Non Formal Education (NFE) Centres to encourage illiterate adults, particularly women, and working children to enrol in these centres. Members of the community, women and men with some education, are trained as instructors to operate the NFE centres.

Agriculture
LWSI works in areas with a high concentration of subsistence level farmers who lack access to appropriate technologies and know-how to produce adequate food. As a result many families face chronic food insecurity. LWSI organizes trainings and demonstrations for farmers and provides material inputs to promote sustainable agricultural practices to increase household food security.

Integrated homestead farming is introduced to increase production from homestead plots. Group and community farming are supported to strengthen community funds and grain banks. The programme supports farmers to construct compost pits and use organic and green manures, including bio fertilizers, to improve soil fertility. Since most farmers lack suitable agricultural implements, the programme supports groups of farmers to buy and use these tools, which remain common property.

Natural Resources and Environment
LWSI recognizes the close linkages between problems of rural poverty and natural resource degradation. Awareness and sensitization programmes capacitate the community and motivate them to undertake environment friendly activities. Measures are promoted to correct the negative environmental effects of current practices; farmers are motivated to use bio fertilizers instead of chemical fertilizers, appropriate crop planning to retain soil quality, etc. Environmental management including hygiene and cleanliness drives are taken up to induce a positive effect on the micro environment. LWSI supports adoption of livelihood enhancing natural resource management technologies through community based approaches.
At the community level, programme supports the marginalized to establish access and control over common property resources; and create common resources like ponds, rainwater harvesting structures, check dams, etc. Communities are assisted to plant food, fuel, fodder and timber trees for environmental regeneration and for the well being of the community.

Micro Finance
National anti-poverty programme of the government stresses on micro credit. Within its partner communities, LWSI promotes Self Help Groups (SHGs) and encourages savings and micro credit operations. These SHGs are linked with formal credit institutions and various capacity building sessions are organized to enhance their skills as micro credit facilitators. Entrepreneurship development programmes and self-employment oriented skill development programmes are organized for SHG members. Micro enterprises are supported when the groups acquire the necessary skills. Apart from supporting individual income generation schemes, LWSI supports community and group income generating ventures, the profits from which are added to the community or group working capital.

Information dissemination programmes are conducted to enable the communities, particularly the poorest of the poor, to get access to various state sponsored employment welfare schemes such as the National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme which ensure 100 days employment to an individual. SHGs and other Community Based Organizations monitor the implementation of these schemes.

Gender Equity
The patriarchal system and social orthodoxy prevailing in the operational communities prevent women's full participation and leadership in the development process. Literacy level among women is low; they are ignorant of their human rights and entitlements. Domestic violence is very common, with women suffering in silence and often accepting the abuse as part of their fate. Empowerment means sensitization against such beliefs and practices.

Women's organizations and groups are promoted, and leaders trained to provide women the opportunity to work collectively to address the specific problems faced by them and adolescent girls. The programmes promote Self Help Groups of women to manage their own micro credit operations. Community Based Organizations are encouraged and supported to include women in their leadership.

LWSI programmes attach the greatest priority to improve women's access and control over resources. This helps to improve their status within the family and community. LWSI uses Gender Equity Impact Assessment tools regularly to assess the impact of the programme intervention on women and men.

Watershed Development Projects
LWSI is collaborating with the State Government of Orissa and the Western Orissa Rural Livelihood Project (WORLP) with support from the Ministry of Rural Development and DFID respectively to implement Watershed Development Projects in Bolangir, Kalahandi and Nuapada districts of Orissa, which suffer repeated droughts. The project areas are among the poorest in India. The three main objectives are: promotion of livelihood activities, capacity building for primary and secondary stakeholders and encouraging an enabling environment.

• Orissa & West Bengal