A rights-based approach to tribal empowerment.
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ABOUT AGRAGAMEE
Agragamee, which means, "pioneer", is a group of activists and thinkers committed to working with marginalized and underprivileged communities in the tribal districts of Orissa, in India. Our efforts at initiating a people-centred development have combined an issue-based approach with programmes for socio-economic development.
 

Agragamee has been engaged in people-centred, culturally sensitive and ecologically balanced sustainable development of remote tribal communities in Orissa for over two decades. It began as the Social Work and Research Centre in 1981 and was registered as Agragamee in 1987. Currently, we work directly in 8 districts of Orissa and indirectly through a consortium of 9 partner NGOs called Sanjojana.
Our mission is to promote all aspects of tribal development throughout India, with a focus on Orissa and integrated approaches to help tribal communities mobilize for self-sustaining development initiatives. Our efforts are directed at establishing total human development and bringing about social change through awareness as well as forming local level organisations to ensure social justice and self-reliance. We aim to better the econimic conditions of poor communities by realising the potential of personal skills and resources.
   
With Agragamee's help, tribal women like Sumoni Jhodia of Siriguda village and Jatani Kanhara of Lathikumpa village and tribal men like Ghasi Majhi of Haliasahi and Domburru Jhodia of Padepadar have emerged as role models of an organic grass-roots leadership, competent to represent their communities on issues of survival and rights.They have been able to influence decision making processes at several levels and drawn attention to the oppression and exploitation in the tribal communities.
   
Name of the project Block District No. of villages covered
Kashipur Kashipur Rayagada
412
Derakumpa Phiringia Kandhamal
100
Dasamantpur Dasamantpur Koraput
201
Thakurmunda Thakurmunda Mayurbhanj
42
Sukruli Sukruli Mayurbhanj
37
Padepadar Thakumulrampur Kalahandi
37
Goudaguda Tentulikhunti Nabrangpur
28
Mahaling Golamunda Kalahandi
11
Chhindpani Nuapada Nuapada
08


Agragamee's efforts have contributed to the mainstreaming of concerns of the marginalised and the underprivileged into the national and state level policy agenda.
We endeavour to influence Governments to take the necessary steps towards developing several pro-poor plans.

Our activites and campaigns have included:

Policy reformulation to ensure land rights to tribal peasants in the Fifth Schedule Areas.

Policy change transferring rights over Minor Forest Produce to Panchayats.

Policy reformulation to ensure efficient and appropriate implementation of Government works in the tribal regions through village committees.

A reformulation of the food policy for tribal regions drawing on the model of community grain banks developed by Agragamee.


The issues we deal with extend to advocacy, food security, education, watershed development, the right to forest resources, development of women's organisations, training programmes, awareness programmes and the formulation of people-centred development programmes.

The growing assertion of the tribals and the increased awareness regarding their rights and entitlements constitute an integral part of Agragamee's pro-poor intervention initiatives. At Agragamee we have taken it upon ourselves to draw attention to those that often go unseen and unheard. This is their platform, from which we aim to enable them to march forward as empowered individuals.
   
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