Capacity Building on Right(s) Way Forward

PRIA facilitated a five day training on Right(s) Way Forward – Communities for Sustainability for Open Learning Systems (OLS) from December 7-11, 2015 in Odisha. This learning programme was promoted by Forum Syd, a Swedish funding organization, and its Swedish partner, Adoptionscentrum.

The primary objective of the training was to capacitate OLS to work on environment and climate change issues in 2016. The training was organised in Nimapara block of Puri district. A total of 20 participants (five women and 15 men) attended the training. The group consisted of two ward members, one sarpanch, two SHG members, three community volunteers and 12 field staff (working on community based rehabilitation). In addition, one main field programme coordinator from OLS and an Adoptionscentrum representative also observed the training.

While setting the objectives at the start of the workshop, the participants listed down many issues such as building understanding and awareness on climate change and its effects, whether it is manmade or not, changing attitudes and utilisation of local resources, etc.

All these issues were addressed in their learning. The programme primarily focused on building understanding of communities on issues related to climate change, how it has contributed to degradation of the environment and has affected their livelihood options.  It also helped build understanding on the linkages between environment–institutions–economy and the wellbeing of communities. It took into account how climate change impacts natural resource management and its repercussions on women and men within a given community. The training process helped participants understand the importance of inclusion, especially marginalized groups, when preparing Community Action Plans. At the end of the training-learning programme, the participants were able to prepare a Community Action Plan.

The participants appreciated the training and actively engaged in the group exercises facilitated by PRIA. The Adoptionscentrum representative opined that the active participation by all was a good indicator of the success of the programme. “In many trainings, people generally disappear during group exercises, and only one or two work on the task at hand,” she said. “This especially happens at the community level. In this training, everyone participated. ”