#CarerGroups Hold Annual Seminar @CarersWorldwide

29 July, Hazaribag: Carer Self-help Groups from Sadar, Daru, Ichak, Katkamsandi and Katkamdag blocks of Hazaribag district have come together in a seminar organized under the program of Promoting Carers of PwDs, mentally ill or old aged sick people with support of Carers Worldwide & Commonwealth Foundation, UK. Mr. Raindra Singh Thakur (District Welfare Officer, Hazaribag) was the chief guest who praised multi-dimensional activities of NBJK and called Carers program as the different one that addresses caring of helpless people in much wider perspective. The DWO has assured to link carers with government run social security schemes. He mentioned about Mukhyamantri Ladli Yojna and Vidhwa Samman Yojna for women carers which can support them financially for their daughters’ education and provides regular aid to any poor widow after death of her husband.

Dr. Anil Patil (Executive Director, Carers Worldwide) has focused upon close coordination between government and society to support carers mainly housewives or women struggling with problems of loneliness, poor health and livelihood in their daily lives. The very issue of carers deserves proper advocacy and policy; he opined and appealed UNO to declare a particular day as Carers Day internationally. The seminar was initiated with the welcome speech of Mr. Satish Girija (Secretary, NBJK). He has briefed about NBJK’s intervention on disability, mental health and agreed with the initiative by Carers Worldwide to achieve the ultimate goal of quality caring via strengthening of carers. Mr. Satish has valued the idea to express voice of a silent and committed community.

In his presentation, Mr. Rajiv Singh (Program Manager) has updated about 4 clusters of 59 SHGs with 828 Carers having group saving of Rs. 4, 09,676. There are Ration Cards for 279 families, Disability Certificates for 43 and monthly pension for 21 dependent PwDs, he informed. Many carers like Mrs. Meena Devi, Mrs. Razia Khatun, Mrs. Lalita Devi, Mrs. Pramila Gupta, Mrs. Usha Devi, Mrs. Lakshmi Devi, Mr. Anil Singh from Maheshra, Bonga, Meru, Oriya, Sarauni, Jinga, Banahapa villages have expressed their views over challenges for caring. On this occasion, Mr. Mahendra Ram (Mukhia, Silwar Panchayat) has suggested for launching of an exclusive govt. scheme for Carers. The seminar was anchored by Md. Nayeem (Asst. PM) and staff team of Mrs. Vimla Rana, Mrs. Pratima Devi, Mr. Kamal Pandey, Mr. Sujit Mishra and Mr. Om Prakash Gupta has worked hard to organize it.