Livelihood Projects

Livelihood improvement Project for the Himalayas



Life in the Himalayas is always tougher. The people living here struggle for a steady and assured income that could support the needs of their families. Due to limited resource, difficulty in commuting and relatively higher price for the goods and commodities, it becomes essential for them to assure regular income for themselves.

Anticipating the need, KAGAS stared the “Livelihood Improvement Project for the Himalayas”, an initiative that largely focuses on strengthening the women mass of the region through training them on various income generation activities.
The women were motivated to form Self-Help Groups, primarily saving and credit groups and trained on off-season vegetable production. The produce generated was channelized for sale through a federated committee of the cooperatives. KAGAS supported the women farmers at all the stages of marketing and input supply

Through this initiative, two cooperatives were formed, each of whom were able to generate saving of INR 3,00,000 AND INR 1,50,000 respectively. The women members of the groups could earn an income of INR 1500-2000 every month.

Swa-Shakti


True enlightenment comes only through self-realization.
The women, who are at the epicenter of every big and small things of our daily routine, usually undermine their own self. If mobilized through proper channel, they can do wonders. Project “Swa-Shakti” is such a campaign that is carving out the hidden abilities of the women of the hills.

Through this project, KAGAS is focusing on developing the entrepreneurship spirit of these women by updating and training them on various aspects of income generation, such as off-season vegetable production, design, development and marketing of various products made out of “Rambans”, and new agricultural technologies.

These trainings are focused on developing micro-enterprises and establishing market linkages to ensure regular source of income. KAGAS is focusing on various time saving activities also. This has helped 634 women and 3 women artist realize their true power, who are now able to earn a minimum of INR 1500 in a month.

Technology intervention for the Upliftment of SC Communities



Technology has always easy human labour and increased efficiency in the process. In the hilly regions, the need is felt even more as people here spend lots of time, money, energy and resource to overcome the hurdles. To enable a technology-led, efficient and easy way of working and improve the income generation capacity, KAGAS introduced the project “Technology Intervention for the Upliftment of SC Communities”.

Through this project, KAGAS focused on skill development of the schedules cast youth and women mass of the community through training of off-season vegetable production, vermi composting, and rain water harvesting construction. Nine women including 35 families were benefited as they were able to earn INR 1500-2000 per month. 10 people of the community were trained as professional carpenters, who are now earning INR 700-1000 per day for the family. Through construction of 10 rain water harvesting tanks and two common water collection centers, the farmers are saving 2 to 3 valuable hours in water fetching from their daily schedule.

KAGAS motivated and sensitised every household of the community of Rajpura village to construct and use their own toilets. As a result, the village achieved the status of “Open Defecation Free” and recognised with “Nirmal Gram Award” by Government of India. The Village Panchayat received “Appreciation Certificate and INR 2,00,000 to encourage the efforts made.

Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hastshilp Vikas Yojna


Protecting and promoting our ancient art and civilization is duty of every society. With a view to doing so, if the local artisans and craftsmen are benefitted financially and get recognition for their work, then nothing could be more satisfying.

In one of such unique projects; “Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hastshilp Vikas Yojna”, KAGAS is facilitating training of artists in design and handicraft by specialist and well-known artists. Self-help Groups of artists are being created and they are being trained in various aspects of marketing and developing market linkages to promote and sell their work. 25 such SHGs are formed through this initiative, where 300 artists are now earning INR 3000 every month. Their work is being getting recognition both at local level as well as in national exhibitions in Pragati Maidan, New Delhi

Promotion of Organic Farming



Organic farming is a way of life, a way that is close to the nature and healthy living. The produce harvested through organic farming come under premium segment and fetch better value for the farmers. Recognising humongous potential in organic farming as source of improved livelihood, KAGAS mobilized the farmers of Uttarakhand for organic farming providing all necessary training of the trade and new agricultural technologies

The farmers are not only trained on the method, but also on the techniques like grading the produce, branding and promotion of organic product, establishing marketing channels and market linkages. Through this initiative, 16 groups of farmers were created who were could realize 20-25% increase in the income.

Usha Silai School Program


“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”
Such is the power of education and training. “Usha Silai School” program was conceptualized to create a pool of master trainers, who could further train others how to do tailoring and stitching.

Through this program, the women were trained in fashion designing by National Institute of Fashion Designing (NIFT) and maintenance of sewing machine so that they could start their own school and train others. Every trained woman was provided with a sewing machine.

KAGAS trained a pool of 50 women trained and provided 1 sewing machine to each woman. 30 out of these 50 women have started their own Silai school. Ten women have started Silai School in the village area and training 30 Women every month. Out of them five women have started their own stitching shops in nearby town and providing employment to 2-3 other women of the community.  These women are able to earn INR 1500-2000 every month along with their other activities.