Through the implementation of Swarnajayanati Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY), Safhi has formed 370 Self Help Groups in districts of West Bengal and about 70 percent groups are involved in agriculture and allied activities. Safhi has arranged support services to enable the SHGs to improve quality of life and increase income.

SHGs have passed 1st gradation and received the revolving fund, which is a major achievement in the state

Safhi is also involved in the revival of erstwhile DWCRA groups to enable them to start economic activities by providing all necessary support and arrangement of credit linkage and marketing assistance in 24 Parganas (S) district.

Safhi arranges Basic Orientation programme, Capacity building and skill development to enable the SHGs to start viable enterprise.

Safhi has constructed a Rural Sanitary Mart to promote rural low cost sanitary facilities under its total Sanitation Programme in the North 24 Paraganas district of West Bengal.

Our aim is to complete the work for environmental sanitation in select Blocks and to ensure the habit of using latrine among all the village community to enable the district administrator to declare it as a total sanitation block. UNICEF and GoWB are supporting this endeavour.

The responsibilities included motivating the beneficiaries, production and installation of low cost sanitary latrines.

Safhi had completed Installation of 1,982 latrines in the said Block.

Due to high demand of low cost sanitation materials, Safhi plans to set up an additional production centre.

Safhi has also been entrusted to supply hardware of low cost sanitation materials on a regular basis in other blocks of the area.

Experience from the same is expected to be very beneficial in rehabilitation measures that need be adopted in other developmental projects where the need is felt.

Supporting and Promoting products manufactured in small and cottage scale by individual entrepreneurs and SHGs of Rural India

 Supporting and Promoting products manufactured in small and cottage scale by individual entrepreneurs and SHGs of Rural India
Establishment of Training cum Production of diversifies jute products in West Bengal, assistance to SHGs to start production units in 2 locations, selection and procurements of products from artisans and arranging direct sales of these products, organising event managementa and direct sales at IITF, New Delhi etc. Safhi is in the process of setting up a district linkage program-connecting rural artisans and small manufacturers of West Bengal with urban markets.

 Promoting distribution of products, traditionally available in urban India, to rural population through SHGs and co-operatives
Safhi, for the first time, has introduced the concept of SHGs, which will be primarily involved in trading activities. There are several advantages of this scheme are the availability of a variety of products in rural areas, employment generation, small scale localised economic growth among others.

Safhi is in the process of setting up a "Design Centre" - its purpose is

  Awareness generation for product and process quality improvement,

  Skill up-gradation,

  Product development and

  Training

of the artisans and entrepreneurs based on market requirements, customer feedback and competitors' strategies.

A schematic diagram of SAFHI's activities is presented below.

To promote the products developed through the SHGs and other small entrepreneurs, Safhi regularly participates in various fairs, both in the state and in the national level.

 Safhi-Sambedana Project - Safhi has signed an MoU with Dr. Mrinal Bhattacharya to start an advanced care centre for the aged and advanced cancer patients in Kolkata. The work is in progress.

 Charitable dispensary: - Safhi is also running a charitable dispensary at McCluskiegunj, near Ranchi. The purpose of the centre is to provide basic health facilities to the poor and disadvantaged communities residing in nearby areas. Qualified doctors' services are made available in terms of prescription and referrals. Primary diagnosis and referrals are also made for cases of STIs along with awareness building measures on prevention of HIV/AIDS. Free distribution of medicines is also done through this centre.

  SAFHI handholding with St. John Ambulance for Aged Citizens - Safhi has executed another MoU with St. John Ambulance, Calcutta district. This is providing necessary assistance to the partner for management of an Old Age Home in Kolkata, West Bengal towards providing institutional care to aged persons needing the support.

  Health Check-up Centre at Mancheswar, Bhubaneshwar - Supported by an experienced physician and an ANM, this Safhi endeavour caters to basic health services to slum dwellers of almost 17 slums which are in close proximity to the industrial area where the clinic is situated. The larger purpose is to create awareness regarding STD/HIV/AIDS , identify cases and offer counsellimgs and referrals

 RISTA Safhi has developed a Rural Information System for Two-way Access (RISTA) with the intention of maintaining a network of highly trained Information Co-ordinators with access to Internet to collect and feed information from all States and Union Territories of India. Presently, the network is engaged in feeding information on health and rural development issues from all the locations

 Multimedia software on Tourism In partnership with ORG Centre for Social Research, Safhi has also developed an interactive Multimedia software on Tourism and Arts and Culture of West Bengal for the benefit of NGOs, CBOs and Prospectsive Tourists. This would lead to the involvement of NGOs and CBOs in regular data collection, involvement of voluntary sector in tourism development, generate alternate Income opportunity by creating local groups to provide services to the tourists . Its Safhi's intention to develop similar software for other states as well.

The initiative is targeted mainly at the NGO functionaries, Development Facilitators and SHG members who are already working in the area of social development, activity monitoring and implementation works.

Safhi Institute delivers adequate training to the animators in terms of Transactional Analysis, Action Learning and Participatory Rural Appraisal techniques, which are vital for ultimate communication. Further, exposure to grass-root realities is also provided through intensive training through exposure in vitro - in the actual field.

Safhi has worked in various districts of Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Orissa, Delhi, West Bengal, Bihar, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tripura, Chhattishgarh, Haryana, Kerala, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, J&K, Chandigarh, Manipur, A & N Islands, Goa, Daman & Diu in this endeavour.

Safhi has been responsible for conducting 1,337 PRAs and 132 training programmes on issues related to rural development.

 Awareness Campaigns in income generating activities for SHG members, NGOs and members of Co-Operative Societies in Nadia and Murshidabad in partnership with the Government.. As a result of these efforts, several NGOs started economic activities with Government assistance.

 Awareness generation workshop on scope of Food Processing for SHG members and NGOs in Hoogly, Howrah and 24 Parganas (S) in partnership with the Government of West Bengal.

 Information dissemination on issues related to Maternal & Child Health and STD/HIV/AIDS in Uttarpradesh, Bihar, Gujarat and Maharastra

 Awareness Sessions for Malaria Control in West Bengal

 Awareness Workshops in diversified jute products

ACHIEVEMENTS