As climate change accelerates, its effects are becoming increasingly severe, particularly in economically disadvantaged coastal regions. India’s coastal areas are particularly vulnerable to frequent and intense tropical cyclones. Mangrove restoration is emerging as a crucial strategy to combat these impacts, serving as natural carbon sinks and providing protection against coastal disasters.

The Sundarbans, one of the world’s largest and most significant mangrove forests, is located in the delta of the Brahmaputra, Meghna, and Ganges rivers, near the Bay of Bengal. In India, it spans South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas, and Purba Midnapore districts in West Bengal. This vital mangrove habitat supports diverse coastal wildlife and plant species, forming the foundation of coastal ecosystems. However, parts of the Sundarbans are currently facing significant degradation that could worsen without prompt restoration efforts.

Kajla Janakalyan Samity, in partnership with various international and national organizations, has launched a mangrove restoration and carbon project in collaboration with local village panchayats in the South 24 Parganas region. The initiative aims to create employment opportunities, prevent coastal soil erosion, and mitigate cyclone-related disasters. Additionally, the project seeks to support local livelihoods through carbon finance and advance several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the grassroots level. 

The project has enhanced ecosystem health and biodiversity by removing greenhouse gases and restoring mangrove forests. In partnership with the Forest Department, mangrove planting was carried out on 281 hectares in the Gopalnagar, Achintyanagar, Lakshmi Janardhanpur, Banashyamnagar, Ramganga and G-Plot Gram Panchayats within the Patharpratima block of South 24 Parganas. Members of 24 women’s self-help groups planted and are now maintaining 800,000 mangrove plants. 

Kajla Janakalyan Samity operates a child home called "Tapoban Sishu Abas" to provide a safe and nurturing environment for children who are socially and emotionally distressed and lack education, care, and protection. The home operates in compliance with the Juvenile Justice Act (J.J. Act) and is approved and supported by the Department of Women and Child Development and Social Welfare of the West Bengal government. There are 20 inmates in Tapoban Sishu Abas this year. 

The number of residents from 2015 to March 2024 at a glance-

Initiatives for the Holistic Development of Residents:

• Computer Training
• Education in Drawing, Handicrafts, and Recitation
• Vocational Training (Gardening, Making Coconut Garlands, and Bamboo Craft)
• Regular Reading and Study Sessions at Coaching Centers
• Celebration of Observance Days
• Indoor and Outdoor Games
• Physical Training, Yoga, and Discipline Practice
• Provision of Clean Drinking Water
• "Celebrating My Birthday" Initiative
• Publication of a Wall Newspaper
• Conducting Children's Group Meetings
• Publication of an Annual Magazine
• Participation in Various Competitions
• Library Facilities
• Arranging Education for All Residents at Government Schools
• Provision of Nutritious Food
• Creating Opportunities for Participation in Competitions on Various Topics

In addition, the child home provides regular counseling for residents, organizes outings, and arranges entertainment activities. Each child has a personalized care plan that is developed and monitored accordingly. Monthly meetings and workshops are held for the staff associated with the child home. Festivals, such as Pithe-Puli, are regularly celebrated with the residents.

For over three decades, Kajla Janakalyan Samity has been dedicated to ensuring quality education for children, aligning with the core principle of Sustainable Development Goal 4. The organization operates various educational centers across Purba Medinipur, Jhargram, Howrah, and South 24 Parganas districts. These centers include schools, educational support centers for underprivileged students, and specialized instruction centers in environmental science and mathematics. The organization believes in providing education that strengthens human values and aims to ensure quality education for all children through enjoyable and comprehensive methods.

Details of Education Programme:

• Running Schools under the leadership of the community for ensuring education of the children of the most vulnerable communities and use the school as a community platform.
• Running Educational Support Centres & STEM Learning Centres for eradiating dropout, child labour and child marriage and provide better education to slow learners and educationally backward though remedial manner and storytelling process 
• Awareness campaigning on importance of education and access to different services and schemes of the Govt.
• Continuing financial and education materials support financially backward but meritorious students especially girls through seeding of education funds.
• Collaboration with Govt. primary school and High schools for better performance of children and engagement of the community.
• Running bridge course center during emergency period
• Continuing Rural Library.
• Running Adult Literacy Centres for illiterate adults 
• Collaboration with AWW(ICDS) for better performance of Pre-education.
• Continue engagement with CSOs alliance & Network namely West Bengal Education Network & West Bengal Right to Education Forum for ensuring quality education for all children of the state.

What kind of expertise exists in KJKS:

Child Centric joyful and quality education, production of chapter / lesson-wise and subject-wise teaching learning aids, classroom transaction and management, teachers’ training, developing and nurturing Model, propositions of Right to Education 

Since its establishment, Kajla Janakalyan Samity has been dedicated to improving public health through collaborative efforts with government health services. The primary goal is to enhance access to government health services, aiming to lower mortality rates, particularly maternal and infant deaths, and to combat infectious diseases.

Details of Health Programme:

• Running Health Clinics for poor people
• Emergency Service provides oxygen, Blood and ambulance service.
• Awareness generation program on immunizations, maintaining personal health hygiene and government health related schemes and services.
• Promotion of herbal plants and use of herbal medicine.
• Collaboration with Ground level Health units of the Govt. for ensuring immunization, family planning, TB, COVID vaccinations.
• Prevent COVID through distribution of Mask, Providing Medical equipment and preventive materials to Govt. Health Centers, Educate the community on COVID protocols & Vaccination through tableau, Postering, setting flex, Street Corner etc. Distribute Medical Kits to Ground level Health Workers(ASHA), Creation of Service Units for supplying Oxygen, Oximeter, Medicine etc. to the community,
• Collaboration with Govt. Health Dept. and engaging Rogee Sahayak under NHM
• Running Sanitary Napkin Pad Bank, Clinic & counseling at slum areas & forest areas for birth control
• Conduct Health Camp in the most vulnerable community for reducing common & chronic diseases.
• Conduct Eye screening camp at the most vulnerable community especially for senior citizens and distribution of spectacles.
• Collaboration with Govt. & Private hospital for reducing TB diseases for the slums communities.
• Collaboration with Govt. & Private hospital for cataract operation of senior citizens and others.
• Financial support to the ultra poor emergency patients through creation of Health Fund.

What kind of expertise exists in KJKS:

Promotion of home-based nutrition gardens along with medicinal / herbal gardens, use of general and basic herbal medicine under home based care as a first aid, WASH and its practices, general health care, Mental Health, Reproductive Maternal and Child Health Care, TB and HIV / AIDS, Personal health & hygiene, Maintenance of COVID protocol

Kajla Janakalyan Samity implements various measures to ensure child protection, aligning with the National Child Policy 2013, the National Action Plan 2016, and the Sustainable Development Goals. The organization collaborates with government offices, educational institutions, and volunteer organizations to raise awareness and strengthen child protection systems.

Details of Child Protection Programme:

• Awareness & sensitization programs for reducing child labour & child domestic worker, Child trafficking, child abuse, child marriage.
• Income generation activities for affected families through empowering women, involving SHGs and vulnerable people.
• Networking and advocacy with NGOs, CBOs and Govt. officials and public representatives.
• Formation of children's groups, youth’s groups and adolescent teams for building of awareness on the importance of team thinking and individual & collective empowerment.
• Collaboration with Local self Govt., police, District Child Protection Units, State Child Protection Society, State Commission for Protection of Child Rights and influential persons to protect the children from the any sorts of abuse & discrimination
• Collaboration with local administration & District Child Protection Units to form Village level Child Protection Committee, Gram Panchayat level Child Protection Committee, Block Level Child Protection and support them for effective functioning.
• Run Child Care Institution for holistic development of the most vulnerable child as per Juvenile Justice (Care & Protection of the Children) Act-2000.
• Encourage adolescent’s team to work as change makers in society on education, Child Protection, Gender Equality, Personal Health & hygiene and safe nature.
• Encourage the local self government for allocation of funds for ensuring child protection at their constituency.
• Engaged with a Network namely Campaign against Child Labour for ensuring protection of the children.

What kind of expertise exists in KJKS

Formation, nurturing and strengthening of Child Protection Committees at village & Block level. Networking, Advocacy and Collaboration with NGOs, CBOs, PRIs, respective govt. officials with regards to developing safety nets, addressing child protection issues, restoration and rehabilitation, ensuring protection to children in need of care and protection. Awareness & sensitization for reducing child labour& child domestic worker, Child trafficking, child abuse, and child marriage

Due to climate change, both agriculture and the environment are currently in crisis, with agriculture facing extreme challenges. In agriculture-dependent India, those engaged in crop production are now in deep distress. The excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in farming has led to increased environmental pollution and climate change. Recently, a national agricultural policy has been formulated in our country. Guided by this policy, a dedicated team of the organization has been working for several years to address climate change, promote chemical-free and eco-friendly agriculture, and expand livelihoods associated with agriculture by organizing farmers and enhancing their skills. 

Details of Natural Resource Management Programme:

• Formation and strengthening of farmers institutes such as farmers Groups & producer organization
• Promotion of sustainable agriculture methods & techniques at the agriculture field by the farmers.
• Capacity building of Farmers on access to different govt. services & schemes,
• Initiate surface water conservation and groundwater recharge through watershed activities.
• Encourage the community continuously for planting indeginous variety of plants at the household level.
• Creation of Mangrove Forest, Food forest, general forest at unused fallow land and common land for enhancing income as well as saving the environment.
• Promotion & replication of indigenous & perennial variety seeds & plant at the community
• Skill building & promoting on producing bio-fertilizers, liquid manure, seed collection, preservation & purification to reduce agriculture input cost.
• Promotion of livestock rearing i.e. goatary, poultry, duckary for enhancing family income. 
• Skill building on local resources based enterprise for self employment to make the product marketable and enhancing income at family level
• Creation of market linkages facilities on farm & non-farm based products to get fair prices & reduce dependency of middleman.
• Collaboration with PRI, govt. agriculture, livestock, horticulture & piceculture dept.  for implementation of programs & schemes properly
• Promotion of catfish cultivation and enhancing skills on pisciculture.
• Conduct vocational training on repairing electronic instruments, Motor cycle repairing, Carpentry for unemployed youths.

What kind of expertise exists in KJKS:

Research, experimentation and developing environment sensitive and ecofriendly integrated, organic and mixed farming, farmers’ hands-on training and formation of farmers’ collectives, linkages with savings and credit, developing community and household-based Grain and Seed Banks along with nurseries and nutrition gardens, plantation program, trainings and implementation of Livestock development program at community and household level.  

In line with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 for gender equality, Kajla Janakalyan Samity has empowered approximately 15,000 women through Self-Help Groups (SHGs) this financial year. Operating in six blocks of East Midnapore, two blocks of Jhargram, three blocks of South 24 Parganas, as well as Maheshatala Municipality and Howrah Municipal Corporation and Uluberia Municipality in Howrah district, the Samiti has made notable strides in addressing gender inequality and promoting women’s rights.

Details of Women Empowerment Programme:

• Formation & strengthening of women institutions such as SHG & Cluster
• Promote Income generation activities for enhancing income of the family as well as ensure their dignity at the family and community level also.
• Capacity building of the women on accessing different govt. services, different women’s related Act, Law & policies and others for ensuring their participation at all levels of the society.
• Encourage different women’s institutions for taking care  &   implementing different programs on protection of children especially of Girls child, ensure education of the children, save environment, ensure mother & child care, protection of senior citizens and protest against any type of discrimination.
• Encourage them to develop bio based kitchen gardens at the backyard of homes to bring diversity to their food basket for ensuring nutrition as well as save money for purchasing vegetables; in addition to that it helps them to earn through selling excess of consuming vegetables.
• Promote vocational skill building on the basis of local resources for self employment to make the product marketable.
• Encourage the women’s Institutions for creation of Group Fund and Emergency Fund at their institution level which is used during emergency period of the members and it is helping to save from the money lenders.

What kind of expertise exists in KJKS:

Gender issues, Women’s Right, Domestic Violence Act and its provisions, SHG formation and strengthening, Women’s leadership and organization management, Women’s Empowerment.

Climate change is significantly impacting India's coastal regions, leading to frequent cyclones, super-cyclones, droughts, and floods. These events, exacerbated by irregular rainfall and excessive precipitation, have highlighted the need for better disaster preparedness and public awareness. Often, during such disasters, there is insufficient housing, food, drinking water, and safety measures for vulnerable groups, including children, pregnant and postpartum mothers, the elderly, and individuals with special needs.

Kajla Janakalyan Samity collaborates with various national and international organizations and government departments to mitigate natural disaster risks through its Disaster Management Program. The program's primary objectives are:

• Reduce Risks: Implement disaster preparedness strategies in high-risk areas to minimize damage and prevent loss of life.
• Promote Good Practices: Encourage the development of practices to mitigate climate change among individuals of all ages.

Details of Disaster Risk Reduction Programme:

• Capacity building staff and volunteers on Disaster Risk Reduction continuously at the organization level.
• Capacity building the members of local self Government and others stakeholders on different aspect of DRR.
• Support block & district disaster management department for formulating the annual plan of DRR.
• Awareness & campaigning on DRR among the community.
• Supporting the Government on early warning and humanitarian response related activities.
• Conduct Humanitarian response related activities and rehabilitation activities.
• Undertaken disaster preparedness activities with the community to reduce massive losses during disaster
• Skill building of adult & youth community on different aspects of disaster, role of community in any stage of disaster & impact of the disaster.
• Engaging with State & District Level Network namely Inter Agency Groups for capacity building of Front Line workers, linking with different govt. services and study etc.

What kind of expertise exists in KJKS:

Disaster preparedness & Disaster Management at household, school and community level. Relief and Rehabilitation. Formation and strengthening of Disaster Risk Reduction Committees for preparedness of Disaster.