• RRC team had recently completed appraisals in J&K for newly created 7 districts Samba, Kishtwar and Ramban from Jammu division and Ganderbal, Kulgam, Shopian and Bandipora from Kashmir division.

• RRC Coordinator participated in RRC Review Meeting held on 29th April 08 at Vishwa Yuvak Kendra, Delhi wherein she presented the achievements and challenges of RRC – VHAI. The review meeting was called to take an update of activities of all RRCs across the country and to take the feedback of MNGOs and FNGOs on draft of revised MNGO guidelines. JS, MOHFW Mr. Pravir Krishn, AC, NGO Division Dr. V.M. Agarwal were present and there was an open discussion, and representatives of MNGO and FNGO shared their concerns and gave their feedback on the draft-revised guidelines of NGO scheme. Mr. Krishn, welcomed suggestions from all MNGOs and FNGOs across the country and gave fortnights time to all to send their suggestion to him or Dr. Agarwal.

• Project Proposal Development workshop for MNGOs of Rajasthan, HP & Uttarakhand, Service NGO of Rajasthan, from 24.03.2008 to 28.03.2008 at Indiana Pride Hotel at Jaipur

• 2 programme persons and one accounts person from each MNGO and representatives of Service NGO of Rajasthan participated in the training. The Training Coordinator and Project Associate Admin & Finance of RRC HLFPPT also participated in the training. Ms. Noshina Rizvi, Senior Accounts Officer, VHAI participated in the training as resource person for account session.
• Through group exercises the skills of participants in writing a FNGO/MNGO Project Proposal were enhanced and under RRC’s guidance the participants developed FNGO and MNGO project proposal.
• During the accounts session the participants were made familiar with statutory requirements as regards to organizational/administrative records, Statutory Reporting requirements, Financial Planning, and Budgeting.
• Participants were made to do exercises on preparation of FNGO/MNGO budget Accounting systems, maintenance of Books of Accounts and preparation of final accounts i.e. R&P, I&E, Audited Accounts, Balance sheet, SOE and UCThe participants were given a template of each of the FNGO proposal and MNGO proposal.

Participants doing group exercise on FNGO Project Development during Project Proposal Development Training from 24th to 28th March 2008 at Jaipur

• RRC has published a recent issue of newsletter Abhilasha on breastfeeding, which on one hand focuses on the importance, benefits of breastfeeding and on the other hand addresses to the complications and concerns associated with it.

• RRC-VHAI is organized a 5 day Induction-cum-BLS Training for the newly selected MNGOs of Jammu & Kashmir from 19th to 23rd February at VHAI, New Delhi. Participants were oriented on the MNGO scheme, administrative and finance, RCH Service Delivery areas, conducting baseline survey and Focused Group Discussion. Field-testing of BLS formats and FGD were conducted in the kakrola village.

Participants conducting mock baseline survey in village Kakrola, on 21st February 2008 in Delhi

• RRC organized an impressive J&K GO-NGO Partnership Workshop at Jammu, on 26th Feb 2008, so that public privates partnership is established right from the beginning and the district as well as the state officials take the ownership in the MNGO scheme and convergence both at district and state level is initiated. Secretary Health & Medical Education, Mission Director NRHM, GOI & NCT, Director Family Welfare, Director Family Planning, CMOs of all districts, State NGO Coordinator, along with MNGO & FNGO participated in the workshop.

• RRC organized Delhi GO-NGO Partnership workshop on 6th Feb 2008, to strengthen the public private partnership and to know expectations of government from the MNGO scheme and discuss new opportunities for collaboration between state and RRC; State /District with MNGOs. Dr. M.D. Chauhan, Director Family Welfare, Dr. Kirti Bhushan, OSD & Incharge RCH, GOI & NCT, Dr. V.M. Agarwal, AC, NGO Division, CMOs of all districts, along with MNGO & FNGO participated in the workshop.

Dr. M.D. Chauhan, Director Family Welfare, Dr. Kirti Bhushan, OSD & Incharge RCH, GOI & NCT, Dr. V.M. Agarwal, AC, NGO Division,Mr Alok Mukopadyay, CE VHAI & Ms. Seema Gupta Coordinator RRC – VHAI during Delhi GO-NGO Partnership Advocacy Workshop, organized by RRC on 6th Feb 2008 at Delhi.

•RRC-VHAI organised BLS Data Entry Package Training at SIHFW, Jaipur from 1st to 2nd February, 2008 for the new MNGOs of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan wherein the participants were capacitated on Installation of software and enter the BLS data from the format into the software and analyze and prepare indicator wise on BLS data and develop a training agenda and session plan to train FNGOs in data entry and analysis.

• RRC organized Refresher cum implementation training for old MNGOs RVHA, ECAT & BCT of Rajasthan, during 10th & 11th January 2008 with the objective to enable participants to develop understanding on how to implement MNGO scheme, develop monthly and quarterly action plan based on activities mentioned in the composite project proposal and also to refresh them on MNGO scheme and to develop understanding on key RCH service delivery issues like MCH, FP, ASRH & prevention and treatment of RTI.. One participant from RVHA, ECAT & BCT and one representative from FNGOs of each of the MNGOs, State Representative, SNGOC and CMHO of the respective 6 districts (Churu, Jhunjhunu, Dholpur, Karauli, Banswara and Dungarpur) were invited for the refresher training. The participants were made aware of the overall health situation in Rajasthan and their respective districts and understand House Hold Survey Format, Monitoring and Reporting format.

• RRC Coordinator, a member of ASHA mentoring group attended the meeting on 27th November 2007


• RRC Training Coordinator and Project Associate IT gave implementation training to FNGOs of MNGO INDCARE, Delhi on 23rd November 2007 for smooth implementation of the project.

• RRC has prepared leaflets on RCH, highlighting steps to reduce infant and maternal mortality. The leaflets were distributed during Trade Fair IITF 2007 organized from 14th – 27th November 2007 at Delhi

•RRC Coordinator and Training Coordinator gave inputs in ASHA Training Module

•In its endeavor to make the MNGO scheme a success, RRC VHAI organized an experience-sharing meet on 19th & 20th November 2007 at VHAI wherein programme coordinator from all MNGOs and a representative from one FNGO of each MNGO of all 5 states, State NGO Coordinators of respective States, State, Centre and District Health Officials were invited. The key objective of the experience-sharing workshop was to facilitate interaction of MNGOs, FNGOs in different stages of implementation. This forum also provided MNGOs, FNGOs an opportunity to share their experiences and lessons learnt and also discuss the challenges, opportunities, threats and successes of the programme with each other and also with district and state officials. The workshop also focused on expected outcomes of implementation of the MNGO scheme and identified the gray areas that need to be improved.

To update the MNGOs, FNGOs and State representatives about the latest information on areas related to their work, RRC invited some resource people who shared information on NFHS – 3 data, AIDS, Right to information, PC – PNDT act and how MNGOs could be involved in implementing the act and NACP III programme and involvement of NGOs in the programme.

Ministry of Health & Family Welfare is in the process of revamping the MNGO scheme. Mr. Pravir Krishn, JS, MOHFW had an open discussion with the participants during the workshop regarding the challenges and bottlenecks of the MNGO scheme and welcomed the suggestions for smooth functioning of the scheme. In its endeavor to revamp / revitalize MNGO scheme NGO division is revising the training manual and as the participants are in stage of implementation their views on various issues related to MNGO scheme were taken through group work followed by presentations.

Mr. Pravir Krishn, JS, MOHFW having an open discussion with participants during Experience Sharing Workshop for States of Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, H.P., Delhi and J&K. on 19th & 20th November 2007 at VHAI.

Presentations made by MNGOs, Resource people and RRC during Experience Sharing Workshop for States of Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, H.P.,Delhi and J&K. on 19th & 20th November 2007 at VHAI.

• RRC-VHAI organized a 3 days Capacity Building Workshop on “Baseline Survey & FGDs” for 7 new MNGOs of Rajasthan, 1 MNGO of HP and 2 MNGOs of Uttarakhand, at SIHFW, Jaipur from 31st October to 4th November 2007.The key objective of the workshop was to develop skills of the MNGOs in conducting Baseline Survey and FGDs


1st TOT for new MNGOs of Rajasthan, HP and Uttarakhand on RCH Service Delivery, BLS and FGD from 31st October – 4th November 2007


Focused Group Discussion (FGD) with ladies of village Umti, near Jaipur on RCH issues on 3rd November 2007 during 1st TOT for new MNGOs of Rajasthan, H.P. and Uttarakhand

• RRC Training Coordinator and Project Associate, Admin & Finance has completed appraisal of 6 NGOs of Jammu in October 2007.

• RRC – VHAI participated in the review meeting, held at NIHFW on 24th August 2007. Ms Seema Gupta, RRC – Coordinator made a presentation on the networking, advocacy and documentation / dissemination initiatives of RRC, the status and achievements of Mother NGOs. The Issues & Challenges raised by RRC Coordinator

• The MNGOs scheme in some states (Rajasthan, Delhi and J & K) is not taking off well.
• The State Governments and District Administration process of selection of new MNGOs is not transparent and is getting delayed.
• The MNGOs and FNGOs face a lot of resistance from the District Administration.
• The concept of partnership in the MNGO scheme is seldom being understood at the state and district level.
• There is no mechanism of sharing of monitoring/ visit reports of the MNGOs by the state and sometimes RRC is just being seen as a capacity building agency.
• RRC –VHAI has too many large states and therefore finds it difficult to give quality time to all, considering it has the same number of staff. ( only 2 technical staff )
• The budget allocated to each MNGO (20% of the total -15 lakhs per year) is inadequate for both the MNGO and FNGO as they are working in difficult and tough areas. Needs to be reconsidered.
• Undue delay in funds to MNGOs is causing a huge problem.
• Undue delay in funds to RRC also a matter of great concern, as important activities get delayed and disrupts the planning for the year.
• RRCs can be called for the meetings organized with the Mission Directors by the MoHFW for possible partnerships to address RCH concerns.
• Inclusion of various components of the MNGO scheme and partnerships with the NGOs should be an important part of all State PIP and RRC could also be included for the finalization of the PIP.
• Regular training and exposure visits to be planned for the RRC staff. Refresher trainings could be organized at state level
• RRC Coordinator during Review Meeting presented the following Suggestive Road Map for RRCs involvement in NRHM
  1. The MNGOs and FNGOs even though a part of the District PNDT committee and District health mission, but currently these committees are quite defunct and need to be activated for better involvement of NGOs.
  2. MNGOs could manage the District Resource Centre for ASHAs and could be involved in the monitoring of ASHAs as well and the responsibility of the ASHA Resource Centre could be given to the respective RRCs at the state level
  3. The responsibility of the ASHA Resource Centre could be given to the respective RRCs at the state level
  4. Public Private Partnerships under NRHM like the JSY helpline being run by RRCs and MNGOs could be encouraged, as the projects are outcome oriented.
  5. RRCs and MNGOs could be involved in all other National Programmes and do work on advocacy on issues like SDFF, HIV/AIDS.
  6. A mechanism needs to be established where RRCs can be actively involved in Training, Monitoring, and Implementation of NRHM related activities.
  7. Some of the MNGOs are being involved in ASHA training, but there is no definite and planned involvement, of both MNGOs and FNGOs.