Online Outreach Programs during COVID-19
Pranab Mukherjee Foundation has been conducting regular Outreach Programmes and community sensitization meetings and campaigns in the adopted villages or SmarTgrams.
The purpose of these Outreach Programmes is to introduce the interventions undertaken by the Pranab Mukherjee Foundation and their partners. The outreach programs ensure that the villagers are made well-aware about the development projects of PMF and mobilize them on a common platform to discuss the challenges faced by them and discuss the future plans for the village and the villagers. PMF conducts at least two Outreach Programs every month.
However, during the COVID-19 pandemic as the nation resorted to lockdown and then gradual unlock PMF quickly adopted to the online platforms. The Local Resource Persons or LRPs were already in touch with the village community through social messaging networks. This network was utilised to get the SmarTgramers accustomed to the methods of video conferencing, how to log-in, mute, unmute, etc. There were network connectivity issues but the village community was eager to learn new ways and sometimes they would connect from a place where the network quality was better.
Each Online Outreach Program aimed at mobilising atleast 100 people from the SmarTgram in which the outreach was to take place. Each Outreach Program must have the following –
1. Village Sarpanch / anganwadi worker / ANM / Teachers from Govt School / Farmer
2. One daughter or daughter in law to be the Chief Guest of the Program (She oversees the event and has the authority to stop any inappropriate proceeding if she feels so)
3. Two folk (local song or dance) performance
4. Story about the village (possibly from some elderly of the village)
Problems which are being faced by the village community are also heard, discussed and noted for action. The points thus noted are taken up with the administrative officials if they fall out of the scope of PMF. In the end, the Sarpanch and Chief Guest concludes the online Outreach Program.
Since April 2020, PMF has conducted 3 small outreach programs and 11 Large Outreach Programs. People across the demography connect with us using their mobile phones.
The following Outreach Programs have been conducted so far:
1. SmarTgram Raiseena on 21-06-2020
2. SmarTgram Mohmadpur on 29-06-2020
3. SmarTgram Lohsinghani on 07-07-2020
4. SmarTgram Ghaghola on 20-07-2020
5. SmarTgram Sarmathla on 25-07-2020
6. SmarTgram Johlaka on 07-08-2020
7. SmarTgram Janula on 16-08-2020
8. SmarTgram Bilahka on 22-08-2020
9. SmarTgram Jamalpur on 28-08-2020
10. SmarTgram Chhapra on 19-09-2020
11. SmarTgram Kadarpur on 30-09-2020
PMF also conducted an Online Samwad with Students on 5th July, 2020.
