CYSD

05/10/2026

Real change in rural communities does not always begin with a big announcement. Sometimes, it begins with a woman speaking up in a Gram Sabha.

A family accessing a social protection scheme for the first time. A Panchayat identifying its own priorities and planning for the people it serves. This is the story of hashtag strengthening local governance, participation and access to social protection at the grassroots. Implemented by with support from Azim Premji Foundation, is working with communities, Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), SHGs and local leaders across Saharapada Block in Keonjhar & Thakurmunda Block in Mayurbhanj District, Odisha.

Through community mobilization, awareness, leadership development and engagement with Panchayats, the initiative is helping people better understand their rights, access government entitlements and participate more meaningfully in local decision-making. From Gram Sabha participation and social protection access to stronger community–Panchayat engagement, the journey reflects how small changes at the village level can build stronger and more responsive local governance.🎥 This short film captures these voices and moments of change where people are not merely beneficiaries, but active participants in shaping the development of their communities.

Sabita Subudhi
Tophan Kumar Sethy

26/09/2026

"When I received my first 45 chicks, I saw them as an opportunity rather than just birds. Every batch taught me something new : Dilip Bag, Entrepreneur, Belpada village, Titlagarh

Indigenous poultry farming was always Dilip's passion but limited capital and technical know-how held him back.Through the PRAYAS Project, supported by Axis Bank Foundation, CYSD stepped in with a poultry shed, 45 indigenous chicks, and hands-on training in scientific rearing, feeding, vaccination, biosecurity and enterprise management.
Batch by batch, Dilip learned, earned and reinvested. Today, his unit has grown into a 500-bird-capacity shed with 250+ birds reared regularly, plus a 200-egg hatchery enabling local chick production and a whole new income stream.

He isn't stopping at his own success. Dilip now mentors’ fellow poultry farmers on vaccination, deworming, hatching and rearin turning his journey into a resource for his community.

CYSD has supported 162 families like his with backyard poultry in Titlagarh, and Belpada village is fast becoming a model for livestock-based livelihoods, where enterprise, skills, services and local resources come together. In a region shaped by low irrigation, high temperatures, hilly terrain and rising climate vulnerability, Dilip's story shows why diversified livestock livelihoods matter for income and for resilience.

Axis Bank
Kamal Barik

22/09/2026

18/09/2026

Odisha Flood Response 2026 : Jajpur

“This money has given us some relief. I can buy medicines for my son and food for my family when there is no work : Damayanti Jena

Damayanti Jena, a 50-year-old widow from Anandpur Village, Rampa GP, Bari Block, Jajpur, lives with her two sons; one of them has a disability. She works as a daily-wage labourer and often feeds her family only when she gets work. When the floods came, water entered their home, and the family was cut off from the main road. With her son unable to move on his own, the family was particularly vulnerable. Many belongings, including their food, clothes and study materials, were washed away.

The unconditional cash support helped Damayanti meet her family’s most urgent needs. She used it to buy vegetables, pulses, medicines and study materials for her son. For a family struggling to meet basic needs, the support brought not only immediate relief but also dignity and the freedom to decide what was needed most.

Damayanti is not alone. Her particularly vulnerable circumstances and immediate needs are shared by many families affected by the floods.

CYSD has identified 570+ such vulnerable families in Bari Block, Jajpur, and provided them with unconditional cash support to help them meet their most pressing needs with dignity and choice. Because recovery is not just about providing relief, it is also about giving families the flexibility and agency to decide what they need most.

Start Network
Odisha State Disaster Management Authority
National Disaster Management Authority, India
ADRRN
Christian Aid
CYSD

10/09/2026

| Project SANKALP

Building resilient communities requires sustainable livelihoods, climate-smart agriculture, empowered women, quality health and education, and resilient infrastructure all of which are vital to strengthening local governance and enabling communities to shape their own development.

Recognising this need, CYSD initiated Project hashtag in 2025, with support from HDFC Bank Parivartan, reaching 20 villages across 5 Gram Panchayats in Thakurmunda Block, Mayurbhanj, to strengthen local institutions, expand livelihood opportunities, and foster resilient, self-reliant communities.

The Major interventions of Sankalp in FY 2025–26 Highlights:

👩‍🌾 5 Women-led Custom Hiring Centers supporting 1,000 farmers and creating livelihood opportunities for 54 SHG members.
📚 1 Smart School & 15 Smart Classrooms benefiting 1,122 students through improved digital learning.
💧 25 Farm Ponds & 5 Community Ponds strengthened water security and supported resilient agriculture.
🏫 13 Anganwadi Centres upgraded, benefiting 1,172 children, pregnant women and lactating mothers.
🌿 50 Vermicomposting Units established, promoting organic farming, improving soil health, and reducing cultivation costs across 50 acres.
💡 379 Solar Street Lights installed, improving access to safe and reliable lighting for 1,762 households.

Together, we are turning community-led action into lasting impact.

Panchayati Raj & Drinking Water Department, Government of Odisha
Parivartan

05/09/2026

Odisha Flood Response 2026 : Jajpur

"The halogen tablets have been a lifesaver as
all our sources of drinking water have been contaminated : Sukanti Mallick, Chintasahi Village, Bari GP, Bari Block, Jajpur.

Though floodwater did not enter her house, built 3 feet above road level, Sukanti's life was severely disrupted. For 10 days roads were submerged, shops closed and movement restricted. Her family depends on GP-supplied water for drinking as borewell water has high iron content, but the supply was cut off, leaving no safe drinking water. On 19 August, an elderly relative passed away and with relatives gathered, hygiene and infection risk increased.

The hygiene kit from CYSD with soaps, handwash, sanitizer, halogen tablets, bucket and mug made an immediate difference. Tablets helped treat water, bucket and mug enabled safe storage, and soap helped maintain hygiene and sanitation for good health.

Start Network
Christian Aid
Odisha State Disaster Management Authority
National Disaster Management Authority, India
National Youth Project
ADRRN

03/09/2026

Odisha Flood Response 2026 : Jajpur

"The NFI kit has come at the right time. Now I can protect my child, family and make our home a little safer" : Ranjita Mallick,Pagida Village, Rampa GP, Bari Block, Jajpur

Ranjita Mallick lives with her husband, who has a disability, their young child and other family members. With limited income, the family depends on support from her parents. Floodwater damaged their kutcha house, leaving the walls and floor damp and the roof leaking. Unsafe water and increased mosquitoes further affected their daily life.

Ranjita’s family received essential relief items, including a tarpaulin sheet, sitting mat, water filter, mosquito net and blanket. The tarpaulin will help shield the damaged house from rain, while the mat and blanket provide comfort. The mosquito net offers protection while sleeping, and the water filter supports access to safer drinking water. For her family, this timely assistance has made their home a little safer and more comfortable during a difficult period.

National Disaster Management Authority, India
Odisha State Disaster Management Authority
ADRRN
Start Network
Christian Aid
CYSD
India Humanitarian Hub Ihh

02/09/2026

Odisha Floods Response: 2026 | Bulletin- 7

National Disaster Response Force, India
Odisha State Disaster Management Authority
Start Network
Christian Aid
Reliance Foundation
ADRRN

31/08/2026

When floods strike, listening becomes the first act of response.

In Jajpur’s Bari Block, across 8 panchayats, CYSD's volunteers are working closely with vulnerable families going door to door, listening to their concerns, understanding their priorities, and connecting them with essential support.

Through community-level meetings and continuous engagement, families are not just receiving relief, they are becoming part of the response.
So far, 330+ Hygiene Kits and 130+ NFI Kits have reached vulnerable families, supporting them through the difficult first steps towards recovery.
But the response goes beyond distribution.

With feedback boxes, along with telephone communication and direct engagement with volunteers, communities have multiple ways to raise their concerns, share urgent needs and identify priorities. This feedback helps the response remain people-centered, accountable and responsive..

Start Network
Odisha State Disaster Management Authority
National Disaster Management Authority, India
Christian Aid
ADRRN
National Youth Project
Lalu Prasad Samantray