The Mozda Collective has been working in the Shoolpaneshwar Wildlife Sanctuary area, Baruch, Gujarat for 17 years now. We have been pursuing a wide range of development activities in the villages there.
 The Co-operative: Samaj women’s co-operative was initiated in the early nineties to provide part time work to women who had some spare time during late winter and part of the summer. Now it has grown to a savings and women’s educational group that meets once a month, makes an educational trip once a year, makes organic tur dal (peas) and has also started an additional business of renting out chairs for large gatherings.
This year, the co-operative processed 2,000 kg tur producing over 1,040 kg dal (split peas) and 709 kg of by-products. Twelve women worked for forty days part time and earned Rs. 7,120. As a bonus, they shared the profits of Rs. 7,494. Net turnover was Rs. 62,955. Watershed management: In the early nineties, Mozda Collective started soil and water conservation. So far over 25 villages, many quite remote, have participated. This year we encouraged 356 farmers from 6 villages to build 586 bunds using 11,800 cubic meters of stone. These bunds will protect 354 acres of land. For this work the farmers earned 25,520 kg of rice and 8,507 kg of sorghum. 19 volunteers worked 189 person-days over three months to manage the activity in the 6 villages. They spent Rs. 950 on travel and received Rs. 15,420 as honorarium.  Alternative energy: The collective has built a 1 kW wind turbine, which provides lighting to 14 homes. To maintain reliability during periods of no wind, a hybrid power system with solar electricity has been installed. However, for a tribal family, this wind turbine is a bit expensive. Therefore this year saw the construction of two sets of blades from local wood using skills gained during the training to make the windmill. Soon we will install smaller wind turbines in the village.
The group also built a solar cooker. Its 2.7 sq. m. reflector tracks the sun, and provides adequate heat for cooking. Rotlas, bread and other delicacies have been cooked using the solar cooker for up to 25 people. Forest rights: We have begun preparing to implement the Forest Rights Act of 2006. Most villages in Gujarat have organized gram sabhas (village councils). In many villages, people applied in writing and organized hamlet level gram sabhas as well. In all those gram sabhas, people have formed forest rights committees and learned about applying for individual as well as community rights. Other activities: We have been able reach out to various college students, NGOs, activists and rural and urban youth, raising awareness and training in community health, watershed, alternate energy and technology. We engage communities in discussing economic policy issues, development and displacement, adivasi land rights, culture, lifestyle, agriculture, environment, globalisation, and so on. As a group, Mozda Collective meets monthly. Volunteers from the villages also participate in these meetings. All members provide updates on their respective activities during the month. These meetings provide a platform for discussing various issues with the villagers. Women of the co-operative plan their activities, deposit money for savings by the co-op members, and take part in discussions about ongoing activities of Mozda Collective. Ever since we started working on the forest rights issue the monthly meetings have become an important forum to share information about the national movement, news from Delhi and also from other states.
An electrical engineer-turned-social activist, Michael Mazgaonkar has been living in Juna Mozda, a tribal village in Gujarat, India since 1991. An enthusiast in the field of alternative technology and renewable energy, Michael has been working with the tribals for a sustainable lifestyle on alternative technology. In light of his remarkable contributions, Michael was elected as AID Saathi.
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