About Us

Background of the Organization:

Inspired by the philanthropic ideologies of Mahatma Gandhi and Jai Prakash Narayan, BSS strives to bring about progressive and constructive changes in the rural areas of North Bihar. The organization bases its efforts on the principle of Non- Violence, egalitarianism, participatory democracy and internal self reliance that would ensure individual freedom, equity based social justice, women empowerment, communal harmony and means of descent living. Commitment for social justice and economic development made this organization a pioneer in voluntary section in Madhubani district. It is a matter of pleasure that some founder members are still alive and give continued blessing and guidance to it.

Total development is the catchword for social change at local level. The organization focuses on the marginal and excluded communities, who have been bypassed by the descent prosperity and economic growth of the nation while encouraging and facilitating the entire society to attain the developmental goal. The model of development is NEED BASED AND PEOPLE CENTERED.

Our Dream:

North Bihar is blessed with abundant water bodies, viz. ponds, rivulets, rivers etc. In the region’s case however, it has become a curse. Recurrent disastrous floods, permanent water logging, siltation of cultivable land and ill conceived water management policies have forced the region’s population to either migrate of live an impoverished life.

We endeavor to build disaster resilient communities throughout our work area to limit the damage caused by multi hazards. We perceive an unambiguous relationship between the region’s misery and climate change. Hence disseminating information on various human activities that cause the undesirable climate change is our top priority.

We are seriously concerned about the Child Right and Child protection issues. Malnutrition, Child marriage, child labor and child trafficking pull the region down from the line of development. Our efforts are to eliminate the problem through building and environment.

We also believe that without attaining Gender Equity and Women Empowerment, any type of programme or campaign is half achieved. Therefore, the realization of sustainable and environment – conscious programme is entirely dependent on the meaningful participation of women.

Last but not least, be are becoming increasingly aware that all developmental schemes and programmes are not achieving its objectives due to the non- transparent behavior of responsible agencies. Hence, Right to Information (RTI) is a very important device- especially for marginal and excluded communities- to hold the ear- ring of accountable officials and as a result, acquire the overdue Entitlements.          

 Vision and Mission:

• Visions: Society visualizes transforming the traditional/ outdated rural settings following the principles of non-violence, egalitarianism, participatory democracy, intern self-reliance.

• Mission: Society aims creating a socioeconomic and cultural environment of our rural society that would ensure individual freedom, equity, social justice, women empowerment, communal harmony and means for decent living, and statement is provide relief & rehabilitation measures for flood victims, health care to women and child.

Geographical Areas of operation:

Entire state of Bihar comes under its operations of area.  However, its area of current activities is concentrated mainly in Madhubani, Darbhanga, Sitamadhi, Supaul and Saharsa districts in Bihar.

Our achievements at a glance:

• Construction of Flood resilient structures in flood affected blocks: 9 flood shelters, 4 community place raising, 600 nos homesteads raising with low const latrines, raised platform construction with tub wells have been saving the lives and assets of flood affected poor community in Bisfi, Madhepur in Madhubani and Tardih in Darbhanga districts.
• Community based disaster Risk Reduction: formation and strengthening of 80 village disaster management committees (VDMCs). Building capacity to risk assessment, DRR Planning, Plan implementation, mainstreaming and taskforce management. VDMC federations of block level is getting strengthened and their monthly meeting at block level has been regularized. CBDRR scaled up in 7 blocks(Ghanshyampur, Kiratpur and Tardih in Darbhanga and Bisfi, Benipatti, Basopatti and Madhwapur in Madhubani district) and 265345 families and 1308641 population will be benefitted.
• School Safety: School Disaster Management Committee (SDMCs) is functional in 30 schools (482 members) and newly formed in 1114 schools comprising 20052 members. Their strengthening process is going on. School safety programme scaled up in 23 blocks (1144 schools) out of which 231 schools are in Madhubani district and 913 schools are in Darbhanga district) which cover approx 577186 students, 10296 teachers and 4462 nonteaching staffs/ cooks.
• Public health promotion: Formation and capacity building of 80 Village Healtha & Sanitation Committees (VHSCs). Mass awareness campaighn on public health issues- preventive measures of water borne diseases, linkages with govt. health services on NRHM, immunization etc.
• Water & sanitation: construction of 14 common female bathrooms, installation of 74 tubwells with raised platforms & drainage/ sock pits. Mass awareness on the issue.
• Food security & Sustainable livelihood promotion in agriculture: formation and strengthening of SHGs, Farmers’ clubs and promotion of micro entrepreneurship, wormy compost, animal husbandry, tree plantation, kitchen gardening etc.
• Emergency (relief & rehabilitation) response: BSS has been responding effectively the major flood emergencies in Bihar in 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2008 & 2011. Affected people rescued and supported with need based approaches ensuring their right to life with dignity, the support has been based on supplying shelter materials, ready food items, personal hygiene materials, water and sanitation materials, temporary latrines for safe defecation and gender responsive package and programme.
• Capacitating elected women representatives: as Bihar PRIs has secured more than 50% seats for women and now the leadership responsibility is handed over to them using this opportunity BSS tries to make more capable and self reliant to handle the situation and can ensure their effective role in development of society regardless of any type of biasness in Bisfi and Rahika blocks of Madhubani district.
• Child protection: Collaboration with DCPU Darbhanga. Child protection taskforces formed and strengthened in 60 villages comprising 316 members. 4862 births registrations issued to the children. Rate of malnutrition reduced to 10.46%. Total 4862 children screened out of whom 509 found undernourished. Last year this % was 11.12.
• Climate change adaptation: Issue of Climate change adaptation introduced to the community and stakeholders as well and CCA taskforce comprising 286 members formed and trained. Issue incorporated in VDMP and initiatives taken. 350 farmers are producing and using wormy compost.
• IECs development: BSS has conceptualized and prepared various types of IECs like posters, pamphlets, booklets, documentary film( CD) , flax banners & power point presentation etc on the issues like flood preparedness, Village disaster management committee-Formation & Strengthening, NREGS, SHGs, RTI, public health, water & Sanitation, Health & Nutrition, bio farming, tree plantation.
• Capacity building of social workers: BSS has a well versed group of trainers on various issues with IECs and equipment who imparts trainings to own Human resources and others particularly on CBDP, contingency plan, SHG strengthening, public health, sustainable livelihood promotion, food security, gender, NREGS, RTI, PRIs etc at regular basis.
• Promotion of handicrafts: Mithila painting, sikki-mauni, bamboo crafts, bangle, tera-cotta etc work is promoted among the rural people organizing them into SHGs and their skill development. Org also support for marketing of products through sending them in different exhibitions at local as well as national level.