Malati Soren, a 64-year-old tribal widow, lives in the remote and hard-to-reach village of Bada Sialinoi, situated deep within the Similipal National Forest area. Her village, under Durdura Gram Panchayat in Jashipur Block, Mayurbhanj District, Odisha, is located 30 kilometers from the block headquarters. In 2019, Malati’s husband, who was a landless laborer relying on seasonal agricultural work and the collection and sale of minor forest products, passed away due to illness.
Originally, Malati’s family lived in Bada Jhilli village within the same Gram Panchayat. After her husband’s death, she relocated to Bada Sialinoi village and, with the support of the villagers, constructed a kuchha house on barren government land. Now, living alone without any children, she found her kuchha house deteriorating. Seeking a more stable home, she approached the Gram Panchayat Sarpanch to apply for the Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana, a state government housing scheme for poor and vulnerable households.
To apply for the housing scheme, Malati needed a residential certificate. However, she was unaware of the process to obtain this document and sought help from many people in her village, but to no avail. Despite her efforts, she was unable to get the certificate and was thus ineligible to apply for the housing scheme.
A volunteer from VHAI learned of her predicament and informed her about a camp scheduled to be organized in her Gram Panchayat to enroll beneficiaries in various government schemes and programs, including online applications for different cards and certificates. Malati attended the VHAI camp in Durdura Gram Panchayat in March 2023 and successfully applied for her residential certificate. The VHAI field staff and volunteers supported and guided her through the entire process, and she received her residential certificate in April 2023.
With the Sarpanch’s support, Malati applied for the Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana, and her application was approved in January 2024. Malati is now on her way to having a stable and secure home, thanks to the timely intervention and assistance from VHAI and her community.