When we look at the history, we find that the practice of social work is as old as human race itself. Whenever some one was in need, there came some one to help him out. As the years has passed this concept also has grown higher and higher. The enthusiasm and response of the people have boosted and helped the priests and sisters to commit themselves more and more to work for the developmental activities in a systematic way. As the first step a society,Manav Vikas Seva Sang (M.V.S.S.) was registered on December 26, 1989 under M.P. Firms and Societies Registration Act with a special stress to work in the Developmental field. This is the official organization of Sagar Diocese which looks after the social uplift of the people. The Society is concerned in the welfare of the community with out the distinction of caste, creed, religion, race or other limiting considerations, for the betterment of the poor by rendering formal and non formal education in order to make people aware of their rights and duties as well as to develop leadership so that they inculcate the values of truth, justice, equality, love, co operation and brotherhood so that they shall be liberated from social evils like castesim, communalism. This mission of society is achieved through different activities. They are:

A. Safe Motherhood and Child Survival Programme (SMCS)The objective of this programme is to provide support to empower women to address their own health and make progress in their life as well as in their children. This programme is implemented in 60 villages. A total number of 2350 beneficiaries in 9 centers are taken care of under this programme. In order to achieve the programme objectives the following package of services are provided to the programme participants. Safe delivery and Postnatal/Ante-natal care, growth monitoring and promotion session, immunization and vitamin A supplementation for children, health and nutrition education for mothers, home visits, facilitation of women?s group formation, village health committee formation and monthly in- take of food ration as a participatory incentive.

B. Other Child Feeding (OCF)This programme is aimed at to encourage students from the rural area to continue their further education, supplement their nutritional in-take and reduce the cost of education by providing food supplement. The total number of beneficiaries are 690.

C. School Feeding (SF) This programme is targeted at children who are of economically deprived sections of the society. It aims at accomplishing regular attendance of school by all poor children and an increase in the level of literacy among them especially girls and supplementation of the nutritional in-take of the children. Under this programme 150 school children of St. Francis School ? Shampura are benefiting.

D. Individual Heath Cases (IHC) Programme : Any individual incapable of doing any kind of work and having no one to look after him/her will be eligible for food assistance under this category. These individuals are the inmates of a home for the aged which is managed by an institution. Any individual who is suffering from long term sickness like TB, Leprosy etc. and as a result is forced to be absent from work, who is receiving the necessary medical care either as an in-patient or out-patient at any hospital or clinic is also eligible. Presently 300 patients are taken care of through this programme.

E. Early Childhood and Development Centre Programme (ECDC): This programme is meant for the pre-primary children aiming at to create a learning experience for the children through ?joyful learning? techniques of teaching and to increase the attendance of children through the incentive of spot feeding thereby supplementing their daily nutritional in-take. Presently 750 children in 30 centers are taken care of.

F. Agriculture Development Programme (ADP) : The Agriculture programmes are designed to strengthen the area inhabitants to actively participate in the development process. The programme is supported by CRS. Presently we have watershed programme in different centers, which includes the following activities.

     Forestation
Land leveling
Farm Bunding
Irrigation/Percolation tanks
Irrigation wells
Compost pits

G. Health Programmes: T B is seen very common disease in the district of Sagar. Most of the people of this district are engaged in beedi making. This affects their health and as a result they become the victims of TB. The Society with the help of Government hospitals and other agencies help 400 patients presently.

H. Education Programs: This program is meant for those school dropouts who because of poverty cannot pursue their formal education, but are interested in educating themselves and being literate. We have taken five villages of Guna district. The program is monitored by Satya Marg Bhavan ? Mohanpur.

I. Animation Programme: The programme is aimed at improving the quality of the life of the people. Through this program an awareness for small savings are created among the people. The specific objective of the program is to make collective efforts to eliminate the exploitive forces in the locality. So far we have been successful in forming 42 groups in different villages. These groups have been taking the on going challenges of the community.

J. Training Programmes: Every year society is conducing different trainings and workshops on Animation, Community development, Water harvesting measure etc at central level and community level to the staff, leaders of the villages, women and men youth and children.

All the development programs of MVSS have facilitated to uplift the poor and weaker sections of the society. On this occasion I extent with sentiments of deep gratitude and my heart felt thanks to every body, who are taking pains to carry out all the activities in the best possible way they can for the uplift of the poor and needy.

• Fr. Shaju Devassy
• Phone : 07582- 237843, 09425133563
• Address :Director, MVSS, Vinayalaya, Christian Colony, Sagar 470001. M.P