SPECIAL INITIATIVES

Initiative List	Glimpse / Image Placeholder	Caption / Description
Shelter Houses for Urban Homeless under DAY-NULM Scheme		Radhanagar Shelter House, Agartala
37th Annual General Meeting of VHAT Rural Haat – NABARD Gram Dukan		Gram Dukan in Hrishyamukh, Belonia, South Tripura
Social Protection Scheme Senior Citizens' Skill Training EKP Training		Entrepreneurship Knowledge Programme conducted in Holy Cross College
International Women's Day Gramin Jeevika Mela - 2026		Gramin Jeevika Mela – 2026 Inauguration
Mango Festival Workshop on Prevention of Human Trafficking		Mango & Pineapple Festival - 2025

Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM) is a scheme under the aegis of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. NULM constructed few Shelter Houses for the vulnerable segments of the urban homeless like the dependent children, aged person, disabled, migrated students coming for competitive exam or interview and the patient party coming to town for medical purpose/treatment.

Role of VHAT: Since January 2024, VHAT has been actively looking after the shelter houses in Agartala, Udaipur, Amarpur & Dharmanagar and making sure that all the necessities were available in these shelter houses.

Outreach of VHAT Under the Scheme: To disseminate the information about the facilities in shelter houses, VHAT staffs did the outreach activities in several area in respective locations of the Shelter Houses:-

1. Radhanagar Shelter House, Agartala: Shelter house staff have been visiting Chandrapur, Nagerjala & Radhanagar bus stand, GB Bazar, Badharghat & Jogendranagar Railway Station. Organized regular meetings with vehicle drivers associations & the passengers for increasing the number of inmates. Also visited to the patient attendants or relatives of patients who were admitted in the GB Panth Hospital, IGM Hospital, Hapania Medical College & Hospital, and various Nursing Homes so that they can avail the facility of stay in the shelter house. In 2025-26 totally 1168 inmates availed the staying facility in this shelter. Our staff have visited various government offices like Police Stations, Clubs, Bazaar Committees, Bus Stands, and Railway Station to spread the messages & fixed banners, distributed leaflets in public places to help people know about shelter's location and facilities.

Outreach for Radhanagar Shelter House

Outreach for Radhanagar Shelter House

2. Pandit Deendayal Shelter House, Udaipur, Tepania: Shelter house staff have been visiting key public locations such as Gomati District Hospital, Udaipur College, Rajarbag Bus Stand, Matabari, and Udaipur Railway Station. Meetings were organized with vehicle drivers and passengers to encourage more individuals in need to utilize the shelter facility. We also interacted with patient attendants and relatives of patients admitted at Gomati District Hospital and the Sub-Divisional Hospital, informing them about the availability of shelter facilities. During the financial year 2025–26, 965 individuals used the accommodation in this shelter.

3. Dinadayal Shelter House, Amarpur: We did outreach campaign in Amarpur Sub-Divisional Hospital, Amarpur bus stand, Karbook Bazar, Amarpur College. Organized meeting with vehicle drivers & the passengers for increasing the number of inmates. Also visited to the patient attendants or relatives of those patients admitted in the Amarpur Sub-Divisional Hospital for their staying in the shelter. Last year 580 persons got the staying facility in this shelter.

4. Dharmanagar Shelter House: Outreach activities were done in the Dharmanagar ISBT, Rajbari bus stand, Dharmanagar Bazar & Railway Station, Dharmanagar Hospital. Organized meeting with vehicle drivers & the passengers, Tuktuk Union and Dharmanagar Railway Station for increasing the number of inmates. Also visited the patient attendants or relatives of those patients admitted in the Dharmanagar Hospital & various Nursing Homes. In 2025-26, 708 persons utilized the staying facility in Dharmanagar Shelter House.

In the Shelter houses, the staffs have done flower gardening in front of the shelters for beautification & to make it attractive. Staffs were also doing organic farming inside the boundary & in the roof top of the shelters.

Dharmanagar Shelter House – Outreach Work

Dharmanagar Shelter House – Outreach Work

The 37^th Annual General Meeting of Voluntary Health Association of Tripura was organized at Conference Hall of VHAT at Circuit House Area, Kunjaban, Agartala, on 27^th July 2025. This meeting had two parts- a Technical Session and the Business Session.

The following dignitaries/guests were present in the inaugural Session of the AGM of VHAT:

1. Shri Diganta Kumar Das, DGM, NABARD Tripura Regional Office
2. Adv. Asmita Banik, Chairperson, Child Welfare Committee, West Tripura
3. Dr. Sreelekha Ray, President, Voluntary Health Association of Tripura
4. Shri Benudhar Acharjee, Assistant Secretary, Voluntary Health Association of Tripura

Dr. Sujit Ghosh, Executive Director of VHAT delivered welcome speech for the Members and Guests.

TECHNICAL SESSION: 11:00 am to 2:00 pm . Topics of the Technical Session were as follows:

a) Child Marriage: From Awareness to Action by Dr. Sreelekha Ray, President of VHAT.
b) Project Formulation for CSO/NGOs - Mr. Prasanta Debbarma, Integrator, Tripura, SeSTA
c) Governing mechanisms, Legal compliances of CSO/NGOs - Dr. Sujit Ghosh, Executive Director, of VHAT

The Business Session:
The Business session was started at 2.40 pm after the lunch .Dr.Sreelekha Ray, President of VHAT, chaired the session and extended a hearty welcome to all the members. Then she declared the meeting open and took up the agenda for negotiations. VHAT- AGM Resolution Book was circulated and obtained signature of the members. Out of 64 members 48 members participated in the 37^th Annual General Meeting of Voluntary Health Association of Tripura . The meeting had presence of requisite number of Members to fulfil the quorum. Then discussions happened on on annual report, report of the Treasurer , appointment of the appoint the Auditor for the year 2025 – 2026 and Plan & Budget of 2025 – 2026 which was presented by Mr.Bipul Majumder, Finance Officer of VHAT.
Executive Director of VHAT placed some amendments of a few policies of VHAT for discussion and approval by the General Body of VHAT. After detail discussion the Members of VHAT General Committee unanimously approved the amendments of 1. Personnel Policies/Staff Service Rules of VHAT, 2. VHAT – Purchase Policy, 3. Financial Management Policy

The 37^th Annual General Meeting of Voluntary Health Association of Tripura was ended with valedictory address and vote of thanks by Dr. Sreelekha Ray, President of VHAT.

37^th Annual General Meeting of VHAT

37^th Annual General Meeting of VHAT

The Voluntary Health Association of Tripura with the support from NABARD, Tripura Region, has successfully established a Rural Haat at Daocherra Bazar under Paschim Gilatali Gram Panchayat in Kalyanpur Block, Khowai District. This integrated rural marketing facility has been developed to provide a dedicated platform for artisans, farmers, and small-scale entrepreneurs, particularly those who lack access to proper market infrastructure, enabling them to showcase and sell their products effectively.

The Rural Haat was formally inaugurated on 18th September 2025 in the presence of distinguished dignitaries. The programme was graced by Shri Somen Gope, Chairman, Kalyanpur Panchayat Samiti, as the Chief Guest, along with Shri Anil S. Kotmire, General Manager, NABARD (Tripura Region), Shri Amit Das, District Development Manager, NABARD (Khowai & Dhalai District), Smt. Indranai Debbarma, BAC Chairman, Kalyanpur R.D. Block, and Dr. Sujit Ghosh, Executive Director, VHAT.

This initiative marks a significant step toward strengthening rural livelihoods and promoting local entrepreneurship by creating sustainable market linkages. The Rural Haat is expected to play a vital role in enhancing income opportunities, boosting local trade, and supporting the overall growth of the rural economy in the region.

Kalyanpur Rural Haat inaugurated by Shri Anil S. Kotmire , GM Nabard Tripura

Gram Dukan in Hrishyamukh , Belonia , South Tripura

NABARD's "Gram Dukan" initiative supports rural entrepreneurship by establishing dedicated marketplaces for Self Help Groups (SHGs) and local artisans to sell handmade, handloom, and organic products. These rural shops (Dukan) enhance market access and income for rural women, often supported by local development missions.

Primary objective of the project is to develop successful entrepreneurs among Self-Help Group (SHG) members by providing support such as shop (dukan) rent, structured assistance, honorarium, and continuous monitoring and evaluation for a period of two years. This support aims to strengthen business capacity, improve financial management skills, and ensure long-term sustainability of the enterprises.

Role of VHAT:
Voluntary Health Association of Tripura with the support from NABARD, has established a "Gram Dukan" in Hrishyamukh Block of Belonia, South Tripura district, as a sustainable livelihood initiative to promote rural entrepreneurship.

By enabling direct market access, the Gram Dukan helped increase income, built entrepreneurial confidence, and reduced dependency on intermediaries. It also serves as a model for community-led enterprise development, contributing to women empowerment, local economic growth, and strengthened rural livelihoods.

Swasti" commonly refers to Swasti Health Catalyst, a major Indian non-profit organization that has worked for 20 years to ensure everyday wellbeing through public health, disaster response, and community resilience, including recent social protection and mobile medical unit initiatives in Tripura. It's main mission is to ensure health and well-being, specifically focusing on vulnerable communities.

Role of VHAT:
Voluntary Health Association of Tripura (VHAT), with support from SWASTI, implemented a comprehensive social protection initiative in Dhalai district from October 2025 to March 2026. The program was designed to bridge gaps in awareness and accessibility, ensuring that marginalized communities could effectively navigate and enrol in essential government welfare schemes.

Impact and Outreach:
The initiative successfully reached 12,047 individuals, providing them with a direct link to various Central and State Government social protection schemes. The program specifically prioritized the following vulnerable groups:

• Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Scheduled Castes (SC)
• Persons with Disabilities (PWDs)
• Women and unorganized workers

Core Implementation Strategy:

To ensure inclusive and equitable access, VHAT team employed a multi-faceted outreach approach:

• Direct Engagement: Utilized door-to-door outreach, one-to-one interactions, and small group meetings.
• End-to-End Support: Provided continuous "handholding" assistance, including identification, documentation, application submission, and follow-up until benefits were realized.
• Capacity Building: Addressed enrolment barriers by guiding beneficiaries step-by-step through complex processes.

Key Schemes Promoted:

The initiative focused on critical health and social security entitlements:

• Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana: Financial protection for secondary and tertiary hospitalizations.
• Chief Minister Jan Arogya Yojana: State-level extension of health coverage.
• e-Shram Card: Social security, accident insurance, and welfare access for unorganized workers.

Visiting individual beneficiary for inclusion in Social Protection Scheme

Helping a Person with Disabilities for registration in the Social Protection Scheme

Conclusion:
By combining personalized engagement with technical support, the initiative significantly improved the uptake of social protection measures. This intervention has strengthened the financial security and resilience of households in Dhalai, fostering greater social inclusion and overall well-being within the targeted communities.

Voluntary Health Association of Tripura (VHAT) successfully implemented a series of skill development workshops aimed at empowering senior citizens residing in old age homes across Tripura. This initiative was conducted under the direction of the Directorate of Skill Development, Department of Industries & Commerce, Government of Tripura.

Overview:
The training sessions took place from 26 February to 5 March 2026 targeting the senior citizens residing in selected institutional old age homes. Totally 50 participants were trained across five locations in the districts of West Tripura, Sepahijala, Gomati, and Khowai. Each location hosted a three-day intensive training with 10 participants per batch to ensure personalized, hands-on instruction.

Key Objectives: The trainings were designed to move beyond simple activity, focusing on:

• Productive Engagement: Providing meaningful daily activities for the elderly.
• Skill Development: Teaching practical crafts such as eco-friendly thongas (paper pouches), envelopes, folders, and paper bags.
• Self-Reliance: Equipping participants with basic production techniques and material utilization for potential income generation.
• Social Inclusion: Enhancing the dignity, mental well-being, and social interaction of the participants.

Participating Institutions
The workshops were hosted at the following locations:

1. MGM Old Age Home (Narsingarh)
2. Apna Ghar Old Age Home (Barjala)
3. Abhoy Mission Old Age Home (Gakulnagar, Bishalgarh)
4. SEVIC Old Age Home (Udaipur)
5. SEVIC Old Age Home (Khowai)

Methodology and Outcomes:
The training utilized a participatory and experiential learning methodology. By engaging directly in the manufacturing process, beneficiaries reported a renewed sense of purpose and increased confidence. Participants expressed appreciation for the programme, noting that such activities provide both skill enhancement and a sense of purpose in their daily lives.

Conclusion:
The initiative successfully met its goals of promoting Active Ageing and Empowerment among vulnerable elderly populations. VHAT has reaffirmed its commitment to continuing similar welfare and inclusion projects in the future.

Training Program on Thonga and Paper Bag Making for Senior Citizens across Old Age Homes

The EKP- Entrepreneurship Knowledge Programme is an initiative of RAMP Programme- Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance (RAMP).

The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector is a significant contributor to the economic and social development of the country. It is the second largest employer after Agriculture and employs about 11.1 crores people spread across manufacturing, trade, and service sectors.

Considering the above, the Ministry of MSME, Government of India designed and launched a new Central Sector Scheme, namely ‘Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance (RAMP)’, supported by the World Bank.

The programme has implemented in Tripura by National Institute for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, through VHAT , funded by Department of Industries And Commerce, Government of Tripura. This initiative was conducted in October-November 2025.

The prime objective of the program was to improve the skills of the women & unemployed youth in all the districts in Tripura.

Objectives of the Programme:

• To introduce the concept of entrepreneurship.
• To promote self-employment and start-up mindset.
• To enhance participants’ knowledge on business planning.
• To encourage innovation and leadership.
• To make a platform for the employment generation.
• To provide knowledge on Enterprise promotion.
• To build-up mindsetting for skilling entrepreneurship.
• To encourage the entrepreneurial mindset for the decision making to set-up new enterprise.

Cumulative progress done till March 2026: Mobilization has done in three (3) locations–
i). Mohanpur College, Sidhai, ii) Holy Cross College, Lembucherra & iii). Garjanmura under Tepania RD Block. Accordingly three (3) EKP sessions were conducted in three venues – Swami Vivekananda Mahavidyalaya-100 youths, Holy Cross College-100 youths & Garjanmura Community Hall-50 youths.

Voluntary Health Association of Tripura (VHAT), with the support of NABARD, successfully organized International Women's Day celebrations on 11th March 2026 at Kalyanpur, Khowai District, and on 13th March 2026 at Kanchanpur, North Tripura.

Celebration of International Women's Day in Kalyanpur, Khowai District

Celebration of International Women's Day in Kanchanpur, North Tripura District

The programme commenced with an inaugural ceremony marked by the lighting of the lamp in the presence of distinguished guests like Hon'ble MLA of Kalyanpur Shri Pinaki Das Choudhury ,DDM –NABARD Mr.Amit Das. The events witnessed active participation from Women Self-Help Group (SHG) members and women entrepreneurs. As a token of appreciation, 12 outstanding women entrepreneurs from both locations were recognized and felicitated with special gifts from NABARD for their remarkable achievements. In Kanchanpur event Smt.Swapna Rani Das, Member of District Council (North) was the Chief Guest.

The programme effectively highlighted the contributions of women and promoted entrepreneurship, empowerment, and community engagement.

Gramin Jeevika Mela – 2026 was organized by VHAT in collaboration with Block Mission Management Unit, TRLM in Kalyanpur Block and NABARD on 21st–22nd January 2026 at Kalyanpur Block, Khowai District. The event aimed to promote sustainable livelihoods and strengthen farmers' capacities.

Day–1 began with a Farmers' Meet under the TDF project, featuring expert sessions on orchard management, kitchen gardening, livestock, and fish farming, along with interactive discussions, input distribution, and a health check-up camp. The mela was formally inaugurated by distinguished dignitaries:- Shri Diganta Kr.Das, DGM-Nabard, Shri Abhijit Chakraborty, ADM-Khowai, & MLA of Kalyanpur Shri Pinaki Das Choudhury. This was followed the exhibition of stalls showcasing local products and a cultural evening.

Day–2 included cultural programmes and the closing ceremony, along with felicitation of progressive farmers and SHG leaders.

Mango & Pineapple Festival 2025, organized by Voluntary Health Association of Tripura was successfully held from 17th to 19th June 2025 at Children's Park, Agartala, with the support of NABARD, Tripura Regional Office. The event was inaugurated in the presence of several dignitaries, including the Hon'ble Minister of Tribal Welfare, Shri Bikash Debbarma, Mr. Apurba Roy (IAS) Secretary of Dept of Agriculture and GM-Nabard (Tripura Region) Shri Anil S.Kotmire along with Dr. Sreelekha Ray (President, VHAT) and Shri Deepak Kumar Das (Director, Horticulture & Soil Conservation) . The event commenced with a welcome address by VHAT- Executive Director , followed by speeches highlighting the importance of horticulture development and farmer livelihoods. The festival witnessed active participation from progressive farmers of Dumbur Nagar in Dhalai District, along with TDF beneficiaries and FPO members from different districts of Tripura. It provided a valuable platform for showcasing mango and pineapple produce, promoting market linkages, and encouraging sustainable livelihood opportunities for farmers.

Glimpses of Mango and Pineapple Festival in Children's Park, Agartala

VHAT is one of the founder members of the network 'Action Against Trafficking & Sexual Exploitation of Children in India (ATSEC India)' which started working since 1998 under the leadership of Mr. Manabendra Mandal, as the Chairman, ATSEC South Asia and National Coordinator, ATSEC India. From that year VHAT has been continuously working to prevent sexual exploitation and human trafficking, especially of women and children within Tripura and cross border in Bangladesh though rescue & repatriation. Bangladesh primarily acts as a major source and transit country for cross-border trafficking into India, while India functions both as a vast internal trafficking hub and the primary destination for international victims in South Asia. Tripura also has long border with Bangladesh.

On 25-26 April 2025 VHAT in collaboration with Socio Legal Aid Research & Training Centre P-112 Lake Terrace, Kolkata 29, West Bengal, organized one ‘Regional Workshop on Awareness Generation & Prevention of Human Trafficking’ at Agartala, Tripura.

Main speakers for this workshop were Mr. Manabendra Mandal, National Coordinator, ATSEC India & Director of Socio Legal Aid , Research and Training Centre, Kolkata and Dr.Sreelekha Ray, President of VHAT. Other dignitaries were-Advocate Ms.Asmita Banik ,Chairperson of CWC (W), Advocate Ms.Sumita Roy, Chairperson CWC(Sepahijala), Shri Kajal Das, Deputy Collector – West Tripura District, and Ms Chameli Saha , Member of TSCPCR.

Sixty(60) participants from Civil Society Organizations(CSOs) of different parts of NE region actively participated in it and could enriched their knowledge and experiences about combating the menace of human trafficking in North East India.

Another ‘District Level Workshop on Awareness & Prevention of Trafficking in Persons’ was organized by Voluntary Health Association of Tripura in collaboration with District Administration , South Tripura and South Tripura Youth Forum on 2^nd August, 2025 in the Circuit House, Belonia.

This was presided over by Muhammad Sajad P., IAS, DM & Collector of South Tripura. The workshop was successfully completed by active participation of 70 individuals of various line departments including BSF, Police, Panchayats, Women SHGs, Anganwadi Workers & CWC members.