SENAPATI, Nov 29: The Youth Rise for Change (YR4C) team has successfully completed a landmark 36 villages visits, mobilizing communities against corruption and advocating for indigenous rights and transparency in government projects. The team covered 8 Mao villages, including Shajouba, Makhel, Kaibi, Tobupfii, R.Solephe, Chowainu, Pudunamei, and Song Song, shedding light on the JJM and NDB scams.
The visits revealed a shocking lack of awareness among village authority members, women, and youth leaders about the water supply projects, enabling PHED and implementing agencies to manipulate data and report work as done. The village authorities were not consulted while preparing the water supply DPR, resulting in a huge mismatch between the number of households and the amount sanctioned for functional household tap connections (FHTC).
In Makhel village, women took a brave step forward, raising their voices against the unfulfilled promises of the JJM project and the struggles of daily life without access to clean water. “We’ve been waiting for so long, fetching water from distant sources, struggling to make ends meet,” said one woman, her voice shaking with emotion. The emotional connect was palpable, and the feeling of relief was evident as they saw youth standing up to fight for their cause.
The people of Makhel, Tobupfii, Pudunamei, and Song Song villages showed remarkable enthusiasm and participation in supporting YR4C’s fight against corruption. Women and elders from these villages have pledged their full support to the YR4C movement, joining the fight for transparency and accountability.
“We will no longer be fooled by false promises and corrupt practices. It’s time to take back our rights and demand accountability from our leaders,” said a village authority member from Song Song Village, which has taken an exemplary step towards demanding transparency and accountability in implementing JJM projects.
YR4C urges all citizens to join the movement against corruption and demand transparency in government projects.
