Bihar’s ambitious Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) has now gained international attention as well. A 13-member delegation from the Government of Kenya visited Bihar under the Immersion and Learning Exchange (ILE) Program to study the model of poverty alleviation being implemented by the state government. The delegation visited Nalanda district, where they interacted with beneficiaries and observed how small livelihood initiatives have transformed the lives of poor families.
A debriefing session was organized at Patna Secretariat to mark the conclusion of the program. The session began with a welcome address by Mrs. Abhilasha Kumari Sharma, Additional CEO of JEEViKA. Later, Mr. Himanshu Sharma, CEO of JEEViKA, explained the objectives and framework of the program and highlighted key interventions made in Bihar to eradicate poverty.
Addressing the gathering, Mr. Andrew Mwadime, Governor of Taita Taveta County, Kenya, praised the implementation of the program and shared his personal experiences from the field visit. He appreciated Bihar Government’s commitment towards poverty eradication and stated that Kenya would work to replicate similar initiatives in their country.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Lokesh Kumar Singh, Secretary, Rural Development Department, Bihar, said that the Sustainable Livelihood Program has brought remarkable changes in the lives of millions of poor families. He expressed pride that a friendly nation like Kenya is keen to learn from Bihar’s model. He added that such knowledge-sharing exercises would further strengthen bilateral cooperation between India and Kenya.
Chief Secretary of Bihar, Mr. Amrit Lal Meena, also addressed the session and shared the journey of the program, launched in 2018. He informed that so far, over 2.1 lakh families have benefited from the scheme. He also highlighted the recent establishment of a cooperative fund named ‘JEEViKA Nidhi’ to provide financial support to women Self-Help Groups (SHGs). He stressed that such initiatives not only reduce poverty but also empower women to play a stronger role in rural development.
At the end of the session, Mr. Rajesh Kumar, Special Officer, JEEViKA, extended the vote of thanks and emphasized that such collaborative programs will enable India and Kenya to fight poverty together by sharing resources, knowledge, and expertise.
It is worth noting that the ILE Program is coordinated jointly by JEEViKA, BRAC International, and Bandhan Konnagar. Under this initiative, delegates from several countries and Indian states visit Bihar to learn from its poverty alleviation models. So far, representatives from Indonesia, Philippines, South Africa, Ethiopia, and Sri Lanka have also visited Bihar to explore the Sustainable Livelihood Program and adopt similar practices in their respective nations.
👉 Bihar’s Sustainable Livelihood Program is steadily emerging as a global model for poverty eradication and women empowerment.
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