It is with great excitement that the MIA announces their partnership with Madhyam Foundation to coordinate an effort to provide responsive, community-based micro health insurance to 100,000 people in three districts of Orissa. Our partner, AWO International, has agreed to support this project over two years, recognizing the critical need for health financing among the poor in Orissa.

This effort brings together 13 NGOs, working in Kalahandi, Khurda and Malkangiri districts, to work collaboratively in mobilizing self help groups and community organizations.  Working with the MIA and Madhyam, each community will be given training in insurance domain knowledge and will emerge with the knowledge and tools necessary to operate their own sustainable health insurance scheme.

Following our successful workshop in July, we will begin this project at the end of 2008 with training for our NGO partners, to be held in Bhubaneshwar, and with the MIA-led baseline study to capture and analyze high quality data about the communities we will engage.  Also, in preparation, representatives from this consortium will attend the MIA’s Reinsurance School later this month to learn about reinsurance for their micro insurance schemes.

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Madhyam Foundation is a state level development support organisation which works with different stakeholders such as NGOs, MFIs, Financial institutions, Donors and Government Departments for the promotion of microfinance and livelihoods initiatives in Orissa. It specializes in working with small and second tier NGOs and MFIs in improving their governance, management practises, and information systems while increasing their outreach and their portfolio.

The Micro Insurance Academy is a Delhi-based charitable trust dedicated to evidence-based studies, training and advisory services for microinsurance units serving the poor. Community-based micro health insurance units represent the highest hope for the extension of insurance coverage among the uninsured poor. However, microinsurance schemes need help in customizing their insurance to the risks and conditions they face, at affordable premiums, through a process that they trust. The MIA offers innovative, context-specific solutions to meet those needs.

AWO International is a development cooperation organization based in Germany. Following the principle of international work AWO believes in the values of solidarity, freedom, equality and tolerance. AWO’s international cooperation is centered around the support of building a civil society. Only with this democratic base in mind, can it be possible to reduce the inequalities between North, East, South and West in a sustainable manner. As a main part of their development cooperation AWO builds up small projects with the help of our local partners. We further engage in humanitarian help and international exchange of skilled employees.
 
 
List of Implementing Partner NGOs:
Malkangiri district:
Puspac
Parivartan
SDS
SOMKS
ODC

Kalahandi district:
Mahashakti
Sanginee
Dapta
Lok Yojana

Khurda district:
MVPS
DSS
Adhikar