Kohima: The Nagaland State Rural Livelihoods Mission is teaming up with BRAC International. They aim to launch the SAY-SOBLOK initiative on October 6. This project operates under the Samaveshi Aajeevika Yojana framework managed by the Ministry of Rural Development. Rural Development Commissioner and Secretary Thavaseelan will attend as the special guest.
The program supports 4,000 extremely vulnerable households. It draws inspiration from the Graduation Approach developed by BRAC. The Nagaland chapter focuses on households headed by women and those living with disabilities. Teams will identify participants based on multiple layers of vulnerability. They want to ensure no one gets left behind.
Officials chose the name SOBLOK from the Nagamese Creole phrase, "Sob manu logot dangor kaam kora," which translates to "Inclusive and Collective Growth." Organizers expect the work to last 36 months. They plan to build household resilience through diversified income sources. Partners and various line departments will work together to adapt the national framework to local needs.
Updated at 7th October 2026 at 1:48am
The program became official at a signing ceremony held at Hotel Vivor in Kohima. Thavaseelan K, Commissioner and Secretary of the Department of Rural Development, pushed for a rigorous selection process, insisting that officials must identify households fairly and verify the needs of those whose struggles often go unseen. He pointed to people living in remote areas, those with disabilities, and caregivers as the primary targets for this outreach.
The initiative moves beyond basic support by integrating intensive household coaching, financial literacy training, and direct help with savings. Each family will receive an individual plan tailored to their specific skills and local market conditions. Moa Sangtam, Mission Director of NSRLM, noted that the state has already mobilized over 15,000 self-help groups and more than 1,200 village-level organizations to assist with these efforts.
Shweta S Banerjee, India Country Lead for BRAC International, committed the organization to provide research partnerships, technical training, and global best practices. Representatives from 12 different government departments and various partner institutions attended the signing to coordinate the implementation.
Updated at 7th October 2026 at 1:51pm
The partnership became official during a signing ceremony held at Hotel Vivor in Kohima. Thavaseelan K, Commissioner and Secretary of the Department of Rural Development, demanded a hard look at how the program finds its participants. He told officials to stop relying on easy targets and instead hunt for the people whose struggles remain invisible, specifically those living in isolated regions, those with disabilities, and primary caregivers burdened by constant domestic labor. He warned that the program must track its own failures as closely as its wins, ordering the team to fix what breaks and verify that the help actually reaches the families who need it most.
The mission has built a massive network to carry this load. Moa Sangtam, the Mission Director, reported that they have already organized 15,481 self-help groups and 1,269 village-level organizations to handle the groundwork. The signing event brought together representatives from 12 separate government departments to ensure the project does not stall in red tape. Shweta S Banerjee of BRAC International confirmed the group will provide research, training, and global best practices, with a specific focus on setting up learning exchange programs and joint reviews to keep the effort on track.
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