The Responsible Mica Initiative (RMI) has just released the mid-year impact report for its Community Empowerment Program (CEP), highlighting progress made between January and June 2026 to address the root causes of child labor and other human rights risks in mica-producing communities in Bihar and Jharkhand, India.
Co-funded by the European Union, the Community Empowerment Program third cycle is part of RMI’s holistic approach to responsible mica sourcing.
Now in its third implementation cycle (2025–2027), the program works alongside local NGO partners, government authorities and communities to strengthen resilience, improve access to essential services and create the conditions for lasting change.
Addressing root causes, not only symptoms
Preventing child labor requires more than removing children from work. It means addressing the interconnected challenges that place families at risk in the first place.
The program therefore focuses on four key areas:
- Expanding access to quality education and strengthening child protection;
- Building household economic resilience;
- Improving access to social protection and public services; and
- Promoting community health and wellbeing.
Across all interventions, the program also strengthens two critical enablers: local governance and gender equality, helping communities sustain progress beyond individual project activities.
Mid-year results
During the first six months of 2026, the program achieved encouraging progress across its intervention areas.
In education, 75 children returned to school, attendance was regularized for 239 students, and more than 1,000 children accessed community libraries that support learning beyond the classroom. Child Clubs and strengthened School Management Committees continued to reinforce community ownership of children’s education.
To reduce economic vulnerability, the program trained 1,570 people in financial literacy, supported climate-smart agriculture and livestock services, established kitchen gardens and provided productive assets to ultra-poor households, helping families diversify incomes and reduce reliance on harmful coping strategies.
Access to government services also expanded through a growing network of Jan Suvidha Kendras (Citizen Service Centers) and digital kiosks. During the reporting period, these centers supported 2,651 beneficiary interactions and facilitated 1,074 social security enrolments and document updates, helping families access services and entitlements that strengthen long-term resilience.
Health and wellbeing interventions strengthened community preparedness through first-aid training, health camps and improved access to safe drinking water, while local volunteers continued raising awareness on nutrition, hygiene and preventive healthcare.
Strengthening communities for lasting change
A defining feature of the Community Empowerment Program is its investment in systems that enable communities to continue preventing and responding to human rights risks long after individual activities have concluded.
Village Development Committees, Child Clubs, community volunteers, Jan Suvidha Kendras and other locally led structures strengthen governance, improve access to services and foster collective action. At the same time, women’s participation across livelihood, financial literacy and community leadership activities helps reinforce household resilience and inclusive decision-making.
These investments contribute to measurable progress. Since the program baseline, child labor prevalence across participating communities has declined from 6.4% to 4%, demonstrating the value of sustained, collaborative approaches that tackle underlying vulnerabilities rather than isolated symptoms.
Looking ahead
As implementation continues throughout 2026, RMI and its partners will build on these foundations, expanding community capacity and strengthening the local systems that enable children to stay in school, households to become more resilient and communities to better protect human rights.
The results presented in this mid-year report represent a milestone in a longer journey toward responsible mica value chains built on resilient communities and shared responsibility.
