5. Empowering People for Social Action

Project Duration: June 2007 to May 2010.

Area  of operation: Ariyalur, Andimadam and Jayankondam Unions.

Aim: Organize groups in the project area and encourage savings habit among them and find social, economical and political development through empowering and decision making capacity.

Objectives:

ï  To plan, implement and evaluate project programmes with people’s participation.

ï  To federate groups at union level and establish ‘people’s bank’.

ï  To organize training programmes on vocational skills to the identified leaders and create sustainable livelihood.

ï  To promote awareness on health, nutrition, hygiene, environment and HIV/AIDs.

ï  To popularize organic farming practices among target people.

Groups formed during this year:

No.	Union	Women groups	Men groups	Members
				Women	Men
1.	Jayankondam	5	2	78	31
2.	Andimadam	5	2	85	29
3.	Ariyalur	3	0	43	0
Total		13	4	206	60

People’s Savings:

No.	Union	Women	Men	Total Rs.
1.	Jayankondam	3,38,850	1,03,050	4,41,900
2.	Andimadam	2,85,400	2,08,650	4,94,050
3.	Ariyalur	81,400	--	81,400
	Total	7,05,650	3,11,700	10,17,350

Empowering Meetings/Trainings:

In Jayankondam Union, Vizhapallam, Kuruvalapparkoil, Jayankondam, Kazhuvanthondi, Eravangudi, Chinnavalayam and Susaiapparpattinam village groups were trained on the topics of People’s Bank, Social Analysis, resource mobilization, record maintenance, organic farming, HIV/AIDS and Health. Totally 451 trainees participated in the trainings.

For Andimadam union villages, leader’s trainings were conducted for 145 persons on the above topics, covering villages of Koovathur, Varadarajanpettai, Anthoniyarpuram and Keezhaneduvai and in Ariyalur Union 20 persons were trained on social analysis.

Union Level Meetings:

Towards improving the knowledge and awareness of the union level leaders training meetings were conducted as given in the table:

No.	Union	Date	Topic	No. of Persons	Resource Person
1.	Jayankondam	07.04.2009	People’s Bank	30	Chief Coordinator
		20.06.2009	Income Generation Programme	110	”
		05.08.2009	Health	53	”
		27.10.2009	Gender equality	40	”
		11.11.2009	Resource Mobilization	33	Coordinator
2.	Andimadam	16.07.2009	Records & Reports maintenance	48	”
		18.08.2009	Health & Welfare	41	”
		11.10.2009	Health, HIV/AIDs	29	”
		14.12.2009	Gender equality	51	”
3.	Ariyalur	28.01.2010	Gender equality	61	”

Other Activities:

      In Chinnavalayam village, 2 groups jointly contributed their labour and deepened the lake.

      With the efforts of the women group of Murukkankottai based on their demand the public Transport bus is plying 3 times a day.

      Through Joint action of 5 groups of Kuruvalapparkoil village, they have got public approach road worth about Rs.1,40,000/-.

      Two kilometer road facility worth of Rs.30,000/- arranged in Pottankulam village through the efforts of women group.

      In Keezhaneduvai, the malpractices in weighing PDS materials was brought to the concerned authority by the group and new Salesman appointed.

      In Melaneduvai new Ration Shop (PDS) was opened and Savadiyartheru 4 new persons obtained Family cards.

      Line houses to 10 beneficiaries in Kuruvalapparkoil, Over head Tank for water in Keezhaneduvai, Evening Coaching Class for 50 children in Agneshpuram and Tree seedlings planting in Chinnavalayam, Tar road and drainage facilities were obtained in project area villages.

Resource development:

Received revolving fund for Income Generation by Groups of Jayankondam and Ariyalur Unions  area to a tune of Rs.1,72,000/- and Rs.3,20,000/-.

Groups benefited by People’s Bank:

18 groups of Jayakondam Union received Rs.7,50,000/- for Milch Animals for 35 persons, Agriculture for 15 persons, Petty Shop for 10 persons and Education of their children for 45 of them.

In Andimadam Union 21 groups received Rs.14,00,000/- for Milch animals for 40 persons, Agriculture for 40 persons, Petty shop for 16 persons and Education of their children; 50 persons benefited.

Common Events:

On 29.09.2009 all the groups of Jayankondam, Andimadam and Ariyalur Unions jointly organized a rally, demanding basic needs to the target population and submitted Memoranda to the Government Officials.

Community Pongal:

Kuruvalapparkoil groups organized a grand community Pongal Vizha in which more than 200 persons participated and it was enchanting programme, getting people of village social groups together.