Visit a village in India
Join villagers from one of India’s poorest regions as they climb from subsistence to success
In February 2014, thanks to a generous donation of US $44,000 from Swedish construction firm Bergsäker AB/AVA Monitoring, we embarked on a two-year mission to transform the community of Paramesvaramangalam, Tamil Nadu, by deploying our model on a village-wide scale. We call it the Village Uplift Program.
We will update this space with the latest progress every six months.
About Paramesvaramangalam
Paramesvaramangalam is located in Kancheepuram, just 70 kilometres from some of India’s best-known ancient temples. With a population of 2,800, the village relies almost entirely on agriculture. Toilets are scarce, a testament to poor education in health and sanitation, and dozens of children are forced by poverty into working instead of attending school.
The Plan
One medium-sized enterprise
At least one woman with a particularly promising idea will be supported in developing a medium-sized business. This might be a brick-making unit, a bakery or a plant nursery.
100% primary school enrolment
We’ll visit every family in Paramesvaramangalam to get children out of work and into school.
Holistic development
Our team in India operates four complementary programmes that help members access better healthcare, improved education, a cleaner environment and one-on-one civil rights training.
The story so far
Twelve months in, our project in Paramesvaramangalam is beginning to take hold. Six Village Development Committee meetings have been conducted, paving the way for major change in the village.
A Self-Help Group working on tamarind fruit extraction
Self-Help Groups and Microfinance
Eighteen women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) have been formed so far, counting 253 members. More than 160 members have received basic training in capacity-building, and 77 have received microloans totalling INR 1,245,000 (US $6,000) from Hand in Hand to launch their businesses. An additional INR 850,000 (US $12,840) was disbursed by banks.
Child labor awareness rally
Child Labour Elimination Project
One child labour awareness rally was conducted, attended by 120 people, and 25 pupils have been begun attending a new Children’s Learning Centre.
Citizens’ Center meeting
Citizens’ Centre
Twenty-five people received e-literacy training at Hand in Hand’s Citizens’ Centre, bringing the total to 259. Another 15 attended computer courses. Three awareness programmes were conducted on India’s Right to Information Act, attended by 148 people.
Medical camp
Health
Three mass awareness programs were conducted on nutrition and sanitation, attended by 392 people. Another 243 attended five awareness meetings on basic health and personal hygiene. One general medical camp was conducted, benefiting 164 people. An ophthalmology camp benefited 44.
A veterinary camp was also conducted, treating 996 animals.
Organic farming education
Environment
Four awareness programnes were conducted to sensitise villagers on protecting the environment and vermicomposting (the practice of composting using worms). Seven mass village cleaning camps were also conducted. The environment was improved with the planting of 20 avenue trees and 20 kitchen garden units. Another 430 horticulture plants were distributed to individual households.
A village sponsor’s testimonial
We are now six months into the project, which began when Hand in Hand India conducted a survey to identify existing services and problems in the Panchayat. Through this exercise, we were able to map the demographics of the community and develop a plan for fighting poverty most effectively.
Achievements
Even at this early stage we’ve been able to achieve significant improvements in the areas highlighted as requiring intervention by the village mapping exercise.
Village Development Committee Formed
Our field team formed a village development committee to involve and engage the community in planning the activities to be implemented under the VUP.
Participatory Rural appraisal (PRA)-village mapping exercise | Paramesvaramangalan, India
Livestock health care camp | Paramesvaramangalan, India
Self-Help Groups and Microfinance
Hand in Hand India mobilised 14 Self-Help Groups that currently have a total of 202 members. So far, 161 members have received basic business and financial training. A total of INR 850,000 has been loaned to 25 family based enterprises, and we have also been able to hold a veterinary camp in which 996 animals were treated.
Awareness rally by school children on child labour | Paramesvaramangalan, India
Child Labour Elimination Project
Our field team has helped to run two awareness campaigns and a rally as part of our aim of ensuring 100 percent school enrolment for children aged 6 to 14 within the Panchayat.
E- Learning programme : Schoolchildren are taught on the basics of computer | Paramesvaramangalan, India
Citizens’ Centre
Hand in Hand India has created a Citizens’ Centre in the village which is providing the community with a vital access point for many state benefits. Having established internet access, the Centre has held e-learning classes for 234 members of the community.
Paediatric medical camp | Paramesvaramangalan, India
Health
Hand in Hand India provided a free medical camp for the village in which 164 people received treatment. The camp also enabled our field team to promote better sanitation and health practices across the community.
Waste management
Environment
As planned, we have been able to run two awareness campaigns on environment protection and vermicomposting, as well as organize three mass village-cleaning camps.
A village sponsor’s testimonial
Village program launch | Paramesvaramangalam village |Tamil Nadu, India
On 14 February, Hand in Hand India staff met with local leaders, ward members, Self-Help Group members, school teachers and youths. They
discussed their participation in the VUP program and professed their support.
Three days later the program was officially launched. Hundreds of community members visited Hand in Hand stalls to learn about the program, then settled in for a performance featuring street theatre and dances geared towards explaining Hand in Hand India’s five focus activities. Local leaders and Self-Help Group members signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Hand in Hand staff, symbolizing their commitment to the program.
What happens next?
No two villages are the same – and neither are any two Village Uplift Programsme. Work is underway now to complete a ‘participatory rural appraisal’ of Paramesvaramangalam, a process that involves surveying villagers to discover what they think their community needs most. The results will impact precisely how we implement the programme. Broadly, however, we’ll be working in five tried and tested focus areas.
Tamarind processing | Paramesvaramangalan, India
1. Job creation
Our job creation model will help hundreds of women entrepreneurs start businesses such as tailoring, bicycle repair and shopkeeping. We’ll also run veterinary camps to provide timely medical help to the milk-giving animals in the village, helping dairy entrepreneurs and the village in general.
School | Tamil Nadu, India
2. Child labour elimination and access to education
Our field team has already begun visiting every family in the village to identify child workers. When we find them, we’ll work our absolute hardest to get them into school. We’ll also pay for evening tuition. Our goal is to ensure 100 percent school enrolment for children aged 6 to 14.
Citizens’ center | Tamil Nadu, India
3. Citizens’ Centre
Hand in Hand India’s Citizens’ Centre will provide internet access – a vital access point for many state benefits – for the very first time. It will also host sessions on civic rights, such as the right to free education, which many in Paramesvaramangalam do not know exist.
Health Center | Tamil Nadu, India
4. Health
Besides promoting better sanitation and health practices across the community, we’ll give free medical examinations conducted by professional doctors and nurses to the most vulnerable villagers. Further down the line, we’ll provide microloans to those who want to build toilets.
Villagers collecting wood to make firecoal |Paramesvaramangalam |Tamil Nadu, India
5. Environment
We’re just weeks away from beginning organic farming training courses and commencing waste collection services.
Village development committee | Tamil Nadu, India
6. Village Development Committee
We also plan to mobilize local volunteers and village elders to help deliver the program by forming a Village Development Committee.
A village sponsor’s testimonial
"Village donations build a confidence that goes both ways: the villagers know that my support will last for two years – and personally, I hope to stay in touch for as long as I live. As the donor, I know that the programme will really make people in the village self-sufficient. When they learn to manage money and run a business, they can help themselves, even when my financial support ends." Ulla Zachrisson | Hand in Hand supporter
Read village donor Ulla Zachrisson’s postcard from Vikrapandiam, India
Contact us
Private donors
Charlie Strawa Fundraising ManagerCharlie has worked in the not-for-profit sector for nine years, building strategic relationships with individuals and organisations to meet their philanthropic objectives and drive societal change.
cstrawa@hihinternational.orgTel: +44 (0)207 5091
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