Income Generation Activities: (2001-Present)

Organization of Women Self Help Groups

TAPWA, has thus far, organized 199 women SHGs (Self-Help Groups) of various communities including Scheduled Castes (153) and others (46) in the home district of Dindigul and in nearby districts of Madurai and Theni. At present, TAPWA is managing 334 women SHGs in Tamil Nadu which includes 10 tribal women SHGs in the hills of Kodaikkanal Taluk of Dindigul district.

Number of women SHG members

4000 women are enrolled as the members in the 334 women SHGs and among them, 2000 women belong to Scheduled caste groups and 100 belonging to Scheduled tribe group (Paliyar)

Capacity Building training to Women SHG members

Women meet monthly to discuss the cultural, political, health and environmental issues that affect their community since the inception of this program. They are facilitated to become a united force intent on solving issues within their villages and communicating their knowledge to other women as imparted through them at the TAPWA programs in three districts of Tamil Nadu.

Shelter for Homeless: (2001-Present)

TAPWA aims to provide homes for the homeless women in its project villages with the assistance of International Donors like Oliver Destoop, France, Wilde Ganzen, The Netherlands and Fereresdesperance, France. Thus far, TAPWA had constructed 50 concrete housing structures and distributed them to 50 beneiciary women families. Prior to this program, these women lived in huts constructed of sugar cane and coconut leaves. During harsh weather conditions in winter and summer, these huts were generally damaged beyond repair, forcing the women and their families into homeless living conditions often. For improving the efficiency of the work TAPWA incorporated the idea of participatory contribution of 20 % of the cost of construction either by cash or kind or labour work by the beneficiaries which overwhelmingly brought great recognition to the organization. During 2008-09, TAPWA has got the approval of Fereresdesperance, France for the construction of nine more houses and the project is to commence from August 2009.

Socio Cultural Awareness Training

TAPWA is actively involved in conduction of the training for women members of SHGs from the service area villages with the help of eminent sociologists in a participate manner on various social issues.

Leadership and Legal Awareness Training

TAPWA is organizing leadership training for the benefit of women SHG members including leaders of women SHGs in acquiring the leadership qualities and legal awareness.

Micro Credit Management Training

TAPWA believed in collective efforts for bringing out enormous changes towards improvement of the marginalized community. The groups have been encouraged for saving practice and thrift activities with in their groups and the group members have been entitled to attend income generation programs and trainings. Special meetings are arranged for women to make planning strategies for their village development, project formulation and to promote leadership skills.

Skill Training

Agriculture is the mainstay of the majority of rural people in the TAPWA’s project area and there are no major industries. A large number of government and private dairy farms exist in the project location and therefore, for the benefit of these rural people TAPWA is offering employment skill oriented trainings on rearing of milch animals and goats, marketing of agricultural produces and alternate local employment trades. TAPWA is also organizing vocational training on tailoring and embroidery for the women SHG members in its premises and for this purpose; it has already established a tailoring center with sewing machines. The skill training is considered as the foremost important training program among all and the participants become aware of the trades and take a greater participation in the activities as they offer livelihood opportunities to them in rural areas.

TAPWA’s resource persons from various skill oriented sectors like Animal Husbandry, Rural Enterprises, Economics, Rural Development etc. are involved for this program. Besides, for a greater participation, a few successful women SHG entrepreneurs are also invited to highlight about their success in various trades.

Disbursal of Seed Money / Loans to Women SHG Members

TAPWA has, thus far, distributed seed money to 637 women beneficiaries of 49 SHGs in the project villages, with financial aid from foreign and local donors and local banks of the community. The funds are used by the members to start income generation activities such as rearing milch animals, rearing goats, grocery shops and other trades etc. Among the remaining women SHG members 715 women from 55 women SHGs were linked with Nationalized Banks at various locations for issue of loans.

Women SHG members of 17 SHGs (442 members) from each of Dindigul and Theni districts and 16 SHGs (208 members) of Madurai districts were issued with subsidies for initiation of self employment activities of various trades.

All the women SHG members have been facilitated to initiate the Self Employment Trades successfully and because of this, the women become self reliant and independent. The income level of women, who are involved in these income generation activities, has risen to Rs.120 per day from the initial level of Rs. 50.