INTEGRAL RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

The village is the cell of the national body

and the cell-life must be healthy and developed

for the national body to be healthy and developed….

we must begin at the bottom and work up to the apex.

- Sri Aurobindo

The Village Situation in India An Overview

INTEGRAL RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

  70% of Indian population (700 million) live in about 6,70,000 villages.

  In most of the villages the people are illiterate, have no access to potable water, have no idea of sanitation or hygiene. Several are below poverty line, with not even one meal in the day.

  The houses are very often of mud, with thatched roofs, without openings for light or ventilation, with no toilets or sewage facilities. The cooking is done with firewood.

  The water is supplied through community taps, but comes for only a couple of hours in the day. Many houses have no electricity and, even if it is there, it may be only for a few hours.

  In the schools very little teaching takes place, only rote learning. For the higher secondary classes, the students may have to walk or cycle for several kms. The dropout rate, specially among the girl-students, is very high.

  The village may not be connected to the nearest town or there may be just one bus in the day. The health center is dirty, in a bad shape, does not have a qualified doctor and the nearest hospital may be at a distance of 15-20 kms with no means of transport.

Apart from the lack of physical amenities, the social structure is under tremendous strain due to -

  an ignorant and superstitious mentality

  wrong habits

  alcoholism

  strong divisive forces

  tensions due to caste and religion

  neglect of girls and women

  and a general widespread apathy and inertia

The Project

INTEGRAL RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

Tamil Nadu in India

Villupuram in Tamil Nadu

  Tamil Nadu is a State in southern India, which was one of the worst affected by the Tsunami, and is in great need of developmental support and help.

  In Villupuram, the largest district in Tamil Nadu, lie Poothurai and Perambai. These two adjacent villages, forming one unit, are about 15 kms from Pondicherry.

  This unit is very typical, representing all the problems, difficulties, challenges, and also opportunities of most villages in India.

Village Background

State: Tamil Nadu

District: Villupuram

Block: Vanur

Village: Poothurai - Perambai

Total Area: 1837.52 hectares

Total Population: 6826

Gender Distribution: Male: 3483 Female: 3343

No. of Families: 1376

Major Community: Schedule Caste (SC) & Vannier (MBC)

Nearest Hospital: JIPMER (12 km distance)

High School: none

Poothurai and Perambai Villages The Challenges when we started

Poothurai and Perambai Villages The Challenges when we started

Our Vision and Mission

INTEGRAL RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

  Adopt an entire village and develop it to become a model village.

  Make a genuine difference not only to their way of living, but also to their way of thinking and being.

  Look for new and creative ideas so as to develop a sustainable and replicable model.

  Empower the village community to take charge of their own destiny and future.

  Gradually to expand the work to more and more villages.

  Make Sarvam a Training Centre, and take the experience gained and the methods developed, to NGO s and Governments involved in village development

Village Women discussing how they can improve their Village

Our Approach and Activities

INTEGRAL RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

  Our approach is multifaceted, integrating all aspects of life – education, health, economic development, vocational training,

organic farming, water harvesting, waste management, etc.

Income Generation through Selling Sarees

Distribution of Earthen Smokeless Ovens

Upgradation of the Health Centre

New School Building at Poothurai

 The project is driven internally, at every step, by the community itself, right from the planning, to the execution, to the maintenance.

Training Programme in the Village

Planning with the Village Development Committee

Weekly Training for Coordinators

  Therefore, along with the physical infrastructure, we very consciously work on bringing about a major change in the attitudes, the consciousness, the dreams and

aspirations, the will to overcome the obstacles, the old habits and the forces which divide. For this, we look for new, innovative and creative ideas and approaches.

Training at Aravind Eye Hospital - Madurai Art Training for Pre School Coordinators

  The village community is encouraged to fix goals, identify problems, seek solutions, raise resources from within, supplemented with funds and resources from outside.

Discussion with Panchayat (Local Governing Body) President Coordinators preparing Seedlings for the Village

  We try to bring together as partners - the village community, the NGO s, the corporates and the Govt., to work in a cohesive manner for

optimum use of resources and energies.

The villagers coming together and drawing the map of their hamlet on the street as part of social mapping, planning and implementation of programmes.

Education - Pre School (Balwadi) Balwadi Renovation (Perambai)

Polio drops for Babies

Education through Play Health Practices - Learning to use Toilets

Awareness Programme for Mothers

Children with their New Slide

Tree Planting by Children

Education - Primary / Secondary School Exchange of views with teachers to improve education

Purified Water System in Schools

Evening Study Classes

School Renovation

Summer Camp for Children of the Village

Health

Sub-Health Centre - Poothurai

Before After

Taking Patients to the PIMS Hospital

Free Eye Surgeries at Aravind Eye Hospital

General Health Camp - Poothurai

Sanitation and Hygiene

Individual Toilets – Using Hollow Block

Drinking Water Supply

Overhead Tank - Vazhapattampalayam

Before After

New Toilet Blocks for School - Poothurai

Renovated Thatched House

Before

After

Housing New House with Roofing of Pre cast Channels

Employment to village people in House Construction

Mason Training

New House with Parapet

Income Generation Tailoring

Leather Work in Factory

Incense Stick Making – Training Programme

Cycle Repair Shop General Store

Laundry Service

Agriculture and Dairy

Milk Collection

Cow Rearing and Fodder Cultivation Farming

Goat Rearing

Technology Computer Training - Village Youth, Students & Women

Solar Light – CFL Solar Light – LED Solar Cooker

Alternative Energy

Youth Planning of Youth Programmes

Helping in Temple Renovation Trimming the Bushes

Cleaning the Streets Self Development Workshop

Sports

Sports and Culture Sports Day

Skill Games Cultural Programme

Games organised in Village

Vulnerable and Marginalised

Physically Challenged - Cycle Repairs

One Rupee Coin Public Telephone

Educational Assistance to Orphaned and Physically Challenged Student

Abandoned Lady - Medical Aid

Cycle to Orphaned Student

Destitute - Tailoring

Coordinators and Training Training Programmes for Village Coordinators

At Sri Aurobindo Society - Puducherry At Aravind Eye Hospital - Puducherry

At Auroville Nandanam School At Aravind Eye Hospital - Madurai

Weekly Meeting & Review of Work with the Village Coordinators

Self Development Workshop

Sharanam - International Centre for Rural Development   training centre for Villages and NGO s   latest innovative Green building techniques   local material, labour, upgradation of skills   designed for local climatic conditions

Village Journal and Village TV

Training to Village Coordinators for Journal

Coordinators making the Journal ready for Distribution

Readers in the Village

Local Village Journal - Grama Pudhiya Udhayam Local TV Programming

Village Youth creating TV Programmes for the Village

Volunteers at Sarvam Lisa Suh - Canada

Painting Programme conducted by KEF, JAPAN

Veterinary Camp organised with Rotary International

Karolina - Poland

Naja - Denmark Vasanthalakshmi - Puducherry

Summary Report of Activities (2005 - 2009)

Summary Report of Activities

The Sarvam village programme has been initiated and is being implemented by Sri Aurobindo Society. Sri Aurobindo Society is an international, non-profit NGO, with head-quarters at Puducherry, working for individual perfection, social transformation and human unity. The Society has been recognized by the Govt. of India as a charitable organization, a research institution and an institute of national importance.

The main areas of the Society s work are

  Integral Education   Integral Health   Integral Rural Development   Sustainable Development and Science & Technology   Integral Management   Indian Culture   Youth and Women   Media, Arts & Communication   Business & Economic Development

We welcome your

Participation and Contribution

For further information, visit our website www.aurosociety.org

You can write to info@aurosociety.org

Or call 91-413-2330331

Thank You !