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| Sensitisation Programme on Promotion of SHGs among Elderly: |
Mrs. M. Mary Vijaya, chief functionary of our organization addressing in the ‘Five Day Sensitisation Programme on Promotion of SHGs among Elderly’ in our School campus at Virudhunagar from 28th December , 2009 to 1st January, 2010 organised by the National Institute of Social Defence, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, New Delhi which is working in the field of Social Defence viz. Old Age Care, Drug Abuse prevention and Other Social Defence Issues
The objective of the programme is
*** To Capacitate the functionaries of NGOs on empowering rural elderly on promotion of Micro-credit and Self Help Groups (SHG)
*** To Understand the role of women in empowering elderly in family setup
Functionaries from many N.G.O.s and different self help groups participated in this program, which is very useful to N.G.O.s and the group members. |
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INAGURATION OF COMPUTER CENTRE FOR GIRLS: |
The inauguration of the computer Literacy centre for girls was held on 3rd May 2007 in Virudhunagar with a small function. Dr. S.M. Ratnavel declared open the centre while Ms. Ashley Rowe, team leader of the volunteer group from the Michigan University, U.S.A. gave the welcome address and attracted the gathering by greeting with the Tamil word VANAKKAM that means HELLO. Our founder, board members, volunteers from abroad and the public attended the function. Our sincere thanks to all the participants.
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| CULTURE
OF PEACE: |
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Peace,
a most liked word is uttered everywhere. Charity begins
at home, like that Culture of Peace begins in family.
Each family must lead a peaceful life. |
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We
used to conduct weekly meetings of our women’s
self help group members discussing various issues such
as gender equality, empowerment of women and their social
responsibilities. On 24th April 2005, we arranged for
a special group discussions on CULTURE OF PEACE. In
addition to our SHG members, some students were also
invited and they participated enthusiastically and expressed
their views and ideas. They are of the view that seminars
and camps should be conducted on this noble cause of
preaching peace. |
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following points are exposed by our organisation after
the
discussions: |
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things affecting and effecting peace in a family are: |
ALCOHOLISM:
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Most
of the families in our area, we witness, are experiencing
the menace of Alcoholism and the outcome of alcoholism
is frustration, anger and collapse of family setup.
Alcoholism and drug addiction should be nipped from
the society, since it’s destruction of families
can not be numbered. A poor family head in India earning
a daily wage of Rs. 100/- per day spends Rs. 50/- or
more for alcohol and from the meager balance amount,
he can not manage his daily bread. In addition to meals,
he has to meet out other expenses such as education
of children, medical, clothing of family members. Here
enters aggression, aversion in family. The womenfolk
are helpless and have to earn something for their family.
In this miserable situation, the children in the family,
who witness the daily ugly happenings turn towards violence
and some become even criminals.
Hence,
alcoholism and drug addiction should be nipped from
the society. Peace cannot be expected in a family experiencing
these social evils. |
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GOOD
EDUCATION: |
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Education
without morality is a mere waste in a society. Where
morality and peace exist, the society will go towards
prosperity and it will flourish in all fields. In the
primary schools level itself, peace is to be teached
and preached and non violence should be included as
a compulsory subject in schools and colleges. Yoga and
meditation, the other aspects of shaping the children
should be taken into consideration by educationists.
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ORIENTATION
COURSE ON HEALTH AND NUTRITION CARE OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN
FOR THE NGOs OF SOUTHERN STATES |
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On
invitation from the National Institute of Public Cooperation
and child development (NIPCCD) at Bangalore, our volunteer
attended the above course from 11th July to 15th July
2005.
The course comprised various topics and eminent Doctors
of Bangalore conducted the classes and it is very much
useful for
NGOs like us. The facts and positions of women and children’s
health in India were discussed and the outcome of the
course is summarized hereunder:
MALNUTRITION:
The main reasons for malnutrition in India are poverty,
illiteracy, negligence, non awareness and lack of availability
of nutritional food.
MATERNAL
MORTALITY RATE (MMR): Due to poverty, low intake
of nutritional food, repeated cycles of pregnancy, early
marriage and early pregnancy, the MMR is in the higher
rate in India. |
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The
southern state wise statistics of MMR is given below: |
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| STATE
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MMR
per lakh |
| Karnataka
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450 |
| Andhrapradesh
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436 |
| Tamilnadu
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376 |
| Kerala
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87
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On the whole, in India, the MMR is 453 per lakh. |
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Our
organisation’s view in this regard is that in
each and every village and urban areas, awareness camps
should be conducted to get our women informed the facts
of MMR.
ADOLESCENCE: The transitional stage
between childhood and adulthood. If primary health care
is taken careof, the adolescents’ problems will
be solved. Information on sexual health, HIV & Abortion
should be included at School Health Curriculum.
Some
health programmes adopted in India are:
MCH
( Mother & child health) programme – 1950
CSSM ( Child survival and safe motherhood) programme
– 1992
RCH ( Reproductive child health) programme – 1997
The participant NGOs were appraised of the health aspects
of women and children of India and it is a very useful
course indeed.
On the concluding day of the course, our volunteer suggested
to the course director to conduct programmes exclusively
on
CHILD RIGHTS and he agreed to the proposal. |
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MEETING
WITH FOREIGN GUESTS
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Our
women SHG members, basically having not much ideas
and knowledge about foreign countries had a chance
to get some information on socio economic issues of
U.K., thanks to a meeting organized by us on 22nd
August 2005. Ms. Paula and Ms. Franca of U.K., the
volunteers who had come here for Spoken English classes
for Girl students in Virudhunagar participated in
the meeting.
The purpose of the meeting is to know the customs, culture
and economic status of U.K. and India by the foreign
volunteers and our SHG members. Our SHG members were
very keen to get information on Gender Equality in European
countries and the volunteers and our members exchanged
their views.
The whole meeting, a cultural exchange, translated by
our volunteer is of very useful to our members as well
as to the foreign guests.
S.H.G.s Meeting
In a weekly meeting on 11 th of January 2006, our volunteers from abroad Ms. Jasmin of Germany and Ms. Jessica of U.S.A.were introduced to our SHG members and our staff. The volunteers were very happy to be mingled with them and it is a memorable event to the guests. |
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With our S.H.G. members |
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SPECIAL MEETING: |
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A special meeting was conducted on 20th July 2006 for our SHG members with our foreign volunteers Ms. Sarah of UK, Ms. Caroline of UK and Ms. Michelle of U.S.A. amidst our routine weekly meetings. |
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Our foreign guests with our SHG members: |
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A gift presented by our foreign guests to Mr. D. Vijayarajan, a blind craftsman, whose mother is our poor women's SHG member |
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