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:



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.
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.
 
The following points are exposed by our organisation after the
discussions:
The things affecting and effecting peace in a family are:

ALCOHOLISM:

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.



GOOD EDUCATION:


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.


ORIENTATION COURSE ON HEALTH AND NUTRITION CARE OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN FOR THE NGOs OF SOUTHERN STATES



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.

The southern state wise statistics of MMR is given below:


STATE MMR per lakh
Karnataka 450
Andhrapradesh 436
Tamilnadu 376
Kerala 87


On the whole, in India, the MMR is 453 per lakh.
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.



MEETING WITH FOREIGN GUESTS


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.

 
 
With our S.H.G. members
 
SPECIAL MEETING:


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.


 
Our foreign guests with our SHG members:


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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