nalantha educational trust - annual report 2013 014

Nalantha Educational Trust (NET)

ANNUAL REPORT 2013-14

OUR PROGRAMS

1. NALANTHA

2. ANBALAYA

3. SARANALAYA

4. NISS

5. NIED

Contact

Anbalaya Campus

Sellamanthadi Post,

Dindigul-624 005

Tamilnadu,India

Email : [email protected]

Website: www.nalantha.org

S.SHANTHI MANAGING TRUSTEE

Dear Friends,

First and foremost I thank all the benefactors, beneficiaries and well – wishers of

Nalantha Educational Trust (NET) for all their generous support and cooperation and greet you all at

this solemn occasion of the presentation of the annual report of NET for the year 2013-14.

The year of report had been a year of continuous challenges, relentless efforts and satisfactory

achievements. A wide range of target groups, from children to the aged, men and women, all from

the backward and downtrodden segments of the society got the benefits of the programmes

implemented during the year. Some of the activities had been continuation of the activities going

on, while others were fresh projects initiated during the year itself.

NET is entering its 14th year of social service for the marginalized segments of the society. We have

achieved much of what we had dream of still the work to be done is immense and unfathomable. The

changing world scenario combined with the fast moving Indian economy and globalization forces

pose new challenges for the traditional rural occupations and economy. Our methodologies have to

be modified accordingly to tackle these difficult circumstances.

I invite you all to go through this annual report. Your valuable suggestions and comments will be

always welcomed and taken into account. I thank everyone from the bottom of my heart and

request your continued support in all our efforts to ameliorate the sufferings of the downtrodden

masses.

Sincerely yours,

S.SHANTHI

MANAGING TRUSTEE

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NALANTHA EDUCATIONAL TRUST (NET)

A group of young social workers had an idea to form a registered association when they served in

different organizations, from where they gathered experience since 1985. They realized the need to start an

organization, which would stand for the rural depressed women and their community development. This

resulted in the establishment of NALANTHA EDUCATIONAL TRUST(NET), which was registered under the Indian

public Trust ACT of Tamil Nadu Government and also registered under the 12 AA of Income tax Act of

Government Of India. The organization has very good infrastructure and facilities in its campus of Anbalaya

to undertake various initiatives and social development programs

Vision :

To bring a comprehensive transformation in the lives of target community in a sustainable

manner, whereby the people can get abundant and reliant future.

Mission :

As the Mission,Nalantha is trying to attain the above vision in the areas of children, families and community.

Programmes implemented during 2013 - 14

A brief account of the Programmes implemented by Nalantha during 2013 – 14 is presented below:

The activities covered a wide range of target groups, from children to the aged of both sexes. As before,

they were implemented with the active participation of the target groups themselves and having women

groups as the pivot. NET’s regular activities of NALANTHA, ANBALAYA & SARANALAYA were continued

throughout the year, some were over in the middle as per the plan after creating necessary steps for

sustainability and some were started in the year. In addition to its regular activities, new initiatives focusing

on capacity building, social entrepreneurship development & research and development, two more initiatives

namely Nalantha Institute of Social Studies ( NISS) and Nalantha Institute of Entreprenuership Development

(NIED) were initiated during the current year 2013-14. The annual report covers narrative details of all its

programs focusing on social development through NALANTHA, ANBALAYA ,SARANALAYA, NISS & NIED

undertaken during the 2013-14 inclusive of future plans and perspectives.


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NALANTHA


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NALANTHA

NALANTHA is one among the key sector of NET and focuses primarily on people centered approach towards community development in a

sustainable manner. The program NALANTHA operates in the district of Dindigul, Karur and Perambalur and primary target groups of Nalantha

includes Children with prior attention towards girls, Women, Youths of downtrodden communities living in rural areas and slums. The target

groups are mostly of poorest of poorest and vulnerable communities. The areas of intervention towards these downtrodden community’s

sustainable and positive development fall under the sectors of Health & Hygiene, Water and Sanitation, Organic & Sustainable Agriculture,

Education, Youth development, Life Skill Enhancement , Women Development, Social Entrepreneurship, Conservation of Natural Resource, Bio-

Diversity & Climate change. The following were the programs undertaken during the year 2013-14 under sector NALANTHA.

Participatory Rural Appraisal ( PRA) :

To assess the gap in services and analyze the requirement towards holistic development of downtrodden segments, NALANTHA conducted

Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) in 5 Blocks of Dindigul District & Perambalur Districts namely Vadamathurai, Sanarpatti & Gujiliamparai

Blocks in Dindigul District and Veppanthatai and Perambalur Blocks in Perambalur District. Issues related to Child Labour, Early Girl Children’s

Marriages, Gender, School Drop Outness, Lack of Employment, Migration, Lack of Knowledge and life coping Skills, Existence of water borne and

other communicable diseases inclusive of HIV/AIDS, lack of sanitary facilities, Communities perception and practice towards rainwater

harvesting and management, depletion of ground water tables, agriculture land alienation and degradation, farmers perspectives and practices

towards organic agriculture, Effect of climate change especially in agriculture including of live stock keeping etc were deeply studied and

documented through these PRA exercises. The organization conducted the exercise with its well trained staff and external experts along with

local coordination and involvement of Women SHGs, Youths, Men, PRI Institutions and likeminded peoples.

Awareness Campaigns:

During the year 2013-14, based on local needs and issues identified among the target communities, NALANTHA conducted 10 awareness

programs targeting school children, women, youths and general population. The topics covered during specific awareness campaigns were on

Water and Sanitation, Management of Plastic Wastes, Legal awareness to women, HIV/AIDS, Menstruation health to women and adolescent girls,

Need of girls education, Indigenous and nutritious foods, Organic Agriculture, Human rights, Conservation of natural resources & Rain water

harvesting, Renewable Energy Programs etc. The campaigns were organized in forms of rallies and display of IEC materials. Nearly 5000

peoples were reached through the campaign in Dindigul and Perambalur Districts. The campaign also involved PRI members and

representatives from local government institutions.

Celebration of Vital Days :

The celebration of Vital Days was organized during 2013-14 too, to mark International and National days and to create awareness among

common peoples of rural areas. NALANTHA celebrated World Water Day, World Toilet Days and World AIDS day during 2013-14. Workshops with

IEC displays were organized during these vital days in Dindigul District. The participants included Women, Youths and Farmers communities.

Eminent resource persons from both government and non government sectors presided over the workshop. The programs were organized in

cooperation with Local Lions Club.

Water Conservation :

To create awareness and sense of participation among the rural masses and also to transfer appropriate knowledge in relevant water

conservation technology, NALANTHA with its own resources and community participation created 20 community rain water harvesting

structures in Vadamadurai block. The structures made of cost effective and with locally available materials were organized around abandoned

borewells and wells in the Schools and in the community. The impact of the programs was that the rural masses adopted the techniques and

created around 200 rainwater harvesting structures of their own in their houses and in the community.

Community Nursery Raising & Tree Plantation:

The organization through its program NALANTHA continues to run the community nursery at its campus at Sundarapuri where various sacred

and indigenous plants of fruit bearing & nutrition values, medicinal values, timber and non timber values & ecological values are grown

organically. These plants are distributed to the community both at free of cost and subsidized prices to the community including farmers. The

community nursery supplies plants and seeds to the community at free of cost to promote Kitchen gardens with medicinal value and nutritional

values and for community tree plantation programs. Around 100 kitchen gardens and 2000 community tree plantations were organized during

the 2013-14. School & College Students, Women SHGs, Youth groups and Volunteers were involved in community tree plantation and protection of

the planted saplings. The income earned from the nursery unit is utilized for management of the nursery and also to other social programs of

NET.

Educational Sponsorship:

NALANTHA continues to support vulnerable children; affected by HIV/AIDS, Orphaned, Semi Orphaned, Other Wise abled & Poor children with

special focus to girl children in Dindigul and Perambalur District with its educational sponsorship programs. 100 children, between ages 5-14

are supported regularly by the program for free tuition fees, books and note books, school uniforms, festival day celebration and other psycho

social supports. Other than the education sponsorships, these children are continuously monitored and handholded to continue education at

regular schools and also to avail other benefits through schemes available with government.


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Life Skill Education :

Rural youths inclusive of adolescent girls lack life coping skills when compared to the urban masses. Hence, NALATHA runs life sill education

programs to rural youths in its campus. During the year 2013-14, NALANTHA organized 3 life skill education programs to around 150 youths.

Each program was organized for a week’s time in its campus. The syllabus included personality development, career guidance, health education,

basic English, pressure & stress management, access to government schemes and Yoga. The programs were organized in a participatory and

fun filled manner and were handled by eminent resource persons in the field.

Formation of Farmers Groups :

NALANTHA understands, agriculture is the back bone to Tamilnadu and the Country India and also the present day issues in agriculture such as

Land alienation and degradation, Change in Climate, Conventional Agricultural Practices, unstable prices for agricultural produces, Migration

and lack of Youth participation in agriculture, land pollution due to extensive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, Increased Input cost

towards agriculture, lack of labour etc . In order to retain farming community in agriculture and facilitate them for better livelihood from

agriculture, NALANTHA promotes Farmers Groups in Dindigul District. The farmers groups are promoted as Joint Liabilities Groups (JLGs) with

5-7 members per groups. 15 JLGs were formed during the year 2013-14. These JLGs are continuously handholded with regular interpersonal and

group meetings for transfer of Knowledge & technology and also for better access towards various schemes available with the government.

Promotion of Organic Agriculture:

To enhance and facilitate organic agriculture practices in Dindigul District, NALANTHA in its premises runs a small scale vermi compost and bio-

pesticide production unit. Agricultural Waste are processed in heap method to produced vermi compost and produced compost are utilized for

sale at subsidized prices to the farming communities and also utilized for the nursery unit available with the organization. Bio-Pesticides like

Panchakavvya and Navakavya are produced and are also distributed to the farming community at much low/subsidized prices. The unit is meant

for self income generation to the programs of NALANTHA and also the familiarize vermin composting and bio-pesticides among the farming

communities. The unit also acts as a resource centre, where interested farmers, youths, students etc are trained in house on compost and bio-

pesticides preparation.


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School Health Education :

Nalantha believes that Children are the ambassadors for various social changes, especially in areas of health, where we feel that children could

take the health messages to their communities, based on the principle CHILD-CHILD, CHILD- PARENTS- COMMUNITIES. Hence, NALANTHA continues

to educate and create awareness among school children between age groups 5-14 on various health seeking behaviors on topics like water &

sanitation, hygiene, mosquito control, adolescent health, pollution and environment etc. During this year 20 School Health Education programs

were conducted right in door steps of the schools covering around 2000 children in 10 Schools. Various IEC displays, and fun filled programs

were organized during the School Health Education Programs.

Formation and Capacity Building of SHGs :

NALANTHA continues its efforts to empower women, especially from the downtrodden sections; destitute, widowed, deserted, phys ically

challenged, HIV/AIDS affected. Affected by social atrocities etc and bring them a positive transformation in lives, through Self Help groups. This

year newly 10 SHGs were formed along with the existing 40 SHGs in 20 villages of Dindigul District. These SHGs are continuously motivated and

guided for thrift and credits and collective actions.

During 2013-14, 4 Capacity building programs were organized for these SHG members covering 100 members in 5 villages. These programs

oriented and capacitated group dynamics, cooperative efforts, financial management, leadership, conflict management, forward-back ward

linkages etc.

Also, two Entrepreneurship Development Programs ( EDPs), 3 days each were organized to 60 members of these SHGs. The EDPs were meant to

enhance the skill level of the women to undertake individual and group enterprises, mostly focusing eco enterprises and lobbying existing

schemes in state and central government for entrepreneurship development. The curriculum was oriented on an interactive and fun filled basis

through efficient EDP trainers.


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ANBALAYA


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ANBALAYA

ANBALAYA is the paid rest home for aged people, with view that are growing problems among the urban families in India due to modernization

and fast paced livings on present days. Family bonded and love are broken now a days, where the aged parents are left alone by the children

and also due to over burden with works of this present day society or due to migration to cities and abroad for works and income generation by

this young generation, many of the elder s are left alone with no care for medicine, love and other basic amenities in their rest of life. Hence

ANBALAYA is one of the key initiatives of NALANTHA EDUCATIONAL TRUST meant to support the deserving elders in their rest of l ife, but with a

focus on Short Time Stays until their family is counseled and the elders are reinstated back into their regular social life.ANBALAYA campus is

situation in an eco-friendly atmosphere , free from pollution. ANBALAYA has very good infrastructure with 50 rooms, well equipped and

facilitated with care.

Presently, ANBALAYA has around 25 elders, majorly women in its premises. These elder stay in short term and some stay for their life span. The

elders are provided with good psycho social care, medical care, hygienic and nutritious food, recreation and love through ANBALAYA. The

charges are much nominal and are utilized towards the care towards the elders, improving the infrastructure facilities and also for other social

programs of NET.

NED plans to improve the facilities offered to the elders by improving the infrastructure and also in expanding the services in years to come.


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SARANALAYA

A


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SARANALAYA

SARANALAYA, in contrary to ANBALAYA, is a free rest home for the elders, as NET understands there are many of the elders who are not able to

pay towards their needs and no one to love or take care off. Hence SARANALAYA program of NET serves the deserving elders with it free and

quality service with abundant love and care. But the main principle of SARANALAYA is on short stay principles, where the efforts are towards

reinstating the elders back into their main stream social life. SARANALAYA is approved by Social Welfare Department, but functions with the

support of income earned from the other programs of NET, generous public donations and donations from the board members.

Presently, 15 elders are under the care of SARANALAYA, in its eco-friendly and peaceful atmosphere located at Sundarapuri ,Dindigul. These

elders are provided with much care at free of cost and as equivalent to the elders at ANBALAYA.

The organization celebrated ELDER Day and also other local festivals like Deepavali, Pongal, English and Tamil New year both in SARANALAYA and

ANBALAYA grandly and its care and love towards elders.

NED plans to extend SARANALAYA’s service to deprived and vulnerable children; HIV/AIDS affected, mentally retarded, differently abled,

orphaned/semi orphaned, street children etc in years to too come.


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NISS & NIED


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NALANTHA INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL STUDIES (NISS)

Nalantha Institute of Social Studies (NISS), is a new imitative promoted by NED during the later part of the year 2013-14. NISS was evolved to

address the gap in services offered NET over the years and also with the vision to develop a research and development wing of NET.

As a resource agency, NET in coming years will take up need based surveys, PRA & RRA, research studies, publication of IEC materials and

capacity building training courses, both in-house and on field to various development professionals, marginalized peoples of rural and urban

dwellings, students, PRI members, government and non government personals etc. The following are the thrust areas planned to be conducted

by NISS

Surveys ,Research Studies and Analysis

Participatory Rural Appraisals ( PRA) and Rapid Rural Appraisals ( RRA)

GIS/GPS Mapping

Development and Publication of IEC’s Materials in Forms of Posters, Pamphlets, Brochures, Booklets etc

Awareness and Capacity Building Programs (Both Residential and Non-Residential)

Organization of Social Events, Exhibitions etc

Conduction of Short Term Vocational Training Courses

Technical Consultancy Services to NGOs, Researchers, Farmers, Women SHGs, Youths, Government Organization etc

Co-Creation and Demonstration of Innovations and Successful Models

The thematic areas of Intervention of NISS will be on Water & Sanitation, Health Issues, Women & Child Development, Elderly Care, Agriculture

and Bio-Diversity Conservation, Climate Change & Mitigation and Livelihood Promotion.

NISS on behalf of NET will collaborate with likeminded NGOs, Researchers, academic Institutions, Consultancy Firms, Banking Institutions and

Government Personals and organizations as relevant to the programs.

NALANTHA INSTITUTE OF ENTREPRENUERSHIP DEVELOPMENT (NIED)

Nalantha Institute of Entrepreneurship Development (NIED) is a dream initiative of Nalantha Educational Trust, Tamilnadu, India. Based on the

famous saying of Swami Vivekanda “Give me 100 energetic young men, I will transform India”, NIED is initiated to enhance the productive skills

of Youths in rural and urban segments of Tamilnadu, India. With enhanced Entrepreneurship Skills, we believe that more local employment

opportunity is created among downtrodden segments, leading to a positive transformation in the society that address hugely to Socio-Economic

enhancement of the Nation.

SKILL SECTORS NIED INTERVENES:

Agro Based Enterprises

Food Processing

ITeS

Garments & Apparels

Leather Goods

Paper & Paper Products

Manufacturing

Chemical Based Industries

Plastic Industries

Health Care, Service Industries etc

We mainly focus on Non-Pollutant and Eco Friendly Enterprises Making.

Activities of NIED :

NIED Functions with sound infrastructure and trained resources persons in the following sector

Conduction of Entrepreneurship Development Programs( EDPs), both sponsored and charged with fees

Handholding supports to trained youths for preparation of feasibility reports, bankable project development, establishment of

enterprises, supports for mandatory licenses and regulatory services, market development, promotion of exports and establishment

of other forward-backward linkages for scale-up of enterprises

Job Placement Services to needy Youths

Design and Publication of IECs & Resource Materials in forms of Books, Book Lets, Journals, Periodicals, Brochures, Pamphlets,

Posters etc

Promotion of Partnership with like minded NGOs, Researchers, Academic Institutions, National and State Level Training

Organizations of both Government & Non-Government, Banking Institutions etc


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OUR FUTURE PERSPECTIVES

NALANTHA EDUCATIONAL TRUST, with its regular ongoing initiatives on ANBALAYA, NALANTHA & SARANALAYA and the newly added institutional based

initiatives, NISS & NIED, plans on the following as the future core areas of work in coming years

Expand the works of Nalantha Trust to needy and downtrodden communities elsewhere in the State of Tamilnadu and also on need based to

various states of India,

Work on Community based Initiatives, to promote and facilitate Indigenous and Herbal Medicines

Work Intensely on Water Conservation in Collaboration with like minded Institutes, especially local government

Work to achieve 100% sanitation, for better and clean India

To campaign on Plastic menace and create awareness on Plastics among general masses

To improve the health situation of Chronically Ill patients through Palliative Care Programs

To focus more on children on special needs; Physically Challenged, HIV/AID affected, Mentally Retarded, Orphaned, Deserted etc though

various child care interventions

To work aggressively on Organic Farm Movements and tend to create Farm Producers Organization ( FPOs) and Joint Liability Groups (

JLGs) of farmers

To enhance the entrepreneurship skills of Youths and Women in SHGs for their better livelihood and socio-economic conditions

To expand the services to Indigenous groups elsewhere in Tamilnadu

To focus on the decade of Bio-Diversity, 2020

To have improved action and plans towards Climate Change and Renewable Energy Systems

Thanks Giving :

With few milestones crossed and a long path way ahead, to create a society of oneness and free of poverty in coming years, NALANTHA EDUCATIONAL

TRUST, its board members, volunteers and beneficiaries take this time to thank one and all, who have generously supported and have been the part of

various supportive activities whole heartedly. We see the future, as a blossoming one for the nation and look forward towards your continuous care

and support. We wish all good health, peace and prosperity.

Sd/- Sd/-

(Mrs. S. SANTHI) (V. RAJENDRAN)

Managing Trustee Programme Director

nalantha educational trust - annual report 2013 014

Education

year of report

annual reportof net

annual report2013

year of social service

year of continuous challenges

wide range of target

lives of target community

campus of anbalaya