Empowering Rural Livelihoods: SARVAM’s Sustainable Career Initiatives
To establishing a progressive social and economic model where each individual of the village becomes an essential and contributing part of a collaborative community is the overall theme of the initiative. Sarvam encourages individuals to be self-employed and self-reliant, by providing a variety of alternative rural career options, such as dairy units, tailoring, carpentry, etc. Some of the most successful activities are as follows:
Revitalizing Rural Economy: SARVAM’s Agriculture and Agro-based Innovations :
A major problem in the community was to find employment during the frequent lengthy periods of the year when there was no agricultural work. Sarvam worked towards expanding the potential for agriculture and allied activities such as dairying and animal-rearing through increased irrigation facilities, creation of marketing infrastructure, and extension of appropriate agricultural technology and management skills. A linkage between manufacturing industry in urban areas by facilitating the outsourcing of ancillary manufacturing processes to village communities was promoted.
As a first step, existing government schemes such as Food for Work Programme, National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, etc., were taken up. In spite of the enormous resources allocated by the government for these schemes, these hardly reached the target. Sarvam took up a scheme, which enabled the people to understand the intention and nature of such schemes and how they can benefit out of them.
Community Revival: Sarvam’s Efforts in Village Tank Restoration :
Sarvam motivated the villagers and assisted them in presenting a scheme to the government for de-silting the tank. The sanction for the scheme was obtained under the Food for Work programme. The work involved excavation of 3,000 cubic metres of silt from the tank using manual labour for which 126 women were provided employment for one month. Apart from generating employment, the work enabled the tank to re-emerge as a valuable and useful community asset.
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Connecting Lives: The JIPMER Link Road Project :
Till as late as 2009, patients from the villages died because JIPMER, one of India’s premier medical education was 13 km by road from Poothurai. There existed age-old cart track by which JIPMER was only 3 km away, which passed through village community-owned land. However, it was encroached up on and people had to travel a minimum of 13 km to reach the hospital. The villagers took up the issue and sanctioned work on the link road. By having quick access to JIPMER the villagers had access to excellent medical facility. The road is a symbol of perseverance and an aspiration of a better life.
Empowering Villages: Outsourcing with Auroma Leathers :
In order to experiment with this approach, SARVAM has tied up with Auroma Leathers, Pondicherry, a leather product manufacturing industry, to outsource one component of the manufacturing process to the women of the village. Similarly, Sarvam has tied up with apparel, food products, handicraft and other such industries.
Empowering Women: Initiatives for Financial Independence :
For encouraging small businesses such as tailoring, embroidery, dairy units, personal saving practices and common funds have been initiated, wherein the women contribute actively. They are aware of the government schemes available for them and can effectively tap these opportunities.
They also contribute to the community mission of green and clean environment while saving money by cultivating kitchen gardens and maintaining hygienic conditions at their homes and surroundings.
Empowering Youth: Transforming Communities Through Engagement and Education :
There is a visible diversion of energy from their erstwhile errant and aimless ways to the present significant contributions to community and self-development. Some of the measures to encourage the youth are as follows:
8 youth groups were formed and their involvement in community activities such as tree planting, cleanliness drives, organizing village camps, construction activities, schools cleanliness, periodical cleaning of public places, etc. are notable.
Sports and games equipment were provided to these groups. In many hamlets they have voluntarily organized free evening tutorials to younger students.
An acre of community land was converted into a proper playground. The youth themselves undertook the clearing of this piece of land and installing sporting infrastructure. The government has sanctioned money for books and other reading material towards a village library in Perambai that is aimed at children and youth.
To promote the use of Information Technology and introduce it as a career option to youth, the Sarvam computer centre under the aegis of Project Ringtones is a resource centre. A major activity of the youth is organizing and managing the village journal Grama Pudiya Udayam in Tamil, the local language. The reformed youth regularly participate in progressive discussions on the psychological and social issues concerning their lives and their future. Sarvam continues to inspire and generate a sense of purpose in the village youth.
Empowering the Vulnerable: SARVAM’s Commitment to Inclusion and Support :
Sarvam provides special support to the welfare of the vulnerable and marginalized sections of the community, including the aged, destitute, sick and widows through moral support, counselling and financial assistance. Sarvam also extends small loans for economic development of this section of the society. Dalits, scheduled castes and other backward castes have been brought in to mainstream with continuous and persistent efforts by ensuring their participation in all our youth, women, occupational training and medical camps, etc.
Unity Hub: SARVAM’s Contribution to Community Connectivity :
Sarvam has helped build a community hall as a venue for social functions, community meetings and other village activities and gatherings. Prior to this, people of the village had to reach out to other hamlets for community space, spending a lot of money for social events, wherein even important meetings were held under a tree.