Trichy News, NGO News blog, NewsLine

SEVAI observed World AIDS Day -2011 is about "Getting to Zero."

2011-12-05T09:28:00.002+05:30

SEVAI (www.sevai.in) has observed the World AIDS DAY-2011 with the theme the "Getting to Zero" campaign until 2015. Speaking on the occasion of observance of World AIDS Day -2011 in Trichy on the first December 2011 among the field level functionaries of SEVAI, Dr.K.Govindaraju. Chairman of South Zone Board of Continuing Education mentioned about the Universal theme and the need to undertake “Light for Rights" initiative encompassing a range of vital issues identified by key affected populations. He further quoted the UN message.”The global HIV response is at a pivotal moment, where huge strides forward are at serious risk and current approaches are reaching their limits. Only one third of the 15 million people living with HIV and in need of life-long treatment are receiving it. New infections continue to outpace the number of people starting treatment, while the upward trend in resources suffered a serious downturn this year."Zero New HIV Infections" and "Zero Discrimination" are equally as likely to spark high impact events using the universally recognized shape of zeros and the power of light to get life and death issues the attention they deserve. For December 1st 2011 right up until 2015 it’s envisioned that different regions and groups will each year chose one or all of the Zeros that best addresses their situation. The decision to go with the millennium development related goal of "Getting to Zero" comes after extensive discussions among people living with HIV, health activists, broader civil society and many others – more than a hundred organizations in all. The vision for this year’s World AIDS Day and beyond may be aspirational, but the journey towards its attainment is laid with concrete milestones. The 10 goals for 2015 are: Sexual transmission of HIV reduced by half, including among young people, men who have sex with men and transmission in the context of sex work; Vertical transmission of HIV eliminated and AIDS-related maternal deaths reduced by half;All new HIV infections prevented among people who use drugs; Universal access to antiretroviral therapy for people living with HIV who are eligible for treatment;TB deaths among people living with HIV reduced by half;All people living with HIV and households affected by HIV are addressed in all national social protection strategies and have access to essential care and support; Countries with punitive laws and practices around HIV transmission, sex work, drug use or homosexuality that block effective responses reduced by half;HIV-related restrictions on entry, stay and residence eliminated in half of the countries that have such restrictions;HIV-specific needs of women and girls are addressed in at least half of all national HIV responses and Zero tolerance for gender-based violence.”-Govin

International Day of Persons with Disabilities-2011 observed in SEVAI

2011-12-05T09:04:00.002+05:30

The SEVAI voluntary organisation has observed the International Day of Persons with Disabilities in Trichy on 3^rd December 2011. Dr.K.Govindaraju, Director, SEVAI spoke to the Special educators and disabled persons and self help group members, “International Day of Persons with Disabilities” is an occasion to re-affirm and draw attention to the rights of people who live with disabilities worldwide. This day was first observed on December 3, 1992. On December 18, 2007, the assembly changed the observance's name from the "International Day of Disabled Persons" to the "International Day of Persons with Disabilities". The new name was first used in 2008.It is held annually on December 3.Since 1992, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities is annually held on December 3. It aims to increase the understanding of the issues around disabilities and attention to the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. It also aims to increase the awareness of the gains for everybody if disabled persons are integrated into all aspects of political, social, economic and cultural life and raising money for resources for persons with disabilities. The International Day of Persons with Disabilities re-affirms and draws attention to the rights of people who live with disabilities”. In SEVAI sports and drawing competition events were held on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities with the aim to involve groups of people from all sections of society in upholding the rights of persons with disabilities and to celebrate the contributions by persons with disabilities to their communities. The other events of SEVAI were forums with experts and disabled persons; public discussions; the presentation of information campaigns; exhibitions of art created by disabled people; social gatherings etc.The International Day of Persons with Disabilities was coordinated by SEVAI team of IED-SSA, Trichy headed by Dr.R.Deivakumar. Mrs. Percy Lal, Dr.Arun Sentil Ram, Mr.L,Shanawas Khan,P.Vanitha and Revathy were the Resource persons for the various events and they shared that SEVAI with the support of SSA and local Government Enables to support and promote the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities.-Govin

Heifer international model can benefit Mariyayee, a goat recipient from Tamilnadu Government.

2011-12-02T08:27:00.001+05:30

Mariyayee is 52 years old poor rural women, (extreme right of the photo, the gray haired person). She is a widow and she has a son and daughter in-law with two grand children. This family lives in a simple hut, seen in this photo. Left to Mariyayee, her daughter-in-law 29 years old Amudha appears in this photo. The extreme rights, left to a girl child 45 years old Sarusu and her daughter in-law namely Saradha 27 years old are seen in this photo. In middle two men, the left the SEVAI Staff Devendran and the right the Panchayat President M.Prabakaran are seen in this photo. Mariyayee works and her 4 other family members are living in this hut. Her two grand children are going to local school. Her son and daughter –in-law are Agriculture labourers.Mariyayee is member of self help group promoted by SEVAI.The family gets meager wage. The meager wage of the family is not sufficient to send her grand children to school and run her family. The family members do not get regular agriculture labour works in this dry area of Musiri Block of Trichirappalli District. SEVAI staff Devendran met Mariyayee in the village women self help group meeting and discussed about an alternate livelihood. They approached the local President and Government authorities and got 4 goats to support Mariyayee’s family through Government grant. She is expected to be able to earn enough income through goat rearing. Mariyaee is able to multiply the goats by careful rearing and she can sell one goat for around Rs. 2500 after a year. Now the goats will multiply and she has a movable asset of Rs.10000. She is self pride and could spend enough time with her grand children and members of the family. The goat is a multi-purpose animal producing meat, milk, hide, fibre and manure. Mariyayee says that she can rear well her goats if she get detailed goat rearing training. In her village namely Manapalayam Cluster in Musiri 80 such Self help group member families received 4 goats each under the scheme of goats rearing.SEVAI Staff K.Devendran who got training under Heifer Project in the tsunami affected coastal area enlightened the goat recipients in Musiri Block and further said to the recipients of the goats” Goats have very few demands of housing and management. They hardly need separate housing and happily share their homes with their owners or his other livestock. Goats can be raised by landless agricultural labourers, ladies and children because they can thrive well on variety of leaves, shrubs, bushes, kitchen waste etc. Goat farming can be a profitable occupation for a farmer and can fit well into mixed farming. Goats are cheaper to maintain, easily available and have a friendly disposition. Goats are capable of adapting to various agro-climatic conditions ranging from arid dry to cold arid to hot humid. Goats are more tolerant to hot climate than other farm animals. Goats suffer from fewer ailments than other large animals. Goats have got increased digestibility of crude fibre and can produce even on poor quality roughages. Goats give more production per unit of investment. Goats are smaller in size and have a younger slaughter age. Goat meat has no religious taboo and is relished by all sections of society. Goat meat has less fat and is more in demand. Goats are called the foster mother of man, as their milk is considered better for human nutrition than other species of livestock. Goat milk is cheap, wholesome, easily digestible and nutritious. Goat milk is finer than cow milk i.e. the fats and proteins are present in a finer state and are more easily digestible, especially by children and invalids. Goat milk has lesser allergic problems than other species of livestock. Goat milk is used as a ayurvedic medicine for personas ailing with asthma, cough, diabetes etc.. Goat milk has higher buffering qualities and this enhances its value for patients suffering from peptic ulcers, liver dysfunction, jaundice, biliary disorders and other digestive problems. Goat milk has higher phosphate content, which is beneficial for vegetarian communities. Goat milk has a higher content of B-complex vitamins. Goat milk is suitable for preparing various milk products. Goats can be milked as often as required, preventing milk storage problems and refrigeration costs.” K.Devendran further enlightened the 12 corner stones of Heifer stones for goat rearing for development of poor and needy population. –Govin

Nallasekar, a Tamilnadu congress volunteer undertakes inter- religious yatra-

2011-12-01T23:16:00.001+05:30

Nallasekar, a Congress volunteer from Tamilnadu is a man of difference for promoting party cadres of Congress party and he has proposed to undertake an inter-religious faith yatra from Delhi. Nallasekar a forty years old man is a great loyalist of her party leader Mrs.Soniya Gandhi.Nallusekar in Trichy spoke to Namakaha press man that he has proposed to undertake the yatra for the well being of his leader Sonia Gandhi on the 9^th December 2011(Sonia Gandhi’s Birthday), he also intends to strengthen the congress party in rural Tamilnadu starting at his own village in Namakal District to bring back Kamaraj rule in Tamilnadu as guided by his leaders in Tamilnadu and Delhi. He is a successful person in his agriculture occupation and also grass root level promoter of education for the villagers. He is a post graduate in Political science and he had his marriage function in Delhi with the blessing of Sonia Gandhi in 1999. He is involved in Public activities at various levels in village level to State level in his political journey as mid level organizer of Congress as headed by Sonia Gandhi. Nallasekar mentioned to rural congress volunteers, “If you've ever run or worked on a campaign, or just pretty much been involved in politics in almost any capacity, you've seen how important volunteers are to political success. But all volunteers are not created equal. Some are better than others. Some are better at different things than others. Great qualities that stand out as the mark of really great volunteers should reach for any political effort usually extremely grateful for any volunteer help it receives, these are some of the qualities you should keep in mind when looking for people to help your cause. The level of commitment from the people involved in any effort is usually the greatest contributing factor to success or failure”. Nalla Sekar adds that the congress volunteers should have a willingness to sacrifice as Great volunteerism is based on sacrifice. But good volunteers don’t think of it as sacrifice, but rather as an investment in the things that they care about, a good congress volunteer is one who is able to set aside their ego in deference to the cause that they’re involved with and Pride and volunteering don’t go well together. Attitudes for Congress volunteers should be great as they maintain a positive attitude that encourages others to press on regardless of circumstances “It is noted that Nalla Sekar has bagged Bharth Joyti award instituted by International Voluntary Organisation. Govin

Trichy Nehru Yuva Kendra celebrates Foundation Day, National Integration Day and District Level youth awards distribution

2011-11-21T20:41:00.000+05:30

NYK Youth Coordinator enlightens the importance of the function

Trichy Nehru Yuva Kendra celebrated Foundation Day, National Integration Day and District Level youth awards distribution on the 21^st November 2011 in District Collector office, Trichy. District Collector Ms.Jayashree Muralidaran congratulated the efforts of men club and young women club those who bagged the NYK District award for their outstanding performance in the District. District Collector also mentioned that the youth development activities information should reach across the District and the State. Ms.Jayashree Muralidaran added,” Youth development is a process that automatically involves all of the people around a youth—family and community. A young person will not be able to build essential skills and competencies and be able to feel safe; cared for, valued, useful, and spiritually grounded unless their family and community provide them with the supports and opportunities they need along the way. She appreciated the District unit of Nehru Yuva Kendra, Trichy for the involvement in youth development focusing district youth with a Sense of Safety and Structure, High Self-Worth and Self Esteem, Feeling of Mastery and Future, Belonging and Membership, Perception of Responsibility and Autonomy with the ability of Physical Health, Mental Health, Intellectual Health and employability”. Trichy Nehru Yuva Kendra coordinator Mr.K.Subramaniam earlier welcomed the gathering and enlightened the salient features of celebrated Foundation Day, National Integration Day and District level award distribution etc.Ms.T.Nagalakshimi and Mr.Mohanraj were awarded as outstanding youth of the District with cash award of Rs.5000 each with certificate in the esteemed presence of Dr.K.Govindaraju, Chairman of South Zone Board of Continuing Education, advisory committee members Ms.Rajamani and Mr.Nallasekar. Mr.Maheswaran proposed vote of thanks.-Govin

Thatched roof are poor friendly shelter- Dr.K.Govindaraju

2011-11-21T18:41:00.000+05:30

A thatched shelter in Amoor constructed by SEVAI

Indian thatched house has a roof made from local coconut palm leaves. In villages this might be heather, but mostly it was reeds or straw. The thatch needed a lot of work to make sure it kept the water out. A person who thatched roofs were called a thatcher.The thatch had to be replaced after a number of years. Thatched homes can still be seen all over the country. Usually they are beautifully kept. Many cottages and small houses have good ventilation and this is important to let fresh air and light into the house. The tradition of thatching has been passed down from generation to generation for thousands of years and numerous descriptions of the materials and methods used. Good thatch will not require frequent maintenance..The thickness of the thatch decreases over the years as the surface is gradually eroded. A thatched roof can be thought to be nearing replacement when the horizontal fixings of each course are close to the surface. “A roof is as good as the amount of correctly laid thatch covering the fixings.” The performance of thatch depends on roof shape and design, pitch of roof; position the quality of material and the expertise of the thatcher.Thatch has some natural properties that are advantageous to its performance. It is naturally weather-resistant, and when properly maintained does not absorb a lot of water. There should not be a significant increase to roof weight due to water retention. A roof pitch of at least 50 degrees allows precipitation to travel quickly down slope so that it runs off the roof before it can penetrate the structure. Thatch is also a natural insulator, and air pockets within straw thatch insulate a building in both warm and cold weather. A thatched roof will ensure that a building will be cool in summer and warm in winter. Thatch also has very good resistance to wind damage when applied correctly. Thatching materials range from plains grasses to waterproof leaves found in equatorial regions. It is the most common roofing material in the world, because the materials are readily available. Because thatch is lighter less timber is required in the roof that supports it. -Govin

Mahabharata through the ‘eyes’ of ‘Gandhari’- a superb drama script by Muthuvelalagar.

2011-11-21T18:17:00.000+05:30

Muthuvel Alagar

Mahabharata through the ‘eyes’ of Gandhari — the unsung and perhaps the most suffered character of the epic.Muthuvelalagar, a noted dramatist and writer passionately narrated the story of Mahabharata and in it the pain of Gandhari with deep emotions. The artist Rani Jaya as Gandhari in the rehearsal showed no signs of jet lag or tiredness and straight away went into the characters she had to portray.Gandhari is a very prominent character of Mahabharata. The daughter of the King of Gandhar, Princess Gandhari is forced to marry the blind and much older king Dhrithrashtra. “Maryada Ke Bandhan” and the boon that she will bear 100 sons became the curse of her life.Gandhari blind-folded herself and vows to remain so for the rest of her life. Just imagine the pain of not being able to see her children and learning about them through the eyes of others. Rani Jaya displays such emotions very artistically. The pain wells up tears in her eyes. Says Rani Jaya,” If I don’t get tears in my eyes I even put off the rehearsals.” ‘She had done a commendable job displaying different emotions and delivering dialogues in various moods. She has done reasonably well justifying her character, Muthuvelalagar said. Asked about the anti-war theme, Muthuvelalagar says Gandhari tried to prevent the war by all means but she had to give in to the stubbornness of her husband and son Duryodhana who turns down the offer of giving away five villages to the five Pandava brothers. Helpless and subdued, Gandhari also rejects the disrobing of Draupadi. The relevance of the play in the contemporary world is that it highlights the anti-war theme and the role of women, especially the mother in educating the society to give up violence” says Muthuvelalagar who has been very actively involved in popularizing theatre in Trichy region. -Govin

‘Drama is so integral to the tradition of Tamil people”-Dr.K.Govindaraju

2011-11-21T17:26:00.000+05:30

Dr.K.Govindaraju

In his presidential speech of drama book release of “Gandhari” authored by noted drama director and play writer Muthvelalagar of Trichy, Dr.K.Govindaraju mentioned,’ Drama is so integral to the tradition that Tamil”. Dr.K.Govindaraju appreciated the excellent presentation of the character of “Gandhari” by Muthuvelalagar in his drama script and the speaker summed up as narrated by the dramatist Muthuvelalagar,the key areas of this drama and said,”Gandhari was the daughter of Subala, the king of Gandhara. Her name has been derived from here and she is one of the important characters of the great Indian epic Mahabharata. Gandhari was married to Dhritarashtra, the eldest prince of the Kuru kingdom. As Dhritarashtra was blind, Gandhari blindfolded herself throughout her married life and did not wish to relish the pleasure of sight, which her husband could never realize. She was the mother of hundred sons known as the Kauravas and the mother of a daughter Dlushala, the wife of Jayadratha. The Kaurava, predominantly Duryodhana and Dushasana were the villains who were killed at the battle of Kurukshetra in the hands of their cousin brothers the Pandavas. In spite of Duryodhana and Dushasana`s immoral behavior with the Pandavas, Gandhari always told them to follow `dharma` and make peace with the Pandavas. She was very close to Kunti who treated her as an elder sister. Gandhari only opened her eyes to see Duryodhana exposing his entire body except his loins invincible to any enemy. Other than this, she was an ardent lover and worshipper of Lord Shiva. When she lost all her hundred sons, she cursed Krishna in effect ensuring the destruction of the Yadavas. Gandhari confronted Krishna and said, "You are the cause of death of my sons. You could have prevented the war but you did not. As a result the Kurus have been almost wiped out. I curse you that you shall die the death of an animal; your clan of Vrishni will perish in an internal strife. The cousins will fight and kill each other." The grief seeing all her son's dead had overwhelmed Gandhari. Draupadi's sons dead. She could not find the words to console the women lamenting at the loss of their sons and Krishna happened to come in the battlefield, where Gandhari was sitting with all other woman and trying to console her.Krishna gave his gentlest smile and said, "Mother you have relieved me of a burden. My clan cannot be destroyed by anyone in the world except by themselves. You have solved my problem. As to my death it is so ordained. I accept your curse by way of your blessings." Now Gandhari anger was abated fully. She became full of love for the Pandavas”.Indrajith released the drama book “Gandhari” and appreciated the efforts of Muthvelalagar.Noted writers Jawahar Arumugam,Sudir,Kappal Krishnamurthy,Kalaimamani Masthan felicitated. Noted Drama Artist Rani Jaya, Arsangaudi Jothi and several others started rehearsal of the Drama.Karmugil Kalai Mandaram proposes to stage this drama at the earliest said Muthvelalagar.-Govin

"The unexamined life is not worth living."- Life Enrichment Education thoughts

2011-11-12T10:14:00.000+05:30

"The unexamined life is not worth living."--an image

Life Enrichment Education is to enrich our life better in meaningful, tangible ways. It gives us a platform to make positive changes in our life, our community, our nation and our world as a whole. The ultimate goal is to be a force for goodness and togetherness in our world. One of Socrates' most famous quotes is, "The unexamined life is not worth living." So imagine that we sit down one day and really examine our life. We take the time to look at every aspect of it... our relationships with our family and friends, our career, our finances, our education, our personality, our character, our health, our fitness, our charity, our politics, our causes, our hobbies, our sexuality, our virtues, our vices... We try to understand the things that make us happy and the things that displease us; the things that cause us to smile and the things that just aren't working; the things that bring joy and the things that bring terror in our life... everything. Having done that, we might ask ourselves: How can we make our life better? How can we improve? There are three aspects to consider: How can we be a better person, as in fixing problems in life that are holding us back or that don't fit with our mental image? For example, we might want to lose weight, get in shape, improve your finances, stop smoking, eliminate a bad habit, etc. How can we be better persons, as in adding new areas or new abilities to our life? It could be something big like changing our career, advancing in our current career or getting a college degree. Or it could be something simpler, like starting a new hobby or learning a new skill. How can we be a better person, as in being a good person? A good person is someone who is living the idea of helping others. As part of our self-examination process, we might find ourselves asking questions like these: How can our life be more fulfilling? What would give our life more meaning? What would make us happy, and how can we be happier? Chances are that we would find we are doing great in some areas, not so great in some others. That's true of all of us. What if we want to bring real improvement into our life and become the best human being we are capable of becoming? What if there was a community of people who get together on a regular basis to make their lives better - to become better human beings? Their goal is to be better in their own lives, and also to improve things for others as well. We need to go to one of their gathering places, either online or in your local area, and you are amazed at how happy these people are. Some of them have decided that they are tired of being fat, and they are working as a group to fix the problem. Some of them are tired of always being in debt, and they are taking a class in how to get their finances under control. Some of them are working on becoming better human beings by becoming better spouses, or better parents. Many talk openly about their values and their personal efforts to become more honest, more generous and so on. They all seem to have a well-defined purpose and understand the meaningful life.-Govin

Total Literacy can be achieved by Campaign mode-Dr.K.Govindaraju

2011-11-11T21:48:00.000+05:30

Dr.K.Govindarajan on TLC,Shri.Rajeev Ranjan,IAS present

Dr.K.Govindaraju, President of Tamilnadu Board of Continuing Education in the past mentioned, “The Total Literacy Campaigns (TLC) model is now accepted as the dominant strategy for eradication of adult illiteracy in India. These campaigns are area-specific, time-bound, volunteer-based, cost-effective and outcome-oriented. The thrust is on attainment of functional literacy through prescribed norms of literacy and numeracy. The learner is the focal point in the entire process and measurement of learning outcome is continuous, informal, and participative and non-threatening. The campaign is implemented in stages, which may be overlapping at times. These should be understood clearly and followed meticulously. Preparing the Ground - The initiation of a total literacy campaign begins with a process of consultation and consensus, involving political parties, teachers, students and cultural groups. A core team is identified and the project is formulated. Creation of the Organisational Structure - The campaigns are implemented through district-level literacy committees which are registered under the Societies Registration Act as independent and autonomous bodies to provide a unified umbrella under which a number of individuals and organizations’ work together. Leadership is provided by the district collector/chief secretary and the zila parishad (district council). All sections of society are given due representation in planning and implementation of the programme. The structure rests on three pillars - participatory people's committees, full-time functionaries and area coordinators, and a support system provided by government officials. It forms an interactive and a communicative process of management and implementation. The campaign is delivered through volunteers without any expectation of reward or incentive. Survey and District Profile - A detailed survey is conducted in the district, to enumerate and identify the non-literate people. The process of the survey also provides opportunities for person contact and interaction. During the survey, volunteer teachers and master trainers are also identified. Environment Building - This is an extremely important part of the total literacy campaigns, where mass mobilisation takes place through a multifaceted communication strategy, which creates the right environment and enthusiasm for teaching-learning activities. The success of a total literacy campaign depends to a large extent, on the effectiveness with which all sections of society are mobilised. The basic objective of the environment building stage is to generate a demand for literacy. Its momentum has to be sustained - it must not merely precede the campaign, but pervade it throughout. Environment building includes: Mobilising public opinion, creating community participation, Sensitising educated sections of the community and recruiting them as volunteers”. Govin

The School Culture shapes the pupils as responsible citizens-Dr.K.Govindaraju

2011-11-11T21:30:00.000+05:30

View of SEVAI Shanthi School sports day as school culture

The culture of the school will be viewed as the existence of an interplay between three factors: the attitudes and beliefs of persons both inside the school and in the external environment, the cultural norms of the school, and the relationships between persons in the school. Each of these factors may present barriers to change or a bridge to long-lasting implementation of school improvement. It bears repeating, however, that the interrelatedness of these facets of the school most strongly affects the efforts of those seeking to improve schools. An examination of school culture is important because, "alike as schools may be in many ways, each school has an ambience (or culture) of its own and, further, its ambience may suggest to the careful observer useful approaches to making it a better school" .Depending upon how well leaders understand and use this notion, culture can assist school improvement efforts for at-risk students, or act as a barrier to change. The culture of the school reflects the local culture in many ways. When schools seek to improve, a focus on the values, beliefs, and norms of both the school and the environment outside the school is necessary. The general knowledge base regarding school culture focuses as School culture does affect the behavior and achievement of elementary and secondary school students though the effect of classroom and student variables remains greater. Lasting fundamental change (e.g. changes in teaching practices or the decision making structure) requires understanding and, often, altering the school's culture; cultural change is a slow process. The effect of school culture on school improvement efforts is significant. The attitudes and beliefs of persons in the school shape that culture. The attitudes and beliefs of those in the school create mental models of what schooling is and how others in the school should and will respond to events and actions. It is from these attitudes and beliefs that the culture of the school is created. These belief systems may help educators feel more successful, but may also prevent them from imagining what could be. School systems are guided by multiple and sometimes competing sets of goals. Power in school systems is distributed throughout the organization. Decision making in school systems is a bargaining process in order to arrive at solutions that satisfy a number of constituencies. The public is influential in major and sometimes unpredictable ways. A variety of situationally appropriate ways to teach is allowed and desired so that teachers may be optimally effective. Just as the perceptions, attitudes, beliefs, and values of teachers impact change efforts, student beliefs and attitudes influence school improvement. External values affect the culture of the school, shaping what goes on inside. The belief in attending school as a prime pathway to virtue and success in later life is no longer widely or firmly shared. The intuition and insights of local educators have been replaced by an emphasis on research, giving more authority to researchers' and consultants' expertise than tradition and experience. Just as the attitudes and beliefs of persons both inside and outside the school building may facilitate or impede change, the norms, or informal rules that govern behavior exert influence on change efforts. These norms are developed over time and are influenced by the attitudes and beliefs of those inside and outside the school. Because of the impact of cultural norms on school improvement, the extent to which individual staff members internalize that culture affects improvement efforts as well. The relationships between students and teachers and students and their peers can facilitate or impede change. When teachers are interested in students and demonstrate respect for them, a community of caring is nurtured. Like other cultures, the school culture consists of a dominant culture and subcultures of various groups. The student culture is one of these subcultures. -Govin

Ferro cement Roofing Technology promoted in SEVAI Rural Technology centre

2011-11-11T21:09:00.000+05:30

Ferro cement roofing in RTC of SEVAI

The Ferro cement technology package for roofing developed by SEVAI uses state-of-the-art design principles to manufacture reinforced shells, commonly called channels. They are produced on specially designed vibrating tables and profiled moulds. The production system is uniquely tailored to provide special end details, consistent shape and thickness; all crucial for high performance. The channels made with an optimised proportion of cement, sand and water, have a very high density, are impervious to penetration of water and provide high structural strength. Ferro cement roofing channels produced on mechanised equipment can be used for intermediate floor applications as well. Ferrocement roofing technology offers a viable alternative to conventional flat roofing systems such as reinforced cement concrete, reinforced brick cement, sand stone, etc. in both rural and urban areas of the country.Ferrocement roofing channels have a uniform segmental profile; they are 2.5 cm thick and 83 cm. wide. Maximum length of mechanically produced channels can be 6 metres. Longer spans for roofing can be built with intermediate supports.Ferrocement roofing channels are manufactured using a fixed proportion of cement, sand and water to give high strength mortar that is reinforced with a layer of galvanised iron chicken wire mesh of 22 gauge and Tor steel bars of 8-12 mm diameter provided in the bottom nibs of the channel.Ferrocement roofing channels can be safely transported after a curing period of 14 days. The Unique Features of Ferro cement Roofing Channels are Speedy installation; no shuttering required,30% cost saving over RCC roofing, Lower dead load on the walls, Usable as an intermediate floor, High strength to weight ratio, Elegant profile and uniform sizes, Large spans possible with intermediate supports. Ferro cement roofing channels are prefabricated elements. The mechanised system of production uses a vibrating table and profiled steel shell moulds. The production yard consists of a vibrating table positioned under a gantry system 6.5mts. in width. The gantry is fitted with a chain and a pulley system for ease of handling of shell moulds. A production team consisting of 2 masons, 6 semi-skilled workers and a supervisor can produce up to 5 channels of 4.6 mts. length each in 8 hours operation. The shell moulds are lifted with the cast channels in the green state. After 24 hours, the roofing channels are demoulded by using a specially designed mould lifting frame and demoulding tongs. The mechanised system does not require high skills but ensures high quality. Whereas, manual method needs highly trained masons and stringent quality control measures.Ferrocement roofing channels are simply placed in a series, next to each other, resting on opposite walls of a structure. The valley between channels is then filled with a plain cement concrete, over which a layer of bitumen is spread to ensure water tightness. A lean concrete of 2.5 cm thickness or mud phuska with brick tiles can be laid to make a flat surface and provide thermal insulation. Ferro cement roofing channels, offer unmatched speed of construction and can be used for: Residences, Primary schools, and other community buildings, Porticos, verandahs and garages, Industrial sheds, workshops and godowns and Farm houses and semi-covered structures. Govin

SEVAI Shanthi Matriculation Higher Secondary School promotes Life enrichment Skill Extra-curricular activities.

2011-11-11T12:12:00.000+05:30

SEVAI School cultural team pupils

Extra-curricular activities with life enrichment skills such as painting, interior decoration, flower arrangement, dancing, drama and gardening are offered to students of SEVAI Shanthi Matriculation Higher Secondary School. The students choose the activity of their preference. Students are encouraged to enter a variety of competitions that are offered in the school. Many of the costs of these competitions are funded by the school as they are seen to be rewarding and beneficial learning experiences. SEVAI Shanthi Matriculation Higher Secondary School also gives small assignments such as Paper Cutting, Clay Modeling, Gardening, Electrical and electronics General Repair, Sewing and Needlework and Doll-Making to students so as to give them some work experience so as to guide them about the nature of different jobs and how to organise them. The school organises different cultural events on School' Annual Day Function and on other many occasions so as to make their students familiar with our culture. Merit in games and sports are expected to build student's character, confidence, team spirit and robustness. SEVAI Shanthi Matriculation Higher Secondary School Offers a variety of programs to promote sports skills of students. Raw talent is identified at a very young age and it is groomed into a fine sporting talent through systematic training. Sporting facilities have been planned with exacting attention to details. The school's sports arena is ideal for all sports and games. SEVAI Shanthi Matriculation Higher Secondary School provides a spectrum of opportunities for students with artistic talents to nurture their abilities. Qualified teachers are appointed to provide classes both traditional dance items like Bharathanatyam and classical music. A cultural festival is conducted annually to present a stage for students to parade their talents. Govin

SEVAI Shanthi Matriculation Higher Secondary School pupils prepare Solar Powered DC Electrical Motor for their Science Exhibition in Trichy

2011-11-10T22:30:00.000+05:30

SEVAI School students in Solar energy for electrical power

The school pupils of SEVAI Shanthi Matriculation Higher Secondary School developed a working model of a solar powered dc motor as a simple demonstration of how solar power can be used directly in some applications. The student Yuva said “Solar panels transform light energy into electrical energy. The electrical energy from the solar panel is direct current or dc electricity so it can be used by motors that run on dc electrical power. If we hook up a solar panel directly to a dc electrical motor, then the solar panel is sending power directly to the motor and the motor is using the electrical energy immediately. In this case the motor is "Directly Powered by Solar Energy”. Senior Student Palanisamy said, “If we hook up the solar panel in a parallel circuit with a motor and a battery then the solar panel will charge the battery and the dc motor will get dc electrical energy from the battery. The energy used to power the motor came from the battery. However, the energy in the battery came from solar energy so we say that the motor is "Indirectly Powered by Solar Energy”. Yuva further added, “This is a simple idea that can be added to our science fair project to help demonstrate applications of solar energy. You can also use this solar powered dc electrical motor and spinner as an additional demonstration and test instrument for the science Exhibition which will be held on the 11^th November 2011 at Trichy. The SEVAI Shanthi Matriculation Higher Secondary School pupils create something, like a spinner, that you can attach to the motor so that when the motor spins it will be easy to tell that it is working applying the materials such as Solar Panel,dc electrical motor,Spinner,Wooden Dowel (about 1/2" diameter),Drill to make a hole in the dowel, Cardboard (about 6" x 6"),Paper Image and glue”.Yuva and his friends enlightened that Light energy hits the solar panel and is transformed into dc electrical energy. The electrical energy passes through the wires to the motor. The motor runs;. Light energy hits the solar panel and is transformed into dc electrical energy. The electrical energy passes through the wires to the battery. The resistor keeps the electrical energy in the wires from flowing too fast. The diode works like a safety valve and keeps the electrical energy from flowing out of the battery and back to the solar panel when there is no light. They close Switch #1 and open Switch #2 the light energy hits the solar panel where it is transformed into electrical energy that passes through the wires to the battery. When open Switch #1 and close Switch #2 the energy that is stored in the battery passes through the wires to the motor and the motor runs. Solar powered garden lights operate on the same basic principal except that they switch off and on automatically by using a photo resistor”.Senior students Palanichamy and his friends summed up that Set Up - Putting it all together: it makes the Spinner to attach to the motor, Wooden Dowel with small hole, Cardboard Circle, Sun Image, Glue the spinner to the dowel and attach to motor, Connect the solar panel to the motor.Find some sun and watch it spin. For some solar panels you might be able to use a 100 Watt light bulb as the light source. Principal Chitra and the teachers of the school appreciated the initiatives of the students those are preparing for the Science Exhibition.-Govin

School safety includes keeping campuses improving discipline, and increasing student attendance. - Mrs.P.Chitra

2011-11-10T21:56:00.000+05:30

Principal P.Chitra in School monitors school safety

SEVAI Shanthi Matriculation Higher Secondary School of Trichy ensures that all students and teachers and associated team members of this school are safe, secure and educational and cocurricularily productive. The one of the SEVAI Shanthi Matriculation Higher Secondary school’s goals in this campaign is to motivate key education and law enforcement policymakers, as well as students, parents and community residents, to vigorously advocate school safety. School safety includes keeping campuses improving discipline, and increasing student attendance. This School ensures the well-being of all children and the quality of their education. “While most schools have existing safety programs, these programs often need conscientious, creative application to improve their effectiveness” said Principal Mrs.P.Chitra. Principal added that this school provides a unique opportunity for pupils and parents to focus on educational issues that directly affect the children. The most important strategy is to place school safety on the educational agenda. This includes developing a safe schools plan - an ongoing process that encompasses in-service training, crisis preparation, interagency cooperation and student/parent participation. A task force has been developed and implemented the plan with representatives from Parent Teachers Association. The Management and PTA address the school safety. They work toward achieving quality education and safer schools. Through such activities, schools can improve campus climate and discipline, as well as enlist participation from various groups to create partnerships in this important effort. Teachers who take active roles and initiate positive programs - rather than just react when negative conditions arise - help create successful atmosphere in this SEVAI Shanthi Matriculation Higher Secondary School. The ideas are primary strategies to help inform, persuade, and integrate school safety and public opinion. These ideas facilitate planning and the implementation of the remaining strategies that quality education provides safe, disciplined and peaceful school atmosphere. Stress the basic concept that school safety is a parents concern requiring a parent-teacher and student response. This School administrator facilitate and coordinate the school community efforts to ensure safe school, and develop a wide safe schools plan, as well as individual plans for each school in the system. This school includes systematic procedures for dealing with specific types of crises and ensuring the safety of students and school personnel and develops a school safety. The school policy includes the development of a standard form to provide complete and consistent information on risks, discipline problems, d security problems as well”.Mrs.P.Chitra further added that the school coordinates school safety that outline the relationship of school safety to quality education and emphasize the need for public support of schools and Use actual case studies, such as student misbehavior problems from local schools, as part of the training. This helps teachers identify more readily with such situations and mitigates an attitude of "that doesn't happen here.".The school management encourages teachers to contact parents regularly to inform them about the good things students are doing and develop a system to enable teachers to call or write parents routinely and conveniently and provide space and time for teachers to meet regularly with parents at school and recommend that teachers initiate these informal meetings as frequently as possible”. Govin

Children friendly play ground in SEVAI Shanthi Higher Secondary School

2011-11-05T10:26:00.000+05:30

SEVAI Shanthi Matriculation Higher Secondary School

SEVAI school playground fulfills several functions. First, it provides a safe place for children to play. Second, it provides an environment where children feel relaxed, able to play freely and creatively. And it is visually appealing as well, making the school appear a welcoming space. This school playground doesn't have lots of fancy or expensive equipment; rather, smart design of this SEVAI School helps school playground to fulfill all of these important functions. The playground offers large spaces for free play. Free play helps kids to become more creative, confident and social, and possibly even more intelligent. Plus, free play is fun; helping kids to relax and remember that school can be enjoyable. Constant supervision is given as crucial intervention on a playground. Kids feel safe from the outside world as well as from playground injuries. Thus, teachers on "playground duty" are able to easily monitor all areas of the playground. This playground wraps around the building in an L shape to maximize use of space while allowing several teachers to effectively survey the playground. Children don't always want to feel exposed on the playground. Sometimes they need a quiet spot for playing with a small group of peers. Safely discovering purposefully hidden nooks in a playground keeps their imaginations working. It gives them a way to play hide and seek, and provides a structure for games like "house" or "pirate ship." These spots are decorated with themes, such as "good habits." These spaces are not entirely hidden; rather, they are allowing teachers to easily look in.SEVAI school playground are complete with a garden. Children dig in the dirt to learn about plants and develop a sense of connection with the earth. The school management planted colorful flowers around the edge along pathways, to draw interest in the project. Playground makes all children feel welcome, regardless of disabilities. Playground equipment like jungle gyms and slides offer a way for all children to participate, offering alternative routes and ways of playing taking into the account of high-quality playground equipment. -Govin

SSA-IED launches Free special resource centre for children with autism, speech disorders and mongolism in Srirangam of Trichy.

2011-11-04T09:38:00.001+05:30

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Trichy District under inclusive Education for differently abled children in collaboration with a Trichy based NGO, SEVAI launches a special Resource Centre for the children in need with intellectual disabilities such as Autism, speech disorders, mongolism or down syndrome. The District Programme officer of SSA, Trichy has announced that this special Resource centre will be housed at Sriranga municipal corporation middle school of Amma Mandapam, Srirangam. This Autism, speech disorders, mongolism care Resource Centre is a not-for-profit community focused organisation committed to meeting the needs of such children of the locality. The officials said, “Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan is an effort to universalize school education by community-ownership of the school system. It is a response to the demand for quality school education all over the country. The SSA programme is also an attempt to provide an opportunity for improving human capabilities to all children, through provision of community-owned quality education in a mission mode”. The Ngo, SEVAI Project Coordinator R.Deivakumar mentioned “this SSA-IED/SEVAI resource centre for children in need would Support Individuals with Autism, speech disorders, down syndrome, Aspergers Syndrome and Pervasive Developmental Disorders. The IED special educators of Resource Center conduct indoor training, and consultations, engage in counseling the parents, and develop and disseminate information focused on building the capacity of local communities, and families to support children across the autism and other intellectual disorders spectrum in typical work, school, home, and community settings. The special educators will strive to address the specific needs of the individual by providing information and training on a variety of strategies and methods”. R.Deivkumar further added that the SSA Authorities had given guidance to give special attention to the children with Down syndrome or mongolism, a condition in which a person is born with certain distinctive features: flat face, short neck, and a degree of mental delay (mental retardation). R.Deivakumar of SEVAI opined, “Although Down syndrome cannot be treated, most affected can lead a normal life. With the proper care and help they need, children with Down syndrome can have a spectacular growth and development and can become healthy and happy adults. Special Educators of IED will offer a range of services, including Assessment and Diagnosis, Information, Direct Therapy and Education Support, and Training of regular teachers and parents and volunteers. It will offer life skills and mainstream academics for its students. The special educators have personal experiences with disability, so they genuinely understand their needs and offer free, non-biased advice, to assist the children in making informed decisions on accessing services that will assist them in your daily life”.SSA authorities made announcements the parents of such children with Autism, speech disorders, mongolism or down syndrome can send such children to the SSA-IED Resource centre for free care as per the norms of SSA.-Govin

Trichy Muthamil Kalai Panpattu Maiyam is in process of documenting cultural heritage of Trichirappalli

2011-11-02T09:41:00.001+05:30

" Trichi Rock Fort," a painting by Francis Swain Ward, 1772-73

Trichy Muthamil Kalai Panpattu Maiyam is in process of documenting cultural heritage of Trichirappalli and the Maiyam also works on the preservation of Tamil Culture and it also documents the historical background of Trichipallai City and its surrounding areas. As guided by Prof.So.Sathiyaseelan noted Tamil Scholar hailing from Trichy takes efforts for documenting the important ant historical features of Trichirpalli.Writer and convener of Trichy Muthamil Kalai Panpattu Maiyam,Jawahar Arumugam who is in the process of collecting data on Trichy states,. “The Tiruchirapalli Rock Fort is a historic fort and temple complex built on an ancient rock. The 83-metre rock fort situated in the center of town is a major landmark in the town of Tiruchirapalli and is visible from a long distance. The Pallavas initially built this temple, but the Nayaks made use of its naturally fortified position and designed it again. It is a long climb up the 437 steps cut into the stone to the top. This is also a major tourist spot. The fort complex has witnessed fierce battles between Madurai Nayakas andBijapur, Carnatic and Maratha forces. The fort played an important part during the Carnatic wars helping lay the foundations of the British Empire in India. In the late 18th century, Hyder Ali was a major threat to the British, as were the French who were still fighting for their colonial supremacy in this region. By now, the town was firmly established as a cantonment town and the fort's gate was known as main guard gate. Robert Clive lived near the tank when he was in Tiruchirapalli. The Rock is said to be one of the oldest formations in the world. It is 3.8 billion years old, making it as old as the rocks in Greenland are found in this rock formation. The temple complex in the fort complex is a collection of three temples: the Manikka Vinayakar temple at the foot of the hill, dedicated to Lord Ganesha,The Ucchi Pillaiyar temple at the top of the hill, dedicated to Lord Ganesha,the Taayumaanavar Koyil Shivastalam, a rock cut temple dedicated to a Nayaka era saint, Taayumaanavar Mathrubutheswarar, dedicated to Lord Shiva , has a lingam which is a projection of the rock itself. It is reached by a flight of steps on the way to Ucchi Pillaiyar temple. The rock-cut temple in the hill temple complex is named Lalitankura Pallaveswaram, with several inscriptions attributed to rulers. .The two-storey-tall Taayumaanava temples are considered to be a masterpiece of construction. At the foot of the rock fort stands a tank and a pavilion which are used during the float festival of the temples. These were by Viswanatha Nayaka of Madurai to hold major religious festivals. Near the tank is the house and 18th-century church built by Reverend Schwartz of Denmark. The mid-17th-century palace at the base of the rock was built by Chokkanatha Nayak, now known as Rani Mangammal Mahal, and features a Durbar hall. Historians thought the palace was built by Chokkanatha Nayak after he demolished three-fourths of the Tirumalai Nayak palace. This palace was supposedly used for materials in this palace. This palace was also the Durbar hall of Madurai Nayak when Tiruchapalli was the capital during the years 1616 to 1634 and 1665 to 1736. Today, it houses a Museum and state government offices. The main guard gate was one of the main entrances for the fort complex. It is located on the major fort wall enclosing the periphery of the rock fort with its temples, lake, the palace and bazaars .The main entrance faces the north. Six worship services are offered each day here. This well-endowed temple celebrates the annual Brahmotsavam in Chithirai. Aadi Pooram and the float festival in Panguni are also of significance here. They were started by the Nayaks of Madurai and are dedicated to both Shiva and Ganesa”. -Govin

“Electronic waste accounts for 70 percent of the overall toxic waste currently found in landfills”-Dr.Arun Sentilram.

2011-11-01T10:36:00.000+05:30

Dr.Arun Senthilram delivers the key note address on e-waste management

The joint venture of creating awareness on e-waste among Trichy School students by Toxic links, Nokia and Centre for Media Studies, Trichy has a very positive response among the school pupils, teacher and the parents of schools and their neighbourhoods of Trichy schools. Mr.L.Shanawas Khan, Director of Media studies welcomed the gathering at SEVAI Shanthi Higher Secondary School,Arubuhalnagar,Pettavaithalai and enlightened the purpose of the pilot campaign on e-waste especially mobile phones. Dr.Arun Senthil Ram, Coordinator of Toxic Links delivered the key note address and said, “Electronic waste accounts for 70 percent of the overall toxic waste currently found in landfills. The statistics on electronic waste (e-waste) are alarming. E-waste is now the fastest-growing part of the municipal waste stream. In addition to valuable metals like aluminum, electronics often contain hazardous materials such as mercury. When placed in a landfill, even in small doses, these materials can contaminate soil as well as drinking water. Although cell phone may not contain as much toxic material as larger electronic devices such as TVs, its shelf life is only about 18 months for the average consumer. With hip new products coming out on a regular basis, it’s estimated that there are more than 500 million used cell phones ready for disposal. Cell phone coatings are often made of lead, meaning that if these 500 million cell phones are disposed of in landfills, it will result in 312,000 pounds of lead released. However, possibly the most hazardous component of the cell phone is the battery. Cell phone batteries were originally composed of nickel and cadmium (Ni-Cd batteries). Cadmium is listed as a human carcinogen that causes lung and liver damage. Alternatives contain potentially explosive lithium or toxic lead. There are over 400 million active mobile phones in India. Think of how many of those people are on their second and even third cell phones. When we also consider that 80% of the world's populations live in an area with cell phone reception, recycling old phones just makes sense. Mobile phones seem so efficient, but there are hidden dangers associated with them once they become e-waste. The harmful materials contained in electronics, coupled with the fast rate at which we're replacing outdated units, poses a real danger to human health if electronics are not properly processed prior to disposal or recycled. Electronics like computers and cell phones contain a lot of different toxins. For example, cathode ray tubes (CRTs) in computers contain heavy metals, such as lead, barium and cadmium, which can be very harmful to health if they enter the water system. These materials can cause damage to human nervous and respiratory systems. Flame retardant plastics, used in electronics casings, can release particles that damage human endocrine functions. These are the types of things that can happen when unprocessed e-waste is put directly in landfill. Individual consumers are obviously not solely responsible for e-waste issues. Institutions also bear a significant ownership of these problems. Think of how many mobile phones are in your workplace. Clearly, businesses make a substantial contribution to the consumption and disposal of electronics. Thus, everyone should ensure the responsible recycling and/or disposal of cell phones. In most instances, your mobile phone company should be able to recycle your old phone for you. Prior to recycling or disposing of your old cell phone, it is very important that you remove all personal data from the unit. Recycling and the proper disposal of electronics is a major part of the solution to our growing e-waste problem. Regardless of whether these positive actions are mandated by industry or government, progress occurs when individuals and businesses change their thinking about e-waste”.Dr.Arun handled this session as more interactive and participative. Several students raised meaningful queries and Dr.Senthil Ram responded positively and appreciated the students for their thought provoking questions. The students were also received the recycled pens from the organizers for their intelligent questions and responses. Principal of the school, Mrs.P.Chitra proposed vote of thanks-Govin

Goat rearing program of Tamilnadu Government will improve poor family’s income.

2011-11-01T09:43:00.000+05:30

SEVAI/Heifer Project international house hold goat project

Thanks to the Chief Minister of Tamilnadu Ms.J.Jayalithaa for the announcement made and being implemented the Goat rearing program for the poor in Tamilnadu and this Government project Government will improve poor family’s income level. In ancient time animal husbandry was very beneficial for people economy and social revolution because animal husbandry is very essential and positive source of income. Goat is known as ‘Poor man’s cow’ in India and is a very important component in dry land farming system. Marginal or undulating lands unsuitable for other types of animals like cow or buffalo, goat is the best alternative. With very low investments goat rearing can be made in to a profitable venture. Marginal or undulating lands unsuitable for other types of animals like cow or buffalo, goat is the best alternative. With very low investments goat rearing can be made in to a profitable venture for small and marginal farmers with Low capital investment and quick return, Simple and small shed is enough, Profitable under stall fed condition. High prolific rate of goats, Year around job, meat is lean and has low fats and is liked by all people, can be sold and encashed anytime. These small animal goats are the most efficient converters of farm and crop residues into excellent organic manure. Goat farming needs less capital when compared with dairying, and the animals can be raised in small farms. The floor space requirement per adult animal is about one square meter. A properly fed and managed milky goat will yield at least as much milk (on average two liters per day) as low yielding desi cows. The she-goat will deliver 2-4 kids at each parturition after a short gestation period of 150 days. The popular Indian breeds are Sirohi, Jamnapari, Surti, Tellicherry, and Kanniyadu.-Govin

Girls Education is the single most powerful way to lift people out of poverty.

2011-11-01T09:17:00.000+05:30

Bright girls Students of SEVAI Shanthi Higher Secondary school

Gender equality in education is the need of the hour. Girls are less likely to access school, to remain in school or to achieve in education. Education helps men and women claim their rights and realise their potential in the economic, political and social arenas. It is also the single most powerful way to lift people out of poverty. Education plays a particularly important role as a foundation for girls’ development towards adult life. It should be an intrinsic part of any strategy to address the gender-based discrimination against women and girls that remains prevalent in many societies. Everybody has the right to education. The right to free school education, without discrimination and of good quality, has been reaffirmed in all major international human rights conventions. These rights have been further elaborated to address issues like quality and equity, moving forward the issue of what the right to education means, and exploring how it can be achieved. The right of girls to education is one of the most critical of all rights – because education plays an important role in enabling girls and women to secure other rights. The achievement of girls’ right to education can address some of societies’ deeply rooted inequalities, which condemn millions of girls to a life without quality education – and, therefore, also all too often to a life of missed opportunities. Improving educational opportunities for girls and women helps them to develop skills that allow them to make decisions and influence community change in key areas. Basic education provides girls and women with an understanding of basic health, nutrition, giving them choices and the power to decide over their own lives and bodies. Women's education leads directly to better reproductive health, improved family health, economic growth, for the family and for society, as well as lower rates of child mortality and malnutrition. It is also key in the fight against the spread of HIV & AIDS. Educating girls and women is an important step in overcoming poverty. Inequality and poverty are not inevitable. “The focus on poverty reduction enables the right to education to be a powerful tool in making a change in the lives of girls and women. Poverty has been universally affirmed as a key obstacle to the enjoyment of human rights, and it has a visible gender profile. Govin

Kitchen gardens vegetables are for self consumption by poor than marketing

2011-10-31T17:59:00.000+05:30

SEVAI Thidalveli Kitchen garden project

“Kitchen gardens vegetables are for self consumption by poor than marketing” said Ms.Vembu of Thidalveli in the coastal Nagapatinam SEVAI target village. Every house in Thidalveli boasts of a kitchen garden. However, with the change in lifestyle, native recipes have disappeared. Before everything is lost, the self help groups are attempting to bring back the lost legacy in tune with the present trend. Monsoon had supported their efforts to spread the green word. Women showed that biodiversity conservation begins in the kitchen. Each of them played the role of a seed bank, storing tens of varieties and spreading it across. Meeting people in such occasions has helped them develop new ideas and learn growing methods. Coming out of the house to take part in public functions was not easy earlier. The movement has sown the seeds of change even at the family level. Women are now key decision makers. A strong social relationship has developed among these women for a good cause. Vembu, the person who dreamt of such a start, has many more to be groomed. “Though we have developed a good reserve of seeds, fields have acted as banks. We now need to develop a small store for seeds, which would cater to those who are interested. An outlet for native produce may also boost the interest of farmers. We don't want to grow in number, but we want to strengthen ourselves. Being a local group, we want to respond to larger issues,” she says. The kitchen garden is a group-based activity where all the SHG members reap the rewards of this productive new enterprise working on plot preparation, sowing, weeding, watering, nurturing and harvesting the vegetables. The kitchen gardens are non-commercial enterprises where produce is shared equally between the group members that develop and maintain the garden. “We do not sell the surplus vegetables. This self-help group activity and all production from the kitchen garden are for the benefit of our group members,” Vembu clarified. People in the village have seen the tangible benefits of having kitchen gardens, most families have followed suit and developed their own vegetable gardens on varying scales. -Govin