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| A fishing net changed his life |
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 Challamcherla Thirupathaiah and his wife Lakshmamma, belonging to a tribal community, and are living in a small thatched hut in Parvathipuram village, Prakasam District, Andhra Pradesh. By tradition they are earning their livelihood by fishing in canals nearby the sea using angler hooks, which can catch only one fish at a time. Since they don not have proper fishing nets they cannot get large catchment of fish and do without enough food most of their days.
While conducting a survey in this village, CERDS learnt of this family struggling hard with lack of proper livelihood source. After getting information of this family, CERDS staff met them and enquired solutions for improving their livelihood conditions. As per their suggestion and requirement, CERDS extended support by providing a nylon multifilament throw fishing net, which can trap large numbers of fish at once.
Thirupathaiah & his family are able to increase the number of fish they catch and can able to meet their basic needs. They have improved their earnings and in turn enhanced their living standards. Thus, the small net helped them to improve their livelihood conditions and brought changes in his economic condition. |
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| Sanitary toilet …… Way to protect dignity of disabled |
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 Thirupathamma, 11 years old, is a physically disabled belonging to a poor tribal family in Murikipudi village of Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh. By birth she was paralyzed. Her parents are agricultural labourers and spent much of their time to take care of their child. Due to lack of sanitary toilet facility, Thirupathamma was to be carried physically to open places outside the village and during emergency, household premises were used for natural calls, which causes embarrassment to neighbors and unhygienic conditions. Thirupathamma herself also used to feel guilty.
When it came to notice by a media representative, CERDS staff went her home and observed her problems and her parents’ economical conditions. After confirming that she is living in very horrible conditions, CERDS has decided to construct a suitable toilet in their house premises to relieve her from dependency on other. CERDS supplied all required material and manpower and monitored the work. Haines Ramsay family had sponsored this.
Now, Thirupathamma is not dependant on anyone as the sanitary toilet is easily accessible. Her parents feels happy as they need not spend much of their time in taking care of their child. This facility not only benefits Thirupathamma, it also helps other family members keep the surroundings in hygienic conditions. |
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| Children in school give happiness to community |
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 Narravaripalem is one of the most remote villages in Guntur district. The families living in this village were backward classes and depend upon agricultural labor works, which would be normally 4 months in a year. In those families, 75% were living under below poverty line, which results 15% to 20% children drop-out rating had been recorded every year.
When CERDS staff went to village for study purpose, the teachers and village elders explained the substandard conditions, which were prevailed in the village and the drop-out rating of the school children. After that, CERDS has organized a meeting with parents and community elders and got their suggestions to increase the educational standards of the children in the school. On their one of requests, CERDS has distributed a pair of Uniforms, Bags, and study material for all the children in the school.
With effect of the above activity, the school going children rate has slowly increased. The uniforms and bags given by CERDS attracted the children, who are eligible to enroll for primary education and made them to enroll in school. Out of 18 drop-outs, 11 were readmitted in school. All these positive changes created happiness among the teachers and village elders. Parents get confidence and hope on their children’s bright future. CERDS is very happy for involving in creating happiness in the community. |
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| Initiation of Community Water Facility |
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 Tenkayachetlapalem is one of the small hamlets located in the coastal part of Prakasam District. All families in the village are fishermen and living under below poverty-line. As it is a small community and Desert Island no one government official and elected representative come and hear their words. Though, they have lot of problems, lack of water facility was became a major hurdle to all the families, since they had to go long distance for fetching of water. Women and children used to consume most of their time in water collection, which effected on children’s education and women’s earnings.
When CERDS went to that village on a study purpose, it noticed the problem and on the request of all families, it supplied bore well material to install a new well in the community. With the guidance of village elders, all families get together installed a new bore well at an accessible place to all families.
Water facility is available to all the families at very accessible place. Women and children became free from the burden of collection of water from distance place. They can have some time to spend on their own activities. Using the children in collection of water is not being seen in the community at all. |
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| Enabling the Adolescent Girl child to become self reliant |
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 60% of the girl adolescents in the area of Mangalagunta, Markapur Mandal in Prakasam District, one of target rural area of CERDS, are in poorer families. Most of them are illiterate and drop-out children. So, labor and manual work was the only kind of employment they could have found. These adolescents were working as labor force in the agricultural fields without proper remuneration and safety measures. Though, many adolescents are interested to take training on any one of job-oriented skill, it was very difficult to them to spend amount for training in their conditions.
CERDS started a skill training centre at Mangalagunta with 20 rural girl adolescents, who came forward to get it interestingly. They were trained on Tailoring and embroidery course for 3 months. In the training period, they were provided some small stipend and learning material. After successful completion of training programme, two among the trainee adolescents were provided sewing machines with primary tools by CERDS by bearing 75% of the total unit cost.
The training provided an opportunity for the adolescents who are working as labor force to turn as productive work force and enhances the livelihood promotion in the region. Out of the trained twenty girl adolescents, nine started earnings on tailoring job and getting sustainable income than what they are earning before. With this, the economical condition of their families is also increased. |
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| Women run a family by having livelihood |
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 Hanumayamma is a rural woman, who has two male children. She lost her husband, who was died from HIV/AIDS, two years ago. Hence, she is living at her parents along with her two children. Owning of two acres of dry land, she gets around Rs.15 000/- per annum, which could not be sufficient to support her family to lead their normal life and send her children to school.
One day, she met CERDS staff along with their SHG leader and asked support to have any one kind of livelihood unit. Soon after, CERDS staff went her village and got all the details of her family from villagers. They saw their living conditions and confirmed that she has been living in vulnerable conditions. Then CERDS organized a group meeting with her SHG members and asked their suggestions to improve her family conditions. Based on their requests and Hanumayamma interest, CERDS supported her to have a milch animal unit.
She is gaining Rs. 2,500 additional income per month from the unit and their income is doubled compare with previous. Now, she can be concentrating on their children health and education and plans to save something for future needs. Group members are expressing happiness for showing her a sustainable livelihood source. CERDS is very happy for being a part to create new hopes in a disadvantaged woman headed family. |
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| Started another journey with new hopes |
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 Rajeswari, 13years, was born with HIV/AIDS. Her father died 13 years ago because of HIV/AIDS and mother was also infected. Rajeswari and her mother have been living with her grandfather and leading life with their meager income. Because of HIV/AIDS, both have health issues and their immune system is gradually deteriorating.
CERDS identified this family with the support of local volunteers, and as was resolved, it would provide basic nutrition items like Milk powder, Raagi Malt powder, Wheat Ravva, Redgram dal, Eggs tray to them at their home every month for 4 months to resolve their nutrition deficiency and to improve their life span. Andhra Pradesh Aids Control Society (APSACS) with the support of National Aids Control Society (NACO) followed by the Guidelines of WHO provides free medicines to beneficiaries.
Since after taking nutrition food and ART medicines, health condition of both Rajeswari and her mother have improved. Rajeswari is now attending school regularly and is improving her academic skills gradually. Her mother is also able to attend labour work. Thus, the sponsor support helped a vulnerable family to start another journey with new hope. |
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