womens education and economic development society
TRANSCRIPT
WOMEN’S EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SOCIETY
Address: No. 85, South Kamatchi Nagar,
Near Pattu Koot Road, Mangadu, Chennai-600 122.
Mobile: +91 9003052052, +91 9791118831
ANNUAL REPORT 2019-2020
WOMENS EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT SOCIETY
WOMEN’S EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SOCIETY
85, South Kamatchi Nagar
Near Pattu Koot Road, Mangadu, Chennai – 600122
Email ID: [email protected] Website:weedsngo.org
Contact: 9003052052, 9791118831
VISION
To remove discriminations and prejudices of every kind and to promote gender
equity based on human dignity, equality and fraternity through education,
organization and sustainable livelihood.
MISSION
WEEDS strives towards establishing a more just social order by removing the
present caste, class and gender exclusions prevailing in society by promoting an
enabling environment that would ensure the equity between women and men
and among the various social groups in the larger civil society by means of
universal principles of human right, encompassing children and women rights
through a process of participation in decision making.
WEEDS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS
1. Mrs. B. Karlin -President
2. Mrs. P. Anandalakshmi - VicePresident
3. Mrs. A. Helan Joyes -Secretary
4. Mrs. S. Pushpa - Asst.Secretary
5. Mrs. N. Synthiya -Treasurer
6. Mrs. K. Arulmozhi -Member
7. Mrs. A. Sathya –Member
FROM THE DESK OF SECRETARY
WEEDS over the past decades have established itself as an organization
committed towards welfare and empowerment of women, adolescent girls and
children. The organization has worked with multiple stakeholders: governmental
bodies, private sector, and other NGOs to create a platform and an
understanding towards this marginalized and voiceless section of the society.
This year too, reaching the most marginalized section of our society has been
our primary goal. In the process, we successfully touched many female lives
through our projects spread in Kundathur area.
Taking impetus from its previous work, WEEDS this year articulated and
highlighted issues of adolescent girls and women at higher level as well. The
presentation also included how its work on sensitization and working with local
governments and justice system led to greater impact.
WEEDS also understands that women and children sometime unwittingly
become part of corporate supply chains. To ensure opportunities of education,
health, nutrition, play and survival it was thus necessary to work with the private
sector. WEEDS therefore led consultations with the private sector bodies.
We thank all of our well wishers, donors and government officials for standing in
our side to reach the cause of WEEDS in this year.
Helan Joyce A
Secretary
OVERVIEW OF THE YEAR 2019-20
This year too WEEDS laid special emphasis on expansion of education amongst
women and children. Through its different projects, it stressed that education,
awareness and skill empowerment can play a significant role in empowering
women and in securing a rightful place for them in the society.
Besides education, empowerment of women was also attempted through the
activities of life-skill workshops, exposure visits, residential workshops, police
station visits, talent events, rallies, visits to primary health centres, awareness
generation on child rights and government services for children through various
media etc. Health camps and PHC visits were provided for their health
checkups and treatment of common diseases.
Activities of parents meeting, stakeholders meeting, and change-makers
training were organized to empower parents and other community members to
seek their involvement in the projects.
Micro finance is the most important component of the program and opening of
bank account is the first step towards bank linkages to access micro finance.
Regular contacts with bankers are maintained through attending their meetings
at district level and as well as block level apart from individual contacts. As a
result many groups have opened their account in bank.
As on March 2020 savings are more than Rs.11 cores. The savings of SHGs,
as on date, ranges between Rs.6,000/- to 8,00,000/- depending upon the age of
the SHGs. As on 31.03.2020 SHGs are managing their savings by meeting at a
regular interval monthly basis. Minimum contribution of members varies between
Rs 100/- to 500/-.
As per the reports, 90 % of SHGs are meeting regularly and attendance
reported is 95 % in the SHGs meetings. All SHGs are continuously undergoing the
capacity building sessions of different component. At this point of time more
than 78% of SHG‟s are trained in different subjects. All 6 month old SHGs have
been graded for linking with the banks for micro finance by the nationalized
banks and ICICI bank for the year 2019-20.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR 2019-2020
This Year more than 200 SHG‟s are formed through WEEDS in Chennai
Suburb, Kancheepuram and Thiruvallur.
Tailoring training program was started to train household women.
Sexual Harassment of women at workplace act, 2013 training program
was extended to new companies and its units. (Sun Pharma, Avon seals,
Whitehouse India, Masspro Pvt Ltd)
SHG leadership training program for SHG Animators conducted every
month.
SHG Women‟s were trained by central board for workers education
department.
Students from Karnataka central university did their internship during May
month and 45 UG Students from Madras school of Social Work College
have trained for 3 months as a part of their field work training.
World Women‟s day was celebrated on 11th of March and more than
1000 women participated.
ACTIVITIES OF THE YEAR
During the reporting period up to March 2020 the SHGs generated nearly Rs15
crore funds from various sources, e.g. Bank linkage, saving, interest from the inter
loan. SHG‟s are using this fund in the livelihood activities and to overcome the
financial crunch. This fund is giving them confidence of self and protect from
money lenders also.
FINANCIAL AND HEALTH RELATED CHANGE
The habit of saving has improved the quality of life of the SHG members
and their families because of the following activities:
Loan availing capacity increased
No more going to money lender for loans
Increase in the overall income of the household
Healthy community – Members provide
financial and moral support to each other
Members are more aware about family planning
Newfound awareness regarding menstrual hygiene
WOMEN EMPOWERMENT
Women of SHGs are moving towards a new era of Women
Empowerment. During SHGs meetings they not only practice saving and inter
loaning but also address issues related their personnel and social life. Now they
also participating in Gramasabhas and submitting proposals relating village
development. Toilet construction, Widow Pension, hand pumps repairing,
Community Hall construction, electricity connection, improvement in PHCs
services are the key issues in their proposals.
In the history of Panchayat Raj it happened that active and creative
women participants are ten times more in Gram Sabha in the project areas and
fight for their basic rights. These events also boosted them and encouraged
them to participate actively in Panchayat elections not only as a voter but also
as a candidate.
TRAINING FOR SKILL DEVELOPMENT
WEEDS has established Tailoring Training
Centre for the deserving girls and women in
Mangadu. During the reporting period 90 girls
had received tailoring skills training and
started their own business to achieve a
sustainable source of income and living
support. WEEDS aims to provide marketable
skills such as computer practice (MSOffice and the internet) to unemployed
women and youth so that they and their families can become self-reliant. During
the training of skill the beneficiaries are taught soft skills such as communication
and leadership qualities and interview techniques.
WOMEN’S RIGHTS AND EMPOWERMENT
PROGRAMME
A year long Programme to support women‟s
efforts to empower themselves was carried on
with the support of women‟s rights group. Brief
on the activities that took place.
Capacity Building: The trainings were organized in WEEDS office. Women Self
Help group members were trained. Some of the subjects covered were: i)
Concept of leadership and types of leadership ii) Qualities of a good leader
iii) Grass-root leadership) Teamwork and coalition v) Laws related to rights of
women vi) Socio-legal advocacy & counseling vii) Conflict Management viii)
Local group formation
ADVOCACY WORKSHOPS & MEETS:
Advocacy consisted of two different avenues: Advocacy Workshop and
Advocacy Meets. Altogether Advocacy Workshops were held, covering
hundreds of participants. The Advocacy Workshops were an amalgamation of
thoughts and ideas of government officials, journalists, members of civil society,
women leaders and village women.
These workshops raised the issue of rights of women and discussed the
laws related to land and property rights of women. The basic points that
emerged from the workshops are: 1) The laws related to land and property are
often complicated and difficult for poor people to comprehend, thus it is
essential to reach out the laws to the rural people in a simplified manner. And
for that awareness building is very much required. 2) It is essential to plug the
loopholes of violation of rights of women. Tools like Marriage Registration can
be such strong means of addressing such escape routes. 3) Social recognition
of women is important to ensure her rights and status in thefamily.
Once there is recognition of women as self, as an Individual, it becomes
easier to approach the families for recognition of the women folk.
HEALTH AWARENESS:
Health awareness programs are one of the strategies adopted by
WEEDS. The startling number of children falling sick owing to lack of adequate
nutrition and poor sanitation is rising every passing day. According to
government sources, in India 45 children die every hour due to respiratory
infections, one child dies every two minutes due to Diarrhea and annually about
2 million children less than 5 years of age die due to preventable diseases.
In spite of the presence of government medical care terminals in the
villages such as PHCs and sub-centers, a large chunk of the rural population still
refrain from visiting the doctors at regular intervals. The awareness programs
focus on preventive healthcare programmers through Information, Education
and Communication and Behavior Change Communication.
With no awareness on cancer or access to proper health care facilities,
the ultra- poor do not have the privilege of preventive health care. This means
that many a time cancer is not diagnosed on time. Due to such unexpected
health shocks, they cannot afford any long term illness. This has a direct effect
on their earning capacity and health care expenses. Hence health awareness
programs are given importance by WEEDS.
Awareness on Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace
(Prevention, Prohibition & Redressal) Act, 2013
The Act seeks to provide a secure and enabling environment for women
employees, including domestic workers, against sexual harassment at the
workplace. The Act makes it mandatory for all workplaces, including homes,
universities, hospitals, government and non- government offices, factories, other
formal and informal work places to constitute an internal committee for
redressed of complaints. WEEDS conducted Awareness training on sexual
harassment of women at workplace for the betterment of women working in
more than 30 companies for the last 5 years and trained more than 5000 women
workers. The trainings were conducted by using power point presentation, In all
the companies Internal complaints committees were formed and trainings were
given to the members once in two months to handle the issues related to sexual
harassment. Because of this the workplace complaints have come down when
come pared to previous years.
STUDENTS FIELD WORK TRAINING PROGRAM
Students of 2nd Year BSW from Madras school of Social Work College trained for
3 months in mangadu area. Students involved in many activities by giving
awareness among People about Various issues. Students performed Dramas,
skit, Women Parliament program, Discussions, Health awareness etc to reach
people.
ENVIRONMENT PROGRAM
Frooti beverages located at kancheepuam
organized a program which aims to conserve
environment. Frooti Beverages invited WEEDS
secretary Mrs.Helan Joyes to plant samplings.
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
International women‟s day was celebrated by WEEDS on March 11-03-
2020 with the women self-help members at Mangadu in a Private hall. More
than 1000 women took part in the event. Like every year, this year too, WEEDS
organized several events on that day in Mangadu to celebrate Women‟s Day.
Mrs.Dr.Jayanthi Honorable judge of Madras High court and Dr.Raja Samuel
Principal of Madras school of social work were attended as chief guest.
Mr.Punitha Pandian was awarded “Sumathi-Thenmozhi best Humanitarian
service award”. Madras school of social work UG social work students
participated in events along with SHG women programs. In keeping with the UN
theme for 2020: Pledge for Parity, WEEDS has a sub-theme- „Parity in Food,
Nutrition and Health‟. It is now a well- known notion that „women at home are
the last ones to take food‟, thus missing out in quantum of food, nutrition and
eventually on health. We had day-long activities aimed at spending the day
creatively like discussions, dance, drama and pattimandram. The self-help
group‟s products were exhibited for sale.
Hearty thanks to one and all that were in our side in 2019-20, especially donors,
banks, government officials, and our beloved beneficiaries
WOMEN’S EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SOCIETY
85, South Kamatchi Nagar
Near Pattu Koot Road, Mangadu, Chennai – 600122
Email ID: [email protected] Website:weedsngo.org
Contact: 9003052052, 9791118831