1. Wider and advanced awareness building for environment protection;
2. Afforestation in a massive scale;
3. Awareness building in organic farming – bio technology in agriculture;
4. Awareness building in Integrated Pest Management;
5. Wider promotion of Vermicomposting;
6. Capacity building trainings for SHGs/VOs;
7. More skill development for the women;
8. Value addition to local agro products;
9. Wider expansion of organic agriculture,
10. Meat and milk production in a massive scale to ensure livelihood and counter migration, 
11. Market linkage development through network of SHGs within   the state and      other states;
12. Wider expansion and resource mobilization;

Economics, cultural bias and gender discrimination often exclude girls from educational opportunities in the developing world. Yet, it is widely acknowledged that educating girls is the most powerful and effective way to address global poverty—and the single best investment one can make. 

More than 180 national governments have pledged to achieve gender equality in education by 2015—with special focus on ensuring girls’ full and equal access to, and achievement in high quality, basic education (UNESCO, 2000).

When girls learn, their families, communities and societies all benefit. Educating girls is directly linked to positive outcomes, including: 

• Lower infant mortality rates
• Increased eventual wages
• Increased likelihood of educating the next generation
• Improved family health
• Success in combating the spread of HIV/AIDS and other preventable diseases
• Improvement of general economic development 

Despite these known benefits, girls are less likely than boys to attend school; and those girls fortunate enough to enroll are likely to drop out when transitioning from primary to secondary school.

Read more…

GIRLS EDUCATION CLICK HERE

ROOM TO READ PROJECT CLICK HERE

Community Based Rehabilitation of the disabled and the elderly people:

During development interventions in the villages, we came across the pathetic situations of the old, physically and mentally handicapped of the villages.  Being unproductive, these groups are considered as unwanted elements, discriminated and rejected, even by the family members.  Often they are teased, scolded and addressed  by their physical disabilities. Superstitions regarding cause of disabilities add fuel to the fire.  RDS organized Self Help Groups of PwDs in Wanaparthy and Pangal Mandals and conducted a good number of awareness camps on the subject.  As a result there are visible attitudinal changes among the public towards the PwDs.  Now RDS is concentrating on promoting network of these SHGs  and other CBOs at various levels, for wider solidarity, unity and united action.

HIV/AIDS :

RDS is collaborating with other institutions and organizations in promoting awareness on HIV/AIDS.  We conducted a survey in Wanaparthy Mandal and found that there are more than 100 HIV positive victims in the mandal.  The alarming number of positive cases in the mandal forced RDS to organize wider awareness programs  in more mandals. Now we are conducting awareness programmes on HIV/AIDS among the slum dwellers dhabas in highways etc. in Pebbair, Kothakota and Wanaparthy mandals.

Child Labour Programme:

Due to continuous drought in Mahabubnagar since more than 10 years, a good number of small and marginal farmers and agriculture labourers forced to migrate to cities in and out of state in search of employment. 

This situation affected mainly children and in order to support the family they are employed the agriculture fields, hotels, industries and as domestic servants or turned to rag picking/begging by discontinuing the studies.Migration mostly affected the lives of Buduga Jangal community in Wanaparthy mandal. They are conducting a nomadic type of living in a most unhygienic situation, living in make shift tents, having no safe drinking water facility or proper food to eat. 

Most of the huts where Rural Development Society (RDS) team has visited and found that 90% of the children are not enrolled in schools due to unemployment and poverty, their parents are not very much keen to sent them to schools. Groups and groups of children in the age of schooling are involved in rag picking, begging or playing in front of their huts. They don’t have even proper clothing or elders to take care.

RDS conducted a survey in the villages and found that a good number of children (more than 600) are either never enrolled or school dropouts in Wanaparthy mandal. After taking the survey RDS approached DPEP/SSA, Mahabubnagar for starting RBC centre for this children and go to sanction for an RBC with strength of 50 children for running the centre, RDS rented a function hall which can be easily accommodated 250 members.

 All the local government officials, peoples representatives and the general public supported RDS for the smooth running of the RBC centre. Health department and private medical practitioners has taken care of the health needs of the children. Some Good Samaritans came forward to donate uniforms to the RBC children.  

Apart from the literacy improvement, mental and physical developments of the children where also taken care of. It was mandatory to practice yoga in the centre with the guidance of experts and cultural activities and sports also got its importance in the centre. Our children performed cultural activities during Independence Day and Republic Day celebrations at RDO’s office, Wanaparthy by competing the private school children and won prizes and appreciation from the public.

In the month of June 2005 the entire 50 children enrolled in regular school as per the performance in the qualifying examination. 4 girl children got admission in Girls Residential School at Gattu. All the other children except 9 ST girl children all the 41 students got hostel seats and those 9children got accommodation in the RBC centre itself. In the month of July 2005, the second batch of students joined the RBC school and they are already enrolled in regular school as per the performance in the qualifying examination. All the 50 children were enrolled in school and application is already given to the concerned hostel wardens for hostel seats.

Mission For Elimination Of Poverty In Municipal Areas  (MEPMA)- disability Programme:

We are currently working with the government of Andhra Pradesh in Mission For Elimination Of Poverty In Municipal Areas  (MEPMA)- disability Programme. We areidentifying and mobilising of disability persons into SHGs at poor settlement level.For this purpose,RDS is led by a dedicated volunteer Board of Directors, as well as a Professional Advisory Board that is made up of area physicians and professionals.

The current programme has been in progress since September 2008, and has effectively resulted in forming 28 Self Help Group (SHG) and mentally retarded parents groups. We were able to provide helping aids to the physically handicapped and train and bus reduction passes. The programme is currently in operation and we are in front of schedule.  

Promotion of vermiculture:

Green Revolution enhanced the food security of India in one hand and accelerated  the degradation of soil fertility and environment in other hand. In other words the green revolution concentrated on producing sufficient food for the people but did not give adequate thought on environmental problems. Degraded soil fertility, spiralling cost of agro chemicals, over dependency on agrochemicals, depleting ground water level, evading monsoon and various other small and large issues have driven the farmers to mounting debts and suicide trends. On the other hand there are various adoptable bio- technologies which are cost effective and without high technicalities, but are unknown to the rural small and marginal farmers. Very often they do not have access to such information. Vermiculture is one such technology. RDS during the last many years of its existence, have given priority to these type of technologies, and taken all efforts to impart them to the farmers.

During the last couple of years, RDS mobilized donations from kind-hearted people of the district and other areas, to develop demonstration units of vermiculture. Subsequently RDS conducted various training programs and exposure visits for interested farmers, especially women, with an aim of wider promotion of vermicomposting. Those who did not have own capital to procure worms and construct simple sheds, RDS had provided working capital, refundable in kind – worms. A number of small and marginal farmers, especially women,  have taken up vermicomposting and are benefiting from the same. For some landless women vermicomposting is a livelihood.

Integrated Pest Management:

Due to the adverse climatic conditions, agriculture became non profitable and a gamble.  About 80% of the agriculture in Mahabubnagar District is depending on monsoon, which is always failing to appear in time, causing heavy loses to the farmers.  In addition to the failure of monsoon, the spiralling cost of agrochemicals, on which heavy over dependency prevails, lead the farmers to unbearable debt traps.  In this situation RDS took the initiative to train the farmers in natural pest management methods and depending on organic fertilizers which rejuvenate mother earth and which involves no heavy financial inputs.  In addition to the natural pest management practices, RDS is also conducting awareness programs on bio pest control measures.

Afforestation:

Due to the unmindful dependency on forests and injudicious environmental practices contributed the evolvement of degraded forests, denuded hillocks, disappearing greenery !!! The young and the old equally should be aware of the environment problems and have responsibility to maintain an ecologically balanced environment. The future generation and the young, more apt to understanding and changes, need to be motivated and mobilized to develop and protect the environment. In order to motivate and involve the younger generation to evolve an eco friendly environment in the area, RDS had conducted various workshops, camps, campaigns, competitions and awareness building cultural programs for the school children in the operational area. The motivated school children and farmers have taken afforestation program in their respective school! campus and their own houses in the villages. RDS raised forestry nurseries and supplied seedlings free of cost. A good number of those seedlings planted are growing healthy along with the developing mind of the children who planted and protect them. 
Apart from the literacy improvement, mental and physical developments of the children where also taken care of. It was mandatory to practice yoga in the centre with the guidance of experts and cultural activities and sports also got its importance in the centre. Our children performed cultural activities during Independence Day and Republic Day celebrations at RDO’s office, Wanaparthy by competing the private school children and won prizes and appreciation from the public.

In the month of June 2005 the entire 50 children enrolled in regular school as per the performance in the qualifying examination. 4 girl children got admission in Girls Residential School at Gattu. All the other children except 9 ST girl children all the 41 students got hostel seats and those 9children got accommodation in the RBC centre itself. 

In the month of July 2005, the second batch of students joined the RBC school and they are already enrolled in regular school as per the performance in the qualifying examination. All the 50 children were enrolled in school and application is already given to the concerned hostel wardens for hostel seats.

ANIMAL HUSBANDRY

Agriculture is a gambling in the hands of monsoon which always tilted negatively to the farmers. In addition to the unfavourable climatical conditions, unaffordable input cost  poor productivity due to excess use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, low quality of produce and marketing problems along with middleman menace deprived the licit opportunity for a minimum livelihood of an average farmer, forced them to migrate to other part of the country in search of a livelihood by leaving  the agriculture land barren. In this juncture, RDS encouraged them to start animal husbandry as an alternative and helped them to avail loans from financial institutions to purchase animals. Apart from this, RDS organized sanghams of shepherds in almost all the villages of Wanaparthy and Nagarkurnool  divisions and a few villages of Narayanpeta division of Mahabubnagar district. 

Even the small and marginal farmers were encouraged to rear sheep immediately after the Khariff season , i.e.  from  October- November to June- July. An average of Rs.15,000/- to Rs.20,000/- of profit they could earn from an average herd of 25 sheep within 8 to 9 months. Most of the farmers used to sell their animals in the marriage season because of the high demand of mutton in that season. This income from the sheep rearing is more than that of the income from a relatively good crop  to a small and marginal farmer in  a year. A few number of farmers who have little water source, cultivated green fodder and could rear more number of ram and harvested very good returns than agriculture by using the same quantity of water and with  relatively less labour. Insurance is  done to the animals to cover the unexpected  loses  due to diseases, calamities etc.

Dairy program was also encouraged and RDS’ laisoning with the veterinary department helped the farmers to avail  veterinary service like insemination, de worming, fodder development etc. without any difficulty.

WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT :

The senior personnel of RDS has rich experience in soil and water conservation works, having enhanced awareness and capacity of the rural mass and mobilized and motivated them to take up water and soil conservation measures in the most drought affected regions of the state. Although the terminology of watershed development emerged at a later stage, the senior personnel of RDS were engaged in the above mentioned activities while working with other reputed NGOs in the state.  Marginal and small farmers were mobilized and motivated to take up water conservation works in their fields such as :

• Contour bunds
• Stone bunds
• Bund plantations
• Boundary plantations
• Afforestation
• Contour ploughing
• Staggered  pits for rain water harvesting
• Terracing and saucering, etc.

During 1995and there after when State government launched water shed development  programs and APRLP  in the state, majority of the present staff were actively involved in implementation of watershed development programs.  We were instrumental in facilitating some of the District level Best Watersheds of the period, while working with a reputed voluntary organization in the District.  Later on we were among the resource persons team for capacity building in watershed dev elopement, both for committee members, project implementing agencies  and facilitators etc. along with capacity building in livelihood development.

In order to counter socio, economic, political and environmental adversaries, RDS found it most necessary to organize the unorganized, especially the deprived, the women,  in the rural  areas.  By mobilizing the people and leaving them astray will not serve the very purpose of  community organization.  They need to be imparted with adequate awareness on the prevailing social, economic, political and environmental situations which are lagging them from development and sustainability.  They have to enabled to actively and consciously participate in integrated development of themselves and the community they live in.  Their capacity to manage their own affairs need to be enhanced.  Having understood these important aspects, RDS facilitated many a number of Capacity Strengthening trainings to women, leaders, opinion makers, youth, farmers, etc.  the most under privileged of the society.  In broad the capacity strengthening efforts concentrated on the following subjects :

• General, social, political, economic and environmental situations in the immediate vicinity they live in;
• Strength of unity and united action;
• Situation analysis and crisis management;
• Leadership quality development;
• Self Help & Mutual help groups – need, functioning methodology, etc.;
• Networking and federations;
• Management skills;
• Panchayat Raj and other local government bodies & system of functioning;
• Role of the deprived, especially the women, in the society and development;
• Rights, duties and laws pertaining to reservation and women;
• Thrift and Credit and micro financing;
• Book keeping and simple accountancy;
• Liasoning and resource mobilization and management;
• Micro enterprises and skill development for livelihood;
• Cooperative production and marketing;
• CBO network and direct marketing through exchange of commodities;
• Environment protection and conservation;
• Literacy promotion;
• Rural health, preventive and curative measures.

In addition to strengthening the capacity of the scattered groups in various locations and levels, it is vital to create linkages and network at all levels to achieve the goal of sustainable development by enabling the unorganized poor to utilize the resources in an equitable and just manner, without any caste, creed and gender disparities.  Only through united and planned actions, the poor are able to extract their share of resources to have a dignified livelihood. RDS is continuously engaged in capacity strengthening of the deprived in a step by step process and in accordance with the need of the hour.

Community Mobilisation for RRR Programme:

RDS is having a very good team of staff members for community mobilization to achieve the peoples participation in all the development activities. For the successful implementation of the irrigation tank development program, RDS conducted PRA programmes and several training programmes and organised shramadhan activities.

Our involvement in this field was to organize, mobilize, motivate and facilitate community participation in tank renovation, restoration and repair leading to owning up the total task of all these activities.  Constant interaction and motivation generated rejuvenated vigour among the marginal and small farmers to take up the task of preservation and development of water sources and effective and diligent management of water. The RRR program was not just confined to the three R but further extended to diligent management of water through economic utilization and appropriate crop patterning.

VALUE ADDITION TO AGRO PRODUCTS:

In order to support the farmers and women groups, with the help of Home Science College of Acharya N.G.Ranga Agricultural University, Hyderabad, RDS imparted training to women groups on dehulling of sorghum and making snacks and bakery items. After the training RDS supported them to sell it in the exhibitions at NIRD, WASSAN Hyderabad etc. and helped them to find some markets. A woman can earn an average of Rs.75/- to Rs.100/- daily to support her poor family so that the education of children and  rural unemployment can be solved certain extent. It’s a very good income generation programme for women and farmers will also get more remuneration for their jowar if they sell it to women group who are involved in this programme