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PEOPLE’S ORGANIZATIONS
MMSSS animates Women, Men and Youth as Organizations and enhances their capacities to emerge and enact as vibrant members of the civil society by addressing economic and social issues pertaining to their life and livelihood. MMSSS collaborates with government and non-government sections to hand with the target communities.
WOMEN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
The MMSSS has been working in Kodaikanal hill region since 1982. In 1999 an environmental project was started in Melmalai. Under this project well drilling, organic manure, irrigation and tree plantation were given focus. In 2002, the project gave importance to small farmers in Keelmalai. Three credit unions were started. Each credit union consisted of ten villages. The thatched houses were changed into tin sheet houses with the contribution from the credit union, MMSSS and the local people. The credit union is functioning in Batlagundu and Theni as well.
Mahalir Mandrams
Self help groups are formed for the welfare of women. Women’s associations aim at social, economic and skill development of women. The working area of the project is Madurai west, Melur and Kottampatti. The activities that are carried out under the project are group formation, credit linkage and skill training.
NEW THRUST PROGRAM
New Thrust program promotes the perspectives of promoting community owned, managed, vibrant, autonomous, rights based and economic empowerment. To achieve the desired end, the communities are coordinated and federated as Small and Marginal Farmers Federations and Women Federations at union and district levels. These federations are linked with the State level federation Tamil Nadu Women Federation and Tamil Nadu Small and Marginal Farmers Federation.
HIV/AIDS CARE & SUPPORT
MMSSS has been working with the People Living with HIV/AIDS by enhancing their quality of life and creating awareness among the General Community to reduce Stigma and Discrimination.
CHILD RIGHTS AND CHILD EDUCATION CENTRES
Child Rights Program by MMSSS has been a pioneering effort in Virudhunagar District since 1988 through its eradication of Child Labor program and Promotion of Child Rights program with strategic community based approaches. The Child Labor Special Schools formerly known as NCLP and now as INDUS Special Schools have been mainstreaming hundreds of Child Laborers from vulnerable situations to avail the rights for education.
These centers pay attention to children’s education and make them aware of the child rights. The children were also given opportunities to bring out their talents and were motivated to take up the habit of savings. The children in the child rights and child education centers were formed into several sub-committees, in view of training their physical and mental capacities to make future leaders. Functioning in groups has helped them develop their knowledge and skills. The dedicated volunteers trained by MMSSS have also affected remarkable changes in the attitude of the children on issue of child labour. The children were rightly motivated and they were taken for exposure to various historical and tourist centres by the volunteers and the staff. The volunteers are also committed in educating the drop-outs and child labour for long hours. The performance of the volunteers was appreciated very much by the local panchayat and village leaders.
KOLPING
Kolping program supports the poor and marginalized women and men by providing necessary skills for enhancing the economic status through initiation of Savings/Credit programs and income generation programs. There are 42 such groups across the four districts. The program also provides hostel facilities for working women from target areas. The program also provides opportunity for learning Computer Skills through Kolping Computer Center.
Madurai Kolping India was established in 1988 and it is functioning in six vicariates of Madurai Archdiocese. At present we have 40 kolping families with 745 active members. 17 Kolping Trusts are functioning and economically progressing well.
Our Kolping Computer Center was inaugurated on 26-01-06 by Mr.Hubert Tintilott, General Secretary of the International Kolping Society, Germany. Most Rev.Dr.Peter Fernando, Archbishop of Madurai blessed the Centre. It is a boon to our Diocesan youth and benefits them to get trained for employment.
It also trains the target group people (Beneficiaries) and equip them to face the world confidently. The Centre has Trained 530 students out of which 184 male, 320 female and 26 children and its tireless knowledge dissemination continues. Out of the total 320 women candidates 46 were beneficiaries of Mahalir Thittam project.
Activities of the Kolping Families
- House visits to all its members’ families
- Providing spiritual assistance and encouragement to the kolping families.
- Attending all the functions of the members of the kolping families
- Providing assistance in the form of food and other articles to Orphanages and Old age Homes
- Arranging for observance of special prayers in the churches on the memorial day of Adolph Kolping.
- Identifying the issues of the localities (such as road, hand pumps, toilets) and addressing the same to appropriate authorities.
Income Generating Activities
31 kolping families have been assisted under IGP to the tune of Rs.6,92,000/- and they carry out economic activities such as Petty shops, Firewood Shops, Foot wear Units, Phenyl making, Rice selling, Textiles, Sewing machines, Readymade dress making, Covering rings making, Beads Garland making, Vegetable vending, Flour making, Idly shop, Tea shop etc.
Milch Animal Loan
For the year 2006, 12 Kolping members have been assisted for purchase of Milch Animals. They all have paid back their loans. They are getting good return from their occupations.
Housing Scheme
“Home for Homeless” is the aim of this program. With the generous support of our Augusberg Kolping Brothers and Sisters, we have received a sum of Rs.2,80,000/- for 28 houses in the year 2005 .
NON-FORMAL TECHNICAL TRAINING CENTRE
The Pon Idayam Industrial School was started in the year 2004 near Aruppukottai in Virudhunagar district for School dropout boys and girls from the age between 14 to 19 for providing non formal technical education in Diesel Mechanic, Lathe and Welding, Two and Four Wheeler Mechanic, Cutting and Tailoring and Office Secretarial ship courses. It is a residential program for 60 boys and 40 girls with boarding and lodging facilities. The program provides Life Skills Education along with technical skills and job placement services.
CHILDREN RECEPTION HOME
The Children’s Reception Home was originally started as an Observation Home for abandoned and runaway children, children in conflict and children in vulnerable conditions aging from 7 to 18 and now serving as Reception Home providing friendly and safety environment for the vulnerable children and they are referred to other care homes or reinstated with their family considering their family environment. This project is implemented with the assistance from Social Defense Department under Juvenile Justice Act, 2000. Every year at least 250 children benefit from this program.
DOMESTIC SERVICE PROJECT
The program supports destitute women, widows, single women and women in conflicts from very poor and vulnerable backgrounds by providing consolation, comfort, and nurturing alternate employment opportunities and skills that assure safety and security. There are 450 such members now organized under ‘Manushi’ a trade union for domestic workers.
SRI LANKAN REFUGEE PROGRAMME
The Sri Lankan Refugee program reaches out 10 refugee camps in two districts of Virudhunagar and Madurai. The program is about providing emergency relief support services for safe and dignified lives of Refugees in the camps. Efforts are also made with the camp dwellers to enhance the opportunities for sustainable livelihood to nurture and sustain Psycho Social wellbeing through Life Skills Education.
SAVINGS AND CREDIT PROGRAMS
The society has a unit which promotes small savings scheme and this of the people, by the people and for the people and hence known as Multipurpose Association for People’s Savings (MAPS). Totally 11.318 members subscribed the amount of Rs.4,78,266.00 and lending and repayment within the group members running successfully. 20 credit unions have been formed for the economical development of federations.
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