About us

What began in the late 1980's as a movement by a small group of young women inspired by the spirit of the Gandhian Boodan Movement of the 60’s evolved in to the official formation of "WORD - Women's organisation for rural development" in the year 1991. The oppressive conditions with the prevalence of highly discriminated groups and cruel practices perpetrated against the female gender were the most motivational factors. Female infanticide, foeticide and dowry in the villages and the suburban areas are just some examples for fatal grievances in the district of Namakkal.

The appalling plight of the most marginalized community , the dalits, and other deprived sections, together with the rising degradation and depletion of the natural livelihood resources but also the declining transmission of HIV/AIDS in all our villages had to be addressed.

The executive body of WORD consists of six women and one man and the general body is composed of 14 women and one man. In the recent year twice as many women as men worked full-time. In addition we had 32 volunteers in our organisation with a clear majority being women.

Over the years we worked together with national organisations as well as international partners from all over the world as you can see in the navigation bar “Partners”. We are always looking for cooperations to realise new projects. Join our movement and engage now.

Vision

Our Vision is to attain an equitable social order without discrimination on the basis of gender, caste, religious faith and class which is also in harmony with nature.

Strategy

We believe in Participatory Community Development. Projects are constructed in a sustainable way. Our aim is to not only give financial aid but to enable them to make the first step into an independent life. Thus the women are empowered and a system of mutual support is created. As a result a whole community of women and marginalized people can benefit.

Mission

Providing education support for underprivileged children
Empowerment of Women for Gender Equity
Facilitating towards Socio-Economic-Empowerment.
Emancipating Women and Girl Children of from Traditional Cultural Clutches and Atrocities.
Equipping women with Vocational Leadership and Entrepreneurial Skills towards achieving the Vital Economic Independence.
Making effective use of the organized collective strength and Economic Empowerment of Rural Women towards removing the traditional cultural shackles, especially the cruel practice of Female Infanticide / Feticide highly prevalent in our operational areas.
Organizing Women in to Self Help Groups & Federation and Credit linkages with financial institutions.
Construction of Community Toilets
Construction of Drainage Systems
Construction of Individual Toilets in the Rural House Hold
HIV/AIDS Prevention
promoting organic farming among small and marginal women farmers towards sustained farming.

Accomplishments so far

Formation of 311 functional Self-Help Groups & 3 block and 1 district level women federations
Eco-Clubs formed in 153 school & National Green Cadets formed in 204 schools
1000 toilets have been constructed in 16 Panchayats
5 community toilets constructed
405 landless Dalit families have been facilitated to acquire 132.65 acres of land
1522 Female Commercial Sex Workers were identified and given care & support
255 children with HIV/AIDS are taken care of with Health Care & Nutritional Food
The poor rural women have been enabled to acquire Rs. 50 Lakhs ($ 125,000) as a credit through bank linkages for IGP activities
Two seed banks have been created to conserve traditional varieties of seeds
500 Kitchen Herbal Gardens have been established in the rural households
31 destitute senior citizens are provide with complete care & support
15 bore wells have been installed in 15 villages of 3 various panchayats in Kablilarmalai Union with the financial assistance of “CAPART” and “Water for Humanitarian Fund”, USA
With the magnanimous assistance by “Zero-Kap” 150 dalit women are going to get economic assistance to uplift their economic standard of life through various Income Generation Activities
U.K. based agency “Jeevika Trust” is giving financial assistance to WORD organization to empower dalit women’s rights. This program is implemented in 5 dalit villages of Thidumal Panchayats, Kabilarmalai Union.

Health

Promotion of Traditional Medicines as Effective Low Cost remedies for common ailments
Establishment of Kitchen Herbal Gardens in rural households
Campaign on Toxic free Naturopathy
Promotion of Medicinal plant cultivation among tribal communities in Kolli Hills for Income Generation
Reproductive Healthcare for women
Persistent Campaign on the importance of breast feeding
Mobile Health Camps in villages
Generating awareness on HIV prevention among female sex workers
Clinical care of female sex workers
Creation of alternative livelihood options for commercial sex workers
Psychological Counseling
Educational aid for children of HIV positive parents
Care & support for infected children
Facilitation on collective right based activities for PLHAs

Social

Facilitation towards assertion of land owning rights of dalit communities
Imparting vocational skills for dalit women to break free from oppressive farm labour
Sensitization on Legal Rights
Old age home at Gandhi Nagar, S.K. Mettur
Creche for poor children at S.K.Mettur
Saving abandoned babies and facilitation for adoption

Environment

Promoting organic farming practices among marginal and small farmers as a form of sustainable livelihood
Establishing Eco-Clubs in the rural school as part of inculcating the sense of Environment Conservation in the young minds
Establishment of seed banks for the protection of the genetic stock of traditional seed varieties
Promotion of vermi compost, tree planting, backyard poultry with country fowls for biodiversity & income generation
Campaign on protection of farm animals & promoting vegetarianism
Construction of community toilets
Construction of drainage systems
Construction of individual toilets in the rural households

Economic

Vocational Skill Trainings & Resourcing for persons cured of leprosy
Micro-Credits for women to help them starting their own business