Salem Social Service Society Sustainable Development Goal

Aim

"Enhancing Employability and Credit support to Women in distress for ensuring secured livelihood with dignity"

Target Area:

Fifty villages from Five Union Blocks of Salem and Namakkal Districts.

The project objectives:

1. To free the young women / girls from bondage of work contracts.
2. To prevent High - risk Behaviours and new infection of HIV/AIDS.
3. To enhance employability and vocational skills of women
4. To help women improve their standard of living

ACTIVITIES AND RESULTS:

ACTIVITIES	RESULTS
1. Stakeholders Annual Planning Meeting	25 members participated in the stakeholders meeting and discussed issues pertinent to mill workers.
2. Training and Orientation to staff	The project staffs were given input on social issues such as child labour, female infanticide.
3. Staff Exposure Programme	The exposure program helped the staff build good rapport with the target beneficiaries.
4. Base-line study using scientific sample survey - 20 villages	Baseline survey was carried out with 500 mill workers to collect information on socio, economic and health aspects of the target community.
5. Identification and Analysis of suitable Entrepreneurship Development Program using PRA tools.	PRA was conducted in 50 target villages to identify micro-enterprises suitable to the geographical area. Based on this analysis, SHGs were given trade specific trainings and were helped to select trades suitable to them.
6. EDP training to selected women candidates	Through EDP training 500 women gained knowledge on starting a business, marketing products, and other entrepreneurship skills.
7. Workshop on Accounts Management	100 representatives from 50 villages gained knowledge on accounts management and have learnt to maintain their accounts and deal with bank transactions.
8. Workshop on Insurance and social security schemes	100 villagers were given training on Insurance and Social Security measures.
9. Workshop on HIV/AIDS epidemic, preventive measures	500 persons received training on the prevention, care and treatment of HIV/AIDS.
10. Orientation and Training on Safe migration and sexual practices	Training on safe migration and safe sexual practices was conducted for 100 persons from 50 target areas.
11. Mill Owners meet	Mill owners meet was organized on 24th April 2011 in nearly 31 persons participated who expressed their cooperation towards implementing the project.

In addition to above planned measure Salem Social Service has carried out the following unplanned activities for the target beneficiaries:

Formation of Self Help Groups (SHGs). Twenty new SHGs have been formed consisting only of mill workers and bank accounts have been opened for them. SSSS has started 5 Non-formal Education Centres in the target areas. The centres are providing supplementary education for the school going children of mill workers. It has proved to be an effective strategy for preventing new instances of school dropouts and child labour. Tailoring Centres: SSSS has initiated two tailoring centres for the benefit of youth girls. There are about 20 youth girls getting trained tailoring. After completing the course they will be able to set up their own tailoring unit or find jobs in apparel industries.