RURAL EDUCATION & ACTION DEVELOPMENT (READ)

Address: D. Selvam (Secretary) 1926 Sakthi Vinayagar Street Vilandai, Andimadam 621-801 Perambalur District Tamil Nadu INDIA Phone & Fax: +(91)-4331-242583 Cell phone: +(91)-94431-47164 E-mail: readpen@sancharnet.in

What's the origin of READ?

Where does READ operate? The rural villages of Andimadam and Sendurai Blocks, Perambalur District, in the Tamil Nadu state of India. What is its target group? The underprivileged, disadvantaged and vulnerable people, particularly women and children. What are its goals? To improve the social, educational and economic conditions of these people.

Which activities are done?

• READ collaborates with Sahaya International (www.sahaya.org)and the Alliance for Youth Achievement (www.allforyouth.org) on a sponsorship program for orphans living in this area. Currently approximately 60 children are being sponsored, but more children need your urgent support. Many of these children come from families affected by HIV and AIDS. Please click here for more information on the sponsorship program via Sahaya International.
• READ has organized approximately 11,034 women into 659 self-help women groups in many villages and arranges periodic group discussions to educate and empower them (click here).
• READ has started Mother Theresa schools to educate children in the Periyakrishnapuram and Thirukkalapur villages (click here to see photographs of these lovely children and our current plans to build a new school); child education will reduce the problem of child labor.
• READ is in charge of the Jawahar Matriculation school in Andimadam (click here to see photographs of these lovely children), which provides education to 50 children.
• READ has started a school for mentally retarded children. This school, by the name of Anbagam (home of love), is the first such school in this district, and it is in need for funding.
  
• HIV and AIDS preventio and support/care programs (click here).
• The co-development of educational cartoons on HIV and AIDS (click here to download such materials)

• READ organizes camps to educate mothers and children on health and sanitation, including the importance of clean drinking water.
  
• READ has an ongoing public hygiene project that is building toilets for rural families (click here)..
• READ organizes consumer awareness camps to educate rural people about their rights and legal protection.
  
• READ offers skill development training to women with regard to making embroidery greeting cards, dresses, utility bags, & fabric paintings.
  
• READ organizes production activities on the skills mentioned above by mobilizing government grants or bank loans to the trained women.
• READ organizes classes in sewing, embroidery, typewriting & secretarial skills, computer training.
• READ organizes National Environmental Awareness campaigns (click here).
• Women Awareness Camps (click here).
• Child labor eradication seminars in 2 villages.
• READ organizes farmers groups and helps them to improve their agricultural techniques to sustain their agriculture.
  
• READ organizes environmental awareness campaigns to sustain the environment (tree plantation, waste recycling, soil erosion,..).
  

I'm curious for more specifics about all the activities of the previous years....

How does READ fund its many activities?

• 1996-1997: grant of $130 from Tamil Nadu Social Welfare Board for improving office infrastructure.
  
• 1997-1998: grant of $260 from Tamil Nadu Social Welfare Board for awareness generation program.
  
• 1997-1998: grant of $130 from Ministery of Environment and Forests (New Delhi) through C.P.R. Foundation, Chennai, for National Awareness Campaign (see page 6).
  
• 1998-1999: grant of $3,300 from Central Social Welfare Board for a vocational training on type-writing skills for 25 girls for 1 year.
• 2000-2001: a grant from the Association for India's Development (Oregon Chapter) for training of girls in the design and production of embroidered greeting cards.
• 2000-2003: grants from J. Lloyd Foundation (through Sahaya International) for HIV/AIDS programs.
• 2004: grants from Global Strategies for HIV Prevention and Gilead Sciences to support the HIV+ network of READ, including micro-loans for income generating activities.
• 2005: grant from the Elton John AIDS Foundation for HIV/AIDS programs.
• 2005: Community Gift Awards of the St. James parish of Davis, California
• An important source of funding is the sale of our embroidered greeting cards (see below).
• For more details about many of the programs and their funding sources, including the fundraiser events organized by our volunteers (click here), please download the annual reports of READ and Sahaya (click here to go to the list of annual reports)

What are some of the new projects that READ wants to start?

• Programs to support the growing number of orphans (especially due to the AIDS epidemic); click here for more information .
• A program to assist old people.
• Additional training classes for women to provide them with an alternative source of income during the agricultural low-season.
• A health-care program for women and children, and a primary health care center.
  
• Programs to reduce child labour.

Can I visit READ?

Now, where do we fit into this picture? How can we contribute?

Sahaya International is a 501(c)3 organization, so your donations are tax-deductible in the USA according to standard IRS rules. If you live in Belgium, you can also contribute and receive fiscal attests
Please (click here) to learn more about the different ways to donate.

Individuals or organizations in other countries or in India can also send money directly to READ
D. Selvam (Secretary)
READ
1926 Sakthi Vinayagar Street
Vilandai, Andimadam 621-801
Tamil Nadu
INDIA
Phone: +(91)-4331-42583
E-mail: readpen@sancharnet.in

We thank you tremendously for your support! ! You are making a big difference!!