Somasipadi is a field area situated in Keelpennathur block and so the field office is situated. We started at the rented building, but we were able to purchase this office and the campus and the programme is extended.

The children who were involved in child labour, neglected children, street children, drop out children and the orphan / destitute children are picked up and provided the residential school education for one year and on the next academic year, they are enrolled in the regular school for continuing their education. At present we have 40 children. Among these 10 are the Boys and 30 are the Girls.

Since 2006, 40 young women per year could obtain training on computer literacy. They could get a job at the end of this training. The classroom is equipped with 5 computers.

We have identified 28 differently abled children / youth in Keelpennathur block. Every week, those differently abled people are picked up by our Mini Bus for their free physiotherapy services and dropped them at their houses. Qualified and experienced physiotherapists are available for services on honorary basis.

Prevention is better than cure. In rural areas, around 60% of the diseases are due to unsafe drinking water and poor sanitation. The life style diseases like diabetes, hypertension, tuberculosis, HIV/Aids etc., will be easily prevented by Health education. The health status of women mothers / children will be increased due to health education. Health education is provided through flash cards, video show, evening meetings, street play etc. Treatment for the minor diseases also carried out. We have 8 trained health workers.

Dalit women in Keelpennathur block, Tiruvannamalai block and at Thurinjapuram block are organized under self help groups for their socio-economic and health empowerment. The members of self help groups are trained in leadership, panchayat raj, local governance and strategies of development. Small savings, credit formation, internal and external credit rotation followed with starting income generation activities etc.

Dalit children at the villages are organized under alternate education during evening coaching education. This is absolutely free. The qualified teachers are helping them in their studies.

During summer holiday, we organise the Dalit children who are studying in 9th to 11th standard students. They will be getting intensive coaching on the tough subjects like English, Science and Maths. Children’s drop out / failure rate is higher among the Dalit children. To prevent such drop outs, we organise this coaching classes. In addition to this, 12th students are given coaching on entrance examination. Talented students are given intensive training on sports / music / traditional arts and different skills.

The poor, destitute, orphan children are identified and linked up with foster parents for sponsorship. Such children will continue their education from their houses only. Through this sponsorship, the families and the community is also helped.

The rights based education is given among the under privileged and socially handicapped Dalit community. Dalit issues / needs are identified, document and study the same. With all the details, the Dalit NGOs, media persons and the policy planners will be called for the Advocacy meeting. We draft the issues / problems for the intervention of the Government. The long pending issues are settled through this. Policy changes are also taken place.

In order to develop Dalit children development centre, Dalit women development centre, developing vocational training centre, POPE has purchased 5 acres of land. Water and electricity facility is also provided. This centre is developing various programmes in few buildings. This year the hospital of 20 beds will he functioning the building construction which is already over.

The children who finished one-year education at the remedial school at Somasipadi are shifted to this centre to continue their education. Other under privileged children is also given this facility to continue their education. The children are attending the Sunday services at the nearby Church and go to school regularly. This is a free residential programme. We dream to develop great leaders of India from this Dalit community in years to come.

During summer holidays, we organise the Dalit children who are studying in 9th to 11th standard students. They will be getting intensive coaching on the tough subjects like English, Science and Maths. Children’s drop out / failure rate is higher among the Dalit children. To prevent such drop outs, we organise this coaching classes. In addition to this, 12th students are given coaching on entrance examination. Talented students are given intensive training on sports / music / traditional arts and different skills.

The poor, destitute, orphan children are identified and linked up with foster parents for sponsorship. Such children will continue their education from their houses only. Through this sponsorship, the families and the community is also helped.

For the drop out children and the children with less marks, those who failed in the school education are put up in POPE community college for one year free skill training. Every year, we train males and females young in different trainings:

• carpentry
• computer literacy
• electrical / wiring works
• tailoring

Dalit women are organized under self help groups for their socio-economic and health empowerment. The members of self help groups are trained in leadership, panchayat raj, local governance and strategies of development. Small savings, credit formation, internal and external credit rotation followed with starting income generation activities etc.

Socio economic health demographic survey was carried out to identify the needs and problems of Dalit community. This study will bring opportunities to implement various intervention programmes like the starting of the hospital, establishing link ages with national health programme, health education, referrals etc.

In order to help the Dalit farmers, training on organic cultivation, animal husbandry, horticulture, kitchen garden and other agro based activities are planned.

Pondicherry centre was exclusively for Tsunami relief and rehabilitation under this programme, concentrated on livelihood restoration and basic food security programmes. The beneficiaries were organized under different smaller groups and given skill training. The following were the details of the programme. We adopted 10 villages, covering both Pondicherry and Tamil Nadu State.

• Coconut thatching units – 25 units
• Widows petty shops – 30 Nos
• Wire bag making units – 10 units
• Coir making units – 25 units
• Tailoring training – 72 Nos
• Supply of sewing machines – 42 Nos

94 farmers, covering three villages were helped and restored and developed 135 acres of land for sustainable agriculture through organic cultivation.

• Supply of cow and calf – 95 Nos
• Supply of sheep (1 Unit 4 sheeps and one Ram) – 65 Units

• Individual Kattu maram & fishing nets – 69 Nos
• Group kattu maram and big nets (1 Unit = 2 big kattu maram,
  2 small kattu maram and one big nets) – 17 Units

• 50 children

• 51 old aged people.

• Water sanitation
• Skill training
• Capacity development programmes
• Digging of bore well – 7 Nos

Marakkanam (90kms from Tiruvannamalai, 35kms from Pondicherry) was affected both by Tsunami and floods repeatedly.

The Dalits were affected severely so, we have undertaken this village and introduced the following activities:

• Formed two farmers club
• Supply of 10 milk animals
• Formed two milk producers society
• Children’s evening school at 10 centres
• Skill training of one year duration
• Tailoring
• Electrical / wiring works.
• Organic cultivation.
• Farmers training and land development programmes

and built a vocational training centre with the following infrastructures:

• Building for training
• Equipments for vocational training
  • Computer training 6 months duration
  • Electrical training
  • Tailoring training

Curriculum for vocational training:

• Technical education
• Hands on experience
• Life coping skills
• Development English.

Activities:

• Student’s placement services – Training, employment.
• Counselling and guidance services – educational guidance & counseling, Vocational guidance & counseling, Personal guidance & counseling.