World Development & Relief Committee

WDRF (World Development and Relief Fund) is the relief and development body of the Methodist Church in Ireland. MRDF (Methodist Relief and Development Fund) is WDRF's equivalent within the Methodist Church in Britain. In partnership they have co-funded this project since 2005.

India

CWSDS (Christian Weaker Sections Development Society)

Funding for 2008: £15,000 (€22,500) jointly from WDRC and MRDF

Background

	Anjanamma with her stock of sun-dried fish, a skill she learned from CWSDS Photo Credit: MRDF

Despite having one of the fastest growing economies in the world, dire poverty persists in much of the Indian sub-continent. Although outlawed, caste discrimination remains, especially in rural areas. CWSDS work in Andhra Pradesh where Dalits can suffer not just from discrimination but also physical violence and abuse. The majority of people rely on farming or petty trading but this southern state is also plagued by both droughts in the dry season and floods in the monsoon season, leaving families prone to hunger.

CWSDS

CWSDS was formed in 1979 to support Dalit people. Many of the staff themselves are Dalits and are personally motivated to spread the work of CWSDS and the empowerment of Dalits. The social and material changes made by the Dalit people in the area over the last two years are truly impressive. This includes gaining access to water, electricity, schools, roads, health centres and credit from banks. Armed with confidence and the knowledge of their rights, groups now have the capacity to demand and attain their rights.

CWSDS staff members are very much part of the groups in the first year, providing support and guidance. During the second year staff pass most of the responsibilities for group management to the group leaders and become "facilitators". By the third year, the staff are more like advisors or resource persons for the mostly independent groups who are now managing their own development. It is important to continue offering training and support to ensure that gains made are permanent. Group members can spread the message to other villages and groups, becoming resource persons themselves.

The programme:

• Confidence building
  
• Capacity building of self-help groups, including book keeping, group dynamics, leadership, strategic planning for community development
  
• Awareness raising on rights, including access to public services such as water, electricity and schools
  
• Awareness raising on health, nutrition and sanitation
  
• Skills training, including marketing, buffalo rearing
  
• Micro-credit revolving funds
  
• Training in sustainable agriculture

CWSDS has been a real success story. It has risen from being a local organisation with no international funding to an NGO (Non Governmental Organisation) with significant capacity which responded so admirably to the devastation of the Tsunami.

Some costings:

• 3 day basic training for self help group leader - £1.90 (€3) per leader
• Support to raise backyard poultry - £2.50 (€4) per family
• 3 day entrepreneurship training for youth - £5.77 (€9.23) per youth

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