The rural poor make up over half the 70 million population of Tamil Nadu and the majority of them live at or close to the official Government family poverty level of £250. Rural employment is seasonal and there are not enough jobs. The availability of good fresh drinking water is a constant problem especially in the summer months. These and other factors bring about malnutrition, ill health and reduced life expectancy and make for a life of hardship and deprivation.

The all powerful caste system still pervades the social fabric despite legislation. The majority of the rural poor are low caste. Gandhi called them “harijans” meaning the children of God but now they are more commonly referred to as Dallits. These people are treated as second class citizens who are not only unable to do better jobs but are actively prevented from doing so. Many Dallits have internalised these attitudes and consider themselves unworthy and incapable of doing anything else.

Gender roles are very strong in rural areas. Women are very much second class citizens who, traditionally, defer to their husbands in all matters. Should they become widows they cannot marry again and they are totally dependent on the senior man in the family for protection and security. They rise first, go to bed last and eat separately after the men have their fill. Girls are not considered as important as boys and do not get the same amount of attention and encouragement, and their education is not considered so important.