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We would like to thank all our many supporters for helping us to raise over £3,000,000 for Social Change and Development (SCAD), our partner in Tamil Nadu, over the twenty three years of our existence. We think that this is a magnificent achievement, especially as we are an all volunteers charity. In a message to us Cletus Babu, the founder and Chaiman of SCAD said "The ongoing commitment of Salt of the Earth to our work over the years has been of paramount importance to us. Knowing that Salt of the Earth was behind us providing core funding has given us the confidence and courage to expand and develop our programmes for the rural poor. They have been and continue to be our biggest funders and on behalf of all of us at SCAD I would like to express our sincere thanks and deep gratitude."
Community based rehabilition (CBR) scheme
The second mobile clinic funded by this charity became operational earlier this year. The availability of these vehicles means that CBR team members can travel to villages much more quickly and easily to treat their physically and mentally challenged young patients. They can operate a clinic from the van and use the various specialised equipment that it carries. This extra mobile clinic means that the CBR team can increase the number of patients that they treat (currently 500) without further costs.
The SCAD team continue to promote the forming of new WSHG's wherever possible. So far this year a further 109 groups have been formed with a membership of 1,500 women. Training for the officers and members of these groups is in full swing and over half the groups have now completed their initial training from SCAD staff. The officers are taught how to run meetings, keep records and accounts. The members are given training on how to be a group member, the importance of savings, women's rights, legal aid, health and nutrition.
Tree planting
A good start has been made in tree planting, over 16,000 trees have been planted already this year. The big tree planting effort will take place as soon as the monsoon starts to fall. The onset of the monsoon can happen any time from October onwards and it should last for at least six weeks. Our ambitious target is for a total of 80,000 trees to be planted by the end of the year.
Over 800 abandoned or destitute older people take part in the Elders programme. The elders get day to day help in their villages and receive a small monthly stipend for essential items. In addition they attend a day centre once a month where they see a Doctor, have a slap up meal and take part in group activities. Now SCAD have added an ongoing individual counselling service for those who want it and arrangements have been made for the elders to tell stories to groups of children for mutual benefit.
Two village reservoirs have been deepened and renovated so far this year with our funding and a further two have work in progress. These reservoirs (called ooranies) will capture the monsoon rain which falls in the last quarter of the year for all year round village use. It is a great blessing for a village to have a fully operational reservoir to call upon. In addition three new rainwater-harvesting tanks for schools have been built and a further four are under construction. These tanks provide all year round fresh drinking water for the school children in an area where drinking water availability and quality is poor.