WOMEN’S EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SOCIETY

Address: No. 85, South Kamatchi Nagar,

Near Pattu Koot Road, Mangadu, Chennai-600 122.

Mobile: +91 9003052052, +91 9791118831

ANNUAL REPORT 2019-2020

WOMENS EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC

DEVELOPMENT SOCIETY

WOMEN’S EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SOCIETY

85, South Kamatchi Nagar

Near Pattu Koot Road, Mangadu, Chennai – 600122

Email ID: weedsindia@gmail.com Website:weedsngo.org

Contact: 9003052052, 9791118831

VISION

To remove discriminations and prejudices of every kind and to promote gender

equity based on human dignity, equality and fraternity through education,

organization and sustainable livelihood.

MISSION

WEEDS strives towards establishing a more just social order by removing the

present caste, class and gender exclusions prevailing in society by promoting an

enabling environment that would ensure the equity between women and men

and among the various social groups in the larger civil society by means of

universal principles of human right, encompassing children and women rights

through a process of participation in decision making.

WEEDS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS

1. Mrs. B. Karlin -President

2. Mrs. P. Anandalakshmi - VicePresident

3. Mrs. A. Helan Joyes -Secretary

4. Mrs. S. Pushpa - Asst.Secretary

5. Mrs. N. Synthiya -Treasurer

6. Mrs. K. Arulmozhi -Member

7. Mrs. A. Sathya –Member

FROM THE DESK OF SECRETARY

WEEDS over the past decades have established itself as an organization

committed towards welfare and empowerment of women, adolescent girls and

children. The organization has worked with multiple stakeholders: governmental

bodies, private sector, and other NGOs to create a platform and an

understanding towards this marginalized and voiceless section of the society.

This year too, reaching the most marginalized section of our society has been

our primary goal. In the process, we successfully touched many female lives

through our projects spread in Kundathur area.

Taking impetus from its previous work, WEEDS this year articulated and

highlighted issues of adolescent girls and women at higher level as well. The

presentation also included how its work on sensitization and working with local

governments and justice system led to greater impact.

WEEDS also understands that women and children sometime unwittingly

become part of corporate supply chains. To ensure opportunities of education,

health, nutrition, play and survival it was thus necessary to work with the private

sector. WEEDS therefore led consultations with the private sector bodies.

We thank all of our well wishers, donors and government officials for standing in

our side to reach the cause of WEEDS in this year.

Helan Joyce A

Secretary

OVERVIEW OF THE YEAR 2019-20

This year too WEEDS laid special emphasis on expansion of education amongst

women and children. Through its different projects, it stressed that education,

awareness and skill empowerment can play a significant role in empowering

women and in securing a rightful place for them in the society.

Besides education, empowerment of women was also attempted through the

activities of life-skill workshops, exposure visits, residential workshops, police

station visits, talent events, rallies, visits to primary health centres, awareness

generation on child rights and government services for children through various

media etc. Health camps and PHC visits were provided for their health

checkups and treatment of common diseases.

Activities of parents meeting, stakeholders meeting, and change-makers

training were organized to empower parents and other community members to

seek their involvement in the projects.

Micro finance is the most important component of the program and opening of

bank account is the first step towards bank linkages to access micro finance.

Regular contacts with bankers are maintained through attending their meetings

at district level and as well as block level apart from individual contacts. As a

result many groups have opened their account in bank.

As on March 2020 savings are more than Rs.11 cores. The savings of SHGs,

as on date, ranges between Rs.6,000/- to 8,00,000/- depending upon the age of

the SHGs. As on 31.03.2020 SHGs are managing their savings by meeting at a

regular interval monthly basis. Minimum contribution of members varies between

Rs 100/- to 500/-.

As per the reports, 90 % of SHGs are meeting regularly and attendance

reported is 95 % in the SHGs meetings. All SHGs are continuously undergoing the

capacity building sessions of different component. At this point of time more

than 78% of SHG‟s are trained in different subjects. All 6 month old SHGs have

been graded for linking with the banks for micro finance by the nationalized

banks and ICICI bank for the year 2019-20.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR 2019-2020

This Year more than 200 SHG‟s are formed through WEEDS in Chennai

Suburb, Kancheepuram and Thiruvallur.

Tailoring training program was started to train household women.

Sexual Harassment of women at workplace act, 2013 training program

was extended to new companies and its units. (Sun Pharma, Avon seals,

Whitehouse India, Masspro Pvt Ltd)

SHG leadership training program for SHG Animators conducted every

month.

SHG Women‟s were trained by central board for workers education

department.

Students from Karnataka central university did their internship during May

month and 45 UG Students from Madras school of Social Work College

have trained for 3 months as a part of their field work training.

World Women‟s day was celebrated on 11th of March and more than

1000 women participated.

ACTIVITIES OF THE YEAR

During the reporting period up to March 2020 the SHGs generated nearly Rs15

crore funds from various sources, e.g. Bank linkage, saving, interest from the inter

loan. SHG‟s are using this fund in the livelihood activities and to overcome the

financial crunch. This fund is giving them confidence of self and protect from

money lenders also.

FINANCIAL AND HEALTH RELATED CHANGE

The habit of saving has improved the quality of life of the SHG members

and their families because of the following activities:

Loan availing capacity increased

No more going to money lender for loans

Increase in the overall income of the household

Healthy community – Members provide

financial and moral support to each other

Members are more aware about family planning

Newfound awareness regarding menstrual hygiene

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

Women of SHGs are moving towards a new era of Women

Empowerment. During SHGs meetings they not only practice saving and inter

loaning but also address issues related their personnel and social life. Now they

also participating in Gramasabhas and submitting proposals relating village

development. Toilet construction, Widow Pension, hand pumps repairing,

Community Hall construction, electricity connection, improvement in PHCs

services are the key issues in their proposals.

In the history of Panchayat Raj it happened that active and creative

women participants are ten times more in Gram Sabha in the project areas and

fight for their basic rights. These events also boosted them and encouraged

them to participate actively in Panchayat elections not only as a voter but also

as a candidate.

TRAINING FOR SKILL DEVELOPMENT

WEEDS has established Tailoring Training

Centre for the deserving girls and women in

Mangadu. During the reporting period 90 girls

had received tailoring skills training and

started their own business to achieve a

sustainable source of income and living

support. WEEDS aims to provide marketable

skills such as computer practice (MSOffice and the internet) to unemployed

women and youth so that they and their families can become self-reliant. During

the training of skill the beneficiaries are taught soft skills such as communication

and leadership qualities and interview techniques.

WOMEN’S RIGHTS AND EMPOWERMENT

PROGRAMME

A year long Programme to support women‟s

efforts to empower themselves was carried on

with the support of women‟s rights group. Brief

on the activities that took place.

Capacity Building: The trainings were organized in WEEDS office. Women Self

Help group members were trained. Some of the subjects covered were: i)

Concept of leadership and types of leadership ii) Qualities of a good leader

iii) Grass-root leadership) Teamwork and coalition v) Laws related to rights of

women vi) Socio-legal advocacy & counseling vii) Conflict Management viii)

Local group formation

ADVOCACY WORKSHOPS & MEETS:

Advocacy consisted of two different avenues: Advocacy Workshop and

Advocacy Meets. Altogether Advocacy Workshops were held, covering

hundreds of participants. The Advocacy Workshops were an amalgamation of

thoughts and ideas of government officials, journalists, members of civil society,

women leaders and village women.

These workshops raised the issue of rights of women and discussed the

laws related to land and property rights of women. The basic points that

emerged from the workshops are: 1) The laws related to land and property are

often complicated and difficult for poor people to comprehend, thus it is

essential to reach out the laws to the rural people in a simplified manner. And

for that awareness building is very much required. 2) It is essential to plug the

loopholes of violation of rights of women. Tools like Marriage Registration can

be such strong means of addressing such escape routes. 3) Social recognition

of women is important to ensure her rights and status in thefamily.

Once there is recognition of women as self, as an Individual, it becomes

easier to approach the families for recognition of the women folk.

HEALTH AWARENESS:

Health awareness programs are one of the strategies adopted by

WEEDS. The startling number of children falling sick owing to lack of adequate

nutrition and poor sanitation is rising every passing day. According to

government sources, in India 45 children die every hour due to respiratory

infections, one child dies every two minutes due to Diarrhea and annually about

2 million children less than 5 years of age die due to preventable diseases.

In spite of the presence of government medical care terminals in the

villages such as PHCs and sub-centers, a large chunk of the rural population still

refrain from visiting the doctors at regular intervals. The awareness programs

focus on preventive healthcare programmers through Information, Education

and Communication and Behavior Change Communication.

With no awareness on cancer or access to proper health care facilities,

the ultra- poor do not have the privilege of preventive health care. This means

that many a time cancer is not diagnosed on time. Due to such unexpected

health shocks, they cannot afford any long term illness. This has a direct effect

on their earning capacity and health care expenses. Hence health awareness

programs are given importance by WEEDS.

Awareness on Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace

(Prevention, Prohibition & Redressal) Act, 2013

The Act seeks to provide a secure and enabling environment for women

employees, including domestic workers, against sexual harassment at the

workplace. The Act makes it mandatory for all workplaces, including homes,

universities, hospitals, government and non- government offices, factories, other

formal and informal work places to constitute an internal committee for

redressed of complaints. WEEDS conducted Awareness training on sexual

harassment of women at workplace for the betterment of women working in

more than 30 companies for the last 5 years and trained more than 5000 women

workers. The trainings were conducted by using power point presentation, In all

the companies Internal complaints committees were formed and trainings were

given to the members once in two months to handle the issues related to sexual

harassment. Because of this the workplace complaints have come down when

come pared to previous years.

STUDENTS FIELD WORK TRAINING PROGRAM

Students of 2nd Year BSW from Madras school of Social Work College trained for

3 months in mangadu area. Students involved in many activities by giving

awareness among People about Various issues. Students performed Dramas,

skit, Women Parliament program, Discussions, Health awareness etc to reach

people.

ENVIRONMENT PROGRAM

Frooti beverages located at kancheepuam

organized a program which aims to conserve

environment. Frooti Beverages invited WEEDS

secretary Mrs.Helan Joyes to plant samplings.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

International women‟s day was celebrated by WEEDS on March 11-03-

2020 with the women self-help members at Mangadu in a Private hall. More

than 1000 women took part in the event. Like every year, this year too, WEEDS

organized several events on that day in Mangadu to celebrate Women‟s Day.

Mrs.Dr.Jayanthi Honorable judge of Madras High court and Dr.Raja Samuel

Principal of Madras school of social work were attended as chief guest.

Mr.Punitha Pandian was awarded “Sumathi-Thenmozhi best Humanitarian

service award”. Madras school of social work UG social work students

participated in events along with SHG women programs. In keeping with the UN

theme for 2020: Pledge for Parity, WEEDS has a sub-theme- „Parity in Food,

Nutrition and Health‟. It is now a well- known notion that „women at home are

the last ones to take food‟, thus missing out in quantum of food, nutrition and

eventually on health. We had day-long activities aimed at spending the day

creatively like discussions, dance, drama and pattimandram. The self-help

group‟s products were exhibited for sale.

Hearty thanks to one and all that were in our side in 2019-20, especially donors,

banks, government officials, and our beloved beneficiaries

WOMEN’S EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SOCIETY

85, South Kamatchi Nagar

Near Pattu Koot Road, Mangadu, Chennai – 600122

Email ID: weedsindia@gmail.com Website:weedsngo.org

Contact: 9003052052, 9791118831