New opportunities for two of our Nandri families

**Success Story of Panchavarnam**

Panchavarnam, from Tamil Nadu, faced severe poverty despite only completing 10th grade. Her situation was challenging, with limited opportunities for employment. However, with the support of Nandri, a local charity dedicated to empowering women, Panchavarnam's life took a transformative turn.

Through Nandri's assistance, Panchavarnam was able to purchase a cow. In rural India, owning a cow is not just about dairy products; it's a significant source of income. Cows provide milk that can be sold daily, providing a steady stream of income that has allowed Panchavarnam to support herself and her three children. This newfound economic stability ensures a brighter future for her family, with enough income to cover essentials like food, education, and healthcare.

**Success Story of Valarmathy**

Valarmathy, a 39-year-old woman from Munivanthangal, also faced economic hardships common in rural Tamil Nadu. She depended on agriculture to make a living but struggled with the high costs associated with farming, particularly the expenses related to using a tractor for ploughing her land.

With the intervention of Nandri, Valarmathy was able to acquire a bull for her agricultural needs. In India, owning a bull is crucial for traditional farming practices. Bulls are used for ploughing fields, which is essential for preparing land for cultivation without the expense of renting or hiring a tractor. By owning a bull, Valarmathy not only reduced her farming costs significantly but also improved her agricultural productivity. This support has been pivotal in ensuring her ability to sustainably cultivate her land and generate income from agricultural activities.

In both cases, Nandri's initiatives have not only provided immediate assistance but have empowered these women with sustainable livelihoods. By addressing specific needs like livestock ownership tailored to local agricultural practices, Nandri has made a profound impact on poverty alleviation in Tamil Nadu, enabling individuals like Panchavarnam and Valarmathy to achieve financial independence and build better futures for themselves and their families.

From impossible hopes to dreams coming true

Impoverished families struggle to afford to keep their children in education and 3rd level courses are an impossible dream. With Nandri’s financial support through educational loans, these students dreams became a reality.

Educational Support for Cerina Mary

Cerina Mary, from Michaelpuram village, has overcome significant challenges. Her mother, Sagaya Mary, is handicapped, and her father, David, struggles with alcoholism. Despite her difficult background, Nandri supported Cerina's education and she is presently studying to become a nurse. She is in her first year of a nursing diploma at Vasantham International Institute, with her fees covered by Nandri.

Educational Support for Carmel Kuzhanthai Raj

Carmel comes from a very poor family but was academically very bright and achieved excellent marks in his 12th grade. With Nandri's support, he is now in his second year of B.A. Defense at Elagiri Hills. His parents, daily laborers, are relying on him to change their family's lives for the better. When he achieves his degree, his salary will support his family and relieve them of the daily struggles to make enough money to survive. Nandri's continued financial aid helps Carmel focus on his studies and aim for a better future for both him and his family.

Nandri’s Mission

At Nandri, our mission is to empower mothers at all levels. We achieve this by building leadership capacities and creating responsible groups through Women Empowerment programs, Family-Community Counseling, and Environmental interventions. Our group's development program addresses deep-rooted social issues, aiming to improve social and economic conditions to break the cycle of violence and crime and poverty.

During the month we hold various events including monthly meetings for our members. These meetings offer our mothers constant support and advice on all aspects of their lives. Since joining Nandri, members have seen significant improvements in their family status, financial contributions, and overall confidence, with a 75% increase in these areas. Our programs have reduced family violence in 60% of cases, mainly due to alleviating economic difficulties. Mothers come together to understand and help solve the problems of other women, even those who are not members of Nandri. Our fundamental aim is poverty alleviation and women's empowerment.

Empowering Dalit girls through education

At Nandri, our mission aligns perfectly with the dual challenges faced by the Dalit community in education: firstly, to make education accessible, and secondly, to ensure it is of a quality that prepares Dalits to fully participate as educated citizens of their country. We believe that knowledge and learning are vital for everyone, men and women alike. For generations to come, the education of girls remains crucial. Nandri has been dedicated to fostering the intellectual growth and self-development of women, empowering them to educate their children and instill a sense of self-respect and ambition. Here our some success stories of how our children’s lives hav ebeen changed through education.

**Rabunisha's Resilience**

Rabunisha from Allikondapattu village is a testament to the power of family support. Her father, a woodcutter, resisted societal pressures to marry her off early, choosing instead to support her education. With Nandri's assistance, Rabunisha is currently pursuing her B.Sc Nursing at Hosmat Hospital in Bangalore.

**Cerina’s  Courageous Quest**

Cerina, also from Michaelpuram village, has faced extraordinary challenges. With her mother disabled and her father struggling with alcoholism, her prospects seemed dim. Recognizing her plight, Nandri stepped in to support her education. Cerina is now pursuing her first year of Diploma Nursing at Vasantham International Institute in Melsiruvallur.

**Ancy's Ambition Amidst Adversity**

Ancy from Eleanganny village, despite coming from a middle-class family with financial struggles, has shown remarkable determination. Her parents, a nurse and a daily wager, approached Nandri when they were considering discontinuing her education due to financial constraints. Nandri's intervention has enabled Ancy to continue her third year of BPT at KTG Medical College in Bangalore.

Nandri’s Mission: Promoting hygiene, providing clean water and sanitation.

In Tamil Nadu, the challenge of sanitation looms large, overshadowing even the issue of water scarcity. With 70% of people lacking adequate toilets or latrines, the risk of contaminating clean water sources is high. This is why our mission at Nandri goes beyond just providing clean water; it's about changing long-standing habits and promoting hygiene to ensure healthy communities.

Our efforts have led to a remarkable decrease in open defecation across four districts, improving the lives of approximately 5,000 people. But our work doesn't stop there. We're committed to ensuring the sustained use of toilets and continuous practice of good hygiene, especially among the Dalit, marginalized, and other underserved communities.

**EMPOWERING FAMILIES ENHANCING LIVES**

To date, Nandri has positively impacted 68 Dalit families across various villages. We've recently stepped up our support by providing essential water and electricity facilities to previously non-functional toilets. Our focus is not only on infrastructure but also on education and training to ensure that hygiene practices become a part of daily life.

**ADDRESSING WASH CHALLENGES HEAD ON**

Rural areas face numerous challenges in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), including:

- Limited access to clean water

- Insufficient sanitation facilities

- Inadequate hygiene practices

- Effects of climate change

- Poor maintenance of facilities

- Gender inequality in access to WASH

- Limited funding and resources

- Cultural barriers to adopting new practices

**INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FROM NANDRI**

We're tackling these challenges with a range of innovative solutions:

1. **Training for Sanitation Workers:** We're empowering workers with training to ensure their safety and promote modern, safe waste management technologies.

   2. **Rainwater Harvesting Initiatives:** To replenish groundwater, we've championed rainwater harvesting, with mandates for new buildings in many districts.

3. **Plant on the Planet:** Our Eco-Protection Force has been active for three years, distributing tree saplings to Nandri mothers and students. We've planted 12,000 trees, helping to cool urban areas, improve air quality, and manage stormwater runoff.

4. **Clean Water for Schools:** We've aided 15 schools in drilling bore wells, ensuring students and teachers have access to clean drinking water, a fundamental step towards healthier learning environments.

**THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT**

Trees, a core part of our mission, offer immense environmental benefits. They cool urban spaces, purify the air, produce oxygen, and reduce water runoff and erosion. Every tree we plant is a step towards a greener, healthier planet.

How COVID has changed our lives

Covid-19: Nandri helping our families  Navigate Through Tough Times

The pandemic has significantly impacted our entire food system, revealing its vulnerabilities. With border closures, trade restrictions, and confinement measures, farmers have faced challenges accessing markets for essential inputs and selling their produce. These disruptions have affected both domestic and international food supply chains, leading to a reduction in the availability of healthy, diverse diets. The pandemic’s economic toll has been severe, with job losses and threats to millions of livelihoods.

Families have been particularly hit hard, with breadwinners losing jobs or falling ill. This has put the food security and nutrition of countless individuals at risk, especially those in low-income and marginalized groups.

Empowering Nandri Mothers During the Pandemic:

In these challenging times, the Nandri community has stood out as a beacon of support and resilience. Our Income Generation Program has been a lifeline for nearly 400 mothers this year. By enabling them to start small businesses such as dairy farming, tea shops, snack outlets, and tailoring services, we’ve helped these women sustain their families and even thrive in adversity. These ventures have not only provided a stable income but also a sense of pride and independence, proving that even in the face of a global crisis, a community’s spirit can triumph.

Supporting Families in Times of Loss:

Tragically, we’ve also witnessed the loss of 49 beloved Nandri mothers this year due to health complications. This has been a heart-wrenching time for their families, who have struggled to come to terms with their loss. In these moments of grief, Nandri has been there to offer comfort and support. We’ve provided each bereaved family with financial assistance for funeral services, standing with them in solidarity and mourning.

Educational loans changing the lives of our students

Last month 12 students from impoverished families benefited from educational loans that would enable them to remain in education and escape from generations of poverty. They will achieve their dreams of completing college degrees and having a secure future with a well paying career.

Here are some wonderful success stories of what our students are achieving with the support of an educational loan from Nandri.

• Educational Support to Janani: Janani sought financial support from Nandri to pursue her nursing career. With our assistance, she is now in her 1st year of B Sc Nursing at TCR Medical College in Kirushnagiri.

• Educational Support to Punitha: Punitha faced financial problems despite her mother’s support and determination to educate her daughters. Without Nandri’s financial help Punitha’s could not have continued to higher education. She is now pursuing her 1st year of Diploma in Pharmacy at Arunai College in Thiruvannamalai.

• Educational Support to Rabunisha: Rabunisha had a father who supported her ambitions by encouraging her to continue her studies. Nandri helped her financially and she is currently pursuing her B Sc Nursing at Hosmat Hospital in Bangalore.

• Educational Support to Darwin: Darwin was determined to achieve his goals despite having to help support his family financially. He turned to Nandri,who gave him an educational loan and today, he is pursuing his education at Sandhiya Hospital in Vellore.

Income generating support for our mothers

The ‘Income Generating Support at Nandri Office’ program aims to increase the income of our mothers livelihood projects through income-generating ideas, skill development, and financial support. This uplifts our mothers and fathers and helps them escape from poverty. In the current month, we provided financial assistance to our mothers on August 17th at the Nandri Office. This support included group loans for four groups, income generation support for 20 mothers, educational support for 12 mothers, emergency support for 5 mothers, and staff support for 2 mothers.

Nandri fostering responsible fatherhood

“Nandri has played a vital role in supporting and encouraging women who aspire to become self-reliant entrepreneurs. Beyond empowering women, Nandri extends its support to men by introducing beneficial schemes and providing financial assistance. In the last number of years, Nandri initiated fathers’ groups with the aim of fostering responsible fatherhood.

In many villages, a significant portion of the men struggle with alcoholism, leaving their families unsupported. Nandri’s intervention seeks to help these fathers lead dignified lives. Currently, we have established 10 such groups in seven villages, with 175 fathers actively participating in the Nandri Father’s Livelihood Movement.

Under the ‘Training Fathers on Nandri Spirit’ initiative, these groups meet to discuss and find solutions to members’ challenges. When individuals face difficulties, the collective strength of the group helps them overcome obstacles. Each month, they gather as a united family, embracing Nandri’s vision and mission while learning how to maintain account notebooks effectively to manage their families finances.

A cow bring happiness to Isabella!

Isabella, a widow from a local village, has been struggling to make ends meet while taking care of her three children. After her husband died, there was very little money to feed or educate her children and she feared she would have to take them out of school. Through Nandri’s support with a micro finance loan, she purchased a cow and by selling the milk she was able to supplement her daily earnings with an additional income. Thanks to Nandri, She has been able to feed and support her children, keep them in education so they have a promising future and with Nandri’s continued support, her family’s future is secure.

Recent events for Nandri mothers

Nandri offers continuous support for our mothers through educational workshops, leadership seminars, organic farming skills programmes and many more initiatives. here are some examples of our recent meetings:

Our workshop for mothers and farmers took place at the Nandri Centre. A fruitful dialogue between farmers and bank officials was organised by our Nandri Director, shedding light on various schemes available for farmers and rural development. Approximately 70 mothers and 50 farmers gained valuable insights from this event.

The Nandri Office distributed financial aid to deserving beneficiaries. The Nandri Director handed over livelihood support to 57 Nandri Mothers. To foster motivation and solidarity, group loans were given to 15 groups, income generation support to 34 mothers, emergency aid to 5 mothers, and educational aid to 3 mothers. We consistently support these mothers through Income Generating Projects (IGP) to enhance their lives.

Some of the highlights of recent events were:

1. Skills development workshops for mothers and farmers

2. Income generation initiatives at our Nandri Office

3. Updates on the Mothers Groups’ status

4. Allocation of financial aid

5. Sharing of personal stories

6. Lending a helping hand to families mourning the loss of loved ones

Through these workshops, we continue to educate, empower and support our mothers. We encourage and financially help their children to remain in education - especially the girls, who frequently due to lack of money, are taken out of school to work menial jobs to help support their families.

These workshops and meetings also bring the mothers together as one big Nandri family, to discuss problems and hardships in their lives and as a supportive group under the guidance of Nandri, the mothers help each other through difficult times in their lives.

Life changing loan for Irudhaya

Through Micro loans, Nandri gives hope and support and the promise of a future to our mothers. Life has been a constant struggle for Irudhaya, a mother of three daughters from a local village. Her husband Francis went overseas seeking work and unfortunately never returned. To help her overcome the immense financial difficulties she was facing, Nandri stepped in and assisted her in purchasing a cow, a substantial asset for a farmer like her. This intervention not only provides her with a steady source of income but also contributes significantly to the improvement of her family’s living conditions. Nandri will also help to keep her children in education and will offer the family ongoing support.

Nandri - empowering women

In India, traditionally a country where women’s rights are curtailed, Nandri has served as a catalyst for change, promoting the empowerment of our mothers. Through education, micro finance loans and helping them to create small businesses, we have empowered women to be aware of their rights and carve out their own space in society, independent of any male influence. We are committed to the idea that success should not hinge on one’s gender.

Although Nandri has come a long way in our mission to empower our mothers, we are mindful that the journey towards gender equality is not complete. By supporting and encouraging women, Nandri continues to bring about positive changes in their lives and the lives of their families.

Covid- Continued support for our Nandri families.

Covid has not totally disappeared from our community and Nandri and the The Tamil Nadu government continue to work  tirelessly to ensure the safety of our families.  Nandri over the last three years took significant steps and implemented various protocols to protect our people.

Efforts by Nandri to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19 Amongst Mothers and their families:

❖ Nandri distributed 5,000 masks for people to wear in public, particularly indoors or when maintaining physical distance was not possible.

❖ Nandri organized 100 vaccination camps in Kolappalur village to ensure everyone was vaccinated and able to lead a safe life.

❖ Nandri also conducted COVID-19 awareness rallies in nearby villages every six months.

❖ We educated our families on the importance of getting vaccinated when it's your turn and to follow local guidance regarding vaccinations.

❖ Remember to cover your nose and mouth with your elbow or a tissue when you cough or sneeze.

❖ Stay home if you feel unwell.

❖ Frequently clean your hands, using soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

Livelihood Support for Nandri Mothers:

Every month, Nandri selects five mothers from economically disadvantaged backgrounds who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. They provide financial support through an Income Generation Program, encouraging these mothers to lead successful and happy lives. Unfortunately, there is concern that a fourth wave of the virus is spreading rapidly in large cities like Chennai and Bangalore.

Tragically, 30 members of the Nandri self-help groups have succumbed to the virus. Nandri offers comfort to the bereaved families and provides financial help with funerals, money for food and necessities at this very difficult time in their lives.

We at Nandri would like to thank you for your financial support, which helps us to continue this vital work for our Nandri families.

Water water everywhere

“Water, water everywhere, and not a SAFE drop to drink” – Many of our villagers on a daily basis are faced with no option but to drink water that is not clean and very dangerous to their health. This is due to basic lack of sanitation and hygiene.

Clean water and sanitation are vital to our health. Nandri prioritizes providing clean water for our Dalit families through development projects.   One of our projects is in a village called Avoor  near Thiruvannamalai. There Nandri built a mini water tanks for for the villagers.

Our Nandri Foundation started Eco-Protection Force and it has been successfully running for the past two years.  Every month Nandri keeps providing tree saplings to Nandri mothers and school children. And lately Nandri planted 2 thousand palm seeds at the bank of the lakes nearby villages.  Nandri is a great guide and inspiration for our children, showing them how to keep our world green and clean.

 So far Nandri has supported 60 Dalit families in different villages. Recently Nandri supported this mother to build a toilet in her house.  Frequently even though new toilets and washing facilities have been built by Nandri,  proper usage remains low.  In order to educate the families, Nandri works to bring awareness amongst our mothers and trains them in proper hygiene practices, both at home and in the community.

We thank you on behalf of our Nandri families for you support of this very important project.  With your financial help we have been able to make the lives of many of our families more happy, healthy and sanitary.

A second cow for Lily!

Lilly is from Gudalore village. Sadly her husband passed away some years ago due to kidney failure. She has two daughters still in school and on her low income she was struggling to keep them in education. Nandri gave her a loan to purchase a second cow, so she could increase the family income, and continue to support her daughter's education. Thanks to Nandri’s help, her girls will have the opportunity to continue to third level college. 

More success stories of Micro Business Loans for our mothers

Mrs K was an agricultural worker, earning very little money. She has three daughters and was struggling to keep them in education. In India, girls are sometimes considered a financial burden for poor families. Mrs K received a loan from Nandri and bought a cow to enable her to start her own micro business, selling the cows milk. This has changed the lives of her family providing income for the girls to continue in education. If her daughters choose to continue to college, Nandri will offer Mrs K a loan to enable her girls to fulfill their career goals.

Mrs P and her husband are working as poorly paid coolies. They have two children and on their meager incomes, they were struggling to feed and educate their children. With Nandri’s support Mrs P bought a cow. With this extra family income, the parents are now able to give their children better nutrition an education and a much brighter future. F

Sindhu’s story of adoption and hope

Tragically both of Sindhu’s parents died. One of our kind Nandri mothers, Banu, who already had four children, adopted Sindhu, giving her love and the chance of a family life.

Sindhu is an ambitious student and started a degree course in college. Unfortunately her family could no longer pay her fees and Sindhu sadly was going to have to leave college. Her family approached Nandri for aid and with the help of a loan from Nandri’s Higher Education programme, she is now able to complete her degree. Nandri has helped secure her future and she can look forward to a successful well paid career.

Nandri’s Micro Schemes bring income and hope to our families

Nandri’s mission is to enable and empower our mothers. In order to aid them to earn more money for their families, we provide our mothers with micro loans to help them set up their own small businesses. Many of our mothers choose to buy a cow with the loan. This provides them with milk to help feed their families and also an income from the milk they sell.

Mrs R was one such mother who availed of our micro loan scheme. She comes from a very poor family and had no support. With very little income she was finding it very hard to feed her family and could not afford to keep her children in education. This would mean that the next generation would have no hope of having a good career and as a result her family would be stuck in a perpetual poverty trap.

Mrs R joined one of the mothers self help groups and gained confidence and learned skills to start her own micro business. She applied for a income generating loan to buy a cow. Her life has been changed with the extra income. She has more money to feed her children and as part of the loan agreement, she will keep her children in education, giving them the chance of a bright future.

A Nursing Career for Kavitha

Kavitha is presently in her 2nd year of B sc Nursing in Dr Vimal College of Nursing in Vellore. It was always her dream to become a nurse and she was doing very well with her studies. Last year Kavitha’s family could no longer afford the college fees and she was devastated when she had to quit her degree course. She approached Nandri for help and was provided with a loan to pay her fees. Kavitha is so relieved to be back in college and extremely grateful for the opportunity that Nandri has given her to complete her studies and fulfill her dream of becoming a nurse.