Global trust for the differently abled is a non-governmental organisation working for the differently abled population, in particular for the people with intellectual disabilities through special schools with residential care, Autism center, Adult home and a respite house. Also working for the economic and social empowerment of rural women in Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu, India.

The project was designed to support underprivileged women offering them tools, resources and confidence to manage their financial and social empowerment through collective action with an aim to foster economic independence, to provide knowledge and skill needed to manage their finance and small business, to promote social cohesion and collective decision making among women in the community and to raise awareness on gender equality, women rights and leadership. Our volunteers from Germany through FSL-INDIA named Ms CARLA MARIE BERNDT and Ms GRETA HENRITTE PELLNY were made integral part of the project team in initiating this empowerment process among the women. The Project team works very closely with volunteer’s in guiding them through the formation of self-help groups, teaching financial literacy, and learning group dynamism.

The process of group formation began with understanding the status of women globally and in Indian context, underlining the bottleneck of the progress in women empowerment and various strategies to work upon to lift the vulnerable women socially and economically weak.

After understanding the concept clearly, the volunteers along with the project team visited a new village called V.Kattupalayam, Cuddalore Block, Cuddalore district. They Met a Key person of the village named Mr.Gopal and his wife to have first-hand information about the village. They walked down to the village to have a glance of village resources available like, the primary school, Anganwadi (centre for children under 3 years) primary hospital, a water tank, an Iyyanar temple (Believed as God guarding the village) Amman temple with several heads of Snakes on the top of the head (Nagamman Temple) Also visited various habitats of the village where people reside separately based on their cast. Most importantly, they have seen huge cultivation of cashews, bananas, and jack fruits.

Secondly they have called for a meeting of like minded women, who would come together for a common cause .i.e. to involve in locally viable group enterprises.

The volunteers are in the initial stage as they have a long way to travel in formation of a group. But, in saying so, they experience a real exposure as they start the group from scratch. This we believe will give them needed opportunities to learn the process involved in Women empowerment.

This effort by our volunteers is definitely a significant step towards women empowerment.

While challenges remain, such as communication, ensuring sustainability, the foundation has been laid. The collaboration of the project with our volunteers will prove a powerful model for social change and the success of this model will inspire further efforts to empower women around the world.