RHEDT Site Visit 1996

Done by: Murali Krishnan (Asha Seattle Volunteer)
Project Site: Tribal Villages around Karamadai, Coimbatore Dt., Tamil Nadu

Organization: Rural Health and Environment Development Trust, Karamadai

Contact Person: Mr. Ansar Basha

Date: May 18, 1996 (Sat) and June 1, 1996 (Sat)

Lush greenery abounds in this mountainous area which receives a large amount of rainfall from South west monsoon. The sun and wind co-operate to give a wonderful haven for relaxed life filled with tranquility and peace with intermittent sounds of animals especially the elephants. A large creek, no a river, is running down this valley in the east side of Western ghats near Karamadai, of Coimbatore district. There are lots of treks winding its way amidst the dense wood and greens. Visiting from Seattle (USA), I could have asked for no other place than this for a good summer hideout.

Behold! I see a village down there after the 3 hour drive (from my home) and 1 hour of walk. I am here to see the people who are fortunate to live here and enjoy the natural beauty. My parents and brother are also with me, all equally appreciating the place. We are led by Mr. Ansar Basha the local co-ordinator of Rural Health and Environment and Development Trust (RHEDT). He has been in this area for past 13 years working in several such villages helping the villagers to get better life and education.

Having endowed with large amounts of natural beauty, one may think that the villagers of this area are lucky; to the contrary they have their own problems combatting economic and social problems. In this small village, named Poochimarathur, out of the three hundred people only three (one boy and two girls) have gone to high school. Only two (a boy and a girl) completed their tenth grade. The boy, Velliangiri, is sleeping in his home for past 5 years because he could neither find a job nor fund his higher education. Been psychologically affected, he was reluctant to participate in the common chores of the villagers - picking up food grains in the forest and sheperding the sheeps. The girl, Lakshmi, stays home helping her mom with household work after graduating with 70% in the tenth grade. The nearest school is about 6-10 kms away and children have to walk through the woods to reach the school. As a consequence almost all the children do not attend school. They grow up just learning to put thumb impressions for signatures; they grow up without knowledge to read and write; they grow up gullible to look upto the sky and rain to keep their lives moving.

Mr. Ansar Basha is familiar with many such villages and villagers. He helped bring drinking water and electric lamps to some of the villages in this area. (It is an irony that most of the electricity for Coimbatore district is produced here.) He also sponsors several villagers for non-formal training programs conducted by other NGOs (Non-Government Organizations) and government. He also has worked with villagers to apply for loans for knitting machines, home grinders (for ragi et al), cows, ploughing equipment, home replenishment, electric light for village, drinking water wells and pumpsets, etc. He also plans to bring the benefits of school and education to these remote villagers.

Most villagers have lost hope waiting for the government to bring the benefits of education and good life to them. The politicians visit them for votes, albeit these days only via occasional flyer or radio programs. Though Mr Basha has informed the villagers that we will be here on June 17th to start a school for children, they did not have much confidence about the event. We have taken slates, introductory books on tamil and maths and some sweets. Seeing these items gave the villagers some confidence in the meeting. Slowly all the villagers gathered together. Also villagers and children from a nearby village called Thondi (3 kms away) joined us. The school here will cater to both the communities. Most villagers recounted their experience with such events earlier where there were meetings and no action. There was an informal meeting and discussion with the villagers. They expressed their interest in education and their inability to get it owing to both geographical and financial problems. They hope to give every opportunity to their kids to be educated.

Ms. Lakshmi, the SSLC (tenth grade) graduate of the village was appointed the first teacher for the school. She will be teaching introdcutory Maths, Tamil and health. She will be soon assisted by her sister and another villager in handling class and other needs of the school. Soon she will joined by additional teachers from outside whom Mr. Basha plans to hire. Mr. Basha will conduct weekly meetings and training sessions for these teachers in the RHEDT camp at Thanneer Pandal a village 20 kms away. At the end of talks, we distributed the books, slates and pencils. Temporarily the school will be held beneath a neem tree. Jointly, we and villagers scouted the village for a location to build the school shed to protect the children from rain. We found a neat flat piece of land overlooking the river and abundant view of mountains around. All men agreed to jointly erect a shed to host 50 children from materials to be supplied. A few women volunteered to clear the place and help the shed clean.

When we left, some villagers walked up to tell me that this is the first time that they have been offered something without expecting them to vote for us :-). An old man promised that he will learn to sign his name rather than use thumb by the time I visit him in a year or two. Another woman told me that she will learn to read destinations in bus and be able to goto town and sell her food grains. A village is raising and hoping to grow. I was happy personally to visit the site and be part of the inaguration of a possible transformation.

I heard from Mr. Basha again on June 5th. He mentioned that the villagers have already started cleaning up the place for a shed. About 15 children came to class on Monday, the third of June. The teacher reported to the base with attendance register and was happy to have found an employment locally. He mentioned that he will purchase some ragi and hand it to villagers and ask Pappathi to make lunch for children attending the school. By the way, Pappathi was a very active (and talkative) too woman. She was bold to pull the entire village to agree upon the site as well as collect the villagers when we arrived at the place. Not to mention she also made lunch for us that day. If only each village has 2-3 of such people, India will grow tremendously.

I also visited Ansoor, another village where a school and environmental training program is planned for. We walked about 2 kms after 30 minute bus trip from the RHEDT base. About 30 tribal families live here. The people make a living on seasonal "kooli" jobs and picking "sundakkai" (a local vegetable). The nearest school is about 10 kms away and there are no transportation facilities, not to mention financial support. According to these people the enemy is not poverty, but government and illiteracy. The villages lack water, sanitation facilities, adequate houses and electricity. They need schools to teach kids and last but most importantly "job"s.

This is just a beginning. The project has been in proposal for past 5 years and has been kick started now. The hopes of these villagers will come true when all of us co-operate and perform the job well -- Asha-Seattle provide the funding, Mr. Basha & RHEDT will co-ordinate the project, teachers like Ms. Laksmi will conduct the course, villagers co-operate and send kids to the school and finally the children save time to learn and play. I hope to visit again during my next trip to India and I am confident to see some changes then.

Murali R. Krishnan