The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Good change in Chengam women’s lifestyle

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Tuesday, Feb 12, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Good change in Chengam women’s lifestyle

Staff Reporter

Minister Velu lauds NGO for raising their economic status

— Photo : D. Gopalakrishnan

HELPING THE NEEDY: Food Minister E.V.Velu handing over loan cheque to Malligai self-help group at the silver jubilee celebration of WARM at Chengam in Tiruvannamalai District. .

CHENGAM: Welfare Association for the Rural Mass (WARM) - one of the leading non governmental organisations - at Chengam continues its efforts to raise the economic and social status of women belonging to Tiruvannamalai, Chengam and Tandarampattu constituencies for 25 years. As a result there is a social awakening among the women which need to be appreciated, said Food Minister E.V.Velu here on Monday.

Participating in the silver jubilee celebrations of WARM at Muraiyar near Chengam, the Minister said that NGOs like WARM played a dominant role to in awakening in society that women needed to be treated on a par with men. Because of the regular financial help to the women belonging to various self-help groups (SHGs) in the three constituencies the standard of life of women had improved. Women no more depended on men for income. A silent revolution was taking place in Chengam where women have now learnt to become independent, irrespective of the economic and social status.

Mr.Velu said that the Tamil Nadu government would never fail to appreciate the various activities of WARM, which have become an instant success for the last 25 years. WARM has managed 21,344 members of various SHGs without any set back. Added to this WARM had so far trained 12,209 non-SHG women in various income generating activities. The best part was that it supported 50 tsunami-affected children. WARM had made Tiruvannamalai proud.

Stating that it was not easy to train and help women from 83 villages covering the three constituencies, Mr.Velu said that this had been possible due to the drive the employees of WARM get from K.Rajavelu, honorary director of the NGO.

Loans distributed

Ms.Gerda Buker, Dr. Annette Massmann and Ms.Anne Buduchar, all from EWF-Germany, the main funding agency for WARM, said that the NGO had succeeded to build up a strong movement in the Chengam block.

They exuded confidence that the women members of various SHGs attached to WARM would continue to come up in life and improve their standard of living. Later, Rs.1.52 crore of loan amount was given to various SHGs.

Tirupattur MP D.Venugopal, Chengam MLA Polur Varadhan, Tiruvannamalai MLA K.Pitchandi, District Chairman, Tiruvannamalai District M.P.Giri and Chengam Panchayat Union Chairman G.Kumar also spoke.

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