Andhra Pradesh - Anantapur   

NGO brings about a change in lives of villagers

Anantapur: Social Education and Development Society (SEDS), jointly founded in 1980 by Rajen Joshua and Manil Jayasena, has made a big difference in the villages in Penukonda revenue division.

During its three decade of service to people in the region, it has created an ecological consciousness to such an extent that the people themselves act as ecological policemen effectively checking tree felling activity by outsiders.

Among the multifarious activities undertaken by SEDS, aforestation and avenue plantation is the most successful programme in the region apart from livelihood, agriculture, education and other training and equipping programmes.

SEDS is working through an integrated rural development approach with an emphasis on women's empowerment, watersheds, reforestation and natural resource management in five mandals including Penukonda, Roddam, Gorantla, Somandepalli and Chilamathur.

SEDS currently supports 125 villages, with some 12,000 women and their families and 980 SHGs. Through its sustained efforts the NGO has made a significant impact on the lives of the people in the area and the local environment.

Vocational Training Centre (VTC) offered training in different trades including tailoring, embroidery, carpentry, welding and fabrication, two-wheeler repair and domestic electrical wiring and were eventually employed in various places.

The NGO integrated all these livelihood activities in a sustainable agriculture programme, with focus on training to farmer groups using Farmer Field School Methodology.

Dr. Rajan Joshua told The Hindu that he and his wife Jayasena and the SEDS team had done pioneering work and today enjoys a sense of achievement and satisfaction that their work has paid dividends.

He attributed the success of SEDS to the active participation of people.

Waste lands development had been undertaken on a massive scale including re-afforestation by planting tamarind, neem, pongamia and jatropha plants that have an additional value.

Over the years more than 2 million trees have been planted on the barren lands of South Anantapur.

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NGO brings about a change in lives of villagers

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