User:Pondicherry17/test

Rural Education and Action for Liberation (REAL) is a non-governmental and non-profit organisation which is located in South India. It was founded in 1989 and stands up for the marginalized in the rural area around Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu.

History
REAL was initiated in the year 1989 by a handful of enthusiastic and committed youth in and around Ennayiram Village in Villupuram District in Tamil Nadu. It was founded and led by Mr. A. Lawrence along with the young companions who were involved in providing services to the neglected, marginalized, exploited and illiterate rural poor people, in order to free them from the clutches of poverty, ignorance, ill health and social suppression.

In 1989 REAL started the Non-Formal Literacy Training to build awareness about the importance of education. The first women Self Help Groups (SHG) were organised in 1991 in order to support the rural women. REAL initiated the program of evening coaching centres in 1994 to support these children to improve their learning in a facilitating environment. In Kattumannarkoil Region Individual toilets for households and schools were constructed during 2001. After the Tsunami Disaster in 2004 – 05 REAL started the Relief and Rehabilitation Programme. Flood Housing support was given in 2006 after the flood in Kattumannarkoil Region. For the Child Labour Eradication Project in 2008 teachers were trained on qualitative teaching, innovative methodologies, child rights and friendly education system. Cyclone Thane made landfall on 30 December 2011, the storm left a lot of destruction. REAL agencies provided shelter centres, food shelters, clothing and educational suppliers to several thousand victims in the region.

Operational Areas
REAL started its work in and around Ennayiram Village in Vilupuram District. Today REAL is active in four different districts of Tamil Nadu, India: Villupuram, Cuddalore, Kanchipuram and Thiruvallur.

Objectives
The vision of Rural Education and Action for Liberation (REAL) is a transformed society that has control over the resources and exercises their rights and power in socio-economic and political decision making process to ensure social justice, equal opportunity and equitable sharing of resources for sustainable development which ultimately reflects in quality of life.

Women Empowerment
The project activities of REAL particularly women and children related projects implemented through the involvement of village level Self-Help Groups (SHGs). The members of the group / federation are continue to be capacitated on functioning and management of SHG, financial literacy, accounting, child rights, leadership, employability skil. As the women cannot get loans from a regular bank, the members of the SHG start saving as a group. The savings are provided as loan for each individual in the SHG. Loans are taken from the collective savings to start an activity and collective income generating activities for example agriculture and horticulture, livestock rearing (poultry, goat, and milch animals), mushroom cultivation and Azolla cultivation

Child Rights and Child Protection
The goal of the project is to empower the marginalized and disadvantaged children to enjoy their right to survival, development, participation and protection. Under this project, various community based child protection mechanisms such as Child Activity Centre (CAC), Child Rights Club (CRC), Children’s Parliament,Child Rights and Protection Committee (CRPR). This centre provides an opportunity for the children to learn academic and extra-curricular activities.



Construction and Repair of Houses
REAL has different Housing Programmes.

After the tsunami in December 2004 REAL constructed disaster-resistant housing, in order to provide the tsunami affected families permanent houses which could safeguard them from future disasters.

The Tamil Nadu Flood 2015-16 destroyed many buildings especially in Cuddalore District in this context REAL repaired and rebuilt houses and school toilets in the worst flood affected areas.

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene
Promoting WASH in schools and communities is one of the core area of focus of REAL,in order to improve the physical learning environment of the school.

Almost 60% of the villages where REAL works lacking individual household toilets and has poor sanitation practices. Hence, the organization rigorous in creating awareness on importance of toilet construction and use through various platforms and during SHG meetings.

Further, the organization established  two precast, ferro-cement based toilet manufacturing units and helps the women in SHG to avail credit from the federation and financial institution for building of household toilets.



Disaster Risk Reduction
Even before the Tsunami struck the Tamil Nadu coast line, REAL started a Disaster Management Programme for the poor and the marginalized. This was done through a series of training programmes for the entire community to equip them with the basic skills required to face disasters. Mapping of the village is the first activity, with an emergency plan identifying safe evacuation routes in case of a disaster.

Currently, the organization is building comprehensive school safety program by assessing vulnerability of school to the disaster within and external and developing School Safety Plan in 11 worst flood affected schools in Cuddalore. Also, capacitating the children and teachers on disaster prevention, mitigation and preparedness.

Farmers Programmes
The project supported 330 small/ marginal farmers for practicing organic cultivation methods by giving capacity trainings and loans to the farmers. REAL established a Village Ressource Centre, where the farmer can get agriculture related information and the required organic manures and agriculture equipments. As well, landless women formed Self Help groups and were supported in agricultural activities by trainings and fund support. REAL also supported women by establishing a banana fibre unit and a cashew  processing unit in Cuddalore District, which provide an employment opportunity for women.