RID POVERTY & HUNGER IN 50 INDIAN TRIBAL VILLAGES

Pongal, the farmers’ festival in Tamil Nadu has just gotten over. We celebrate the (apparent) return journey of the sun from the Tropic of Capricorn to the equator. In earlier times, till as recently as fifty years ago, this spelt predictable weather patterns. The words” Climate Changes” have been flogged to death in every available public space and media. We are experiencing the effects now. An uncertain rain equals uncertain crop sowing and harvesting. This equals uncertain supply to the market. Here, we are trying our hardest to persuade farmers to not revert to chemical farming where returns are more assured. This is what it translates to at the ground level where Earth Trust works.

Life at Earth Trust goes on, following the cyclical movements of the sun. Our farming programme is being run with skeletal staff. We  are struggling to make farmers understand the concepts of demand and supply, crop cycles and harvesting cycles. With unreliable rains it is tough for them and tougher for us to see that they do not slip back into chemical farming.

Our Health programme and skill development programme for women are a regular feature of our yearly calendar. The basics of the syllabi remain the same but we are working on making the content more interesting. We had a hair styling demonstration in this small village called Thuneri. Needless to say the women had a great time. The secrets behind a healthy face and healthy hair---- food, nutrition and stress managing techniques formed the sub-text of the whole exercise. Bonding takes place in a meaningful way.

What we do is so much more than these few words which make up this report. 

This report has been quite delayed --- better late than never. We do apologise for the same.Kindly bear with us.

Thank you from the whole Earth Trust Team