| Activity Report 2007 - SISP's operations in India - Page 2 | 11th May, 2008 |
SOCIAL 4 full-time social workers work with the families and groups helped by SISP. Micro credit SISP has a long tradition with micro loans. At the beginning of 2007 we had 17 groups. Two working groups became fully independent within a few months. New groups were formed at the request of the women in the surrounding villages of Vellar, Poovar and Vizhinjam. At the end of 2007 we had 32 women's groups working under, or supported by, SISP. Six groups received interest-free micro credit loans from SISP to start small businesses such as knitting clothes, grocery stores, dry fish, ... Literacy Classes During 2007 our social workers taught 10 literacy groups for women and girls in outlying villages. Each classroom has a dozen members and is 2 to 3 afternoons a week together in one of the houses of the participating women. The women learned to read the destination boards of buses and trains, newspaper articles, and learned how to fill in forms etc... Social welfare for the poorest In 2007 SISP helped approximately 80 families who lived below the poverty line (with an income of less than 8 euros per month per person). These families depended on us for food, financial aid or medical assistance. We received more than 100 new applications but we had to reject a few because they were above the poverty line or lived outside the region demarcated by SISP. A few dozen aid cases were stopped because of death or because someone in the family had found work and the family rose above the poverty line. 30 new cases were selected for financial relief, some for a short period, and some continue to be helped. ECONOMICS The past year has SISP invested heavily in creating employment. In addition to the micro credit loans that are awarded to groups in the villages, SISP has 4 workshops in the centre itself. They are the offspring of SISP: "SEP" (Sebastian Employment Projects). SEP has been registered as "SSI" (Small-Scale Industry) under the Indian government and got a small start-up donation. Coconut handicrafts This eco-friendly workshop had previously 4 staff and has now 6, and as many as 8 students doing their training here. This unit gets more and more orders from Belgium, Netherlands, England and Italy. It has added jewelry to their range which is very popular. |
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Paperarts This unit started in 1996 with 6 women from our poorest families and now has several students in training. This is a highly ecological workshop that strongly supports the replacement of plastic bags used in the nearby tourist area of Kovalam, with shopping bags made of recycled newsprint. In addition to this they also produce paper gift bags made from handmade paper and they are also taught sewing. The workers take it in turns to help in the kitchen and the coordinator of the Paperarts workshop deputises for sick teachers in emergencies. This workshop had good sales during the tourist season.
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