AREDS (Association of Rural Education and Development Service) – a not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation, was founded in 1980. For 41 years now, AREDS has been working for the development of Dalits, women, children and the rural poor in Karur district in Tamil Nadu, India. AREDS strongly believes that education is the prerequisite for any social transformation and will help the masses act irrespective of colour, caste and creed. Hence, it started its service with non-formal education in Renganathapuram, the very first place where AREDS set foot on, by involving the youth of the village.

AREDS’ second priority is rural health as it is the basic step to the right to life. Health implies the accessibility to potable water, nutritious food and a clean environment. And the third agenda of AREDS is women’s empowerment – because we believe that unless the womankind is emancipated human development will remain incomplete.

We believe that empowerment is a process. Everyone who wants to or is a part of this process, whether as a sponsor or a field worker, needs to understand and utilise their influence, resources, energy and skill in a space that allows transparency, dialogue, exposure and choice.

This is an alternative development; one that allows for simple and effective involvement. A means to know the people you help and more importantly identify with them. Charity helps, but involvement empowers. Understanding the need and being conscious instruments of change is easier and more effective than we perceive it to be.

In order to make this a reality we need to commit as a collective force to comprehend the meaning of true development, educate our societies and become partners in effecting a positive change.

This effort would not have been possible without the commitment and support of many friends, well-wishers and an international panel of partners who believe in the importance and essentiality of this endeavour.

FOUNDER’S PROFILE

  • Coordinator International Network for Human Economy: INHE Asia, www. rieh.org
  •  Steering Committee member of INSP!R  Asia.
  • National Vice President: Working Peoples Collective: WPC
  • Mentores research on Social protection of Informal workers in 10 states of India.
  • Research on the role of labour welfare boards in Tamil Nadu on the social protection of informal workers.
  • Coauthored Paths of Human Economy together with Yves Bertholot, Andres Lalanne and Lilly Razafimbelo Prefaced by Kifi Annan.
  • Written article on development in  Global eyes : www.inmotionmagazine .com
  • Active in conducting participatory research and organizational development.
  • Presently: Executive Director of AREDS
  • Mentors research and exposure studies to University students both national and International universities.

Farmers Support

Our farmers toil under the hot sun and suffer constant financial distress caused by government policies. We work to uplift them

Women Empowerment

In a male dominated society we strive to provide a voice to the rural women and engage in understanding their rights

Child Welfare

In a backward economic background the children suffer the most with cases of abuse and lack of access to education

Dalits Rights

Caste system is still dominant in many areas and we work to ensure the rights of the downtrodden and secure a brighter future

Health Awareness at Pommanathuppatti school

AREDS Health Team organized a health awareness programme in the Panchayat Union Middle School, Pommanathuppatti on the 21st of February'23. Totally, 184 students participated in the programme and got their awareness on health enhanced.  The AREDS Health Team members performed skit and traditional folk dances for sensitizing the students on the importance of the intake balanced diet and...

Health awareness at Muthampatti school

AREDS Health Team organized a health awareness programme in the Panchayat Union Middle School, Muthampatti on the 22nd of February'23. Six teachers and 94 students participated in the programme and got their awareness on health enhanced.  The AREDS Health Team members performed skit and traditional folk dances for sensitizing the students on the importance of the intake balanced diet and...

Health awareness at Maamarathuppatti school

AREDS Health Team organized a health awareness programme in Government High School, Maamarathuppatti on the 27th of February'23. Seven teachers and 74 students participated in the programme and got their awareness on health enhanced.  The AREDS Health Team members performed skit and traditional folk dances for sensitizing the students on the importance of the intake balanced diet, compulsory use...

Training on Personal Hygiene and Behaviour

AREDS Health Team organized training on personal hygiene and behaviour, particularly on ‘good touch and bad touch’ to the children on the 22nd of January 2023 in Chekkanam village. Twenty-eight boys and thirty-seven girls underwent training. The importance of taking the balanced diet, keeping personal hygiene and on keeping environmental sanitation was explained to the children. The role of...

Training on Native Medicine Practices @ Manavaasi

AREDS Health Team organized training on native medicine practices, diabetes and the importance of consuming food items made of millets on the 23rd of January 2023 in Manavaasi village. Three men and thirty-seven women underwent training. The participants recalled their forgotten days when they were practicing the intake of native medicines. From the training, they also came t know about the...

Training on Native Medicine Practices @ Perumalpatti

AREDS Health Team organized training on native medicine practices, diabetes and the importance of consuming food items made of millets on the 23rd of January 2023 in Perumal Gowndampatti village. Six men and forty-seven women underwent training. The participants recalled their forgotten days when they were practicing the intake of native medicines. From the training, they also came to know about...

Training to the representatives of Workers’ Collectives

We have been facilitating the unorganized workers to enroll their names with the Labour Welfare Boards for availing the benefits of social security schemes. At the same time, we have been enrolling them in the trade union KADALU for claiming labour rights. In the process, we have identified the workers with leadership qualities and formed Workers’ Collectives in all eight blocks of Karur...

Training program on ‘Sustainable group mode of financing’

Bankers Institute of Rural Development (BIRD), an establishment of NABARD, conducted a three-day residential training programme on ‘Sustainable group mode of financing’ from 03-05 January 2023 at BIRD, Mangaluru. Self Help Groups (SHGs) & Joint Liability Groups have emerged as effective institutions for supplementary credit delivery in rural areas. The experience of SHG/JLG Bank Linkage...

Training on Organic Farming & Organic Fertilizer

Karur Navathaniyangal Farmer Producer Company members underwent training on organic farming and organic fertilizer production methods on 14.12.2022 in Udayappatti village. Training was held at the farm of Ms. Padmavathi, who is one of the directors of the company. Ms. Padmavathi presided over and Mr. Senthilkumar moderated the training programme. Mr. Dharmaraj, a farmer and an expert in organic...

Exposure visit to FPO in Pudukkottai

Forty-eight members including the board of directors from four FPOs (Sengathir Uzhavar Producer Company, Navathaniyangal Farmer Producer Company, Gramiya Uravugal Farmer Producer Company and Karur Sheep and Goat Promoters’ Producer Company) and AREDS staff went on an exposure visit to Pudukkottai Organic Farmer Producer Company Ltd. Pudukkottai on the 17th of December 2022. Mr. Aadappan, who is...
Address:
Renganathapuram North
Tamil Nadu 639108
India

Email:
info@aredsindia.org

Call Us:
+91 98777 21821
+91 94433 51582

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