Project for the training of FIDES centres in India
Location:
11 rural centres spread in three states: 1 in Karnataka, 5 in Andhra Pradesh and 5 in Kerala.
Objective:
The project aims at organizing and empowering Indian women who live under the threshold of poverty, in rural villages which are backward on the social, educational and cultural point of view. In the whole area of the project it has been activated a process of change of the social and communitarian role of women.
Given the success of the programme FIDES (Family Integral Development Education Scheme), which has been realized in the last 10 years in Bangalore and thanks to the precious contribute of Sr. Nancy Pereira – recognized at international level – this project has made it possible to transmit the best practices and a successful methodology in other similar contexts.
Activity: Training
Literacy courses, sanitary and alimentary education, domestic economy;
awareness raising courses;
cultivation techniques,
techniques for the production of textile handcrafts (training and updating on new techniques of production, on alternative ways of production and design);
management of saving ;
administration and management of cooperatives (accountancy and marketing).
Duration two years (October 2003/September 2005)
Local partner
C.D.E.W. – Legal Responsible: Sr. Cecily Thomas, Province INK – F.M.A. – Head responsible of the project: Sr. Anna T. F.M.A. – Director of the centre C.D.E.W. (Centre for Development and Empowerment of Women).
Project contribution for the achievement of the millennium development goals:
Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
The target group is made of young women who live in poverty and who come from families with a very low daily income (30/35 rupees circa). The training of young women gives them the possibility of finding a job so that they can help themselves and their families.
Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women
Young women, thanks to this project activity, can reach a better social status through professionalization; gender equality is also promoted, especially considering the context in which the project is inserted. In fact, in the country we consider, a woman is still considered a burden for the family, a country in which a woman cannot get married if she doesn’t have a dowry to bring with her and in which the status of “single woman” is not accepted.
Through the realization of this project, the value of the role of a woman is raised. In that way a woman becomes independent, safe and psychologically strong.
Goal 4: Reduce child mortality – Goal 5: Improve maternal health –Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
The project contributes to the achievement of those three goals thanks to the specific training provided for the young women. Training courses include: sanitary education and notions on the sexually transmitted diseases like AIDS. Furthermore, improving maternal health, children’s health would improve too; the risk of contracting mortal diseases is also reduced thanks to training sessions on domestic economy, food preservation, home cleaning and personal hygiene.
