VALAMPURINATHAM – ACTION PLAN
COASTAL REALITY AT PRESENT
- Tremendous “DEVELOPMENTAL” pressure both on the Marine Resources and the Fishers’ Livelihood. It is due to rapid Industrialization, nuclearisation, and militarization of coast /rampant coastal mining and Proliferation of coal based /gas based power projects and desalination plants/ Jetties/ Multipurpose Harbours.
- Lands in and around the coastal villages have been confiscated by outsiders & companies for various purposes.
- Highly human induced Sea erosion, a threat to village topography and heritage sites. Groynes /boulders which placed in the sea further aggravates the erosion process
- Threat and the rate of displacement will be on the high.
- Loss of Fishing grounds and habitations are on the increase.
- Shift in Governments’ policy /change from shore based fishing in to Harbor based fishing after tsunami. (PPP mode of building Multipurpose Harbors/ Fish landing Centre).
- Access to basic facilities still wanting and yet to be improved a lot.
- Fishers divided more on families/Parties/ Political affinities/ COMPANIES
- Mentality of grabbing available few opportunities by vested interested groups in the crooked way.
- Determined to loot the marine wealth unsustainably by all possible ways, a tendency propelled by to market driven forces and justifying it.
- Elected Local body representatives fail to do their roles and functions. They are not aware of their duties and roles. They work “HIGHLY PARTY “based.
- Lack of data of Population / boats / fishing gears. Poor Data Base.
- Lack of grievance redressal Mechanism.
- Women associating themselves in one or more SHGs only to get more debted.
- Women SHGs functioning isolated in villages at the will and pleasure of the NGO heads.
- Women have not found or ventured into trying an additional employment generating skills either individually or collectively.
- Women did not find ways and means to utilize their time creatively / economically in viable alternatives.
- Women either at home or villages are engaged in gossiping and a great dividing force / real block for any new economical initiatives. ( Sorry to Note it )
- Women engaged in fishery related works /allied jobs/ fish vending have no source to improvise /modernize their fish vending. Fish vending is a source of very good income still but they suffer a lot in the hands of money lenders / for a lack of refrigeration/ transportation.
- Joint economical livelihood ventures fail to click off still. Mutual trust is very much lacking among women.
- There is little unionization of different sectors of people with in the coastal communities.
- People live on short term life expectation rather than life time or long term goals and objectives.
- Meager amount of money /pittance can easily erode their minds /hearts / souls to the extent they are ready to lose anything and everything what they have long cherished /believed and dependent on/ inhabited. It can infiltrate into the communities and divide the people very easily.
- Youth still a vibrant force not yet approached and dealt with. Youth a cause of concern. Youth having no guidance and motivation.
- Youth lack life skills / good recreation facilities even after colossal funding in Tsunami.
- Youth have no guidance into future. They lack financial support for higher education. No systems/mechanisms to get them qualified to obtain the offers/scholarships/schemes available in Government or from Private sectors.
- Youth have already gone out of the village either for studies or job overseas have become disgruntled elements.
- Schools in the villages have no role in character formation / not bothered about setting role models to follow up.
- Teachers in general refuse to be role models and not ready to spare time for the welfare of the aspiring pupils.
- Children going out the villages / mad after English medium schools. English Medium Schools thrive on the coastal communities’ reception and extravaganzas.
- Teachers fail to identify the good and brilliant students and to coach them up.
- Children lack guided / personal approach.
- Youth and Children are the most vulnerable or victims of media /social networking/ peer pressure /electronic communication gadgets.
- Youth and children have no recourse to alternate sources of learning & positive learning.
- Their art /literature/ folk arts are dying and have failed to find relevance to their day to day lives.
WORKING GAPS IDENTIFIED
- We do not duplicate of the works of others (Service Organizations/ NGOs) who are already working in the coastal villages.
- Contribute and coordinate with other institutions if possible to orientate them.
- Strengthening /empowering the federations that are already operating in the coastal villages.
- TMSSS Women Wing has been bifurcated from TMSSS Office and registered as a separate registered body which can be animated and empowered regularly.
- Likewise TMSSS men federation also can be helped for Empowerment Programs in the Future too.
- Women SHGs in the Coastal villages can be grouped / federated irrespective of their institution belongings and can be animated village wise regularly.
- ECONOMICAL EMPOWERMENT of HEAD LOAD WOMEN FISH VENDORS. – Small Scale Freezing equipments / transport facilities either individually or collectively can be thought of.
- Linking the Fisher Women and Men in the programs and the Projects of Fisheries College, CMFRI & MPEDA.
- Inland Fishers can be organized federated and animated.
- Offering Expertise in various fields of empowerment.
- Documenting the everyday coastal realities.
- Developing a digital resource centre.
- Youth groups, GYMS/ Reading rooms could be thought of.
- Week end Special Coaching classes for the students of IX, Xth, XI and XII – (ENGLISH MATHEMATICS, PHYSICS, CHEMISTRY at least at Zonal Level.
- EXAM TOPPERs to be felicitated and to be encouraged every year.
- Potential student toppers can be identified and can be given special attention to hit the top.
- Summer / Residential coaching can be organized
- Talent Shows for the children can be conducted and prospective leads can be identified, assessed, guided and encouraged.
- Regular Film Screenings /Education through Mass Media in schools are A MUST.
- One day meeting for Sponsor children can be organized in JUNE , September , March
- Children parliament can be thought of.
- Public education and Sensitization programs in the villages to be conducted.
- Utilizing the Media to address the coastal realities.
- To put to more use of the Valampurinatham recording centre for the empowerment programs.
HANDICAP
As we have funds crunch, I am not suggesting a long term and a short term goals for valampurinatham, but pointing out some trail in few areas. As we do not have people’s structures to work on and we need to build up it in the due course, I think the following areas could be tried out till May 2011 with the personnel and we could find out the feasibilities in the due course. Though we can not try out all the suggested below, still we could find out what ever is possible and arrive at our THRUST AREASby the end of December , 2010.
So, I consider this launch as a testing period/ probation year.
WHAT COULD VALAMPURINATHAM THINK OF RIGHT NOW?
RESOURCE CENTRE
- Developing a digital /online resource centre – Maintaining the soft copies of the daily news clippings/ articles / developing web blogs/ website.
- Developing modules for Animation/ Workshops - Like Power Point Presentations /Visual Presentations / collecting documentary films.
- Monthly or Bimonthly Newsletter which carries news about coastal happenings / Government plans /policies/ schemes / Laws/ coastal developments/ coastal awakenings other news related to FISHERS/ FISHERIES/ COAST/SEA.
- Developing a tool or better software to collect the data of the Coast / Fishers/ Fisheries / Coastal Resources
MEN & WOMEN
- Animating the bifurcated TMSSS Women Federation and federating all the Women SHGs in the coastal villages irrespective of their institution belongings for coastal women empowerment.
- Ongoing formation for Likewise TMSSS men federation also can be helped for Empowerment Programs in the Future too.
- Women SHGs in the Coastal villages can be grouped / federated irrespective of their institution belongings and can be animated village wise regularly.
- Ongoing animation for TMSSS Men Federation.
- ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT of HEAD LOAD WOMEN FISH VENDORS. (Small Scale Freezing equipments / transport facilities either individually or collectively can be thought of.)
YOUTH
Youth Clubs to be formed in the coastal villages, regular monthly meetings to be conducted and federated zonal wise.
Encouraging Reading, listening, observing and animation for leadership roles.
Needs of the Youth to be identified.
Residential trainings and Exposures to them.
CHILDREN
- Week end Special Coaching classes for the students of IX, Xth, XI and XII – (ENGLISH MATHEMATICS, PHYSICS, CHEMISTRY at least at Zonal Level.
- EXAM TOPPERs to be felicitated and to be encouraged every year.
- Potential student toppers can be identified and can be given special attention to hit the top.
- Summer / Residential coaching can be organized
- Talent Shows for the children can be conducted and prospective leads can be identified, assessed, guided and encouraged.
- Regular Film Screenings /Education through Mass Media in schools.
- One day meeting for Sponsor children to be organized in JUNE , September , March
GENERAL
- Public education through Mass Media and Sensitization programs in the villages to be conducted.
MODALITIES
Dividing the Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli Coastal villages/ area in to Three Zones. (Zonation)
1. Vembar to Thoothukudi Thermal Colony Coast
2. Pazhayakayal to Periathazhai Coast.
3. George Nagar to kootapuli Coast.
Monthly Planning & Execution.
PERSONNEL
1. Project Coordinator- 1
2. Zonal Coordinators – 3
3. Resource Centre in charge – 1
4. Office in charge Cum Accountant - 1
5. Magazine In charge – 1
Office Assistant Cum Driver - 1
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