Empowering Tribal Communities in India through Health and Hygiene initiatives

Project Description:

The Irular tribe is a deeply marginalized community, officially recognized as a Scheduled Tribe (ST) in India. They primarily reside in the northern districts of Tamil Nadu, including Thiruvallur, Vilupuram, and Cuddalore, as well as in select regions of southern Indian states. With a mere population, they historically lived on the outskirts of villages, scattered in small, isolated groups.

The Irulars face the harsh label of untouchability and have endured a grim development trajectory, with progress barely touching 2%. The majority of them lack formal education, as only 20% of Irular children attend school, with only a handful progressing to higher education. Their limited awareness of the benefits of education has led to merely 2% pursuing college studies. Consequently, due to a lack of education, they often resort to daily wage occupations such as rat picking, sewage cleaning, and garbage collection. The dire living conditions they endure become painfully evident during field visits: they reside in makeshift huts with no proper roofs, using coconut leaves or plastic covers for shelter. Hygiene and sanitation facilities are virtually non-existent, and the absence of toilets, health centers, roads, and transportation compounds their struggles.

Irular families typically have only one meal a day, leaving children undernourished and often without proper clothing. They wear the same worn-out garments for months and roam barefoot through thorny bushes. Basic hygiene items like shampoo, toothbrushes, and soap are foreign to them. During a field visit, we encountered a young Irular who did not even know his age, highlighting the stark consequences of limited education and awareness. This young man, Mr. Venkatesan, struggled to gather firewood for cooking, as his family lacked a gas stove. His inability to state his age raises concerns about the broader challenges faced by the Irular community.

Now, WEEDS has identified several villages in the Chennai suburban districts - Thiruvallur and Kancheepuram District, Tamil Nadu, India, where the Irular community resides. Our plan is to adopt these villages and initiate a comprehensive program to improve their lives, focusing on health and education.

Earlier, with the support of kind-hearted individuals, we conducted a health awareness program and assisted Irular tribal children by providing them with hygiene kits, school supplies, clothing, and footwear. Additionally, we gifted bicycles to students pursuing higher secondary education.

Earlier, these communities was impacted by severe flooding caused by heavy rainfall. In response, we provided them with hygiene kits and essential supplies. Additionally, we reconstructed and renovated the homes of 05 underprivileged ST families in Mangadu.

Once again, we seek to connect with the same people living in those villages. We intend to conduct awareness campaigns focused on health and hygienic living, while also distributing hygiene kits and a blanket to 200 Irular tribal individuals.

We kindly seek your support to help uplift the Irular Tribal Community. Please share this story with your colleagues and friends to extend your compassionate hand in support of this important cause.

Thank you for your generosity and support.