Biju monthly report for the Month of June 2010

1. I had a meeting with Raja of theni on the 3^rd June at CESCI in-order to discuss about their meeting held at CESCI on the 22^nd May with the Tamilnadu Adivasi Land Rights Forum. He has brought the minutes of the meeting and a working plan copy that they have collectively prepared in support to Janadesh 2012 in a direction to work among the adivasis on FRA. Based on the discussion we agreed to send the same to Rajaji by email for his support to implement the activities in Tamilnadu.

2. Accompanied the research visit of Christop and Paulo from Chennai to Cochin during 15^th June to 23^rd June. The team had meetinngs with Smt. Krishnammal of LAFTI, Mr. Vinod of Aadi tamil Vidudalai Iyyakkam, visited Kallakurichi to meet released binded labours stone quarry activities, visited Konalai, Trichy to see another released bonded labour community village, had meeting with Mr. Basha and Mr. Sayed of SOCCO trust, Visited Mr. Raja of ARUDECS to see some of their adivasi working areas and finally visited Kollam, Kerala to see the black sand mining area.

3. Participated the inaugural function of Chatrapati tailoring centre. This centre is new initiative of CESCI village program to support women’s economic empowerment activities. There are 15 girls are getting training in tailoring here and other three women’s from a MHG has started a tailoring job unit to work for a garment company. Ms. Uma and Ms. Lalitha are coordinating this process.

4. As part of the CESCI village program the MHGs has decided to create a federation to strengthen their activities and have organised a one day orientation meeting at CESCI on federation building. There are 30 women leaders from 15 MHS’s participated in this meeting. Finally the team has decided to create a new Federation in the name of Ekta Sangamam and have another meeting some experts to make its guidelines. Ms. Lalitha will follow up this process in consultation with CCD Madurai and will invite Mr. Olaganathan from CCD to the next meeting.

5. The honey project in the Vemparali villages is picking up. The group has started to collect the honey from their bee colonies. We are thankful to KVIC and its Director Mr. Wakode for providing this opportunity to empower the rural community.

6. CESCI organics oil production unit is started to function now under Mr. Natarajan, the new manager. The unit has purchased about 100 bags of raw ground nut during this season and will start to produce oil from it. The unit is also working as a service centre for framers and villagers to make oil for their house hold needs. To sustain the centre the team is trying to expand the work by making oils from non-edible products like neem and some other seeds by using the second grinding machine. The neem oil and cake has high demand in the market and it will create more income to the centre and it will help to become self reliant the centre.