Vilpatti is a remote village located in the Palani Hills. The majority of residents are small-scale farmers or labourers who struggle to earn a living. When their very existence is such a struggle, their children’s education and development becomes less of a priority. As most parents must work during the day, they find it extremely difficult to care for their youngest children. Many of the village residents are from scheduled castes and tribes. These communities must live separately from the rest of the villagers in constricted plots of land, which can have health and personal hygiene implications. Government healthcare provision is poor. Health workers rarely visit the area, therefore women receive very little family planning advice or child healthcare.
The Vilpatti Village Project was established in 1989 to meet the specific needs of the residents. VVP provides residents with practical tools for self-reliance e.g. education for local children, an after school club, a crèche, and literacy and numeracy programmes. A VVP health clinic provides essential healthcare to children and mothers including immunisation, family planning and post-natal healthcare. As well as providing healthcare and educational support, VVP also aims to empower the poorer members of the community and change attitudes towards female education, child marriage, health and hygiene through training and awareness raising. VVP also empowers community members on an individual level: a number of local women are involved in income generating activities at VVP, which has enabled many of them to become financially independent.
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