Puvidham Rural Development Trust
Puvidham Rural Development Trust
Project Brief: Towards sustainable development through education
Project Type: Community Based Interventions (description)
Primary Focus: children of dalits/tribals (description)
Supporting Chapter Contact: London
Project Type: Community Based Interventions (description)
Primary Focus: children of dalits/tribals (description)
Secondary Focus: creating resources
Area: RuralSupporting Chapter Contact:
Status: current / ongoing
Project Steward: Vidhya Sridhar
Project Partner(s): Meenakshi Umesh
Other Contacts: Vidhya Sridhar
Project Address: , Puvidham Rural Development Trust,Nagarkooda Village Post,Nagarkooda Village Post,
Tamil Nadu 636803
Tel: 91-4342-311641
Stewarding Chapter: London
Project Steward: Vidhya Sridhar
Project Partner(s): Meenakshi Umesh
Other Contacts: Vidhya Sridhar
Project Address: , Puvidham Rural Development Trust,Nagarkooda Village Post,Nagarkooda Village Post,
Tamil Nadu 636803
Tel: 91-4342-311641
Stewarding Chapter: London
| Sep 2022 | London | USD 24398 |
| May 2022 | London | GBP 5297 |
| Jun 2021 | London | USD 4052 |
| Oct 2020 | London | USD 6157 |
| Jul 2020 | London | USD 1525 |
| Nov 2019 | Silicon Valley | USD 8406 |
| Sep 2019 | London | GBP 4994 |
| Nov 2018 | Silicon Valley | USD 6240 |
| May 2018 | Silicon Valley | USD 6780 |
| Jun 2017 | Silicon Valley | USD 21835 |
| Jun 2017 | London | GBP 5000 |
| Oct 2016 | London | USD 10642 |
| Apr 2016 | Silicon Valley | USD 8172 |
| Jan 2016 | Silicon Valley | USD 8937 |
| Mar 2015 | Silicon Valley | USD 9004 |
| Nov 2014 | Silicon Valley | USD 9036 |
| Mar 2014 | Silicon Valley | USD 7003 |
| Oct 2013 | Silicon Valley | USD 6953 |
| May 2013 | Silicon Valley | USD 2005 |
| Apr 2013 | Silicon Valley | USD 6053 |
| Dec 2012 | Silicon Valley | USD 6260 |
| Mar 2012 | Silicon Valley | USD 6785 |
| Jan 2012 | London | GBP 1500 |
| Oct 2011 | Silicon Valley | USD 6785 |
| Jun 2011 | Silicon Valley | USD 1200 |
| Jun 2011 | Work an Hour | USD 10037 |
| Sep 2010 | Silicon Valley | USD 18692 |
| Jun 2010 | London | USD 2000 |
| Mar 2010 | Silicon Valley | USD 7047 |
| Jan 2010 | London | GBP 2000 |
| Oct 2009 | Silicon Valley | USD 6800 |
| Jul 2009 | London | GBP 2500 |
| Jan 2009 | Silicon Valley | USD 8250 |
| Mar 2008 | London | GBP 2500 |
| Jan 2008 | London | GBP 2500 |
| Dec 2008 | Silicon Valley | USD 9392 |
| Dec 2007 | Seattle | USD 7997 |
| Dec 2006 | London | GBP 2500 |
| Dec 2005 | Seattle | USD 5800 |
| Dec 2005 | London | GBP 2500 |
| Dec 2004 | London | GBP 2500 |
Total = $297772.67474
Puvidham - How it started
In 1992 Meenakshi Umesh and her husband decided to start a farm and school of their own in the dry, draught prone Dharmapuri district in Tamil Nadu. To make this dream come true, they bought 12 acres of land in the Dharmapuri district, dug bore wells, and built a house of their own in 1994. The next five years were spent in making the rocky piece of land cultivable. They planted trees, trained themselves in biological pest management and started practising self-sustaining organic farming of rice, ragi and jowar. The school Puvidham was started in 1999 and has been steadily growing in strength. The school started with seven children (two of whom were children of Meenakshi and Umesh). Most children came from the villages of Kalani Kattur and Avvai Nagar and a few from Savalukkuttai and Kuduppatti. Within a mere 10 years, the school gained so much support and appreciation from the community, that they now have 96 student, with 56 children in the hostel!
Mission
1) Providing primary school education to children of migrant workers, and providing hostel facilities to as many children as possible.
2) Imparting education to government school drop outs and children from the National Child Labour Prevention Program, who have been unable to cope with the pressures of formal schooling, with the intention of helping them join regular schools after Class VIII. Many of their students join without even a basic knowledge of the alphabet, or have been out of the educational system for many years disillusioned by the rigid schooling at government schools.
3) Giving the children a working knowledge of Tamil and English and a strong foundation in Mathematics, and getting them familiar with farming activities.
Methodology/ Niche/ What sets them apart?
1) Puvidham believes in holistic learning and seeks to improve self confidence of children who have been out of the educational system for many years.
2) Science, Art, Language and Math are all mixed in the same class!
3) Tamil and English are introduced simultaneously. Often in their books, the same text is given both in Tamil and English!
4) Children are taught the importance of nature and the relevance of farming to their lives.
5) The children are placed in classes according to age. Activities vary from one age group to another. The younger children enjoy clay jigsaw puzzles, pronunciation games and nursery rhymes. The older children are taught Science, Social Science and Mathematics and engage in farming related activities such as drawing of village maps, making weather vanes, sun dials, designing better tools for plantation, experimental farming on small plots of land etc.
6) Teaching is done creatively. English and Tamil are taught through language flash cards. Maths is taught through the abacus, counting on stringed beads and Montessori like learning aids.
7) Importance is given to creative extracurricular activities like clay modelling, drawing, conducting puppet shows, stitching etc.
8) Story telling is considered important to give each child the confidence to speak.
9) Children are encouraged to help at home and are taught about their responsibilities to their families, so that the parents don�t lose out on helping hands at home. Unlike at government schools, students are not penalised for missing a few days because of work at home.
10) The teachers are also from the Dharampuri district from similar backgrounds, so they empathise better with the children.
Recent activities of students/ teachers (updates)
1) Hostel building structure completed in May 2009. Projected completion end of this year for use in winter.
2) Teachers received training to orient curriculum towards farming, bring science into the classroom, teach children basic sewing activities and practice conversational English (April and May 2009).
3) Class 8 students went on a trek to Ooty with teachers, their first real experience in a forest.
4) 35 students are karate enthusiasts and take regular lessons.
5) 30 children and 6 teachers went on a tour of Tamil Nadu to learn more about the diverse culture of the state and appreciate the importance of environmental conservation.
Success Stories
1) Out of the first 4 children who finished school in 2005, two have now been successfully integrated in government schools and are in their final year, one is working, and the fourth (a girl) is married and wants to work as a teacher in Puvidham.
2) In September, 19 students between the ages of 12 yrs and 14 yrs left Puvidham to join mainstream government schools. Most of these children are in the top ten of their class.
3) Meenakshi's three children are all in Puvidham, two are in Class 12 in government schools now!
4) Puvidham has taken 35 children from the NCLP program. These children have been unable to cope with formal schooling and Puvidham will help them join regular schools in 3 years.
5) Almost 25 children had come to Puvidham without even a basic knowledge of alphabet or numbers up to 10. Most of them have been placed into classes of their age groups and after another year will be as good as the others.
Some numbers:-
1) Number of children:- 97 (January 2010), 96 (September 2009), 140 (2008), 75 (2007)
2) Number of children in the hostel:- 57(2010), 56 (2009), 65 (2008)
3) Student teacher ratio 1:14
4) Total budget:- Rs 10.4 lakhs
5) Major donors:- Asha Silicon Valley, Asha London
In 1992 Meenakshi Umesh and her husband decided to start a farm and school of their own in the dry, draught prone Dharmapuri district in Tamil Nadu. To make this dream come true, they bought 12 acres of land in the Dharmapuri district, dug bore wells, and built a house of their own in 1994. The next five years were spent in making the rocky piece of land cultivable. They planted trees, trained themselves in biological pest management and started practising self-sustaining organic farming of rice, ragi and jowar. The school Puvidham was started in 1999 and has been steadily growing in strength. The school started with seven children (two of whom were children of Meenakshi and Umesh). Most children came from the villages of Kalani Kattur and Avvai Nagar and a few from Savalukkuttai and Kuduppatti. Within a mere 10 years, the school gained so much support and appreciation from the community, that they now have 96 student, with 56 children in the hostel!
Mission
1) Providing primary school education to children of migrant workers, and providing hostel facilities to as many children as possible.
2) Imparting education to government school drop outs and children from the National Child Labour Prevention Program, who have been unable to cope with the pressures of formal schooling, with the intention of helping them join regular schools after Class VIII. Many of their students join without even a basic knowledge of the alphabet, or have been out of the educational system for many years disillusioned by the rigid schooling at government schools.
3) Giving the children a working knowledge of Tamil and English and a strong foundation in Mathematics, and getting them familiar with farming activities.
Methodology/ Niche/ What sets them apart?
1) Puvidham believes in holistic learning and seeks to improve self confidence of children who have been out of the educational system for many years.
2) Science, Art, Language and Math are all mixed in the same class!
3) Tamil and English are introduced simultaneously. Often in their books, the same text is given both in Tamil and English!
4) Children are taught the importance of nature and the relevance of farming to their lives.
5) The children are placed in classes according to age. Activities vary from one age group to another. The younger children enjoy clay jigsaw puzzles, pronunciation games and nursery rhymes. The older children are taught Science, Social Science and Mathematics and engage in farming related activities such as drawing of village maps, making weather vanes, sun dials, designing better tools for plantation, experimental farming on small plots of land etc.
6) Teaching is done creatively. English and Tamil are taught through language flash cards. Maths is taught through the abacus, counting on stringed beads and Montessori like learning aids.
7) Importance is given to creative extracurricular activities like clay modelling, drawing, conducting puppet shows, stitching etc.
8) Story telling is considered important to give each child the confidence to speak.
9) Children are encouraged to help at home and are taught about their responsibilities to their families, so that the parents don�t lose out on helping hands at home. Unlike at government schools, students are not penalised for missing a few days because of work at home.
10) The teachers are also from the Dharampuri district from similar backgrounds, so they empathise better with the children.
Recent activities of students/ teachers (updates)
1) Hostel building structure completed in May 2009. Projected completion end of this year for use in winter.
2) Teachers received training to orient curriculum towards farming, bring science into the classroom, teach children basic sewing activities and practice conversational English (April and May 2009).
3) Class 8 students went on a trek to Ooty with teachers, their first real experience in a forest.
4) 35 students are karate enthusiasts and take regular lessons.
5) 30 children and 6 teachers went on a tour of Tamil Nadu to learn more about the diverse culture of the state and appreciate the importance of environmental conservation.
Success Stories
1) Out of the first 4 children who finished school in 2005, two have now been successfully integrated in government schools and are in their final year, one is working, and the fourth (a girl) is married and wants to work as a teacher in Puvidham.
2) In September, 19 students between the ages of 12 yrs and 14 yrs left Puvidham to join mainstream government schools. Most of these children are in the top ten of their class.
3) Meenakshi's three children are all in Puvidham, two are in Class 12 in government schools now!
4) Puvidham has taken 35 children from the NCLP program. These children have been unable to cope with formal schooling and Puvidham will help them join regular schools in 3 years.
5) Almost 25 children had come to Puvidham without even a basic knowledge of alphabet or numbers up to 10. Most of them have been placed into classes of their age groups and after another year will be as good as the others.
Some numbers:-
1) Number of children:- 97 (January 2010), 96 (September 2009), 140 (2008), 75 (2007)
2) Number of children in the hostel:- 57(2010), 56 (2009), 65 (2008)
3) Student teacher ratio 1:14
4) Total budget:- Rs 10.4 lakhs
5) Major donors:- Asha Silicon Valley, Asha London
Providing primary education to children of migrant workers
In 1992 Meenakshi Umesh and her husband decided to start a farm and school of their own in the dry, draught prone Dharmapuri district in Tamil Nadu. To make this dream come true, they bought 12 acres of land in the Dharmapuri district, dug bore wells, and built a house of their own in 1994. The next five years were spent in making the rocky piece of land cultivable. They planted trees, trained themselves in biological pest management and started practising self-sustaining organic farming of rice, ragi and jowar. The school Puvidham was started in 1999 and has been steadily growing in strength. The school started with seven children (two of whom were children of Meenakshi and Umesh). Most children came from the villages of Kalani Kattur and Avvai Nagar and a few from Savalukkuttai and Kuduppatti. Within a mere 10 years, the school gained so much support and appreciation from the community, that they now have 96 student, with 56 children in the hostel.
Sep 2022 21-22 SUSTAINABILITY PARK ASHA Proposal.docx
Sep 2022 Sustainability Park Proposal in pdf
May 2021 Proposal for COVID relief 2021
Jul 2020 Proposal for CoVID relief 2020
Jun 2020 Budget Proposal - 2020-21
Mar 2020 Site Visit Report - Mar 2020
Apr 2019 Budget Proposal - 2019-20
Oct 2018 Mid year Report-2018-19
Oct 2018 Updated Mid year report - 2018-19
Mar 2018 Updated Proposal for 2018-19
Feb 2018 Proposal for 2018-19
Jan 2018 Site Visit Report - Vidhya Sridhar
Jul 2017 Audit Report 2015-16
Jan 2017 Proposal for 2016-17
Jan 2017 Newsletter Jan 2017
Dec 2016 Site Visit
Aug 2016 Proposal for 2016-17
Mar 2016 Funds Usage
Mar 2016 newsletter
Mar 2016 Mid Year Report
Sep 2015 proposal2015-16
Sep 2015 Proposal Presentation
Sep 2015 newsletter
Sep 2015 ApprovalMinutes
Sep 2015 Q&A
Mar 2015 MidYearUpdate
Jan 2015 newsletter
Jan 2015 AnnualReport2014-15
Jan 2015 AuditesFinanacials
Jan 2015 TeachersProfile
Jan 2015 FundsUsage
Jan 2015 SiteVisit_Jan2015
Dec 2014 FundsUsage
Nov 2014 RTE_Response
Oct 2014 IncreaseinBudgetQ&A
Oct 2014 Polls
Sep 2014 Intern-Q&A
Sep 2014 SiteVisit_2014
Sep 2014 Funds Usage Asha London
Sep 2014 Funds Usage Asha SV
Sep 2014 AnnualReport-2013-14
Sep 2014 Proposal 2014
Sep 2014 RenewalPresentation_2014
Sep 2014 Q&A
Feb 2014 Audited_Financials
Feb 2014 AccountStatement_2013-14_FirstInstallment
Feb 2014 MidYearUpdate_2014
Jan 2014 Newsletter_Jan_2014
Oct 2013 Poll Results
Sep 2013 Proposal 2013
Sep 2013 AnnualReport_2012-13
Sep 2013 2013-14_Budget
Sep 2013 MeetingMinutes-Sep2013
Jul 2013 Site_Visit_AzimPremjiFoundation_2013
May 2013 Corpus Funds Donation 2012
Mar 2013 Mid Year Update 2012-13
Feb 2013 Site_Visit_2013
Jan 2013 AccountStatement_2012-13
Dec 2012 Newsletter Dec 2012
Nov 2012 Renewal meeting minutes and poll 2012-2013
Oct 2012 Itemized Budget Proposal 2012-13
Sep 2012 Renewal Presentation 2012-13
Sep 2012 Itemized Budget Proposal 2012-13
Sep 2012 Audit Statement 2011-12
Sep 2012 Audit Statement 2011-12
Aug 2012 Corpus Funds Donation 2012
Feb 2012 Half Yearly Update 2011-12
Feb 2012 Newsletter Jan 2012
Oct 2011 Meeting Minutes & Poll Result
Aug 2011 Budget Renewal Presentation
Aug 2011 Itemized Budget 2011-12
Jun 2011 Site Visit Concerns 2011
May 2011 Annual Report 2010-11
May 2011 Audit Report 2010-11
Apr 2011 QED Grant Proposal 2011-12
Apr 2011 QED Grant Approval Minutes 2011-12
Sep 2010 Project Newsletter Sep 2010
Aug 2010 Chapter meeting minutes and poll result
Jun 2010 Proposal for WAH funds 2010
Jun 2010 Utilisation of Asha London funds 2009-2010
Jun 2010 Annual Report 2009-2010
Apr 2010 School budget for FY Apr 2010 - Mar 2011
Mar 2010 Science and awareness presentation
Mar 2010 Financials Mar09-Mar10
Mar 2010 SV Eval document
Mar 2010 March 2010 Project Update from Asha London
Jan 2010 Jan2010 Puvidham report
Dec 2009 Site Visit
Dec 2009 Project update Dec 09
Sep 2009 Budget Proposal 2009-10
Sep 2009 Progress report
Jul 2009 Introduction to Puvidham
Jun 2009 Annual Report 2008-09
Jan 2009 Progress report
Sep 2008 Puvidham Newsletter Sept 2008
Jul 2008 Puvidham New Project Proposal 2008
May 2008 Site Visit May 08
May 2008 Site visit
Dec 2007 Audit statement 06-07
Dec 2006 Puvidham Newsletter, Dec 2006
Dec 2006 Puvidham Annual Report 2006
Dec 2006 Puvidham Annual Report 2006
Sep 2006 Puvidham Newsletter, Sept 2006
Sep 2006 Puvidham MidYear Report 2006
Apr 2006 WAH report
Apr 2006 WAH accounts
Dec 2005 Puvidham_FCRA_certificate
Jul 2005 Annual Report, (2004-2005)
Dec 2004 Current funding proposal
Dec 2003 Budget for 2003-04
Dec 2002 Site visit report including interview with founder
Dec 2002 Letter to Asha from the founder (includes list of students)
Sep 2022 Sustainability Park Proposal in pdf
May 2021 Proposal for COVID relief 2021
Jul 2020 Proposal for CoVID relief 2020
Jun 2020 Budget Proposal - 2020-21
Mar 2020 Site Visit Report - Mar 2020
Apr 2019 Budget Proposal - 2019-20
Oct 2018 Mid year Report-2018-19
Oct 2018 Updated Mid year report - 2018-19
Mar 2018 Updated Proposal for 2018-19
Feb 2018 Proposal for 2018-19
Jan 2018 Site Visit Report - Vidhya Sridhar
Jul 2017 Audit Report 2015-16
Jan 2017 Proposal for 2016-17
Jan 2017 Newsletter Jan 2017
Dec 2016 Site Visit
Aug 2016 Proposal for 2016-17
Mar 2016 Funds Usage
Mar 2016 newsletter
Mar 2016 Mid Year Report
Sep 2015 proposal2015-16
Sep 2015 Proposal Presentation
Sep 2015 newsletter
Sep 2015 ApprovalMinutes
Sep 2015 Q&A
Mar 2015 MidYearUpdate
Jan 2015 newsletter
Jan 2015 AnnualReport2014-15
Jan 2015 AuditesFinanacials
Jan 2015 TeachersProfile
Jan 2015 FundsUsage
Jan 2015 SiteVisit_Jan2015
Dec 2014 FundsUsage
Nov 2014 RTE_Response
Oct 2014 IncreaseinBudgetQ&A
Oct 2014 Polls
Sep 2014 Intern-Q&A
Sep 2014 SiteVisit_2014
Sep 2014 Funds Usage Asha London
Sep 2014 Funds Usage Asha SV
Sep 2014 AnnualReport-2013-14
Sep 2014 Proposal 2014
Sep 2014 RenewalPresentation_2014
Sep 2014 Q&A
Feb 2014 Audited_Financials
Feb 2014 AccountStatement_2013-14_FirstInstallment
Feb 2014 MidYearUpdate_2014
Jan 2014 Newsletter_Jan_2014
Oct 2013 Poll Results
Sep 2013 Proposal 2013
Sep 2013 AnnualReport_2012-13
Sep 2013 2013-14_Budget
Sep 2013 MeetingMinutes-Sep2013
Jul 2013 Site_Visit_AzimPremjiFoundation_2013
May 2013 Corpus Funds Donation 2012
Mar 2013 Mid Year Update 2012-13
Feb 2013 Site_Visit_2013
Jan 2013 AccountStatement_2012-13
Dec 2012 Newsletter Dec 2012
Nov 2012 Renewal meeting minutes and poll 2012-2013
Oct 2012 Itemized Budget Proposal 2012-13
Sep 2012 Renewal Presentation 2012-13
Sep 2012 Itemized Budget Proposal 2012-13
Sep 2012 Audit Statement 2011-12
Sep 2012 Audit Statement 2011-12
Aug 2012 Corpus Funds Donation 2012
Feb 2012 Half Yearly Update 2011-12
Feb 2012 Newsletter Jan 2012
Oct 2011 Meeting Minutes & Poll Result
Aug 2011 Budget Renewal Presentation
Aug 2011 Itemized Budget 2011-12
Jun 2011 Site Visit Concerns 2011
May 2011 Annual Report 2010-11
May 2011 Audit Report 2010-11
Apr 2011 QED Grant Proposal 2011-12
Apr 2011 QED Grant Approval Minutes 2011-12
Sep 2010 Project Newsletter Sep 2010
Aug 2010 Chapter meeting minutes and poll result
Jun 2010 Proposal for WAH funds 2010
Jun 2010 Utilisation of Asha London funds 2009-2010
Jun 2010 Annual Report 2009-2010
Apr 2010 School budget for FY Apr 2010 - Mar 2011
Mar 2010 Science and awareness presentation
Mar 2010 Financials Mar09-Mar10
Mar 2010 SV Eval document
Mar 2010 March 2010 Project Update from Asha London
Jan 2010 Jan2010 Puvidham report
Dec 2009 Site Visit
Dec 2009 Project update Dec 09
Sep 2009 Budget Proposal 2009-10
Sep 2009 Progress report
Jul 2009 Introduction to Puvidham
Jun 2009 Annual Report 2008-09
Jan 2009 Progress report
Sep 2008 Puvidham Newsletter Sept 2008
Jul 2008 Puvidham New Project Proposal 2008
May 2008 Site Visit May 08
May 2008 Site visit
Dec 2007 Audit statement 06-07
Dec 2006 Puvidham Newsletter, Dec 2006
Dec 2006 Puvidham Annual Report 2006
Dec 2006 Puvidham Annual Report 2006
Sep 2006 Puvidham Newsletter, Sept 2006
Sep 2006 Puvidham MidYear Report 2006
Apr 2006 WAH report
Apr 2006 WAH accounts
Dec 2005 Puvidham_FCRA_certificate
Jul 2005 Annual Report, (2004-2005)
Dec 2004 Current funding proposal
Dec 2003 Budget for 2003-04
Dec 2002 Site visit report including interview with founder
Dec 2002 Letter to Asha from the founder (includes list of students)