Society for Women's Education Economic Development - Sweed

Social Empowerment Self-help Groups improve the equality of status of women as participants, decision-makers and beneficiaries in the social, democratic, economic and cultural spheres of life. And Nutrition program is to improve the health status of infected and affected poor people and malnourished children.

SELF-HELP GROUPS AND ITS ACTIVITIES:
Women empowerment and gender equality have become topics of utmost importance in the recent times, because gender inequality and its socio-economic and cultural dimensions are all pervasive in the third world as well as in the developed world. However, in the third world the problem of gender inequality is more acutely associated with economic disempowerment of women. And therefore, of recent, several initiatives are being taken up in the third world countries for the economic empowerment of women so as to reduce the gender inequality. Among these initiatives, the Self-Help Group (SHG) movement, which is getting wide spread all over the third world, has become the prominent one. Self-help groups enhance the equality of women as participants, decision-makers and beneficiaries in the democratic, economic, social and cultural spheres of life. The SHGs inculcate a great confidence in the minds of rural women to success in their day-today life.

"Economic empowerment" can be defined as the development of the ability of the historically disadvantaged to engage in economic activity that benefits both the individuals in question and the broader society. It is seen as a more productive and less costly way to help those who would otherwise remain dependent on the social welfare system. Welfare has its critics who contend that welfare removes the incentive to find employment while drawing excessively from the treasury. By empowering individuals to become economically or financially self-sufficient, they are removed from welfare payrolls and become more productive members of society.

PROBLEM: As Widows move through their own experience of grief, loss, or trauma after the death of a husband, they may also face economic, insecurity, discrimination, stigmatization, and harmful traditional practices on the basis of their marital status. Most of the women lose their status, livelihood or property when her HUSBAND dies, yet most of the widows in our area face persistent abuse, discrimination. After the deaths of their husbands 75 per cent of widows shown to be lonely. Nobody will come forward to help them and struggling for daily food. Besides they are living extreme poverty without getting food every day. NEED: Supplying of RICE, the poor widows will run their life without hungry.

BENEFICIARY TYPE/CATEGORY OF BENEFICIARY NUMBER OF BENEFICIARY (UNITS) NUTRITIOUS FOOD – PER UNIT
Poor Widows 100 10 Kgs of Rice Rs.600

This Nutrition program is helped for HIV/AIDS and TB affected people. Every month the beneficiaries were invited to organisation and was given counselling on health and hygiene. Continuous supporting of nutrition their weight, Hemoglobin, CD4 counts were increased.

Every year nearly 1400 HIV positive cases are added in Madurai district in Tamil Nadu State in India. Nearly 85% of HIV transmission in India is linked to the heterosexual route. HIV/AIDS and TB affected individuals and their household income and employment, level and pattern of consumption, saving and borrowings, education of children, health status including household expenditures on treatment are very poor. Besides, dropout rate of school going children among the HIV/TB infected families are very high. The HIV households spend more than double on medical expenses in terms of average and per capital expenditure, in comparison to non-HIV households. There is an increase in the percentage of the unemployed HIV/AIDS and TB, especially among men after they detected positive. Beside, they loss of income due to loss of job because of their poor health condition. So that they unable to spend for NUTRITIOUS FOOD and even they unable to spend money for purchase RICE for daily food for their family to run without hungry.

This program is aimed to support for HIV/TB infected poor people especially for infected women.

Every year nearly 1400 HIV positive cases are added in Madurai district in Tamil Nadu State in India. Nearly 85% of HIV transmission in India is linked to the heterosexual route. HIV/AIDS and TB affected individuals and their household income and employment, level and pattern of consumption, saving and borrowings, education of children, health status including household expenditures on treatment are very poor. Besides, dropout rate of school going children among the HIV/TB infected families are very high. The HIV households spend more than double on medical expenses in terms of average and per capital expenditure, in comparison to non-HIV households. There is an increase in the percentage of the unemployed HIV/AIDS and TB, especially among men after they detected positive. Beside, they loss of income due to loss of job because of their poor health condition. So that they unable to spend for NUTRITIOUS FOOD and even they unable to spend money for purchase RICE for daily food for their family to run without hungry.

Monthly supply of Rice for the family of a person infected with HIV/AIDS and TB.

Every year nearly 1400 HIV positive cases are added in Madurai district in Tamil Nadu State in India. Nearly 85% of HIV transmission in India is linked to the heterosexual route. HIV/AIDS and TB affected individuals and their household income and employment, level and pattern of consumption, saving and borrowings, education of children, health status including household expenditures on treatment are very poor. Besides, dropout rate of school going children among the HIV/TB infected families are very high. The HIV households spend more than double on medical expenses in terms of average and per capital expenditure, in comparison to non-HIV households. There is an increase in the percentage of the unemployed HIV/AIDS and TB, especially among men after they detected positive. Beside, they loss of income due to loss of job because of their poor health condition. So that they unable to spend for NUTRITIOUS FOOD and even they unable to spend money for purchase RICE for daily food for their family to run without hungry.

NEED OF THE PROGRAM:

HIV is a virus that attacks the immune system. if person does not receive treatment for HIV they may develop AIDS. While the treatment for HIV is effective, people with HIV or AIDS can benefit from a health nutrition. A balanced eating of nutrition food it can also help them cope with the symptoms of their condition and the medication side effects. The nutritious food also will help to increase their CD4 count in white blood cels (WBC). iF THE CD4 cells will reduce they will affect many opportunistic infection and it will LEAD TO DEATH. Healthy nutritious food will increase their CD4 count, weight, and hemoglobin level.

PROBLEM:
Many children are attributable to under nutrition, under nutrition puts children at greater risk of dying from common infections, increases the frequency and severity of such infections, and delays recover. Children who survive can face a long list of devastating side effects that a life time, preventing them from achieving success in school and pursuing meaningful work in adulthood. Such effects of malnutrition include increased vulnerability to diseases, developmental delays, student growth and even blindness.
Malnutrition (under-nutrition) is caused by a lack of nutrients, either as a result of a poor diet or problems absorbing nutrients from food.

OBJECTIVE OF THE PROGRAM:
* To prevent school dropouts due to malnutrition
* To help support physical growth and brain development
* To prevent of nutritional deficiency disease
* To sensitize parents on the importance of balanced nutrition
* To keep the muscles strong and growth
* To increase the physical growth of the malnourished children.
NEED OF THE PROGRAM:
Protein builds, maintains and repairs body tissue. It is especially important for growth. And also protein to make enzymes, hormones, and other body chemicals. Protein is an important building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood. Along with fat and carbohydrates, protein is a "macro-nutrient, " meaning that the body needs relatively large amounts of it. Every cell in human body contains protein, so meeting their protein requirement is essential for their health. Building Tissues and Muscles. Protein is necessary in building and repairing body tissues and immune Function.
AREA COVERAGE: Melur and Kottampatti blocks in Madurai district in Tamil Nadu State in India
No of Villages to be covered: 85 villages and 25 Wards in Melur Town.
No of beneficiary (UNITS) = 200
Nutritious Food - PER UNIT : Kits-Pro. and Sundal Total amount per UNIT is Rs. 540.