We are fortunate enough to have two Belgium OT (Occupational Therapist) students completing 3 month internships at SCAD working with differently-abled students at the residential school and in the community. SCAD have built up an invaluable relationship with the KHBO University in Brugge, Belgium and have OT students come every year to SCAD. This ensures that there is sustainability in the OT support given to our staff.  The current two Belgium OT students, Lise & Phaedra, will provide support and training to the CBR (Community Based Rehabilitation) staff on current practice and possible areas...

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Murray & Janet Frankland, founders of Salt of the Earth, visit the ‘model village’ Sevalkulam, in the Ottapidaram block to view the new fish culture initiative at the village ooranie (rainwater harvest tank). SCAD have been working with this village for around 20 years and have successfully established: Women’s Self Help Groups, supplementary education, energy management, sports youth groups, vetinary camps, income generating initiatives, health education, micro insurance, nutritional demonstrations, tree plantation, organic kitchen gardens, bio-char trial plots - as a result village...

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In Tamil Nadu there is a big problem with women being anemic and children being malnourished. Also the price of food in the area is increasing beyond the means of most people. We have a solution to this problem! We have been providing women with affordable seeds and soil enriching bio-char so that they can start to grow their own vegetables. Watch this video about our work. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8F7_ix_iAQ&context=C3c6fc54ADOEgsToPDskJKbNoTLg0YMm40lO27Gy60

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The first Salt of the Earth Supporters two week visit to India went very well ably led by Eddie and Anne Walker. A week seeing the great work that SCAD does with our money was followed by a tour around Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Participants all enthusiastic and we already have 15 interested people for next years tour. Book now to avoid disappointment! It has been great to visit some of the projects we support and meet with the managers and staff. It brings all the administration work in the UK to life when you can see for yourself what is being achieved with our support. It was good to meet with...

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Get involved with SCAD in 2012 - it’s now even easier Tamil Nadu charity Social Change and Development (SCAD) is strengthening its links with overseas supporters this year with the launch of three new initiatives as part of its plans for 2012. It now means it will be easier for you to learn more, see more and do more with SCAD than you’ve ever been able to do before. Whether your want to travel to Tamil Nadu to work with SCAD, volunteer with SCAD, or simply learn more about its work wherever you are, the door is wide open. SCAD’s work is about community empowerment. It works with...

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My name is Kate Hartley, I am 24 years old and I live in the South East of England. At the age of 18 I went travelling on my gap year to India, New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia, Thailand and Laos. Following this I completed my Music degree at Southampton University in 2009. Whilst continuing with my performing and teaching the harp I started a new job for a Community Interest Company which made films promoting environmental and sustainable education to Primary Schools. In 2010 I embarked on a new more challenging role as the PA and Office Manager for the internationally celebrated artist Alexander...

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At SCAD we are concerned with any initiative which will help us to protect the environment locally. One of the best projects that we have is the Soil Fertility Project. This is an ingenious initiative which provides SCAD farmers with two different organic products to use on the land to increase fertility. The first product that we use in the soil is called Biochar. Biochar is a very nutrient rich type of charcoal. The charcoal is made through a specific process called pyrolysis which entails burning organic materials such as straw, rice husks and wood at very high temperatures so that they keep...

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At SCAD we are interested in empowerment that takes place when people challenge existing norms and culture to improve their well being and create their own development. Our SCAD Women's Self Help Groups (WSHGs) have challenged social norms not once but twice! In the first instance women transformed the culture of being forced to stay in their homes. Initially when the women gathered together for meetings they had difficulty coming out of their homes because it was not traditional. In the beginning women were scorned and sometimes threatened. With a lot of support from SCAD and internal strength...

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SCAD have been working with Women Self Help Groups for over 25 years; they are the backbone of our organisation. Initially the men in the villages were against their wives leaving the house for training and used to argue with them. Now they see the benefit the groups have bought to their lives and villages and they ask their wives to get involved with the groups. Women Self Help Groups are generally made up of between 10-20 women who come together to collect small savings and share their problems once a week. With the money they collect they can open a bank account collectively and also they...

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The Tirunelveli District Level Sports Day for mentally disabled children conducted by the District Sports Authority of Tirunelveli was held this year on the 19th November, 2011, at the Anna Stadium, Palayamkottai. 243 Mentally challenged children from 17 special schools in the District participated in the sports day with great enthusiasm. Five children per school were permitted to participate in the sports events and three boys and two girls representing SCAD Anbu Illam, Chereanmahadevi, were taken to the Anna Stadium, to participate in different events SCAD has encouraged and motivated the mentally...

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