MAIN PROGRAMMES

1.WOMEN DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

Women form an equal portion of population but in terms of benefits and rights are concerned, women are the most vulnerable and deprived. If they are the rural women. they would be doubly deprived than ordinary women. The major needs of women are their rights, skill team, spirit and independence of economy. Durga Women's Organization (DWO) involved in some need based programme to capacitate and guide them to find support and solution for their problems.

A.SELF – HELP GROUPS (SHGS)

Two decades ago, the status of women belonging to poverty stricken families in kumbakonam block were very much depressing due to two main factors their inability to contribute any income to the family and the exploitation by the money lendors as well as the soceity. DWO's initial intervention was to give hope and courage to the suffering women and it resulted in the formation of Mahalir Mandrams where they had freeedom to be themselves and share all their concerns and priorities in life. Mahalir Mandrams solved minor, moderate and major level problems related to individuals, family, group, community and the society at large The mahalir mandrams in due course of time culminated as 200 self –help groups (SHGs) covering 4000 women, with an excellent performance in the area of savings and credit management, covering in and around kumbakonam The ‘unreliable Poor' image has been shattered by the micro credit programme and many financial organizations are now ready to lend assistance to our groups to start new self – employment ventures.

	Awareness generation programme

IX.SOLIDARITY PROGRAMMES

In Order to cement the relationship of people with each other and to promote and harmony, DWO has been a friend and philosopher to all levels and types of people and organised various local and common festivals. It celebrates the major celebrations like pongal, new year, international women's day, Indira Gandhi Birthday, Children's Day, Independence day, Republic day, Mother's Day, Gandhi Jayanthi, and may Day etc. DWO is viewed as every one's home, School and office so that everything is planned for everybody's development DWO regularly organized peace meetings between the public and the police personnel.

DWO has successfully conducted consumers rights and privileges camps, It has also arranged a protest marches against compulsory donations in schools and dowry practices.

C.INCOME GENERATION PROGRAMME

VOCATIONAL TRAININGS

DURGA WOMEN'S ORGANISATION belives that imparting vocational training to family women will make them independent and improve their scope to earn income and as a result gain status. Right from the inception to till date. around 5000 poor women have been trained in different occupational activities and 65% of them have been either gainfully employed or doing successful self – employment ventures.

Young girls and women were trained in Tailoring & Embroidery, Silk weaving, Pith works, Brick making, Dairy Farm, Milk co- operative society, Greeting cards making, candle making, agarbathi making, Gem cutting, sheep rearing, rabbit rearing, and the making of food products such as varieties of pickles, fruit jam nutritious powder and Ready made “Vathakulamboo” and many other side dish items etc.

	TRAINING ON PITH WORK

Short term computer training has been also provided on hardware and software to the unemployed boys and girls about 300 destitute women and girls from poverty stricken background are trained in the above mentioned skills / trades every year and a permanent hope and security is established in the minds of the innocent women. For these training, DWO has collaborated with the district rural development agency (DRDA), Tamilnadu Adi – dravidar Development corporation, Rashtriya Mahila Kosh (RMK) Central social welfare board (CSWB) Council for Advancement of people's Action and Rural Teachnology (CAPART), National Bank for Agricultural Development (NABARD) and other Nationalized Banks.

CAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAMES UNDERGONE

The staff and the president of DWO have been periodically upgrading their skills and capabilities by undergoing various need based trainings in the areas such as Micro –Enterprises, Accounting systems, book keeping, entrepreneurship development program, First Aid, Water quality testing cancer care, Reproductive and child health , Environment sanitation , sustainable agriculture, Organic Farming, use of pesticides under the following organization.

•  TAMILNADU VOLUNTARY HEALTH ASSOCIATION

•  NABARD

•  MURUGAPPA TRUST

•  DEAN FOUNDATION – CHENNAI

•  VOICE TRUST – TRICY

•  GANDHIGRAM

•  TAMILNADU AIDS CONTROL SOCIETY

•  DRDA

•  CAPART

•  AIDS PREVENTION AND CONTROL SOCIETY

•  TAMILNADU CO- OPERATION FOR DEVELOPMENT OF WOMEN

•  CHENNAI ASSOCIATION OF PALLIATIVE CARE.