Women Empowerment Project by L & T Infotech and Sevalaya on International Women’s Day
Tailoring machines and kits worth ₹ 4,00,000/ were distributed to 50 women from the Irula tribe in Tiruttani and Pallipattu villages at Thiruvallur district at the International Women’s Day celebrations on 8th March 2016, at 11AM at Karnan Thirumana Maligai, Tiruttani.
This Women’s Empowerment Project is a joint effort by L & T Infotech and Sevalaya. Mr. Sudhir Shenoy, Head, Business Operations, L & T Infotech, Chennai, joined the function via Video conferencing and declared the Project open, expressed his happiness to partner with Sevalaya and play a part in empowering the women of the Irula Community. Mr. Jayakrishnan Nair, Delivery Head, Mr. Anand Mahajan, head CSR, Mr. Premachandran, Operations Head, Col. Vijay Meesala Deputy Head, Admin, and Ms. Padmalata Tangirala, from L & T Infotech also participated in the programme.
The Irula community were the worst affected at the recent floods in Tamilnadu when all their huts and meager belongings were washed away and they became homeless overnight. Sevalaya undertook relief and rehabilitation work in full swing. Sevalaya came to know about the plight of this community through Mr. J Prabhakar, President of Ennangalin Sangamam, an NGO and Ms. E. Siddhamma, President Bharathi Trust, who has dedicated her life for the betterment of the Irula community and distributed provisions, bed sheets and other essential household items for the families.
When Siddhamma expressed the need for tailoring machines, which will help the women of the community to become self reliant, Sevalaya approached L & T Infotech who readily agreed to sponsor the project. 50 women who had basic tailoring knowledge were identified with the help of Sidhamma.
Sevalaya has also planned to organize a training session every month to help these women upgrade their skills.
Mr. J. Prabhakar, President of Ennangalin Sangamam, Ms E. Siddhamma of Bharathi Trust and Mr. M. Munuswamy, State President of Sarpam Irula Associationand Mr. G Murali, President of Irula Association, Tiruttani also participated in the programme.
Mr. J Prabhakar said that the floods were a blessing in disguise as it brought out the best in people, especially in Irula community , their care and concern for their community as a whole, the spirit of sharing whatever materials they got,. “It is such noble qualities displayed by them that attract more and more people to come to their aid and offer support to develop their community” said J Prabhakar. He listed out the future plans to construct homes for these people and start a school exclusively for the community.
Speaking on the occasion, Siddhamma conveyed her gratitude to Sevalaya and L & T Infotech for fulfilling her request and urged the beneficiaries to make the best use of the machines. She insisted that though the machines were donated to the women, they should utilize it for the betterment of the community and teach tailoring to other people in their respective villages.
The beneficiaries also gave an undertaking that, they would never sell or gift the machines to others, they would attend the once in a month training to be organised by Sevalaya and they would extend their cooperation to Sevalaya and Officials from L & T Infotech to monitor the progress of the project.
Earlier V Muralidharan, Founder & Managing Trustee, Sevalaya welcomed the gathering and explained to them about the activities of Sevalaya.
Radha Srinivasan, City Head, Sevalaya proposed Vote of Thanks and the function came to a close with the singing of the National Anthem.
