Current project proposals

List of current project proposals, February 2001

Many people wonder what it is like to build a 'city of the future' in the midst of the ancient and impoverished village culture of rural south India where Auroville is sited. The best way to find out is to come and work with the Aurovilians and the local people.

The following is a list of project proposals that are currently running. Each proposal describes a situation in the villages that has been identified as needing attention by the Auroville Village Action Group (a team of local villagers and Aurovilians who've been working together for the last decade). It also proposes an approach to the problem that involves the people in community self-help.

If these proposals sound interesting to you and you would like to get involved, in any way, write avag@auroville.org.in for more information.

1. PEP (Primary Education Project): to continue our successful programme of sending our Development Workers out into the village schools to liven up the learning there.

2. Proposal to strengthen Dalit (lowest caste) communities and build inter-community cooperation:

• Set up sports training programme with sports grounds on the borderline between Dalit and caste villages, also in our training centre.

• Extend subsidy for group housing to Dalits, and for community centres in Dalit villages.

• Subsidise installation of drinking water facility in Dalit villages.

• Provide opportunities for villagers to build toilets attached to their houses.

• Assist women's micro credit programme with a grant for Revolving Fund.

3. AVAA - Auroville Village Action Arts programme.

• Saturday camps in which village children are trained by Tamil Aurovilian teachers in dance, art, music, physical education.

• Summer camps in which PEP school children attend 2-day camps in a particular subject.

• Development of a cultural enrichment and enhancement programme, with media coverage.

4. Promote self-help in a group of Tamil villages

• Activities with youth clubs and women's clubs: festivals, workshops, trips, legal aid programme.

• PEP programme of supplementary education in village schools.

• Install alternative technologies as demonstration opportunities in AVAG new training centre.

• Create sports ground and additional facilities at AVAG new training centre.

5. Life Education Centre

• Programme for skill training and counseling for village girls.

• Refurbish the building.

6. Micro Project Fund: create a fund which will finance small village projects (such as repairing the village school, leveling the streets, deepening the well, etc.). 'Microprojects' are our chief teaching tool for collective organisation. A village group (Youth Club, Women's Club or Village Council) identifies a project and then plans a project. They have to put up 30% of the cost (in labour, kind or cash) and show how it will be maintained afterwards. Microprojects are usually carried out on Sundays with participation of club members, and build community and an attitude of "can do" as much as the particular facility. Often visitors to Auroville join the people in the work on Sundays, and are very much welcomed.

7. Revolving Fund: The Women's Federation (35 clubs) having savings clubs, and lend money to each other. This frees them from the clutches of the local moneylenders who charge up to 120% interest! They are currently circulating about Rs.4 lakh, and have not had a single default. They could lend each other about twice as much if we had a grant to add to the fund.

Compassion Fund (Sappadu): an appeal for funds to assist the indigent aged, handicapped and widows to get a Government pension, and also to extend loans or assistance with the cooperation of the village Youth and Women's Clubs.

8. Individual toilets: In collaboration with DANIDA, help villagers to install house toilets, 80 toilets envisaged.

9. Pre-schools: mothers of our women's clubs request assistance to set up good Day Care Centres for their pre-school children.

10. Womanpower: train village girls in development work and support them in activating Women's Clubs in their villages.

For further details, contact: avag@auroville.org.in