Tamil Nadu

Village Action in South India (part 1)

For several years BOWL has been supporting the work of the Auroville Village Action Group in Tamil Nadu, South India. Auroville is an international Community, dedicated to human unity (founded by Charter in 1968). The Village Action Group was set up about twelve years ago to support some 30,000 villagers from the surrounding areas with the aims of:

• Raising the standard of living of the local population through vocational training and self-employment
• Involving the villagers in a cooperative effort of waste-land reclamation and organic farming
• Improving the health situation through education, preventative care and treatment
• Encouraging in each village the growth of community spirit and a sense of self-confidence through social initiatives
• Providing education for the village children

BOWL's contributions have been used to support education projects with the main emphasis on women and children. Currently we have been asked to support a comprehensive initiative, the Youth Education and Training Project. In particular our funds go to Ambaiam School, which not only offers appropriate primary and secondary education to 'drop-out' children, but is pioneering, researching and catalysing the development of innovative educational methods (eg Glen Dolman bilingual reading scheme with very young children), and the introduction of self-directed learning (inspired by Rishi Valley methods) for older, children.

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