Village Development in Southern IndiaHeaded by Dr. Lawrence Root, Ph.D. Director of the Office of Global Activities, Professor of Social Work

Graduate Assistant: Lindsey Miller, MSW CandidateUndergraduate UROP Assistant: Stephanie Mecham, College of LSA

AbstractThe Srinivasan Services Trust (SST) is a non-governmental organization in southern India that works to promote village development in impoverished areas of India through women’s empowerment, sustainability, education, public health, and social justice. The focus of their work aims to accomplish these goals in the most feasible and viable manner possible, for everyone, independent of caste, socioeconomic status, gender, or religion. A variety of approaches are used to measure the viability, cost-efficiency, sustainability, and cultural relevance of their projects. The logic models, after assessing their current strategies, are compared with other projects in similar areas. Suggestions will be made to the SST, as needed, for modification of their services to more effectively deliver services for sustainable change in rural Indian villages.

Village and System Conditions

Program Components Village Activities

1.1 Target Population

Rural villages in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh who collaborate with SST.

1.2 Gap in Services/Need

Target population lacks access and/or under-utilizes programs that foster economic development, sustainable environmental and infrastructure development and quality education.

1.3 ResourcesBoard of Directors, animators, program-specific consultants, community members, government and corporate partners

3.1 Meet with community leaders 3.2 Conduct baseline survey and assessment 3.3 Develop specific programs with partner organizations (including infrastructure, public health, environmental, and agricultural development) that SST and the community cannot perform on their own 3.4 Develop a plan for the labor and finances within the community

3.5 Provide services like Women’s self-help groups, economic development planning for youth, and education.

2.1 Bridge-building with Community

2.2 Community Needs Assessment

2.3 Individualized Interventions with Partner Organizations

2.4 Facilitate Community Participation

2.5 Direct Services

Logic Model

MethodsThe following assessment tools will be used with program participants, SST staff and stakeholders:• Baseline Surveys• Community Needs Assessments• Observations and Statistical

Analysis• Focus Groups • Interviews and Questionnaires

The quantitative and qualitative data from these sources will be collected onsite during the summer of 2014.The data that we collect, along with observations and interviews, will be used to analyze the effectiveness of SST’s actions and draw conclusions for logical future steps.

SST’s Village Development Process:

Anticipated OutcomesProvide information to SST which has positive effects on the efforts spur income generation for women, strengthen the village’s infrastructure, and improve literacy rates and maternal/child health outcomes. We hope to improve sanitation and decrease incidence of disease, improve farming efficiency, create sustainable water sources, protect existing land, and develop strong sources of communication. Over time, SST’s actions should help reduce poverty, ease tensions between castes and religions, increase self-efficacy of both individuals and groups, create sustainable development, and overall improve quality of life for the residents.