AREDS (Association of Rural Education and Development Service) – a not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation, was founded in 1980. For 41 years now, AREDS has been working for the development of Dalits, women, children and the rural poor in Karur district in Tamil Nadu, India. AREDS strongly believes that education is the prerequisite for any social transformation and will help the masses act irrespective of colour, caste and creed. Hence, it started its service with non-formal education in Renganathapuram, the very first place where AREDS set foot on, by involving the youth of the village.

AREDS’ second priority is rural health as it is the basic step to the right to life. Health implies the accessibility to potable water, nutritious food and a clean environment. And the third agenda of AREDS is women’s empowerment – because we believe that unless the womankind is emancipated human development will remain incomplete.

We believe that empowerment is a process. Everyone who wants to or is a part of this process, whether as a sponsor or a field worker, needs to understand and utilise their influence, resources, energy and skill in a space that allows transparency, dialogue, exposure and choice.

This is an alternative development; one that allows for simple and effective involvement. A means to know the people you help and more importantly identify with them. Charity helps, but involvement empowers. Understanding the need and being conscious instruments of change is easier and more effective than we perceive it to be.

In order to make this a reality we need to commit as a collective force to comprehend the meaning of true development, educate our societies and become partners in effecting a positive change.

This effort would not have been possible without the commitment and support of many friends, well-wishers and an international panel of partners who believe in the importance and essentiality of this endeavour.

FOUNDER’S PROFILE

  • Coordinator International Network for Human Economy: INHE Asia, www. rieh.org
  •  Steering Committee member of INSP!R  Asia.
  • National Vice President: Working Peoples Collective: WPC
  • Mentores research on Social protection of Informal workers in 10 states of India.
  • Research on the role of labour welfare boards in Tamil Nadu on the social protection of informal workers.
  • Coauthored Paths of Human Economy together with Yves Bertholot, Andres Lalanne and Lilly Razafimbelo Prefaced by Kofi Annan.
  • Written article on development in  Global eyes : InMotion
  • Active in conducting participatory research and organizational development.
  • Presently: Executive Director of AREDS
  • Mentors research and exposure studies to University students both national and International universities.

Farmers Support

Our farmers toil under the hot sun and suffer constant financial distress caused by government policies. We work to uplift them

Women Empowerment

In a male dominated society we strive to provide a voice to the rural women and engage in understanding their rights

Child Welfare

In a backward economic background the children suffer the most with cases of abuse and lack of access to education

Dalits Rights

Caste system is still dominant in many areas and we work to ensure the rights of the downtrodden and secure a brighter future

Training to the Representatives of Workers’ Collectives

Centralized one-day training was organized to the workers’ collectives in Karur district on the 17th of December 2023. Ninety-five members of workers’ collectives from eight blocks of Karur district participated in it. Trade unionists and a researcher on social protection of the unorganized workers imparted training to the participants.     The trade unionist Mr. Kasinathan said that only 7 per...

Training on Value Addition to Agricultural Produce

Value added is the extra value created over and above the original value of something. It can apply to products, services, companies, management, and other areas of business. In other words, it is an enhancement made by a company/individual to a product or service before offering it for sale to the end customer. Value addition in agriculture produce has increased the opportunities for...

World Food Day

World Food Day is celebrated on October 16th each year to raise awareness about the global issue of hunger and to promote efforts to alleviate it. This day was established by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations in 1979 and has been observed annually since then. The primary goal of World Food Day is to emphasize the importance of food security and to advocate for the...

Training on Value Addition of Agricultural Produce – Gandhigram

Value added is the extra value created over and above the original value of something. It can apply to products, services, companies, management, and other areas of business. In other words, it is an enhancement made by a company/individual to a product or service before offering it for sale to the end customer. Value addition in agriculture produce has increased the opportunities for...

Training on Value addition of Agricultural Produce – Thennilai

A value-added product is a saleable commodity that has been enhanced with additional qualities that make it worth a higher price than the raw materials used to make it. It may be made more convenient, more attractive, more palatable, or easier to use than its raw ingredients. Value-added agriculture produce generally focuses on production or manufacturing processes, marketing or services that...

Training on Formation of Nursery and Management

Nursery is a place where plants are grown for transplanting, for use as stock for budding and grafting or for sale. Commercial nurseries produce and distribute different types of plants, trees, shrubs and crops. While most nursery-grown plants are ornamental plants, fruit plants and certain perennial vegetables used in home gardens.  Some nurseries are kept for the propagation of native plants...

Training on the importance of Breastfeeding

AREDS Health Team celebrates Breastfeeding Week in August every year. This year, a training programme on the importance of breastfeeding was organized on the 8th of August 2023 in a village called Vallam. Twenty-nine women (4 pregnant women, 21 lactating mothers and village health nurse and noon-meal scheme staff) participated in the training.  The importance of breastfeeding and its positive...

Training to children on basic health @ Malaippatti

Training on basic health was imparted to the children of Malaippatti on the 15th of August 2023. 14 boys and 35 girls underwent training. Oral health, balanced diet and personal hygiene were dealt with in the training. Charts and picture were used as teaching aids in the training. The children who underwent this training assured of following the learning from the training.

Training on Organic Farming – Karichampatti

“Heavy metals such as Mercury, Lead, Cadmium and Uranium have been found in fertilizers, which can cause disturbances in the kidneys, lungs and liver and cause cancer” -  (WHO,1990) Organic farming is a production system which avoids or largely excludes the use of synthetically compounded fertilizers, pesticides, growth regulators, genetically modified organisms etc. It uses ecologically based...

Cultural events for the year 2023 on “Unorganized labour welfare board registration” – Aravakurichi Block

Date: 17.07.2023 Place: Aravakurichi Block. Aandipatty village – 5:30pm Gandhinagar village – 7:00pm Theme - Registration of informal workers with unorganized labour welfare board to avail social security benefits. Events - Drama, Paraiyattam, Mimicry, Karagattam. Headed by Aandipatty village – Mr. Velu. Gandhinagar village Panchyat President – Mr. Dhandapani Coordinator - Mr. Rajadhurai Total...
Address:
Renganathapuram North
Tamil Nadu 639108
India

Email:
info@aredsindia.org

Call Us:
+91 98777 21821
+91 94433 51582

Get in Touch