Findings and Recommendations for Pinayur Village:

Education:

There exists only one Government school till Class 8.There are two teachers of which one is the headmaster. Although the records show there are 150 children, there are only 22 boys and 26 girls. It is a Tamil medium school. Most of the children in the village go to a missionary run school outside the village which costs a lot of money for education, uniform & transport.

There are two toilets in the school, but no water supply to these toilets. So they are not able to use them.

The children are provided free text books but no notebooks.

There are no crèche facilities.

Sanitation:

There are only 3 houses in the whole village with toilets. The others defacate in the open. There is a common toilet facility, which is unused due to lack of water facility.

Health:

The nearest emergency first aid is about 8 kms away and the nearest hospital is about 20 kms away.

Self Help groups:

There are 14 self help groups with about 12-14 members each. They have availed of small loans and have bought cows and goats. They sell the milk at less than market rates and make a loss. They do not have any other accounting or entrepreneurial skills.

Vetinary facilities:

With so many cows and cattle, there are no vetinary facilities in the village. Even for a small problem, they have to take the cattle, at least 8-10 kms away.

Geriatrics & Handicapped persons:

There are good many geriatric people and about 10 -15 handicapped persons.

General:

The approach roads are very bad and not motorable to a great extent.

There are only 3 street lights, and 20 poles without lights. There are only two bus services, leaving them stranded for most of the day without access to the outside world. The water supply and sewage facilities need improvement.

Recommendations

      1. Education 

1. The school has to be improved immediately. The infrastructure needs to be improved- classrooms, toilets, a library and fans.
2. The noon meal scheme also has to be  improved, by preparing it in hygienic conditions.
3. A crèche/balwadi has to be started, especially to help the  villagers, who go out to work in the fields.
4. The help of Aid India/Mr.Balaji Sampath, could be obtained to get activity based learning started as soon as possible
5. A small library can also be started with his help.
6. Classrooms, toilet facilities and fans and lights have to be   improved by other philanthropic means.
7. PTA meetings have to be organized, by forming a committee of parents and others to improve the school.
8. Supplementary education, should be organized to teach communication and other extra curricular skills from a          young age

     2. Sanitation

1. Water for bathrooms has to be first made available.
2. It has to be ascertained as to what amount  the Government will give to construct bathrooms
3. A mapping, with assistance from the villagers has to be done, to ascertain how many bathrooms can actually be built.
4. The villagers have to be made aware of the necessity of toilets, should be given enough training on usage and hygiene.
5. A minimum amount, should be collected from the villagers to get them to commit to use and maintain their toilets.
6. The balance amount has to be raised to build these toilets.
7. Different toilets have to be evaluated and the type best suited to the soil and conditions have to be constructed.
8. The common toilet facility also has to be revisited and made  usable, as a pay and use facility

     3. Health

1. A health study/screening has to be done in the village, and the best possible ways to tackle the major issues have to be arrived at. A medical card can be issued/ maintained for each person.
2. The Government can be approached to have a small sub centre for health with a Doctor/midwife coming in at least twice a week.
3. Indian Bank has got some very good and cheap insurance schemes for less than Rs.250 per family of 5 for mediclaim facilities. These can be advocated to the villagers.
4. The Government can also be approached for a vetinary doctor to come once a month. Alternately, vetinary camps can be organized once in two months privately.

      4. Self Health groups

1. Proper training in maintaining accounts and entrepreurial development has to be given.Team work and leadership has to be cultivated.
2. Each group can be taught different skills and motivated to start a new activity. These could be done with help from different self help NGO’s. College students who are willing to work with self help groups can be encouraged.
3. The following activities can be started by each group:

1.    Vegetable & Fruit shop 2. Flowers & Betel leaves shop

3.  Potti shop                  4. Tailor shop

5.  Basic provision shop    6. Fancy shop

7. Idli/Tea shop               8. CD/DVD Library

9. Pharmacy                   10.Creche

11.Beauty salon              12.Wet grinding

13.PCO        

14.Run a transport(share auto to the main road)

           d. The men who are interested can also be encouraged to 

                 start

1.    Cycle repair shop

2.    Hair cutting salon

3.    Plumber/Electrician/Carpentry shop

4.    Iron /Laundry shop

5.    Cobbler/Footwear shop

6.    Dry grinding mill

7.    Courier service

All these will improve the commercial aspect of the village

         5. Citizen Centre

           A citizen centre can be set up with one computer, a

       printer, modem /broadband and  a telephone  can be set  

       up.A few people can man this. Newspapers, books-both  

       fiction and magazines can be provided here. People can

       be encouraged to learn to use the computer(at a fee)

       during  the day. It can also be used to download

       Government forms, which they would otherwise have to

       go to the Panchayat office for, at a minimum fee.

       Browsing can be encouraged  at a minimum fee.It will

       serve as a meeting place.

       Vocational skills have to be given to youngsters who

       have finished school, and encouraged to take up jobs

       or become entrepreneurs.

        6. Geriatrics & Handicapped persons

          Voluntary organizations and other philanthropic

          persons have mobilized to take care of handicapped

          persons. A geriatric day centre to look after the elders

          can be looked into.

       7.    A committee consisting of village leaders, and villagers  

             have   to be formed immediately for cooperation in all

             activities and sub committees for each head. They can

             be encouraged to liason with the  Panchayat and

             Collectorate to get approvals for water(sewage),

             street lights, better transport, a visiting Doctor, a

             vetinary doctor and improvements/upgrading the school.

        8.  Tree planting has to be encouraged. Tree planting can 

             be taken on in a big way and ownership of looking

             after the trees can be given to the children and youth

             as a healthy competition in maintenance. Fruit bearing

             trees can also be planted after a study of the soil and

             it can be taken up  commercially.

        9.  Waste management can be encouraged and a biogas

             plant can be set up with biodegradable waste.