Association for Sustainable Community Development (ASSCOD)

Association for Sustainable Community Development is a non-profit voluntary organization operating in the rural areas of Tamilnadu. Our organization h Read moreelps in promoting and developing the socio-economic conditions of people in rural communities. Initially, our priority was to provide healthcare facilities to people living in remote areas, then we shifted our focus to empowering rural women as they were subjected to gender inequality, domestic violence, and no access to livelihood opportunities. Our intention is to provide education and healthcare to people living in rural Tamil Nadu and to organise them into self-help groups (SHGs). Our SHG members are encouraged to regularly save money while benefiting from micro loans. We link these groups with commercial banks in order for members to easily borrow money. The formation of the common-interest group has had a substantial impact on the lives of women, improving their status and their self-esteem. We also provide basic education to women and encourage them to send their children to school. After the devastating Tsunami in 2004, we partnered with other development organisations to assist those affected by the disaster in coastal Tamil Nadu. Furthermore, we have provided basic lessons in health and sanitation to improve the way rural people live; hopefully resulting in less disease and infection cases.