Thanks to Mariaelena Figueredo, rscj and director from TRDSW who shared the annual report of this social work carried out with many women and children in India. The pandemic did not stop them. Far from it- their actions have helped many people. They have adapted to the new circumstances without losing their capacity to take action.

"Building Resilient Communities" is the annual report from the Torpa Rural Development Society for Women (TRDSW), which reports on the initiatives and actions of the TRDSW for the year 2020-2021.

The TRDSW has focused on six thematic areas. These areas are:

1. Sustainable Livelihood
2. Climate Change Adaptation
3. Promoting Rural Enterprises and Handicraft Skill
4. Enhancing Institution Building and Capacity Building
5. Nurturing Elementary Education
6. Organization Development

'Building Resilient Communities' narrates the efforts of the society in each thematic area throughout the year.
Not only does the report have documentation of TRDSW initiatives, but it also shares inspiring Impact Case Stories. Mariaelena Figueredo rscj, Director of the TRDSW, kindly shared this report with us, which you can read here.

Building Resilient Communities - PDF

From the Director’s Desk:

The year 2020-2021 began with the first ever novel coronavirus pandemic COVID-19. The immediate focus was the Covid-19 relief work to the most vulnerable communities, supporting the Block and District administration for the safety of migrants, their quarantining and later on, the vaccine drive at village level. The Working Women's Hostel, Bal Niketan Pre-Primary   School   and   Vocational Training Units remained closed due to COVID-19. Closure of Schools due to the nationwide lockdown meant that children were disengaged from formal education for a prolonged period. This was a big blow to our Education program.  With TRDSW intervention and with the consultation of the Gram Sabha, the staff were able to restart teaching activities with volunteer support. The main aim of the Livelihood program was to enhance business development, to motivate more women to develop their micro-enterprise, to   increase   their bargaining power with the market and to enhance   annual   income   through diversified livelihood opportunities. Networking   partnerships   with   Krishi Vigyan Kendra, EdelGive Foundation, Tata Trusts, and private consultants strengthened    the    organization capacities   for   sustainable   impact. Trainings were organized for mobilizing the staff and the community. Due to the ongoing   pandemic   Covid-19, the intended outcomes were remote and inaccessible. The annual re-visioning exercise enabled the organization to look at possible options for digitization of processes.  To build resilience, we envision a value chain for the tribal community in order to strengthen their collective engagement from the cultivation of the product till the market linkage.