Skilling and empowering widows/covid-affected/underprivileged women

Verala Development Society (VDS), established in 1969 is a grassroots organization that has dedicated itself to community development. Its purpose is to work with the underprivileged women to enable them to meet the basic human needs namely food, shelter, clothing, useful education, and healthful living i.e. Verala Development Society is active in all five basic human needs – Food, Clothing, Shelter, Health & Education. Some selected highlights of the achievements are – 1. VDS has generated 2.5 million mandays of one-time employment.
2. Irrigated 500 hectares in drought-prone areas.
3. Planted and nurtured 1,00,000 forest trees in a wasteland
4. Watershed development covering 70 sq. km. area. It has a yearly water harvest of one million cubic meters.
5. Sponsored a workers’ cloth producing co-operative with an annual turn over of 20 million Rupees and employing 200 workers.
6. In low-cost housing construction, we have attained 70,000 sq. ft. built-up area.
7. It has reclaimed 500 hectares of saline farmland.
8. VDS has been doing community health programs in three centers.
9. Training in income generation for marginal income group women.
10. Lift irrigation scheme for Khanapur Tehsil.
11. VDS was active in Adolescent Health Programme in 15 schools and 2 colleges for consecutive years in Sangli District. Currently working on Gender Sensitivity for the youths.
12. VDS worked in the Targeted Intervention Programme for STI-HIV-AIDS for nine years in Sangli and Solapur District. The project was for Migrant Workers and slum dwellers. 38000 STI cases were referred and treated through this program. 80 peer educators were trained for the sustainability of the program, who are still active in the field.