Empowerment
Empowerment is a central theme that runs through all our activities. We believe in empowering individuals and communities to take charge of their own lives and destinies. Our empowerment programs include capacity building, women's empowerment, community mobilization, and advocacy for social justice. We aim to foster self-reliance, resilience, and inclusivity in all our endeavours.
Community Based Organizations (CBOs) are non-profit groups that work at a local level to improve the quality of the life of the community. The focus is to build equality across society in all streams – health care, environment, quality of education, access to technology. Sustainability is the ultimate outcome of all the CBOs. NMCT has formed three Community Based Organizations to sustain the projects pertaining to Health, Livelihood and Tribal Development. Community leaders and direct beneficiaries are the office bearers of the CBOs. .
Community Based Organizations (CBOs) are non-profit groups that work at a local level to improve the quality of the life of the community. The focus is to build equality across society in all streams – health care, environment, quality of education, access to technology. Sustainability is the ultimate outcome of all the CBOs. NMCT has formed three Community Based Organizations to sustain the projects pertaining to Health, Livelihood and Tribal Development. Community leaders and direct beneficiaries are the office bearers of the CBOs. .
Ongoing Projects - Empowerment
Walkaroo Vazhvizhi - Community Development Initiatives
Skill Training Courses Tailoring courses for women to make them financially independent and empower them. Silambam Classes: This initiative support the government school children Promoting physical fitness and self-defence. These initiatives aim to build a resilient, skilled, and holistic development of the community.
Santhippom Positive Welfare Society
Santhippom Positive Welfare Society (SPWS) is a Community Based Organization promoted by NMCT. SPWS was formed during the implementation of the CaSP (Care and Support Project) with the objective of sustainable support to People Living with HIV/AIDS. Counselling on Career guidance Programs to the Children affected by HIV /AIDS are conducted from time to time by SPWS, besides mobilizing support for education promotion of poor students.
Vimuktha Federation
Vimuktha Federation is a Community Based Organization established in 2010 with a focus on women empowerment, sustainable livelihood, and developing women entrepreneurs in Coimbatore.
The organization implemented several initiatives to improve women's health and economic status in their working area. Two health camps were conducted to identify BP and Sugar levels, and 50 members were treated through PHC. The organization also focused on promoting the habit of savings and rotation among women, resulting in a 10% increase in savings. Additionally, they enabled SHGs to avail and issue IGP support to their members, and 50 SHG members started IGP programmes. To ensure effective management of SHG affairs and IGP programmes, 15 leaders were trained, and they conducted independent reviews. The organization also provided soap making training to beneficiaries and college students, and with Vimuktha IGP support in 2022, more than 15 new entrepreneurs were created.
ADI Federation
ADI Federation, a Coimbatore-based CBO, has been working with tribal communities for 10 years. Founded by tribal people, their focus is on tribal children's education, improving socio-economic conditions, livelihood enhancement, healthcare, and rights protection. ADI Federation aimed to raise the socio-economic, cultural, and political status of the tribal community by assuring basic education to children, empowering them to preserve their culture and rights, improving tribal health through traditional medicine, generating awareness about rights and entitlements, protecting the environment, and mobilizing resources for sustainable development. Their accomplishments included three tribal women elected as ward members, mainstream education for 100 children, livelihood opportunities for 120 tribal women, water resources in five tribal hamlets, livelihood development support for over 50 tribal women, and benefits reaching 500 tribal families. These efforts specifically target the Irula tribal community, fostering their overall well-being and progress.
USHA - Silai School
Usha Silai School program content focuses on training women in sewing and stitching, machine servicing, and entrepreneurial skills, providing a curriculum and signage for establishing household-level micro-enterprises. The program also incorporates general life skills, such as communication, decision-making, and problem-solving, to foster self-reliance and empowerment in rural women. Participants receive training from Usha International Ltd. and are equipped to teach others, generate income, and contribute to their communities.
Technical Skills
Sewing & Stitching:
The core content involves comprehensive training in sewing and stitching techniques, including tailoring, cutting, and pattern making.
Machine Servicing:
Women are also trained in basic sewing machine repairing, assembling, and troubleshooting.
Entrepreneurial Skills:
Participants learn how to establish and run their own Silai Schools as self-sustaining businesses, creating income-generating opportunities.
General Life Skills:
The program enhances decision-making, critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills.
Financial Independence:
By building these skills, the women become self-dependent, have secure earnings, and can contribute to their families' income, enhancing their social status.
Program Structure & Support
Usha International provides a syllabus, sewing machines, and signage to help women set up their Silai Schools.
An initial seven-day training program teaches women to hone their skills and gain the confidence to teach others.
The Usha Silai App offers free video lessons, tips, and certification in regional languages to support learning and skill development.
The initiative fosters a network of self-reliant women who also educate their communities on their rights and available government schemes.
System Changer Network (SCN) - INDIA
The System Changer Network (SCN), launched in 2023, includes 9 Indian NGOs previously engaged with the Making More Health initiative. Early results show strong on-ground impact and added value for participating NGOs, despite language challenges. Each NGO is represented by a Leader and a Staff Ambassador. “Impulse” online sessions offer regular training on key NGO topics, trends, and cross-country collaboration between teams in India and Kenya. Monthly Cultural Exchange Club sessions promote mutual understanding of cultural behaviors in both countries. Indian NGOs also conducted exposure visits to learn from each other’s work—Vikasana visited NMCT, while NMCT and Vimuktha Federation visited Vikasana. These exchanges strengthen collaboration, inspire new ideas, and deepen impact across the network.