Social Action Co-Ordination
Right since its inception, TTS has been plunging right into the struggles of the poor, whenever they are denied their rights. Since the 70's seventies, TTS started involving with the people in the urban slums, at first through economic development programmes. Later on, realising the imperative need to enable the people to demand their own rights, TTS started its Unionizing efforts among the unorganised sector - The Rickshaw Pedallers, the Washerfolk, the Timber Workers, the Flower Vendors, Sanitary Workers, Domestic Workers, etc.
Simultaneous was our initiatives on rural development where the thrust was on Alternatives in Farming and Medicine, where, in nearby villages of Madurai, with the RTI as a base, TTS involved itself in programmes to promote indigenous farming techniques with an emphasis on organic farming and on a programme to promote traditional medicinal techniques. These initiatives are envisaged as a counter to the overwhelming presence of Globalisation efforts, where by which the rural folk were marginalised.
The unorganised sector Unions:
1. Tamilnadu Sanitary Workers Welfare Union
2. Tamilnadu Domestic Workers Association
3. Tamilnadu Washerfolk Welfare Union
4. Madurai City Rickshaw/Tricycle Pedallers Association
5. Madurai Timber Workers Association
6. Workers Peasants Federation
Related Programme Initiatives:
The Children's Development Programme - An effort to identify working children in the Urban slums and imparting them awareness on Child Rights and providing tutorial assistance for their school education to reduce the drop out rate.
The Women's Cell - A special supportive effort to document women's issues and to provide assistance to women victims due to domestic violence and gender harassment.
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