Livelihood

The scope of the Integrated Tribal Livelihood Development Program includes promoting self-sustainability, enhancing agricultural productivity, providing irrigation facilities, supporting beekeeping and livestock rearing, and facilitating the collection and sale of non-timber forest products.
The second phase of the Integrated Tribal Livelihood Development Program commenced in 2020 with support from NABARD. Implemented in 14 tribal hamlets of Karamadai Block, Coimbatore district, the program has focused on 10 villages during the reporting period.
Significant progress has been made towards self-sustainability, with 175 acres of tribal families' land becoming productive through the Wadi program. Horticultural plants such as cashew and mango have been successfully cultivated, and intercrops including vegetables, horsegram, and millets have been introduced for food security on 175 acres. Additionally, the program has facilitated the installation of 5 borewells and 2 solar power water pumps, ensuring reliable irrigation and drinking water facilities. Landless tribal families have been trained and supported in beekeeping, cow and sheep rearing, and the collection and sale of non-timber forest products such as tamarind, broomsticks, and other leaves.

An area-based approach through spatial targeting of the most vulnerable urban neighbor- hoods in a comprehensive way, which simultaneously supports local micro enterprises, improves access to water supply, sanitation and shelter; and provides skill training, can go a long way in reducing vulnerabilities of the poor, generate jobs and spur bottom-up entrepreneurship. NMCT implemented training program with the support of BOSCH under its Corporate Social Responsibilities on handcrafted soap making to 400 rural women in S.S. Kulam block of Coimbatore District.

Enhancing Livelihood for Widows from S.S. Kulam Block COVID Wave 2 Support project aimed to improve opportunities for 50 marginalised widows in Sarkar Samakulam block. It also ensured access to education for their children and supported the widows in becoming successful business entrepreneurs. The project's outcome was to improve the livelihoods of the widows, empower them, and enhance their socio-economic status. The Skill Training project focuses on enhancing skills of youth and children for employment, creating job and business prospects, developing personality and life skills, fostering community contributions and utilizing the community center for training programs. The Skill Training Project conducted a baseline survey and provided life skills, computer literacy, and spoken English training to 200 youth and 100 children in the S.S. Kulam block. It fostered community engagement, activated the community hall for capacity-building programs, and facilitated government-community interface meetings. The project aimed to empower youth and children for productive lives and community development.