Our partnership with CARE India started way back during the Tsunami Rehabilitation program days in 2006. REAL implemented a number of innovative livelihood initiatives such as the ‘goat bank’,social security initiatives enabling access to micro insurance and micro pension for the poor and marginalized households, the ‘Banking on Change’ program that provided access financial services through building the SHGs and their federations, and value chain development programs in cashew nut and dairy. During this period, REAL has also partnered with CARE India to respond to a number of natural calamities that affected the communities in Tamil Nadu including the likes of ‘Nisha cyclone’, ‘Thane cyclone’, and 2015 flooding.
It is through this partnership with CARE India, REAL implemented and learned about several innovative practices. A few examples to name would include the mobilization of community contribution to promote ownership, building people’s institutions, gender equality and sustainability. There are also many such examples that helped REAL to build robust systems and processes at the institutional level. The quest to learn continuously and innovate is a virtue of REAL that got strengthened only through this partnership. And this learning is an on-going process. There has not been so much of intensity and focus with any other partner so far. It is only for this opportunity, REAL places a very high value for its partnership with CARE.
At this juncture, REAL, on behalf of its board of directors, community and staff members wishes to express it’s sincere and heartfelt gratitude to CARE for all its support. REAL seeks to advance this partnership to the next level of mutually rewarding experience.
- President cum Director, Rural Education and Action for Liberation - REAL