Some Critical Concerns

•  Illiteracy in the women is the major concern of this area. Women belonging to the Backward classes like Dalits are illiterates. Due to the illiteracy they are unable to express their problems also. To Overcome this problem RDWWS is conducting campaigns in rural areas relating to the Literacy and it is also conducting literacy programs as a part and parcel of it’s projects. As an example we had conducted literacy classes to the beneficiaries during the candle making project supported by VGIF (USA) and Carpentry training project supported by World Development and Relief Committee, Methodist Church, Ireland.
• Health Awareness – Health awareness is very low in this NGO deficient region. People belonging to the Backward Communities are suffering from serious health Hazards due to their superstitions. RDWWS playing a key role to aware these people about precautionary steps and medicines. In this view we have conducted several campaigns on HIV/AIDS to aware this people.
• Exploitation –  Stone Quarries, bonded labour and liquor have become synonymous with the lot of the Backward Classes. The mode of abuse is as varied as they are cruel. The mines are a hotbed of exploitation. The Dalits are encouraged by the mine or land owners to take petty loans which, more often then not; they are unable to pay. Then again workers are charged for absenteeism and also at times chained up in the mine premises so that they are unable to run away and instead forced to work. One of RDWWS’s initial successes was the freeing of several bonded laborers from South India in the Yerraguntla region. However, bonded labour and atrocities on them still prevail in large numbers. Moreover there have been instances where even after being rescued from bondage they have preferred to go back to the same mines to earn a livelihood, merely because of a lack of alternatives.  Liquor is another mode of well-planned exploitation. Liquor is often sold by the mine owners at the site of the mines and the payment deducted from the wages of the workers.

Advocacy for Women Rights

     The program has made significant gains in establishing and nurturing Community Organizations among the women. These are increasingly playing more frontal role in raising their voices and pressure building techniques. Their presence is felt all over the region and in media circles. Local media has been providing profuse coverage to all their activities and memorandums. Political and Official agencies are also closely monitoring the growth and activities.

  This organization is mainly working for infusing a sense of solidarity, advocacy for the issues affecting lives and resources, resisting exploitation and abuse of women. Inactivity of system to provide social security has always been major question to address..

Proposed Activities:

• Continue leadership and capacity building trainings for the female and male both.
• Community Meetings
• Raising demands for drought relief work, monitoring BPL survey and  functioning of  food related programs, Press for demands for land for land less and release for bonded labor and child labor.

Faction and violence :

The Project area has been suffering from continuous faction. The women belongs to the backward classes is living under Terror and fear.  In the present situation people of several villages are going to be displaced completely. Incidents are increasing where Girls & women belongs to these classes are being went for begging due to these problems .

  There has been much needs to be done. The project will continue seeking legal and administrative solutions in addition to using media advocacy and local level mobilization activities.

Plight of extended phases of Drought: 

One of the major problems related to this area is drought. Draught has forced a large scale shortage of food and water . Many families from all over the areas have  migrated from rural areas to towns and cities in search of work and food. The RDWWS has tried it’s best to take benefit of Drought relief works in some rural areas. Several new works have been sectioned under food for work scheme. The major benefit of these programs is being siphoned by the multilevel corruption and pilferages. Therefore, actual benefit reaching to the backward families is name sake and just for few days.

If the draught and starvation continues at the same pace, a large population of backward families would probably permanently  get displaced and would seek refuge in the urban slums.

Efforts are being made to continue building pressure on the Administration to provide adequate food grains.

Self Help Groups:

Significant progress is visible in the project area in relation to women gaining prominence. In fact,  now they are spokespersons for all the issues against women and girls. Self help groups have added to the strength of this movement. There is growing movement of women to the banks and other offices.  Savings have also provided enormous confidence and capacity to challenge the forces of exploitation. The chronic dependence on the money lenders for small loans and getting caught in the vicious cycle of indebtedness is gradually on decline.