David Barun Kumar Thomas, an IIT-ian, left his job with IBM in 2003 to start India Nirman Sangh, a voluntary effort aimed to empower and uplift the standards of the rural poor in Palani Hills area of Tamil Nadu
David Barun Kumar Thomas |
The group uses this money to give loans to their own members who may need the loan for a variety of reasons. Peer pressure among the members ensures a near hundred percent loan recovery rate |
In the backward Palani Hills region of Tamilnadu, India Nirman Sangh, a voluntary organisation started by an IITian, is working to improve the living conditions of the poor, particularly women. The organisation works to win the trust of the people in a village by forming small thrift and savings groups and then arranging for micro credit through local banks. The group uses this money to give loans to their own members who may need the loan for a variety of reasons. Peer pressure among the members ensures a near hundred percent loan recovery rate. Over time, the groups begin to take up local issues such as sanitation, drinking water supply, the problems in the local ration shop etc. and using collective strength, they are often able to bring about dramatic changes. They ensure proper implementation of government welfare schemes and collectively resist both goondaism and police high handedness. They also voluntarily came forward in 2007 to take up and implement a government scheme to build toilets for each home and completely eliminate open defecation in three
panchayats.
Some of the groups have also started tiny businesses – running grocery shops, ration shops, tea shops, distilling and bottling eucalyptus oil, processing and packaging Kodaikanal coffee, anufacturing inexpensive sanitary napkins and running a carpentry workshop. India Nirman Sangh incubates these businesses and helps them run profitably and professionally.
India Nirman Sangh is led by David Barun Kumar Thomas (IIT Kanpur 1977). David left IBM in 003, came to Kodaikanal and since then has been involved in community development. India Nirman Sangh has a small budget and is entirely funded by donations from individuals. The Directors do not draw any remuneration or enjoy any fringe benefits from the
organisation.
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