A case in point here is one of the largest NGOs in the southern sector, Gram Vikas. The organisation was founded in 1978 by a small group of Chennai based volunteers from the Young Students' Movement for Development. Using healthcare as an entry point, Gram Vikas began its work in a few villages in Tamil Nadu. The organisation has evolved to address many issues of critical importance in the changing conditions of the lives of the people it serves. Today, the NGO works with tribal people, scheduled castes, women and other disadvantaged groups, reaching 15,000 families in 600 villages.

``In our endeavours, we have received active support from EZE Germany, ICCC, Bread for the World, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and Capart,'' states GramVikas executive director Joe Madiath. ``In addition, loans have also been taken from banks and HUDCO in order to build houses. Attempts are also being made to get grants from the Ratan Tata Trust for education,'' he adds.

``Self-reliance and sustainable long-term development are the guiding principles in all our activities. No projects are initiated without the consent, support and active participation of the communities they serve. During initial development efforts, these are accomplished through education, training, participatory planning and the establishment of contributory village funds,'' explains Madiath.

But what is of special interest is Gram Vikas' industries programme, which is an effort to enable rural producers to earn higher returns through a process of value addition and appropriate marketing. The major projects that the organisation is trying to promote include bamboo board manufacture, cane furniture, pottery, turmeric processing, honey processing and vertical shaft brick kilns.

Thebamboo board emerges from chemical processing of bamboo mats and subsequent application of high pressure by a hydraulic press. This registered small scale unit -- running under Gram Vikas' supervision -- bought 3,782 mats from rural artisans, to be used in the project areas.

The cane unit, which was set up in 1990, is a registered unit and has imparted training to artisans from 10 villages. These trained artisans have since either set up their own operations or found employment in larger units. This year, the organisation bought and later sold cane furniture worth Rs 1,22,895.

The National Institute of Design was roped in to train traditional potters in making more urban market friendly products. The potters now manage to sell to up-market buyers, and show healthy bottomlines. Similarly, turmeric, too, is processed and sold under the supervision of Gram Vikas. This year, the NGO sold turmeric powder worth Rs 73,250.

Honey processing has long been a traditional money generating exercise. But Gram Vikashas trained its villagers in the box techniques of honey processing, and this has led to a higher yield.

Gram Vikas' latest project has been the setting up of an environmentally friendly vertical shaft brick kiln. The second of its kind in the country, bricks can be manufactured at the unit throughout the year. Other advantages over traditional brick kilns are high energy efficiency, less polluting in production volumes and better quality bricks. Currently, villagers are being trained in this technique. Gram Vikas has also approached Nabard and the District Industries Commission to help it to expand this programme.

Other development activities at Gram Vikas are carried out through two programmes, the Integrated Tribal Development Programme (ITDP) and the Rural Health and Environment Programme (RHEP).

ITDP addresses the villagers' needs for community organisation, healthcare, savings and credit programmes, housing, sustainable livelihoods, land and water management and land rights. All the ITDP servicesare based on the support and participation of the community through the People's Participatory Planning Process.

RHEP was established in 1992 with the goal of improving the health of the disadvantaged rural communities by providing access to modern infrastructure and technological services. Gram Vikas initiated this effort after the completion of its biogas programme, through which 60,000 biogas plants were constructed in villages all over Orissa.

Combining the technical skills and implementation experience of the biogas programme with the software development aspects of the ITDP, Gram Vikas aimed to broaden the scope of its services. RHEP provides technical assistance to villagers in the construction of houses, toilets, safe drinking water facilities and drainage systems for all the families in each village. Equally important in the RHEP are education, community organisation, secure livelihoods and savings programmes, which enable villagers to sustain the advantages brought to them throughtechnology.

``There is a focus on building a corpus fund in each village. Mechanisms are gradually being evolved to enable the villagers to contribute to and build up the corpus. It is proposed over time to build up the corpus fund and use it as collateral for availing of credit and for community development activities. It is expected that this corpus will be a critical factor in making the villages self-reliant,'' says Madiath.