CDS-SHOSHANA SEWING PROJECT, SHALEM NAGAR, NARASARAOPET

Sharing a few pictures from the sewing project in Narasaraopet town. New group of women started the Sewing and Embroidery class from October-2023. The instructor also gives them a special class in making wire baskets. The course duration is about nine months to one year. 

After finishing the course, going forward our goal

 is to provide each of these trainees, a sewing

 machine and a tool kit as the women need

 equipment assistance to start their own business.

The instructor Mrs. Santhamma has been with

 Shoshana from 2007 teaching more than 100 women. Her husband was supporting her all these years in the work and unfortunately he passed away a couple of months back.

Thank you very much for your continuous help in each step we

 take to make a difference in the lives of these needy women.

 

FELICITATION AT THE TRIBAL COLONY, GANNAVARAM, VIJAYAWADA

Martha was felicitated by an organization called COWE  on the occasion of AP formation day for her remarkable service to needy people of Andhra Pradesh for their better future through her different projects for the last 23 years. She couldn't attend the actual ceremony so we had a small gathering with the tribal people in Gannavaram and she received the award and shared her joy among the people where she actually works.

 

SHOSHANA MEDICAL CENTRES IN KRISHNA, GUNTUR & BAPATLA DISTRICTS OF

 ANDHRA PRADESH

Free Medical centers in rural areas are set up to  ensure that medical care is accessible to all. By setting up these centers where people do not have access to medical facilities, patients can receive treatment and medical care with out having to travel long distances.

The main aim of Shoshana is to provide free medical services to poor communities living in rural and urban slums by a trained nurse giving free medical advice and also medicine.

Some of the diseases which are more prevalent in rural areas are malaria, cholera, mal nutrition, they need more health care education and hygienic environment besides medicine.

In addition agricultural injuries, insect bites, skin and respiratory problems are also common.

 FIRST AID HELP AT FISHERMEN COMMUNITY, RAM NAGAR, BAPATLA.

Shoshana started the very first medical center in Ram nagar, Bapatla specially for the fishermen community which is 3km away from Bapatla beach.

Few pics from the area.

Majority of the people here are fishermen. Government allotted houses for them as a colony. 

There area about 500 houses in this area. Majority of the population are like daily wage workers 

working for a boat owner or fish export company. Men mostly go out fishing and women either 

selling fish on the shore or cleaning the fish.

Since the area is away from the town,

 there is no proper access to the nearest

 hospital. Even for first aid help, people have to go all the way to Bapatla. 

 

Fishermen mostly have injuries, skin  and gastric

 problems. The nurse Ms.Buela rani is taking care of two medical projects one at Epurupalem and one in Bapatla.

Keeping in view the need, Shoshana decided to extend the medical help to this area on the request of the villagers. The local society is taking care of the room facility and other expenses.

 SHOSHANA SEWING PROJECTS IN PEDANANDIPADU , ANAPARRU & ANGALAKUDURU

Empowering rural women through sewing training in Guntur district of Andhra pradesh.

The Sewing projects are helping rural women to earn an income by teaching them sewing or embroidery so that families does not need to rely on income of men who typically work in agricultural fields which are susceptible to the effects of weather.

Training period will be nearly one year and after completion of the course, the women will be provided with a sewing machine. There is lot of opportunity for them to use their skill and earn money so that they can survive and help their families.

Shoshana is working for women empowerment in these areas for more than 2 decades now with the long term vision of economic sustainability of these villages.

Martha's first visit in the year 2023 after a long gap of 4 years due to Covid restrictions.

 

SHOSHANA SEWING CENTRE, GAMELA BAZAR, VIJAYAWADA

One of the beneficiaries Rajeswari, we spoke with narrates her experience as follows:

I made my way into the sewing class in the year 2022. I was a rag picker, coming from Gamela bazar, Vijayawada. Its a small slum area where some of the rag pickers built temporary shelters on the road side . I am from one of those houses.

I had no other option other than going out picking waste. I always wished to have a better living. Our daily survival as a rag picker has always been a problem. Being an illiterate I only had a chance of doing odd jobs.

  Local tailors are not willing to  stitch for us as we come from a slum area. We  are like kind of untouchables for them and look down on us

Coming from that situation, Shoshana gave us an opportunity to learn stitching. Provided with a sewing machine, I  now can stitch not only for myself but for my entire family and could save some money on the stitching charges. Besides that I am  using my skill for my living.

I am  very grateful for the opportunity I had and I am very thankful for the donors for their support.

Similar story of Thirupathamma, she is a polio victim. Her husband was an alchoholic and left her with two children. She is a single parent taking care of her kids. She was a rag picker too. Collects plastic and other waste, sell them for their living. Since they mostly work in dirty surroundings, they are easily prone to diseases. 

Since Shoshana sewing centre started giving free sewing classes in their area, she joined last year and finished her training. Provided with a sewing machine she now is very happy to work from at home and earn her living. 

Conveying her heartful thanks to all the donors.

 SHOSHANA PROJECTS IN VIJAYAWADA CITY

Shoshana has been helping needy women in Vijayawada for almost 20 years now. Setting up sewing projects, helping needy women in learning sewing, embroidery, painting and other handicrafts  skills.  After completion of the course providing them with a sewing machine and other sewing accessories which could help them in setting up their own shops and earn their living.

So far in these 20 years more than 1000 women got their sewing class from different sewing projects in Vijayawada. We are very happy to inform that most of the women are successful in doing their work and having a better life. 

Some pics from Shoshana sewing projects at Giripuram and Gamela Bazaar, Vijayawada.

Thanks for your kind assistance in empowering the disadvantaged. Your support is making a life long impact on these individuals.

 MEDICAL HELP AT RAILWAY AREA AND ROSY COLONY - CHIRALA.

Slum children have mostly diarrhea and respiratory illness besides mal nutrition.

Pollution of water and poor sanitation have led to poor quality of life and community health in slums.

Water borne diseases like diarrhea,  Cholera, gastric and skin problems are more common in these areas.

Unhealthy living and working conditions made the situation even more worse.

Shoshana started giving first aid medical help in  these areas like Railway area and Rosy colony, Chirala where migrant tribal people from Tamil Nadu have come and settled from ages. They are mostly rag pickers, collect dead animals from the railway tracks and sell the bones. They have a very unhygienic surroundings because of their situation.

Nurses of Shoshana besides giving out medication are making people conscious about having clean surroundings.

Random pics from the surroundings in Rosy colony, Chirala