One Step at a Time towards Our Mission!

She didn't want to do it. But she was threatened with abandonment by her husband ... so her husband crushed an assortment of pills and mixed it in milk and fed the baby to the jaws of death and in the process, freeing himself from the chains of misery, of being a father of two girl children for life.
- Hari (AID-Duke member) on his experience while visiting an AID-Duke project

AID has funded close to 100 projects in close association with grassroot level NGOs in India. Ultimately projects are the means for us to make a difference. AID-Duke has funded 5 projects. Come see the difference we are making.
If you feel that you would like to participate in a particular project please contact the corresponding project coordinator or alternatively you can contact us at aidindia@duke.edu. If you would like to help us through funds please look at how to send your donations towards funding our projects.

Women's Empowerment@AID-Duke

Marginalization and oppression of women in developing societies such as India is a big impediment to the developmental process. Centuries of patriarchal structures and practices need to be dismantled before a genuinely liberated Indian woman can claim a rightful place in society. Social immobility, economic dependence and lack of access to resources are some of the major hurdles for empowerment of women.

• Sahanivasa
  AID-Duke approved $3500 for a project by the NGO Sahanivasa. Sahanivasa is located in Andhra Pradesh. The project has two parts. First, the project coordinators will train traditional healers to understand the scientific basis of their traditional medicines and also train them to utilize village volunteer networks to enhance the access of their health care. Second, the project will train 25 youth on HIV awareness and education through cultural entertainment.
  

• Vanasthali Rural Development Center (VRDC)
  Women's Empowerment through education, mobility and social interaction.
  
• Muthamizh Education and Rural Development Society (MERDS)
  Women's Empowerment through vocational training and employment leading to more control over resources.
• Action In Disabilities India (AID-India)
  Women's Empowerment through control over resources and decision making.
• ALOKA(Orissa, Dhenkanal)
  This project focuses on village development in Dhenkanal district in Orissa through training birth attendants (TBA), health awareness camps, community development training to village volunteers. As their initial task in 7 villages some inhabited by tribal people. AID-TAMU is funding the project and AID-DUKE is helping in following up their progress.
• Hundred Block Plan
  AID-Duke committed $5000 per year, for two years, towards the Hundred Block Plan. We have taken up the Nemeli Block in Vellore.
• Soil and Water conservation in Juna Mozda
  This project based in Gujarat aims at improving utilization of water through building stone bunds, and in the process improving soil quality by minimizing top soil erosion. Several AID chapters are supporting this project. AID-Duke is contributing $2000 towards this project
• Gujarat Earthquake Rehabilitation
  AID-Duke has approved project proposals for livelihood generation schemes by an NGO - DISHA. This project consists of three components- salt making, ambar charka and shoe-making.
• RamaKrishna Mission (Kancheepuram)
  AID-Duke was involved in the funding of this project withe the help of the NGO Ramakrishna Math. The objective of this project was to aid in the funding of higher eductaion for village students.