Father Jim McCartney |
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| The T.H.O.M.A.S. project in India is based in Pangloli in a mountainous region of Lonavala in the state of Maharashta. The village is situated near a forest, which is the main source of livelihood for the people living in the area. Due to the monsoons and the terrain the area is not very suitable for agriculture and this causes problems for the people. The village has a population of over one thousand people. |  |
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 T.H.O.M.A.S. gave £10,000 in the
financial year 2003- 2004 to develop a new project in the above area. The
village comprises of a tribal community. The living conditions of the people
are harsh; most of the houses are made of wood and mud and only 50% of the
houses have electricity. The main source of livelihood of the villagers is
cutting and gathering wood from the nearby markets to the local traders who do
not give them a fair price. During the monsoon season the villagers divert
their occupation to fishing and agriculture. The economic status of these
villagers is very low. Ninety percent of the population live on under one
dollar a day. Most of the people depend on local "quacks" for medication. The
people also lack the information on family planning and believe in early
marriage due to which the growth rate is high and the size of families large.
Sanitation in the village is poor. As there are no toilets, they use the nearby
forests. People owning land outside the village currently are harassing the villagers. The road leading from the village to the forests and the city have been blocked. This causes extreme inconvenience to the villagers as it directly affects their livelihood. Another problem is that the government does not recognise them as a tribal community as they have no legal documents as proof of their existence. Hence they are deprived of the facilities and provisions made by the government for the development of tribal communities in India. One of the major problems in the village is a high incidence of alcohol consumption. 90% of its male and 60% of its female population are alcoholics. Many of its young people turn to drink out of boredom, lack of employment and frustration. The people have an affinity with the local brew. It is within this environment that T.H.O.M.A.S. will support an education preventive programme that looks at early intervention that will comprise of the following: • Reflection of socio-economic situation • Preventive programme focusing on the dangers of alcohol • Empowerment • Education programme • Vocational training The above is aimed not only at educating people about the dangers of alcohol but it also gives them a programme of education and training that can show them how they can occupy their time in a different way. This programme is in its early stages. Initially, the emphasis is on making contact with the local people. T.H.O.M.A.S. has already financed a motorbike for a project worker to access the village. |
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