See our recommended NGOs

Socio Economic Development Association (SEDA) was founded in 1992 and supports social development among women, children, and neglected groups in Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu. SEDA focuses on women empowerment, Self-Help Group (SHG) development, vocational training, sanitation, handicrafts, lace and embroidery, natural fibre crafts, coconut based handicrafts, and agriculture-based products. It has been working among the poor, artisanal communities, unemployed manual labourers, and deprived persons in rural Kanyakumari.

SEDA aims at women empowerment, gender equality, women human rights, economic and political development, and innovative and experimental activities benefitting women. SEDA runs a Counselling Centre for psychological, personal and family problems, and women empowerment activities. In 2014-15, 25 new SHGs were formed and provided with financial assistance to undertake economic activities.

• SEDA is the implementing agency in respect of Ambedkar Hastshilp Vikash Yojana (AHVY), an integrated craft cluster development programme of the Government of India. It has been providing necessary technical inputs to rural artisans to improve their production. Design and Technical Development Workshop in Natural Fiber Craft was started in FY15 for the promotion of art & culture, and the overall upliftment of the underprivileged. Products developed from Natural Fiber include yarns, ropes, spa products, cat scratching posts, lumbar support belts, rugs, slippers, cloths and disc buffers. Market assessment and product study tour was carried out for acquiring knowledge on latest developments in designs, to know market trends, form new market linkages, design development, introduction of new designs, and welfare schemes.
• SEDA is NABARD’s nodal agency for Coconut Development Cluster. It has been assisted by NABARD for various developmental programmes such as REDP (Rural Enterprises Development Programme), MEDP (Micro Enterprises Development Programme), Skill Development Programme, and SHG awareness programme. MEDP programmes include Nursery training (fruits, flowers, and vegetable plant cultivation methods, seedling production), Jute Handicraft training (furnishing, upholstery, shopping bags, decorative items), etc.
• With funding support of Concern India Foundation, Hand Embroidery training was imparted to 20 women artisans for a period of one year in FY15. These women artisans got better income options thereby improving their economic status and the standard of living of their families. More than 100 people benefited indirectly in FY15.