The Earth Trust (TET) is a not-for profit organisation established in 2004 in the Nilgiri Hills of South India. The primary agenda of Earth Trust is to enhance the environmental health of the Nilgiris biosphere- an important resource for mankind, with a mandate to support the tribal and rural population of the Nilgiris to create livelihoods so that they can live with dignity and pride.
Programs of The Earth Trust:
1) Farming : To drive home the message ‘Stop Poisoning the Earth’, TET focuses on growing safe food and creating sustainable livelihoods through Natural/Organic farming practices and bringing back living soil and waters to the Nilgiri Hills once again. TET guides the farmer on the entire farming process, buys and sells the farmers’ produce and ensures farmers get paid fortnightly.
2) Health: In the 12-module syllabus held over thirteen weeks, women are taught basic homemade remedies for primary health care, nutrition, hygiene, child care, and Traditional and Alternate healing Therapies. The Advanced training programme includes Herbal Medicine preparation, setting up of an Herbal Garden using indigenous plants; first Aid and basic Homeopathy. The target is to reach 3 villages in a year, 3 months in each village.
3) Skill Development: This aims at bringing women together for a period of three months to equip them with self employment skills like Tailoring & Knitting, crochet and other hand work. It also helps them grow a kitchen garden and herbs and make basic herbal infusions. It also encourages local leadership to empower rural women.
4) Tribal Development: TET has been working for the upliftment of Chengal Pudur a small Kurumba hamlet since a decade. It has been instrumental in bringing about many facilities like electricity and running water, sanitation; provided them with smokeless chullahs, livestock and helped with medicine production and can.
