Mithra Foundation

Their major activities in 2012-13 were as follows:

• Implementing the Rajiv Gandhi National Crèche Programme: Around 28 children from six months to six years of age are being taken care of under this programme, which provides the children with a nutritious meal, nursery education and medical care. MF’s programme is aimed at female agricultural labourers, whose work keeps them out of home for a greater part of the day. The support provided by the programme prevents their children from dropping out of school and also eliminates child labour in the area.
• Conducting National Environment Awareness Campaign (NEAC): 300 trees were planted in the school premises and an environment awareness seminar and rally was organized by the students to highlight the importance of ‘Bio-Diversity Conservation’.
• Running a Family Counselling Centre (FCC): A total of 229 women, girls and couples were counselled and services were provided to those women affected by domestic violence, atrocities and alcoholism. The NGO also provides preventive and rehabilitative services to women affected by dowry harassment and molestation in society.
• National University Education Planning and Administration (NUEPA): A three-day residential training programme was held with the help of the Ministry of Education, Government of India in partnership with NUEPA. This was done to educate the village education committee office bearers about the Right to Education Act. The goal of the programme was to achieve 100 percent literacy among the 14 year old children in the target area. A total of 102 Village Education Committee office bearers from 75 primary schools benefited from this training programme.
• Revolving Fund for People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA):  A revolving fund of Rs125,000 was distributed to 25 PLWHA in the Trichy district. Each PLWHA was given Rs5,000 as a revolving fund.
• Vocational Training on Hand gloves making for PLWHA: 50 PLWHA were given vocational training for six months in sketching, drawing, cutting, over-locking of cotton and leather hand-gloves making. After the completion of six months’ training, 14 deserving PLWHA were promoted to form Self-Help Group (SHG) whereas the remaining trained PLWHA availed of bank loans from local nationalized banks to begin a hand-glove manufacturing unit.
• Residential School for HIV-Infected Children: MF sheltered 20 HIV infected children in a home being run in Trichy district. Children were been provided nutritious food, medical care, clothing & computer training. In addition, children participated in various extra-curricular activities such as sports, art, music, yoga and meditation.
• Women’s Rights Programme: In association with Open Meadows Foundation, USA, MF provided training to 60 women leaders belonging to SHGs and SHG federation personnel, regarding issues related to women’s legal rights and women’s human rights.