Training in Panchayati Raj

This training empowers the elected women representatives of Gram Panchayats (villagecouncils) to become effective agents of change. SAS brings them together, gives them exercises in personality development and communication skills.The programme gives them knowledge of PanchayatiRaj laws and promotes networking among the elected women representatives.

Functional vocational training

The adolescentrural girls are trained in garment making skills.The training includes modules on personality development, family life education and status of women in society. At the end of the training the girls are helped to acquire a tailoring machine.

Pre-school education

Its objective is the integral development of rural children and universalisation of primary education.It focuses on the mental,physical and social development of children from the low strata of society, with special concern for the girl child.

Sponsorship

Many young rural women, who with lot of difficulty complete their twelve yearsof schooling, have absolutely no opportunity for further education.Their poverty and lack of employment opportunity is very alarming.SAS partly responds to this situation by sponsoring

Institutional learning

Students from the universities of India and abroad and activists of NGOs,representatives of banks, women’s groups and government departments regularly visit SAS for institutional learning.Three Jesuits, fourty social activists and many part time animators are actively involved in carrying out the various activities of SAS. They are sustained and enriched by being with the poor and sharing in their struggles, joys and hopes.

The northern districts of Karnataka state have a large population of traditional nomadic shepherds. SAS tries to empower them socio-economically and politically. SAS tries to empower them socio-economically and politically.

It trains them in personality development, community building, better sheep care, judicious use of modern medicines and modern breeding practices.

SHG Movement

SAS animates and guides rural women in the formation of Self-Help Groups;helps them to mobilize micro credit from government and banks; creates opportunities for income generation and personality development.It helps them in the area of advocacy and networking for tackling gender discrimination and violence against women.

Community Health

This initiative focuses on the health needs of the rural poor, especially of women and children, through a community health programme in which SAS identifies,selects and trains rural women to function as skilled community health workers. Through this programme, it creates awareness in the villages about HIV/STD, small family norms and traditional health systems and supplies the community with medicines for common ailments.

Xavier Farms

Xavier Farm is a source of income for SAS. In Xavier farm SAS experiments with organic farming, dairy management,sericulture,wormi-culture development and use of biogas and solar energy.

Micro watershed management

SAS successfully carried out watershed programmes in two villages. Now it reaches out to three new villages with development based on “watershed approach”. SAS’s vision here is ‘water harvesting for a green and healthy environment with enhanced income generation opportunities and a united village community’.

Biogas and rural sanitation

SAS provides modern sanitary facility and easy cooking fuel to rural households and there by reduces the workload of women and enhances their health. It gives a boost to a-forestation and renewable energy technology. It increases soil fertility by providing plenty of organic manure.

Livelihood

Under the trade name‘Shramik Kala’, SAS helps women to master the art of ethnic stitches and ornamental joinery in making a large variety of high quality handcrafted items with creative styles. These products are highly sought after by persons from India and abroad as anelegant,Eco friendly alternative to a market flooded with plastic and nylon.Shramik Kala is a shining example of a replicable livelihood initiative for women living below poverty line in the semi-arid,drought prone regions of north Karnataka.