Chenchu is a food gathering tribe & is predominently found living in nallmali Hills, which are a part of Eastern Ghats spread over Kurnool, Prakasham, and Mahabubnagar Districts. In addition, in large numbers in Guntur District; in less numbers in Nalgonda and Ranga Reddy Districts, and in negligible numbers in other districs of the state.

Sevabharati (Western Andhra Pradesh), aided by CAPART. (Council for Advancement of people Action and Rural Technology) South Zone has taken up an Extensive AWARENESS CAMPAIGN from 16-03-01 to 11-08-2001 in the CHENCHUS. 173 Chenchus of which 89 were male attended the Awareness camps & 84 were female from 21 gudems & in 8 camps with each of 7 days, & 30 chenchu participants per camp, was completed in the month of August'2001. 8-camps in 8 different places of Kurnool district were conducted. Two organisers were selected specifically for assisting project Co-ordinator in conducting 8 camps. These two persons are already familar with the localities of benificiaries, and earilier involved in social service activites they are given specifictraining for three days in "Trainers Training Programme" at Rural Development and self employment Training institute, Anantapur from 02-03-01 to 04-03-01,

Qualities of a good trainer - organisation skills required in conducting camps for common masses - mobilisation of benificiaries. - Indentification of resource persons - day to day programme execution in the awareness camp - maintaining of appropriate records and accounts of the camps.

It was a first priority to motivate them to shed inhibitions and passivity, then the task to Create awareness of the developing society around as well as to build awareness of available developmental opportunities for PTG – Chenchus.

Chenchus are the Primitive Tribal Group PTG's living in 33 Chenchu gudems of Kurnool District - The (8) Awareness camps conducted were attended by (266) participants from (28) Chenchu gudems. The Project was intended to cover as many as possible the literates (who can read and write) from the chenchu gudems, who are supposed to act as medium to transfer the knowledge to their fellow beings in th gudems who are illiterate. Any way, illiterates, who were desirous of participating actively on par with literates, were also considered. There were 173 participants in the programme (88 men; 85 women) who successfully completed the course.

Salient features of ACTION / PROGRAMME :

The Project of Awareness camps for prinitive Tribal Group (Chenchus) of Kurnool District is comprised of organising 8 - camps in 8 different places in the Tribal area of Kurnool Dist, spead over a period of 6 months, from 1.3.2001.

Duration: Each Camp is of duration 7 days, with 4 to 5 sessions of total duration of 6 hrs perday. (Onaverage about 1&1/2 hrs session)

 

Places and Venue for holding camps:

Camp 1 : Gunampalli Narayanamma Hospital, : 16-03-01 to 22-03-2001

GOKAVARAM, Kothapalli Mandal.

Camp 2 : Jina Sankara Tapovaram, MAHANANDI, Mahanandi mandal. :15-04-01 to 21-04-2001

Camp 3 : Bharathi vidya Mandiram, ALLAGADDA 05-05-01 to 11-05-2001

Camp 4 : Sri Sarada Vidya Peetam, NANDYAL: 17-05-01 to 23-05-2001Camp 5 : BharathiVidyaMandiram-cumSivaramanandaAshram; CHANGALAMARRI : 29-05-01 to 04-06-2001

Camp 6 : Vriddha Saranalayam, VELGODU :17-06-01 to 23-06-2001

Camp 7 : PottiSreeramulu Telugu University - cumSivaji Sphoorthi Kendram, SRISAILAM :8-07-01 to 14-07-2001

Camp 8 : Gunampalli narayanamma Hospital, GOKAVARAM, Kothapalli Mandal :05-08-01 to 11-08-2001

MOTIVATION & COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR CONFIDENCE BUILDING
1. Motivation Session :
 
To motivate Chenchus by igniting spark in their minds to make them to think of their self-development shedding their inhibitions & to make them know as to how the contemporary society is developing and their position in the present day society, Eight (8) Awareness camps were conducted in (8) different places in kurnool dist. Each camp of 7 days duration starting from 16th march 2001 to 11th august 2001. These camps gave an oppurtunity to understand the life and situations of chenchus living in the Gudems of Kurnool dist.The Project was conducted with financial assistance from CAPART( SOUTH ZONE), Hyderabad.

Knowledge acquired through Training classes lead the individual towards development, for this one should be attentive in the learning process.
 
To come out of Poverty there are two ways :
 
•
In-born urge develops to come out of poverty where there is no other alternative except to fight with the situation.
 
•
Attending any special training class for the purpose which generates "urge to fight out poverty" in one's self.
 
This is one such training class. You are all lucky people to have this opportunity. Be attentive and make use & the knowledge gained in this training.
2.
What is Micro Lab?
 
It is a strategy through which participants are prepared, personally to reap the fruits of
 
a.
Training programme "Micro lab to Training is a seed to a tree".
 
b.
Micro Lab : Participants Mutual Introduction through a lab.
3.
a) Confidence Building
 
Confidence Building through S.R.Q.(Self Relating Questionnaire)
What am I ? - Interaction with individual participants was conducted by the Resource persons. Individuals in open discussion came out freely expressing their experiences good and bad in life, their success, failure, skill, events based in life; their weak and strong points analysing the personal qualities of the individuals resource person convinced them :
 
i)
the need of positive thinking in place of negative thinking
 
ii)
a person possessing humility and modest behaviour will achieve what he desires
 
iii)
Laziness always to be desisted, body should follow certain restrictions of conduct
 
iv)
Inherited bad habits like smoking, drinking alcohol etc., are to be stopped.
  b) Self help groups
 

Dynamics of Self help groups
Society - Impact of society on Individual
Understanding the Society around

Language, expression, conduct, time keeping, differences in the people in different localities with references to above-Atmosphere conditions-effect of non-availability of resource persons who educate on life.

Need of unity - United we flourish divided we perish need of self help group-Aims of "Podupu Sanghams. How to form" Podupu Sangham - where an individual fails a "Sangham(group) will win-

Rules and Regulations of Podupu Sanghams for women and youva shakti scheme for men - How to get recognition regn. of Sangham ?

All the above factors are discussed; and enlightened-participants were advised to form new groups if already not existing, if existing to strengthen them.
4. Case Studies of Successful Persons in life :
  Resource Person exhorted through the life stories of two individuals, the qualities and competencies one has to acquire to become successful in life.
5. OTHER AWARENESS PROGRAMS:
  Health: With a view of building up a Health mechanism from among the suffering and needy so that they understand and make their fellow being understand Health and Hygiene. A Selected gropu of 60 volunteers have been picked up and trained in First Aid and other Health Topics. The aim of the programme is to pick up rural youth and train them in rendering primary health aid. Teams of 15 doctors of different specialties guide the effort. The community health worker is trained in dealing with all the information and practical training of Health services. It is decided to conduct such camps in all the districts in the state.