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Gandhigram has been working with the village communities and their needs since its inception, however, a unique village extension programme to reach directly and work in the villages started in 1999. The primary objectives of the village extension programme are - poverty alleviation, women's liberation and integral development through village initiatives in the areas of welfare, education, health and livelihood.

Today (November 2006), the Extension Wing works in about 77 villages in Dindigul and 10 villages in Theni district, through promotion of women's self-help groups (SHGs). In all about 319 women SHGs and 33 men SHGs have been formed in over 61 villages, and through their saving schemes have managed to save Rs. 511 lakhs. This has enabled them to access a credit of equal amount through banks. One Panchayat level non-profit federation has been registered consisting of SHGs, 24 people have been inducted and trained in the effective management of such an organisation. Such organisation provides the SHGs with the control to governing their activity directly. 11 village extension workers have been provided with Rejuvenate India Movement (RIM) volunteership.

Many village enterprises have been launched as SHG initiatives by these women. These include production units and sales and service units.

The SHGs have launched their own production units and are also associated with the GGM Trust managed production units, including the appalam (papad) unit, sanitary napkin unit, paper bags and covers unit, soap unit, vermicompost unit and 3 dairy units. Food processing unit including production of pickle and fruit juice and cooking powders have also been started. Typically, one group will manage a single unit with about 3-5 people working in the unit and the rest of the group join whenever there are more orders for the production. A SHG manages the vermicomposting unit also.

Recently, the Gandhigram Sales Representative (GSR) initiative has been started through which a batch of 10 people have been selected and trained to become village level sales representatives. These representatives will receive commission for the sales of products produced by the villagers.

Apart from their own initiatives, the SHGs are also encouraged to play an active role in the social and political activity in the village. They actively participate in the gram sabha convened by their respective Panchayats, 12 SHG members have been elected as Panchayat functionaries. They also activate and monitor the local Primary Health Centres (PHC), schools and other village level public institutions. One SHG collects 'pidi arisi' (a handful of rice) from every household which it uses for 'annadanam'.

In the anvil are rural information technology kiosks managed by SHGs, about 15 of which will be started.
Contact Person: Ms. Srirangam

Village Extension Activities at Sivasailam in Tirunelveli
SHGs were started for the women in the surrounding villages about 5-6 years back as part of the activities of Sivasailam wing of Gandhigram. Each group has about 20 women as members. There are 12 self-help groups now.

The groups hold weekly meetings to discuss their livelihood and village issues. Some of the SHGs prepare, mix masala powders, some others grind flours and sell them. One or two own cows and sell milk. One SHG in Puthugramam maintains a grocery store. Two weaving units / groups were started at Idaikkal. Now both are running on their own with help from some local NGO.

Vermicomposting - recently 2 vermicomposting bins have been started as an experiment with resource people coming in from Gandhigram. Cultivation of medicinal plants was started, and currently aloe Vera and vettiver are cultivated. There is an idea to start a herbal products manufacturing unit with the help of LSS at Gandhigram.

There is at present one coordinator from the Ashram who takes care of the SHG work, meetings etc.
Contact Person: Ms. Krishnaveni

Publication
"Microenterprises and Livelihood Options - Training Modules" -
In recent times Gandhigram has been concentrating on sustainable rural industrial activities and technologies. Though on-the-job training is being provided for more than three decades now in spinning, weaving, textile dye, and so on, there has not been an attempt to formalise and build training programmes in the same until now. Since large number of SHGs have come up and are now approaching Gandhigram for training in various rural and micro-enterprise, the organisation has utilised this opportunity to design concrete training courses. The details of these course, structure, content, cost and other details have been compiled in the current publication for the benefit of the SHGs, NGOs and other development organisations involved with rural enterprises.
Introduction and Content
Chapter 1 - Pickles
Chapter 2 - Papads and chips
Chapter 3 - Parboiled Hand Pound Rice
Chapter 4 - Groundnut Cakes
Chapter 5 - Greengram Laddu
Chapter 6 - Masala Powders
Chapter 7 - Honey Processing
Chapter 8 - Herbal Powders
Chapter 9 - Rexine Bags
Chapter 10 - Jute Products
Chapter 11 - Paper Products
Chapter 12 - Leaf Plates & Cups
Chapter 13 - Sanitary Napkins
Chapter 14 - Toilet Soaps
Chapter 15 - Washing Soaps
Chapter 16 - Washing and Scouring Powders
Chapter 17 - Vermicomposting Methods
Chapter 18 - Book Binding and Notebook Making
Chapter 19 - Doormats
Chapter 20 - Agarbattis
Chapter 21 - Marketing Strategies
Chapter 22 - Small Business Development
Chapter 23 - Entrepreneurship
Chapter 24 - Gender Equality
Chapter 25 - Writing Business Proposals
Chapter 26 - Water Management Proposal
Chapter 27 - Natural Dyeing