About Us

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Rural Development Trust (RDT) is a registered organization under Indian Trust Act.  It is a Charitable non-governmental People oriented organization established in 1992. It was founded by a  group of youth who wanted to promote volunteerism to strengthen, empower and revitalize tribes, women, children, landless labour and dalith. It is currently working for social transformation of the migrant community in Thiruporur, Thirukkalundram, Kattangulathur, and St. Thomas Mount Blocks of Kancheepuram District.

Since 2004, RDT is making effort and initiatives for the eradication of illiteracy among the migrant community especially those who are involving in construction work in Thiruporur and above mentioned   blocks. In this process of RDT has been providing capacity building and promoting educational rights for Dalit, Tribal and Migrant Community. As part of this concept RDT initiated 9 Special Schools for Migrant Workers Children and 10 school for Dalits and Tribals in Kancheepuram District.

RDT is one of the gross root NGOs working for the welfare of the migrant communities and safe guard the rights of the migrant people. Through the special schools we have been providing nutritional noon meal, health care, text books,  learning materials, writing materials and school bags on free of cost.  At present we are running 9 special schools covering 954 migrant children with the Assistance  of  18 Teachers, 3 Coordinators and 3 Technical persons.  We have been taking follow up programmes sincerely to re-enroll the children to continue school education when they are returning to their native places. The trust  has three Trustee members. The decision will be made by majority members that would binding the all members of the Trust. There are 7 field operative in the service area for carrying out. The Trust meets once in three months. Mr.T.K.Elumalai, Managing Trustee, hails from  targeted area. He maintains good rapport with the community.

Situation of Telugu Migrant Community

Before the promotion of IT companies in Tamil Nadu, the present migrant families suffered a lot in their native villages by caste difference and unemployment problems. All these migrants are landless labour; they belong to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribe and living in Backward Districts in Andhra Pradesh. They are socially and economically deprived. As they have no means of livelihood in their native places they have shifted with their families in seek of employment at Tourism  Centre held at Thiruporur and other blocks in kancheepuram District. Here they are settled in small huts, mostly temporary settlements in construction sites and some are staying in the interior places without basic amenities. They don’t have continuous employment as their nature of work is breaking according to the contractor. Usually, they get work at the best two or three days in a week. Their wages are very low, well below the minimum wages prescribed in the Payment of Minimum Wages Act. 

Some of them are employed as bonded labours, having already taken advance from the contractors.  Most of the wages are adjusted towards the loans and the exorbitant interest on them. The contractors exploit the migrant labours to the tilt in hazardous work sites. The labours are also subject to frequent accidents at work spots that are not being compensated or medical reimbursement given.

They are engaged in construction sites, road laying, fa ctory and industrial estates. They are staying in various places along the IT carridor High way from Chennai to Mamallapuram with hand to mouth existence. Hence they could not provide any care for the Children’s education and health.   They are unable to get any benefit from the Government such as    Ration Card,   Loans,  Housing, Medical and Educational facilities since they are shifted from another State.

Almost 5000 children between 6 to 14 years of age are unable to get education. The nearest Government Schools doesn’t enroll the children, since there are no teachers to provide education in Telegu medium. The migrant families do not have potable drinking water in their working sites.  Access to medical help is even more difficult for migrants because of discrimination, distances, language and poverty. 

In this crucial situation, the future of these migrant children and women is a question mark. In this situation RDT is working for the welfare of the Migrant Community especially Children’s Education since 2004 with the financial and technical Assistance of A.S.H.A.

About Rural Development Trust

Rural Development Trust - RDT  runs a school for the  migrant children of Andhra Pradesh construction  workers in Tamil Nadu. A.S.H.A  has supported this noble   project since its inception in June 2005.

In Tamilnadu, the area between Chennai and Mamallapuram is seeing a lot of development and a lot of IT companies are setting up here. The total area is seeing a lot of constructions of hospitals, Educational Institutions, formation of roads and  many  companies, factories  etc.  Behind all those huge buildings is the work of the construction workers. There are a lot of construction workers who have migrated from Andhra Pradesh for work. Many of these families live in sheds provided by the construction companies near the sites. Their living conditions are not good and the children are left behind when the parents go to work. These children are not taken into the local government schools because they know Telugu and not Tamil.

RDT is set up to help these children. The school aims to wean children away from construction labor jobs and juvenile delinquency by providing them with Telugu formal education opportunities. To this end, it serves as a bridge school, enabling children to study through 1standred to 8 in Tamilnadu, eventually helping them to continue their education in Telugu schools once their parents return to their Native Places.

This project started with a school in Navalur (Eagatur)  Village and slowly expanded, and has schools in Kalavakkam, Chemmancherry, Kelambakkam, Ponniyamman Koil, Ammapettai -1, Ammapettai -2, Heranandhni,   and Vanniyanchavadi. The schools have a floating attendance due to the migrant nature of the occupation of the parents. They also have the support of the local leaders.