Social Work - India
The Society of Daughters of Mary Immaculate and Collaborators (DMI) is a non-profit and a non-government organization, founded by Rev. Fr. J.E. Arul Raj, OMI in 1984, India. The DMI Development Mission is devoted to Love God by serving His people unconditionally. The mission has been working to ensure that the poorest and marginalized women and children have access to the fruits of development and constitutional rights; food and livelihood, shelter, education, healthcare, and a high level of dignity. The DMI mission facilitates them to proactively participate in development programs and improve their living conditions to achieve holistic development. DMI partners with various organizations, institutions, and government bodies at the state and central levels to achieve empowerment.
The core element of DMI development missions is Women’s Movement. DMI is in the process of promoting a movement for women by integrating all women members, trained to practice values of democracy, shared leadership to address the socio-economic issues of the marginalized women and children in 908 villages amidst COVID-19 pandemic challenges since 2020. DMI development team successfully carry out the planned activities and brought remarkable success in promoting Self-help groups, Credit Linkages through various banks, more self-employers, strengthened Federations activities, and Capacity building programs, Skill Trainings, Developing Business tool, Government welfare programs and Children Parliaments programs to support the DMI Tamil Nadu Women Federation.
DMI mission adheres to the following core values love, service, human dignity, compassion, commitment, and teamwork to achieve the mission goals.
Our vision is of a world where all people especially the oppressed and marginalized are empowered through education and development.
Major Programs
Women Empowerment
DMI forms Self-Help Group (SHG) for women to cultivate the habits of savings, internal and external loan and bookkeeping practices. This indigenous and homogeneous group promotes also group cohesiveness among the women members for collective actions and start income generation activities to sustain their lives. These women are enabled to address poverty and social inequalities through SHG platform. At present, DMI has 3733 SHGs with 48,074 women members covering 26 Blocks, 256 Panchayats, 908 Villages in three states Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Bihar. The following strategies are adopted by DMI for women empowerment…,
Formation of women SHG- the rural and suburban women members are mobilized through discussions and they enhance their knowledge about the purpose, importance and activities of SHGs and further they get clarity about their roles, functions and responsibilities through trainings. The group leaders are selected through collective and selective process to successfully govern, administer and direct their respective groups through improved their leadership skills.
Promotion of Federation: women members of SHGs are facilitated to join in the federation at panchayat, Block, District and State levels. The federation members play their major roles for their empowerment process. Federation platform supported women members collective decision-making, enhanced their confidence and capacities that led them having access to socio-economic status.
Federation membership – federation membership program facilitated women members of SHGs to become official members by registering themselves into federations and contribute a small amount to support the poor and the needy children to continue schooling. They have also raised voices against community development issues.
Generating income for women through capacity building -women were trained in 18 trades of business skills, entrepreneurship development, marketing and also supported through microcredit linkages to start their own business and became entrepreneurs. They motivated their fellow members to learn and start income generation that helped them in increasing their household income which resulted in sustained dignified life.
Mobile vending cart- the needy and the poor women members were identified and supported with mobile vending cart to generate income in Kancheepuram, Thiruvallur and Chennai districts.
Leadership training-women group leaders have improved their leadership qualities through leadership trainings and practice their leadership skills.
Upholding women’s right through special celebration-women members were facilitated to celebrate international women’s day and human rights day and upheld their rights in the communities.
Promotion of health and wellbeing-women members were sensitized on the importance of health and hygiene through community awareness, health education and health camps which facilitated them to adopt the best practices of personal hygiene (practiced regular handwashing, increased use of masks, mosquito nets and maintained social distance) in order to prevent from dengue and COVID-19 pandemic.
Agriculture and Food Security
Agriculture and food security program of DMI support the farming families and the farmers to shift their farming style from subsistence to sustainable farming practices in order to secure their food production and ensure availability of food for them.
Promotion of agriculture and livelihood – women members were facilitated to include and build values on patriotism, promotion of culture, traditions and social well-being. SHG members have cultivated the practice of traditional food consumption and cultivating organic food crops.
Child Development
Child Development program supports the marginalised and the rural needy children to get school supplies in order to have access to formal education. Children improve their leadership skills through children parliaments (CP) and practice the leadership qualities similar to the members of Indian parliament. Members of children parliaments are supported to safeguard the child rights through trainings and awareness events. DMI adopted the following methods for child development…,
Promotion of children parliaments-school children are mobilized, oriented and trained on children parliament, their roles and functions. This training helped them to understand the system of parliament and to initiate in addressing local issues with the support of local leaders, as members, they also understood their rights; improved their participation, decision making skills and leadership qualities.
Education Support to the poor and the marginalized children-the poor and the rural children were identified and supported with the education materials to continue schooling through women federation forum.
Humanitarian Assitance & Community Based Rehabilitation
Families infected/affected and nonfastedare supported with food and clothing during the disaster and pandemic situations. They are also facilitated through psycho-social support to lead a normal life. DMI adopted the following method for humanitarian assistance..,
Improving well-being of People during pandemic-families in and around Chennai and all over program districts were identified through SHG leaders and supported with food materials, clothing and counseling services to have a normal life.
Food distribution to the poor and the needy- on daily basis, 500 food pockets were prepared and distributed in and around Chennai.
Community Health-DMI’s desire of “Health for All and Health as Our Right” is a seemingly difficult task for the poor and marginalized communities. To promote community health, often, DMI team is organizing various awareness programs and health camps for the marginalised communities to improve their health by addressing various communicable and non-communicable illnesses. So far, DMI served 3, 29,615 community members through health education, health camps, counselling services and health awareness programs and prevented 1, 12,585 community members from the infection of COVID-19 virus by availing vaccines from the government.
Community based Rehabilitation- DMI community-based rehabilitation (CBR) program is dedicated to enhance the quality of life of ‘People with Disabilities’ (PWDs) through collective efforts of PWDs families, organizations and local communities in Tiruvallur District. DMI team has supported 1138 PWDs and facilitated 601 PWDs to avail government schemes and job employment opportunities.
Network, Visibility and Collaboration (NVC)
Established a strong collaboration with the local authorities through network meetings in order to support the poor and the needy to avail government schemes. DMI adopted the following methods for NVC…,
Child-line to support the street and vulnerable children-the street and run away children were identified, counselled and facilitated to reintegrate with their families through child-line program in Nagapattinam district. The members of children parliaments were sensitized on the importance of child-line to prevent and support the children in danger and difficult situation.
Facilitate PWDs to avail government schemes – PWD persons were identified and facilitated to understand the various schemes for their welfare. PWD persons have availed 27 different schemes from the government and live a dignified life.
Land rights for women-women members were supported to get patta for their houses and hold their land rights at Kancheepuram District in Walajabad block.
Awards & recognitions-DMI receives certificate of appreciations and awards from the Government and private organisations for the effective services towards the poor and the needy in times. Recently, DMI received the certificate of appreciation for COVID-19 Intervention from Greater Chennai Corporation during the COVID-19 pandemic-2020 in Chennai; UdhayaMalli SHG members from Kancheepuram District, Thirusulam Panchayat, has received “Manimegalai Award” from the Government and cash price of ₹100000 in Oct-2021; and women award was given to the 20 best women for various performances in Mar-2021.
Creating internship opportunities for MSW Students-Student trainees from various reputed social work institutions have enriched their knowledge and skills under concurrent fieldwork in DMI.
Creating visibility for DMI development mission through light to light magazine – DMI Development Mission publishes and circulates ‘Light to Life’ (150 till date) a monthly E-magazine among the individuals, well-wishers and donors in order to help them to understand the progress of activities, achievements and receive support for the empowerment of women and children in India.
