Name of the Project : SUICIDE FARMERS project.

Status : On going

Target Group: Children of Farmers, who committed suicide due to heavy loans.

AIM: Our aim is to prevent children not to become school dropouts, due to sudden demise of their parents.

GOAL:  Main goal of this project is to make the children, to go back to their Schools / Colleges and continue their studies with AMG financial help.

INTRODUCTION:-

Andhra Pradesh state mainly depends on agricultural activities, as it has majority of population in villages and rural areas. The state has a rural population of 55,401,067 (72.69%) as per 2001 census, out of which 7,859,534 (22.52%) are cultivators and 13,832,152 (39.64%) are agriculture labourers. The state economy depends on agriculture.

A.P. state has been facing severe drought consecutively for the last few years. In this situation, farming community has become the main victim. Most sufferers are among the farming community, who are small and marginal farmers, holding less than 5 acres of dry land and no irrigation facility and follow mono-cropping. These farmers have to invest, much higher amounts in order to get good yields.

There were low/ insufficient rains during the last 6 years. Because of this, Farmers took loans from prvate money lenders at high rates of interest and dug bore-wells. They spent lot of money for digging these borewells. But, they failed to find sufficient water from the borewells, as many of the lands do not contain underground water. With the available water, they started cultivation. The farmers used to follow the advice of fertilizer and pesticides dealers and invested heavily to control pest, hoping to get good crop-yield. However, the crop yields have been very less, due to failure of monsoon rains and less water from bore-wells. In addition to this, there is no good market price.

As a result, the farmers had experienced heavy losses and could not repay loans taken at high rates of interest. In order to save their respect in the society, they were forced to commit suicide. Many widows and children are left with no assets, except debts. Because of this crisis, most of the children are forced to stop their education. Without education and no hope for a better future, many of them will become child labourers and anti social personalities. 

AMG decided to help these families of suicide farmers and to give some financial assistance to the children for their education. We came to know that, many farmers are committing suicide across the state. AMG decided to help the families of the deceased farmers and save the children from their miserable conditions. Without making any delay, we approached all District Collectors and got lists of Suicide Farmers. We invited all these families to Chilakaluripet and conducted programme for them. 

RESPONSE FROM AMG:- We came to know that, many farmers are committing suicide across the state. AMG decided to help the families of the deceased farmers and save the children from the miserable conditions. Without making any delay, immediately, we approached the District Collectors, Revenue Divisional Officers and got lists of Suicide Farmers, in the villages under their control. These are official lists and correct lists prepared by Government officials.

OUR EFFORT:- AMG decided to extend its services to the suicide farmers families and give some financial assistance to the children of Suicide Farmers for their education. We invited all the families to Chilakaluripet and conducted a meeting.  The children were given Books, School/College Bags, Clothes, School/College Fee and Financial help. We gave them travel expenses, to come here and to go back. 1600 children from 547 families in 21 Districts of Andhra Pradesh attended the programme. They returned to their homes very happily.

ACTIVITIES:- Continue for children education.

INPUT:-

FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR EDUCATION:

• To provide education support for 1600 children of Suicide Farmers, every month we are depositing the amount in to their accounts through online.
• To provide school/college fees once, at the beginning of academic year.
• Because of AMG financial help for studies, number of School dropouts and child labour reduced.
• Distribution of Books, bags, Uniforms, Civil dresses and Study materials, at the time of meeting conducted in June/July in every year.
• Visiting families once in a quarter, for counseling and giving hope.
• Every year conducting the meeting to total number of children and Suicide Farmers families from all districts.
• To give two-way travel expenses for all family members to reduce their burden.
   
  BUNDLES OF LOVE:-
• We are conducting Bundles of Love programme, every year, at AMG Prem Vihar Children’s Home campus.
• We are inviting all children and their mothers to attend the programme.
• Children and Mothers were given one pair of clothing (Bundles of Love) and delicious love feast was served to them. 

PHYSICAL SUPPORT FOR EDUCATION:

CAREER GUIDANCE:

Social Workers and Project officers of AMG are giving career guidance to children-like how many job oriented courses are available, which courses are offered by which Universities and their location, what types of jobs are available for which completed course etc.

• Social Workers and Project officer of AMG are giving career guidance to children about job oriented courses.
• Guidance is also given about Universities, where such courses are offered- like what type of jobs you may get, when you complete which course.  
• Children of the suicide farmers are now continuing their studies.
• Mothers of the children are expressing their gratitude towards AMG services rendered to them and to Donors - WoordenDaad and Wortundtat, Germany.
• The children are studying L.K.G. to Intermediate, Engineering, B. Pharmacy, Nursing, MBA and MCA etc. 
• All of them are studying very well, in their respective schools/colleges.
• Children did not become child labourers and street children.

REFERRALS AND LINKAGES: Networking with Government of Andhra Pradesh and District Collectors. 

PREVENTION:  Counseling through AMG Social Workers and we are educating the children of Suicide Farmers.

OUTPUT:

• The children of suicide farmers are now continuing their studies.
• Mothers of children are expressing their gratitude, towards the services rendered to them by AMG and the Donors of WoordenDaad, the Netherlands and Wortundtat, Germany.
• The children are studying L.K.G. to Intermediate, Engineering, B.Pharmacy, Nursing, MBA and MCA. 
• All of them are studying well in their respective schools/colleges.
• Children did not become child labourers and street children.

-: Photo Gallery :-