Date:08/12/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/12/08/stories/2007120859150200.htm

Andhra Pradesh

In service of oppressed

Special Correspondent

Chaitanya Sravanthi completes 20 years

VISAKAHAPATNAM: From 50 groups with 1500 members in 1999, Gruhalakshmi MACS Society of Chaitanya Sravanthi, a voluntary organisation for oppressed classes and women, now improved to 350 groups comprising 5,500 members with a turnover of Rs.9 crores, according to its president Shirin Rahman.

Talking to media persons on the occasion of Chaitanya Sravanthi completing 20 years, she said the organisation was set up in 1987 with her husband S.A. Rahman as president. He continued till 1994 with several health and education programmes like conducting medical camps, free treatment to the poor, providing scholarships to school children, educating the school dropouts, etc., after which she took over as president. Among the programmes implemented were income-generation schemes for women by training them in beautician course, soft-toy making, EDP and lab technician courses while the youth were imparted training in vocational programmes such as car driving, welding, electrician, TV mechanism, etc. The 20th anniversary celebrations would be held on Sunday at VUDA Children’s Theatre where the success stories of self-help group members would be narrated, she said. Dr. S.A. Rahaman, secretary of Chaitanya Sravanthi Ashok Kumari and treasurer Srilatha Devi were also present.