Solagar Dhoddi Indigenous Women Begin Construction of Community Hall on International Women’s Day

Solagar Dhoddi, a Indigenous village in Talavadi Taluk, celebrated International Women’s Day with a remarkable initiative—tribal women of the village have started constructing a community hall to facilitate livelihood programs. The hall, being built with locally available materials, will serve as a hub for adding value to forest produce, millets, and dairy-based products, creating better economic opportunities for the community. The construction efforts have received support from Aruulagam, a community-based conservation NGO, and 19 volunteers from State Street Corporation’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) wing, who actively participated in the initiative. Additionally, Joint Hands, a women-led Farmer Producer Company supported by NABARD Bank, has also contributed to empowering the tribal communities.

R.Vennila, Convenor of Thalavady Indigenous Women's Association addressing the gathering.

The volunteers were warmly welcomed by the villagers and had the opportunity to interact with students, listening to their aspirations and hearing firsthand stories about the life of tribal communities. This meaningful engagement helped foster a deeper understanding of the challenges and resilience of the tribal people.

State street volunteers extended helping hand to build community centre.

Recently, the village secured rights the forest rights act to collect minor forest produce from the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve. Recognizing the need for a dedicated space to process and market their products, the women of the village have taken the lead in establishing the Talavadi Tribal Women’s Association to replicate similar initiatives across other tribal villages in Talavadi Taluk.

Ms. R. Vennila welcomed the gathering. Ms. R. Meena, the first woman from the community to complete an M.Phil. in Physics, shared the struggles of her educational journey. She emphasized the importance of supporting tribal communities in accessing continuous education, higher studies, and job-oriented skill programs.Mr. Kannaiyan, President of Thalavady Farmers Foundation, and Mr. Sakthivel, Range Forest Officer of Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve were participated in the meeting. The collaborative construction efforts will continue on March 9, with villagers and State Street volunteers working together to complete the community hall. This initiative stands as a powerful example of how corporate social responsibility (CSR) can be meaningfully directed towards empowering marginalized communities. 

For further information

R. Vennila, Convenor, Thalavady Tribal Women’s Association. +91 9944701156 8th March, 2025.