Tamilarasi, a 31-year-old mother from Yenambakkam, Tamil Nadu, lost her livelihood during COVID-19 lockdowns. ADRA stepped in with unconditional cash support to keep her and her family afloat. But beyond that, we helped her and nine other families start organic kitchen gardens. We provided training (soil preparation, pest control, seed selection) and essential materials.
In the first season, monsoon rains destroyed the crops—but we provided fresh seeds and supervision, and in the next round, they flourished.
“We can enjoy a meal with one brinjal, green chilli, pumpkin, or tomato from the garden every day,” Tamilarasi says. That small yield is enough to improve nutrition and sometimes bring a little extra income.
Our Impact in Livelihoods
- We identify vulnerable youth, women, smallholder farmers, and refugees, and provide skills training aligned with market demands.
- We support micro-entrepreneurship, offering seed grants and mentoring to turn ideas into sustainable businesses.
- We establish linkages between trained individuals and employers or markets (e.g. connecting skilled youth to jobs, or helping farmers access fair markets).
- In Assam’s tea garden communities, we’ve helped Self Help Groups produce low-cost sanitary napkins managed by local women.
- In Tamil Nadu, we run the RISE program: combining education support for children with livelihood interventions for their families to break out of poverty.
- We pilot organic kitchen gardens in vulnerable households: training and supplying inputs so families can grow their own food and sell excess produce
- We empower communities in Assam and Tamil Nadu by supporting them with cultivation training
- In Assam, we are supporting small-scale farmers through dairy production, cattle-rearing and artificial insemination of cows
- In Tamil Nadu, we are supporting communities with poultry farming
Donate to Livelihoods and help families earn with dignity
