TDSS funds four projects and over 50 scholarship holders in this region. The four projects are:

a) The Maharashtra Samaj Unnati Mandal (MSUM) -the social upliftment forum of Maharashtra – implemented Self Reliance Programme for widows and destitute women. This is the project that involves goat rearing. MSUM is headed by Gyaneshwar Suryavanshi.

b) The Parivartan Sanstha – change organisation – implemented project with landless labour and women’s selfhelp groups. Parivartan Sanstha is headed by Balaji Shinde.

c) The Lahmani Project – working with the Lahmani community to ensure Selfhelp groups are successful. The Lahmani’s are traditionally a nomadic community, that moves from place to place working on building/construction sites. This has had a dramatic effect on education – much of the children never even begin education, let alone complete it. Most of the adults are also illiterate. This project is in a settled village. Tools include a two language -Lahmani & Marathi – textbook. Children, backed by women power, are going back to school. The project is headed by Bhoomiputra Rohitdas Waghmare

d) The Pardhi Project – The Pardhi’s are amongst the poorest of the poor. Traditionally considered to be criminal tribes – the Pardhi’s face a level of discrimination from all strata and castes of society. Often their hamlets are burnt to the ground because villagers do not want a community of criminals around them. They are the first targets for the police in case of any wrong doing in the community at large. Maruti Shirsat’s NGO works to set up balwaadi’s amongst the Pardhi’s. A day care pre primary open air school where children learn, play and maybe dream for a better tomorrow.