Dear Colleagues

Please find below an appeal for funding of an herbal project in
India that you may find interesting and wish to contribute to.

best wishes, Nina Nissen


Herbal project - Rural Women's Development Trust in Tamil Nadu
Appeal from India for financial assistance


A request for funding was received by the Maypole Fund, which
distributes small grants to women's organisations. However, this
project does not fall within the Fund's remit and could not receive
any financial support. I am now appealing to you on the group's
behalf.

The Rural Women's Development Trust is a registered non-governmental
women's organisation working in a rural area of Tamil Nadu, India.
Its main activities focus on: skills training of girls and women for
income generating projects; leadership and capacity building for
women; sanitation, health and awareness projects (e.g. HIV/AIDS
awareness, female infanticide).

The project they are now looking to develop and finance is described
as: promoting native medicinal plants and herbs for cultivation and
use to improve rural people's health status. This they hope to
achieve through a mixture of activities, including a central herbal
nursery and subsequent distribution of 30 plants to their members
(123 women's and 39 youth groups). Local herbal practitioners will
facilitate herbal demonstration classes, to be attended by health
workers from the region. The attendees will be instructed in the
cultivation of herbs (in kitchen gardens and on public land) and
learn about their use to address common health problems. In turn,
attendees will teach and support individual villages and village
members in growing and using local herbs. Thus, it is hoped to
spread herbal knowledge and skills, with the immediate and long-term
aim to improve people's health.

Money requested: Total approx 87.000 Rupees (87 rupees to £1)

1. to develop a central nursery, polythene bags, manure, tools etc
35.000
2. to organize awareness/skills training 19.500
3. to conduct herbal demonstrations 19.500
4. fees for resource persons 4. 000
5. misc (e.g. admin costs) remainder


While it may not be possible to raise the whole sum, I am sure any
contribution to get the group started would be appreciated.

Donations
Please make cheques payable to Nina Nissen and post to 27 Swan
Island, 1 Strawberry Vale, Twickenham, TW1 4RP. I will transfer any
donations to them within 4 months of this appeal.

Should you want to read the whole application, please get in touch
(nina@...) and I can send you a copy.

Many thanks, Nina Nissen