September 1st, 2006 marks the beginning of transformation in Tamil Nadu’s Manjamedu village, Dharmapuri district. For on that day UEM establishes its CTC, (Community Transformation Centre) in the hope of giving the people of this village a better life.
A report by George Fernandes
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Situated on the outskirts of Tamil Nadu’s Dharmapuri district, Manjamedu is a small village in need of Transformation. Research undertaken by UEM staff indicates that the once dominant caste system of India is vigorously practiced and maintained in Manjamedu. This gives rise to many conflicts and much disunity among the local people. Some of the various kinds of castes prevalent here include the Gowenders (the bulk of Manjamedu’s population), Vanniayers, Vellalars, Nayakars, scheduled castes and tribes, Thegathiars, gypsies etc. There is a small percentage of Muslims that inhabit some parts of the village.
Female infanticide is common among the people of Manjamedu. As a result of below-average living conditions, most parents resort to female infanticide as they view the birth of female infants as a curse and burden to the family. The government has made little or no progress in combating this inhumane and criminal occurrence. The ‘ Cradle Baby Center’ is one of the few functioning child care clinics. It receives approximately seven hundred female infants annually. These babies are later put up for adoption.
Most of Manjamedu’s population remains illiterate, thus leading to otherwise socially unacceptable evils. There are a number of people affected by the HIV virus, making prostitution and other sexual practices attributing factors.
Another social-ill prevalent here is child labour. According to a recent survey by Sarva Shiksha Abiyan (SSA), there are approximately 4, 035 child laborers in Dharmapuri district alone. A handful of these statistics are from Manjamedu and other surrounding villages.
Given the present state of Manjamedu village, UEM finds the need to establish a CTC (Community Transformation Centre). The inauguration is scheduled for the 1 st of September, 2006. The CTC aspires towards serving the community, educating them and above all offering them Salvation through the good news of Christ.
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