Anahata Stiftung

Sewing Schools

Four sewing schools now help girls and young women to generate extra income. The mobile sewing school, which locates every six months in another village, helps women to earn their own money. They learn how to manage their money and save it in a savings account.

Sewing Machine Project

Similar to the Cow Project, since 2025 selected women have been given a sewing machine on credit. They repay the loan by doing small sewing jobs, the sewing machine belongs to them, and the project can be continued with new women. This project has also been very successful.

Baby Massage

In India it is a tradition to massage babies before bath. This is a common health care for young children. Studies have shown that babies that were massaged regularly had to go to hospital less frequently, gained weight more quickly and showed signs of healthy growth. A regular massage also calms the baby and thus ensures a good night's sleep.

International Woman's Day

International Women's Day is celebrated regularly on March 8. On this occasion, government programs designed to support girls from childhood through adolescence are also presented.

Ladies Club Meeting

There are so-called Ladies Club, where women are taught skills that they can earn some extra money with. In workshops women learned how to make candles and crayons. They also are introduced to bookbindery.

Visiting Kottacheruvu

On Monday, October 17, 2011, Monika and Silvia visited the Woman Empowerment Project Center in Kottacheruvu. Monika: "As is customary in India, we were welcomed at the door with a flower mandala. All of the year's activities were explained to us in a PowerPoint presentation. In addition, the individual employees and participants presented their work to us."

Cow Project

Ten women in need are selected per village, each of whom receives a cow on credit. After ten months, they have repaid the loan through the sale of milk and the cow belongs to them. The project can then be continued in the next village. Selection criteria include the women's ability to care for and feed the cow and to market the milk. The cow project has been running for several years with great success.

Health Camp

Health camps are regularly held at various women's centers. Topics include homeopathic medicine and health tips, such as drinking more water and taking drumstick tonic every morning to prevent illness.

Rangoli-Workshop

Rangoli are mandalas drawn on the ground with chalk dust. This art form is threatened with extinction. Rangoli workshops and competitions not only preserve the tradition, but also promote a strong village community. All the women in the village take part—across castes and even Muslim women, for whom rangoli is not a tradition.

Gender Equality

Another important issue is equal treatment of the sexes. For this purpose, in village schools of three communities educational films were shown to children and teachers. The films explained the disastrous consequences of gender specific education. The audience was enthusiastic about the presentation, the message fell on a very fertile soil.

An important topic was addressed with a great deal of humor: the hygienic production of sanitary pads. These cannot be purchased anywhere in the state. Women have to make do with scraps of fabric, which can easily lead to infections. Now the women have learned to make their own sanitary pads from cotton wool. However, in order to produce larger quantities, the women would like a machine that presses the cotton wool, thereby replacing an important and time-consuming step.

Computer School

At the women's request, a small computer school was opened. The offer has been accepted with impressive enthusiasm. The lessons are divided into theory and practical blocks. This allows a large amount of knowledge to be imparted in a short period of time. The chances of attending further education or finding a better job after this training are high.

There is still much to report. However, we were particularly impressed by how intensively the center cooperates with official agencies. The women's center is the only one of its kind in a huge area.