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Vision

“Empower the oppressed and marginalized sections of the society thereby providing them with long-term avenues for growth and socio-economic development”

Mission

  • Fight relentlessly for the cause of the oppressed and the poorest of the poor in society ensuring that they get their due share and enhance their quality of life.
  • Adopt participatory, gender-based and rights-based approaches in seeking to identify and solving the problems of the marginalised and weakest sections, especially women.
  • Apply the ‘Convergence Model’ of growth and development to provide integrated services to the people at the grassroots level by dovetailing the benefits of several programmes aimed at them.
  • Using state-of-the-art technology and transferring such technology to the urban and rural masses so they may benefit from such technological innovations removing people from the crutches of poverty and indebtedness.

Executive Committee Members

NO Name & Address Age Qualification Designation Tenure Profession/Experience
1 Dr. S. Kathiresan 22, B.R. Nagar, 1st Street, Kothari Lay-out, Singanallur PO, COIMBATORE – 641 005 49 M.A., M.Phil., D.Hon’s (Social Work) Secretary 2 Years Social Work/ 25 years
2 Mrs. Latha Thirumugam, 30/23, Mariamman Koil Street, Maruthur, Ramanathapuram, COIMBATORE – 641 045 45 B.A., President 2 Years Social Work/ Business 15 years
3 Mrs. C.Logeshwari 36, Lakshmi Nagar, Koundampalayam, COIMBATORE – 641 030 48 M.A., Vice President 2 Years Social Work/ Self Employed 12 years
4 Mrs. M.A. SaithaBegam, A-208, MGR Nagar, Housing Unit back side, Koundampalayam, COIMBATORE – 641 030 40 B.A., Joint Secretary 2 Years Social Work 15 years
5 Mrs. Nithya Ramachandran 48, Chellandiamman Nagar, Singanallur PO, COIMBATORE – 541 005 42 M.Sc., (Med. Psy.)., Treasurer 2 Years Social Work/ Councilor 10 years
6 Mrs. R. Gandhimathi 32/2, Thiruvalluvar Nagar Extension, Ramanathapuram, COIMBATORE – 641 045 39 B.Sc., Member 2 Years Social Work/ Self Employed 7 years
7 Mr. V.P. Muthiah, 17, Raj Nagar, Shanthi Nagar, 3rd Street, MADURAI - 18 55 M.A., Member 2 Years Social Work/ Consultant 27 years

Coodu Organogram

Technical Expertise

Community Organization

Community organization is at the root of all activities undertaken by COODU. To begin with, sensitization and awareness generation on specific need-based themes is done on a massive scale using various mass media. This is followed up by mobilizing communities into well-knit entities – be it in watershed development, health, social welfare, environment or integrated rural development.

Mobilization and Advocacy

COODU has been constructive in not only mobilization of people at the grassroots level with a focus on the poorest of the poor but also enabled in voicing its views at appropriate forums thereby influencing policy and engaging in necessary advocacy-related activities. In all districts where COODU implements programmes, it has maintained good rapport with the district administration and all departments.

Community Needs Assessment

In all sectors of development, prior to launch of a programme, COODU conducts a need-based Community Needs Assessment to examine the current priorities of the community that is to be followed up by an action plan for implementation. Thus, COODU’s Community Needs Assessment extends to planning for Watershed development, income generating programmes for women, identification of needs of People Living with HIV/ AIDS, environmental development and so on. Such assessments are done through participatory approach involving all affected people in the village/ group.

Training Assessment

COODU has conducted Training Needs Assessment of its project personnel thereby identifying their needs and providing with appropriate training in skill building and enhancement of capabilities. Thus, COODU has provided Leadership Training, Training on Use and Access of Information and Vocational Training especially to marginalised groups.

Participatory Methodology (PRA/PLM)

The participatory approach entails use of participatory methodology in assessing and monitoring socio-economic development activities at the grassroots level. COODU has earned the expertise in not only conducting Participatory Rural Appraisals (PRA) in its project areas but has also extended training other NGOs and CBOs as well as officials of various departments in PRA/PLM techniques. The various tools used under the PRA method include: a. Transect Walk b. Participatory Resource Mapping c. Social Mapping d. Seasonal Calendar e. Wealth Ranking f. Participatory Venn Diagram g. Time Line and Trends h. Flow Diagram (Cause and Effect Relationship) i. Tree-preference Matrix Ranking j. SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats)

Formation of Grass Root Institutions

Following the PRAs, conducts of various groups are formed such as User Groups, Area Groups, Water Users Association, Self Help Groups among women in the watershed areas and so on. The focus is also on strengthening the existing village level institutions (local bodies such as Panchayats).

GIS in Micro-Watershed Planning

COODU uses the latest technology along with local knowledge obtained by the people to fine tune its project activities. In this context, COODU has used Geographical Information System (GIS) in preparation of Watershed Atlas in planning for Micro-Watersheds. The maps are digitised and final reports are prepared crosschecking data through satellite-generated aerial maps.

Monitoring and Evaluation

Concurrent monitoring and evaluation is critical for all projects. COODU pursues stringent monitoring and evaluation of individual projects through periodic monitoring. Monthly, Quarterly, Half-yearly Monitoring and Terminal Evaluation at the end of the project phase are important means of assessing project performance. Key performance Indicators are developed on the basis of which projects are monitored. More importantly, feedback obtained at the end of each cycle is fed into redesigning projects for maximum output.

Technical Expertise

COODU believes in applying advanced technology at the grassroots level. In its quest for recognised technical capability, COODU has a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Coimbatore and has close technical collaboration with Gandhigram Rural University, Dindigul. The external Technical Experts of COODU comprise specialists in respective fields with experience in National and International aid agencies including the World Bank, UNDP (United Nations Development Programme), United States Agency for International Development, (USAID), Department for International Development (DFID), Sexual Health Resource Centre (SHRC), State Planning Commissions, State AIDS Control Societies, as well as National Research and Development Institutes, Deemed Universities and Government Departments. These ‘think tanks’ include engineers, doctors and social scientists who are experts in the field of Agriculture, Rural Development, Solid Waste Management, Health including HIV/AIDS, Economic Growth, Culture and Communication, Women Development, Science and Technology, GIS & Remote Sensing and Information Technology.

Research, Documentation and Multimedia

Documenting various activities of the development organisation is very important for the effective functioning, monitoring and evaluation of any projects. Research on various aspects of project planning and implementation are also essential for any social development activity. COODU imparted training for watershed communities. The organization published manuals and pamphlets for the benefit of the project authorities and beneficiaries. COODU has been implementing number of programmes and creating lot of sets for the benefit of the watershed community of our selected watershed areas ever since the inception of the organisation. The organization has set up excellent infrastructure for documenting several projects through using latest digital audio visual aids. All the activities related on watershed related programmes are documented such as action plan for each and every watershed, a model proposal on watershed programmes, health and sanitation, common facility centre, agriculture related information, information on solid waste management, short notes on watershed schemes and training reports. COODU has kept video & CDs on watershed programmes for selected projects. COODU has established an exclusive survey and research division specialising in technical quantitative and qualitative surveys in diverse fields – ranging from geographical survey to social and behavioural survey. It has a pool of experts drawn from different fields with several man years of research and field experience in the fields of Agriculture, Engineer, Horticulture, Forestry, Animal Husbandry, Humanities and Social Sciences. Socio-economic and baseline surveys are conducted during the preliminary stages of the project that help in determining the socio- economic status of the project areas as well as set a standard to enable drawing comparisons over time. The same is also useful for triangulation with other research methods such as review of secondary sources and qualitative or participatory research exercises and documented all the data. IEC materials in Tamil and English were produced on various activities in different districts of Tamil Nadu.

Networking with Other Organizations

COODU has involved and taking part of various networks at state and national levels. Especially COODU has been formed ECO TECH CONSORTIUM a network consortium through the joint efforts with Peace Trust, Dindigul, READ, Dindigul, Gramium, Karur, CARE, Trichy and Green Global Adsorbents, Coimbatore. The Consortium has signed an MoU with Tamil Nadu Agriculture University (TNAU), Coimbatore for Quality Certification of its technology of converting Solid Waste into Organic Manure. It also has close rapport with Gandhigram Rural University, Dindigul and other reputed research institutions.