ASSCOD Background
The Association of Sustainable Community Development (ASSCOD) registered under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act 1975, is a voluntary organization working for social and economic development in the rural areas of Kancheepuram and Thiruvannamalai Districts in Tamil Nadu, India. The team is focused on working mainly with the grassroots need gap - women and families from the deprived sections of the society such as the lower castes, who are especially vulnerable to poverty, social injustice, illiteracy and poor health.
Founded in 1994, ASSCOD started its operations with core concentration on the health issues of the poor people in Tamilnadu, India. The organization made greater impact after expanding its focus on promoting the social and economic development of the rural poor, especially through the empowerment of women, education and disaster management. ASSCOD identified the weak links in the development of an empowered society and robust economy. Since 2003, ASSCOD’s centered its approach around the concept of self-help groups: organizing women into small groups, encouraging micro-savings and credit, and imparting skills and awareness training to its beneficiaries (refer to the side text for details). Furthermore, ASSCOD is committed to helping people in other ways as new opportunities and needs arise, and so in response to the Tsunami that devastated most of coastal regions Tamil Nadu in year 2004, ASSCOD collaborated with other development organizations in the regions to assist the disaster-hit individuals and families in a variety of ways. ASSCOD is also dedicated to working closely with smaller, local NGOs and supporting and promoting their efforts.
ASSCOD is registered under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) of 1976 and has been granted tax-exemption status under Section 80G of the Income Tax Act of 1961.
Executive Summary
The Association of Sustainable Community Development (ASSCOD), formed in 1994, was originally focused on health issues of the poor people. ASSCOD has gradually expanded its focus on promoting the social and economic development of the rural poor, especially through the women empowerment, education and disaster management.
ASSCOD’s main approach centered on the emerging Community based organizations which take up the development challenges and to lead a sustainable development through linkages and networks with banks and government organizations.
Since 2003, ASSCOD’s encouraged the concept of self-help groups; organizing women into small groups, encouraging micro savings and credit imparting skills and awareness training to the beneficiaries.
The project titled “Capacitation of women for sustainable development” with the objectives of empowering women through formation of self help groups. The strategy is to enhance the institutional capacity of women in four major aspects – enabling of women to understand the concept of self-help, leadership skills, basic accounting and linkages.
ASSCOD is working in 26 villages of Vandavasi and Cheyyar Taluks of Thiruvanamalai District of Tamil Nadu; identifying 3148 below poverty line families (BPL) and organized the women from these families into 231 Self-Help groups (SHGs) with 2841 women members.
Apart from this, ASSCOD works in Madurantakam and Uthiramerur of Kancheepuram district, by taking up number of development activities like donation of tricycles to the disabled people, conducting health camps, donation of spectacles to the eye patients, establishment of rural libraries, etc.
ASSCOD strongly believes in creating Community based organizations (CBOs) such as SHGs, federation and apex bodies of SHGs enhancing their capacity to take up the role of development on shoulders and to sustain the activities on their own to achieve a concrete development.
Board Members
| Photo | Name | Designation | Experience | |
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Mrs. P. Santhi | President | ||
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Mr. K. Loganathan | Secretary | He has been in the development field for the last 18 years and held various positions in different voluntary organizations. He is a Graduate in Cooperation and Community Development. He attended many Training programmes /workshops in handling the emerging issues of development sector. He visited Indonesia to study the working system of a leading international organization (PLAN International) and prepared a document on how to manage the development projects involving volunteers. Currently he is serving as a Secretary cum Chief Executive of ASSCOD. |
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Mrs. T. Sumathi | Treasurer | She is a teacher in management school and has 5 years of experience in working with NGOs as a volunteer. |
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Mrs. L. Meera | Executive Committee Member | ||
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Mrs. C. Amudha | Executive Committee Member | ||
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V. K. Ananthi | Executive Committee Member | ||
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Mrs. Ponni | Executive Committee Member | ||
Organization Snapshot
Established in 1994, as a Non-governmental organization, Association of Community Sustainable Development (ASSCOD), has gained sustainable momentum and outreach for the past 9 years
Initially there was a sharp decline in mobilization of the financial resources, but also quality programmes have been carried out with this shortage of resources
Working in 26 villages of Thiruvanamalai district, in creating sustainable 231 women self-help groups
Federated these SHGs into four cluster level organizations and two apex bodies, to delegate the responsibility of the women empowerment project
Microfinance is one of the major activities of the women empowerment project to alleviate poverty
Microfinance model – through internal lending (revolving the internal savings) and via external borrowings from Banks, MFIs and government departments
Funds flow through various agencies either as a grant or loan, such as Development promotion group, Roviralta foundation, RangDe, GiveIndia, etc.
ASSCOD Flyer [pdf] click to download
ASSCOD Registration Certificates [pdf] click to download
Operational Map
