Tribal women begin construction of community hall at Solagar Dhoddi in Talavadi Hills

Tribal women from Solagar Dhoddi in Mallanguli panchayat, Talavadi block, are constructing a community hall in their hamlet to support livelihood programmes.

The hamlet comprises around 35 families whose primary sources of income are cattle rearing and farming. The community hall, being built using locally available materials, will serve as a hub for enhancing the value of forest produce, millets, and dairy-based products, thereby creating better economic opportunities for the community.

The construction efforts have received support from Arulagam, a community-based conservation NGO, and 19 volunteers from the State Street Corporation’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) wing, who actively participated in the initiative. Additionally, Joint Hands, a women-led Farmer Producer Company supported by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), has also contributed to empowering the tribal communities.

During a function held on International Women’s Day on March 8, the volunteers had an opportunity to interact with students, listen to their aspirations, and hear first-hand stories about the lives of tribal communities.

Recently, the village secured rights under the Forest Rights Act to collect minor forest produce from the forest area within the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR). Recognising the need for a dedicated space to process and market their products, the women of the village established the Thalavadi Tribal Women’s Association to replicate similar initiatives across other tribal villages in Thalavadi taluk.

R. Vennila, convenor of the women’s association, welcomed the gathering, while R. Meena, the first woman from the community to complete an M. Phil. in Physics, shared the struggles of her educational journey. She emphasised the importance of supporting tribal communities in accessing continuous education, higher studies, and job-oriented skill programmes.

S. Kannaiyan, president of the Thalavadi Farmers Foundation, and Sakthivel, Forest Officer of Jerahalli Range, were also present at the event.

The foundation stone for the community hall was laid on Saturday, and work commenced the following day with villagers and State Street volunteers working together to bring the project to life.