Tribal Community Centers

Tribal communities contribute 17% of the total population in Wayanad district. Eight different communities are living in this hilly and backward district. Due to influx of migrants from various parts of the state these native communities got marginalized and have been facing several problems like a lack of land ownership, unemployment, food insecurity and lack of basic facilities. During the past 15 years RASTA tried to improve the situation of the tribal communities in the following ways:

Five community centers have been constructed at Tribal hamlets in Kolpora (Muttil Panchayath), Kariyathanpara (Muttil Panchayath), Poolakunnu (Meppadi Panchayath), Vattakundu (Vythiri Panchayath), and Thoniyambam (Vengapally Panchayath), all of which remote and hilly areas of Wayanad. This has been done with the help of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs of the Government of India. The centers act as learning and cultural centers for the tribal communities.

Since 1987, RASTA constructed housing facilities for 120 tribal families with the support of CAPART and under the auspieces of the Ministry of Rural development, Government of India.

426 UNDP model sanitary latrines have been constructed for tribal families with the support of CAPART.

Six month long leadership trainings were conducted for 20 selected tribal women, after which two of them became members of the local self-governments through public elections.

84 self help groups were formed among tribal communities with a participation of nearly 890 members. They have mobilized savings of Rs. 22,50,000 between 2000 and 2005.