Mushrooms have been valued as both food and medicine by Amoor Self Help Groups.

Mushroom cultivation by SEVAI SHG woman

AMOOR SEVAI SHG as promoted by Elle/OFI undertook technical skill enhancement training on mushroom cultivation. Mushrooms are increasingly gaining acceptance in everyday consumption. They have created a space in a common man’s kitchen. The two most commonly grown species of mushroom in India are white Button mushroom and Oyster mushroom. Most of the production of white button mushroom in our country is seasonal. The cultivation is done using conventional methods. Usually, unpasteurized compost is used, hence yields are very low. However, in recent years, yield of mushroom has increased as a result of introduction of improved agronomic practices. After the training, the SHG started growing mushroom. From the first lot of mushroom production, According to Women Self Help Groups there is no market problem for the fresh mushroom. Locals and outsider coming to visit Amoor buy all products there on the spot. There is also good demand of fresh mushroom in the Trichy market. Encouraged from the first flush of

Harvested fresh mushroom-Amoor SHG

mushroom production, Amoor SHG intends to expand the groups’ mushroom growing enterprise. The development programmes for Women Self Help Groups focuses their development activities and resources in tune with the felt needs and demand of the rural families, help unfold their entrepreneurial potentialities and get them initiated by themselves for their sustainable livelihoods. Mushrooms have been valued as both food and medicine.  Mushrooms have been a food supplement in various cultures and they are cultivated and eaten for their edibility and delicacy. They fall between the best vegetables and animal protein source. Mushroom consider as a distinctive food. .They are a rich source of nutrition and form a major chunk of health foods. Fats occur in mushrooms in minor amounts, especially compared with protein and carbohydrates, and the fatty fraction consists predominantly of unsaturated fatty acids such as linoleic acid, they may be the perfect food for maintaining a healthy heart and cardiovascular system. Mature mushrooms become ready for harvesting in another 2 to 3 days.-Govin

SEVAI Self Help Groups are involved in intensive Rice paddy cultivation.

Paddy harvesting and taken to paddy separation from straw

SEVAI SHGs cultivate Paddy and the harvesting is going on.SHG Member, Alamelu says,” The paddy yield for 2014-15 is encouraging as they had suffered drought for the past two years and now the SHG is express their happiness of this paddy yield. She further adds, “Harvesting is the process of collecting the mature rice crop from the field. Paddy harvesting activities include cutting, stacking, and handling, threshing, cleaning, and hauling. These are done individually or a combine harvester is used to perform the operations simultaneously. It is important to apply good harvesting methods to be able to maximize grain

paddy separation

yield, and minimize grain damage and quality deterioration. Grain moisture content ideally is between 20 and 25% (wet basis). Grains should be firm but not brittle when squeezed between the teeth. Harvest at minimal surface moisture. The crop should be cut when 80−85% of the grains are straw colored i.e., yellow-colored. Generally the ideal harvest time lies between 130 and 136 days after sowing for late-maturing variety, 113 and 125 for medium duration, and 110 days for early-maturing varieties. For dry season harvesting, an optimum time is 28 to 35 days after heading emergence of panicle tip from leaf sheath. In wet season harvest, optimum time is 32 to 38 days after heading”. The women self hep groups women are given training in Paddy rice production by the experts of Agriculture. The experts say, “As a main source of nourishment, rice is by far one of the most

paddy collection and loading into lorries

important commercial food crops. Because cultivation is so widespread, development of four distinct types of ecosystems has occurred. Rice is mostly eaten steamed or boiled”. Varieties of rice are selected and grown specifically for their end use. Prior to planting, minimal soil manipulation is needed to prepare for cultivation. The cultivation of rice begins by planting water-soaked seeds in a properly prepared bed. Oftentimes, the seedlings are transplanted to the paddy when they reach a certain size. When the grains begin to ripen, the water is drained from the fields. Harvesting begins when the grain yellow and the plants start to droop. Depending on the size of the operation and the amount of mechanization, rice is either harvested by hand or machine. Once harvested, the rice is usually dried in the fields with the help of sunshine. Then, the fields are plowed before planting. Rice is most often planted on river deltas and plowing is accomplished with a disk plow, an off-set disk plow, or a chisel. Adequate irrigation of the terrace or river delta bed is

Paddy-straw rolling transported to Sirugamani cow farm as cow fodder

required and accomplished by leveling and by controlling water with pumps,

Paddy taken from field to trucks

reservoirs. Quality control practices vary with the size and location of each farm. Large commercial rice farms in the United States more often than not apply the most effective combination of herbicides, fertilization, crop rotation, and newest farming equipment to optimize their yields. Smaller, less mechanized operations are more likely to be influenced by traditional cultural methods of farming rather than high technology. Certainly, there are benefits to both approaches and a union of the two is ideal. Rotating crops during consecutive years is a traditional practice that encourages large yield as is the planting of hardier seed varieties developed with the help of modern hybridization practices. Straw from the harvested rice plants is used as bedding for livestock. Oil extracted from discarded rice bran is used in livestock feed. Hulls are used to produce mulch that will eventually be used to recondition the farm soil”-Govin.

Timely food helps students for intensive preparation for Public examinations with right health.

Evening meals to girls students of SSMHSS

Timely food helps students for intensive preparation for Public examinations with fitting health. Rural students of SEVAI Shanthi Matric.Higher Secondary School those prepare for Public examination undertake additional study classes in the evening and morning for scoring good marks. They could not bring evening snacks/foodstuff as they hail from economically underprivileged families and these pupils are the first generation for high and higher secondary schools. SEVAI Shanthi Matric.Higher Secondary School provides free evening meals for around 140 students those are in need and hungry in evenings before going home. “A healthy body makes a healthy mind” is a saying which is very true and with empty stomach the students will not able to have continuous  intensive preparation for the examinations. Now SEVAI Shanthi Matric.Higher Secondary School has started the evening meal program so as to give a better health to the pupils

Evening meals for boys students

attending the evening additional study in school and prepare for their public examinations. Most of the students belong to a below poverty line. Through Teacher’s interaction with the students regarding the lack of concentration, the teachers recognized that most of their students were feeling hungry after the school hours. Hence, SEVAI Shanthi Matric.Higher Secondary School started a evening meal programme for students those need additional studies. All the projects supported are exclusively targeted towards children. SEVAI selects the child development projects without any discrimination based on gender, caste, religion, etc. SEVAI Shanthi Matric.Higher Secondary School also works on specific focus areas, which include healthcare, nutrition, recreation, awareness and students mobilization as vital components in their day to day functions. SEVAI Shanthi Matric.Higher Secondary School believes that education is the key to unlocking the potential of children and for breaking the vicious cycle of poverty. Across the school target villages the school pupils, whose parents would have had to pay for evening school meals have benefitted out of this project. This       Meals project helps close the attainment gap, encourage the social benefit of groups of friends eating together. It remains a priority to ease the financial burden on families and give every child the chance in life that they deserve.-Govin

Annual sports Day celebrated in SSMHSS.

School Pupils March Past

SEVAI Shanthi Higher Secondary School (SSMHSS) Annual sports day was celebrated on 28^th Jan.2005 during AEM mission 2015. The Annual Sports Day

Special pupils cultural events

was marked by exuberant drill

School yoga event by pupils

display with dumbbells followed by young gymnasts who displayed their skills. The Annual sports day Opening Ceremony was well organized and ,the audience witnessed a wonderful show displaying the School pupils March past as well as Pupils model pyramid construction, yoga demonstration, patriotic songs dances by SEVAI pupils and the special children participated. This was followed

by unfurling of sports flag by the Principal, Mrs.P.Chitra   and AEM Mission and the March Past by Four Houses contingents namely Green,blue,red and yellow  led by their house captains. The guests of honour took the salute of the four contingents, which was followed by Oath taking ceremony wherein all participants pledged to take part in the sports meet in true sportsmanship. It was highlighted in the cultural events that “Games and sports are not only important for success in every walks of our life. Games and sports may be of various kinds. They may play various games like football, cricket, volleyball, basket ball, badminton etc. School and Games and sports are annual affairs. Sports are generally held in winter months”. Earlier to the spots day, Students take part in various games like high and long jumps, and different kind

cultural events by school students

of races. School sports director mentioned, “These annual sports foster competitive spirit and sportsmanship. The importance of games and sports were highlighted; First of all, they are good exercises and help to build fine, physique for the boys and girls. They make them mentally alert and physically strong, Secondly, students learn to cope with difficult situations. By displaying their feats before many spectators, they can overcome their nervousness; thirdly, games and sports are good diversions and give them energy to learn their lessons well. The Annual sports day concluded with the prizes distribution for the winners. The guests of honor AEM Mission gave away medals to the winners on the concluding day”-Govin.

RO Drinking water Plant commissioned in SEVAI Shanthi Matric. Higher School.

Happiness expressed for safe drinking water

AEM-RO Drinking water Plant commissioned in SEVAI Shanthi Matric. Higher School.

Collection of drinking water

Principal of the School Mrs.P.Chitra mentioned. “Water is not only the most essential substance next to oxygen for human life.  It is a particular type of energy that we need in a certain amount on a daily basis.  If we do not obtain it, health is negatively impacted. Reverse osmosis the most common man made method of purifying water on earth.  It involves passing water at high pressure through a plastic membrane with tiny holes in it.  Most minerals and chemicals are too large to pass through the membrane and remain behind, resulting in the formation of a largely mineral-free, chemical-free and pathogen-free water. RO is the most commonly used methods of producing pure water.  It is used for getting "drinking water" It is much cheaper than distillation. The advantage reverse osmosis water; it include its low level of toxic metals, toxic chemicals and pathogens, and its low cost”. The TDS level after RO is 45 in this school.