Communities Rising works in rural villages in the Villupuram District of Tamil Nadu.

Periathachoor School

Geography

The district includes plains, hills and coastal areas encompassing an area of 2,706 square miles. Agriculture and fishing are the primary sources of income. Sugar is the major industry. The average temperature is between 82 and 98 degrees Fahrenheit and the area receives about 38 inches of rain each year, primarily during the monsoon season between July and September.

Rice paddies in the Villupuram Dt.

Statistics

• 1400 villages with 3 million people in the Villupuram District
• Male to Female ratio is 1000:985
• More than 60% of the population are Dalits
• Over 32% of Dalits in Tamil Nadu live below the Indian poverty line of Rs. 10/day or $80/year
• Male infant mortality rate is 38/1000
• Female infant mortality rate is 39/1000
• 48% of India’s children under 5 are moderately to severely underweight; Tamil Nadu’s ratio is slightly better.

Literacy

Out of the 29 districts in the state of Tamil Nadu, the Villupuram District ranks 28th in literacy. The literacy rate for males is 64.68% and for women is 53.16%. Based upon our experience in the villages, the functional literacy rate is much lower.

Reading a first book together.