CORE ACTIVITIES

In order to respond to needs in Pondicherry and Tamil Nadu, the following are activities in which Prime Trust participate:

Women's Empowerment

SHGs and Microfinance
Prime Trust acts as an intermediary between women’s Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and commercial banks; it assists small groups of women to first open a saving account and later, take out a low interest-rate loan. We also hand out microfinance ourselves by selecting SHGs that don't meet the criteria of the banks, but of whom we think deserve a loan. We also help them to set up small scale businesses and we help them with the financial administration.
Vocational Training
Prime Trust is in the process of partnering with organizations and merchants to offer income-generating opportunities to the women in its SHGs.

Children's Education

Remedial School
Six evenings a week Prime Trust runs a remedial school for children ages four and up, where students receive English lessons and help with homework.
Child Sponsorship
Prime Trust seeks sponsors to provide further education for children in need from the families of its Self-Help Groups as well as students from the Remedial School.
Children’s Parliament
On a monthly basis, Prime Trust run day-programs which allow children to engage in and model democratic processes.

Awareness Campaigns
Prime Trust visits women’s Self-Help Groups to conduct social awareness campaigns related to HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, nutrition and health, women’s equality, and children’s rights. We also serve women in SHGs that don't recieve loans, but who are willing to be educated.