VRO: Regions of Operations

The Nellore and Cuddapah regions are the two VROs arms of Southern Andhra Pradesh. In the Nellore region, we work mostly with fishermen communities. On one side of the region is a drought area snd on the other side is the flood affected area. every year the region suffers badly from severe floods or the fishermen in between the sea and the Buckingham Canal migrate often to safer places inland. The Nellore region is the size of Luxumburg in Europe (13000 sq.Kms). The total population of the Region is 2.5 million only, because there are very extensive wastelands.

The economic situation is critical for the poor because the fishermen communities mainly depend on fishing from the sea during the 4 month season. On the other (dry-land) area, people (Tribals) depend on the forest, where they cut firewood to sell it in the market. The income which they get from this is very low, and not adequate to maintain their families. On remaining days they have to depend on some casual agricultural work. AS per the statistics, there are about 200 fishermen villages in Coastal Andhra. Out of them about 60 villages are in Nellore District, VRO works in about 40 villages.

Besides these groups, there are also some traditional artisans in the district (pupper makers, musicians, etc.,) which now-a-days are not able to display their skill, because of the dominance of mass visual aids.

In Nellore there is also a strongly Christian influence. There are very few tribals. It is also politically disturbed area. Many Cheif Ministers are from this district. The major dominating community in the district are the "Reddys" who also are investing in the industrialisation of the district. In Nellore town, there is also a historical muslim place called "barah Bahsi Darga" where 12 muslim kings died in the battle and were burried near the lake. Every year people celebrate 3 days festival near Darga and many people from Saudi Arabia participate. There are also a few Hindu temples which were built during the Cholas period.

Our region is a calamity prone area in more than one way ( Cyclone, Flood, Drought). Every year, these affect the environment so that they plant growh is slow. There are also a number of irrigation water-tanks in the district, through which they cultivate agricultural fields. Plenty of land is occupied by these tanks and lakes. The lakes are filled with saline or brackish water which spoils fields and the environment. The ground water situation at many Coastal Villages is good, whereas in other dry land areas, we have to drill upto 200 feet depth for drinking water.

Here is also the largest extent of Government wasteland. it is not developed since many years, so slowly the people have started to clear the wasteland and try to make it useful for cultivation. For the past few years, the environment at the Sea side is polluted because of the prawn-tanks and hatcheries; even the ground water has become salty, the trees are not growing; the cultivable land has been destroyed, and many people moved from their homes.

There are two important lakes where the birds come from all over the World to lay eggs, hatch chicks, and stay till they manage on their own. These two places are Nelapattu and Pulicot. Every year, many visitors from all over the country visit these places.

In the beginning the participation of the people was very slow, but gradually the people have come forward to improve their villages. From the Northern part of Nellore till near Madras, we have expanded our activities year by year. Locally we opened a service-base at "Pelican Nivas" half way from Nellore to Madras towards South India. There are now communities near the border of madras who are coming forward slowly.

The impact of the VRO Nellore Region in 20 years of activity has been already exceptionally great: not only by the dynamic steady increase of village contacts and services, but by becoming the focal region for the various innovative schemes that have changed the life and future fo the fisherfolk. It is also the best managed 'information-centre' for VRO's policy and training. It is here that the first central "VRO-Spirituality TRaining Centre" was opened in 1985.

The fishermen in the area are not traditionally very interested in "development" like others. They are a kind of someties hard, quarrelsome community and they are poor in leadership. However, they have a residue of loyality and conviviality, faith and honesty that are outstanding.

For the past many years the coastal environment has become polluted due to massive prawn cultivation. The coastal zone has been commercialised, driving people from their land and homes.

There are also many vast saline lakes occupying plenty of land-area in the district. The National sattelite area occupies a lot of place and is disturbing every day life.

The Nellore region started in Nov-Dec, 1975 after a great devastating cyclone in the district. Since most of the coastal villages were affected by it, we started our activities in fishermen communities, having our base in a baptist building in the town. In the begining, Mr. Lazarus, retired Tahsildar was kind enough to help in our activities in the district, later other retired government officers came forward to help the people.

In the first decade, we concentrated our work in the Eastern part of Nellore, later we expanded our activities towards North and South of Nellore District. At present we are working in 12 Mandals in the district, divided into 6 circles, covering about 15-20 villages in each circle, a total of 120 villages.

The model learning programme at Adarshanagar was inaugurated by the then Collector Sri C. Arjuna Rao.
Two youth skill training centres were started in Gandhinagar (for boys and for girls).

The village building programme commenced in the coastal area in 3 villages for fishermen near Indukurpet
Community child care centres started and also adult eduction programme.

Land was acquired at Anantavaram for the Agro-forestry programme and the training started at Anantavaram with 11 trainees.

We shifted the BPTC from Gandhinagar temporarily to Anantavaram.
Start of the partnership with friends from Austria.

The Village forestry training centre was re-started in Anantavaram with an horticultural extension programme for Matric level candidates.

The VRO spiritual Training Centre was opened at Sagar Sangam
We completed 4 first phase villages along the sea coast.
A Survey was made in other areas for expansion of our programmes.

Extended our activities towards Kavali (North) and towards Naidupet (South) after the devastating cyclone of 1989.
SWIVRO partnership was started in 1989 (Pallipalem, P.G.Palem and T.P.Gudur)
Brothers from Ananda Jyoti made a survey of fishermen villages that opened the road to 37 villages.
The village building programme was started in Anantavaram circle and in Naidupet circles.
Our VRO health centre began at Varenyanagar with the support of JMJ, Holland.

Fishermen cooperative societies were organised and anti-prawn action mobilised.
We organised meetings with fishermen to protect against prawn cultivation.
A flow of visitors from Switzerland.
The basic education programme was started in Puderu and in Pallepalem.
The girls BPTC was started at Varenyanagar.

We founded a new Service base in between Nellore and Madras (Pelican Nivas)
Made a road from fishermen village to the sea.
A Forestry programme started in Molakalapudi 11 acres site.

The fishermen developmental programmes were initiated in Kavali circle (with a circle base in pallepalem) where we occupied government land for our learning estate.
Ms.Christine visited the region for 10 days with her team members
CIBA friends inaugurated the BPTC workshop complex at Varenyanagar.
Circle VCP meetings started in "Pelican Nivas" and in "Pallipalem"
Entered in the Prakasham district after cyclone in October, surveyed 32 villages
Initiated our programmes near the border of Tamilnadu in Tada mandal

HINWIL friends visited the region to inaugurate their village singanalatur.
Organised 2 Childrens' Festivals during January.
Inaugurated R.R.Kandrika Villages by M.P. Tirupati.
2 new villages have been started.

The region in the beginning was meant specially for the development of fishermen communities, but after 1989, we have also entered the tribal areas in the Southern part of Nellore. Under the fishermen development programme, we have mainly concentrated on the education, skill training forestry, primary health, and village building programmes.

So far 30 villages have been benifitted under the village building programme, 7 villages benifitted under the education programme, 60 youth are learning skills every year in our skill training centers, and 15 youth in forestry programme. We have also a health center in the coastal area, covering 18 villages. Since 1989, our programme has been extended towards Madras with the support of the friends from Switzerland.

After a new cyclone in October, 96, we entered in prakasam district and got in touch with 32 villages and assisted them in health relief activity. We have also done some common programmes for 15 villages in Ulavapadu Mandal in prakasham district. Also towards Madras, we entered in the border of Tamilnadu and surveyed in 12 cyclone affected villages. We also started our activities in both the new areas.