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The Goats for Gains project is a sustainable capacity building mechanism designed to break the chain of poverty in the most vulnerable parts of society. Ever since the establishment of the project approximately 50-70 farmers were selected each year to participate in the program. In 2017, 112 goats were distributed to 57 people affected by TB. In order to make the project sustainable the recipients were asked to mate the goats in order to return kids to the program. In that way the project can extend without spending further funds than those available. Our Blossom Staff has done monthly follow-ups to ensure the well being of the goats and to monitor the effect of projects. Last year out of 142 new goats born, 32 of them were returned to the farm. This project has made remarkable impact in improving the livelihoods of vulnerable people by generating income. The Goats for Gains project is a sustainable capacity building mechanism designed to break the chain of poverty in the most vulnerable parts of the society. The project came to an end of 2018. We hope to secure new funds in the future for successful continuation of this project. Project duration: 2014-2018

Campaign for Education, Prevention and Treatment of TB (CEPT) has been implemented by Blossom from 2007, with the aim of improving TB treatment and monitoring, and increasing awareness of TB in the community. The objectives of the project were to: Provide improved TB treatment and monitoring to TB patients, including those co-infected with HIV every year. Meet and exceed WHO target of 85% treatment completion and cure rates for TB patients registered with the project by the end year after the initial implementation. Improve the levels of awareness and knowledge about TB amongst patients, 1,100 local volunteers, 2,500 other stakeholders and at least 10% of the 1.9 million inhabitants of the Virudhunagar district through extensive health education activities every year. Blossom also recruited and trained volunteers of DOTS within the community to support this cause. The project has been implemented in all of Virudhunagar's 11 blocks. A benchmark survey was conducted in the month of April 2009, in both the existing and the new areas of CEPT, to help Blossom develop an implementation strategy. Staff orientation training workshops were also conducted in the month of April 2009. EduClowns EduClowns campaigns are the cornerstone of the CEPT project. EduClown shows are performances that use drama and innovative communication techniques to educate and raise awareness about TB and related health issues in the general population and with government health workers. You can read more about EduClowns here World TB Day Blossom CEPT Project organised several World TB days throughout its duration. During these days promotional material was distributed such as flyers, key chains and pens to spread awareness about TB. More about our World TB Day events can be found here. Live Telecast Cable TV Programmes Multiple telecast shows were conducted throughout the years with help of CEPT. Many important guests including doctors, nurses or government were represented to discuss the issue of TB and possible solutions to eliminate this disease. More can be read here. Goats for Gains The Goats for Gains project was part of the CEPT initiative to facilitate a sustainable capacity-building mechanism designed to break the chain of poverty in the most vulnerable parts of society, including CEPT TB patients. Ever since the establishment of the project approximately 50-70 farmers were selected each year to participate in the program. More can be read here. Strategic Review of Blossom – “ Blossom in Bloom “ In April 2011, Blossom received an opportunity through CEPT, Target TB, to hire an external consultant Dr. Mohan raj – Bangalore, to conduct a strategic company review. Strengths highlighted include: Strong leadership Strong family organizational culture The brand image and brand value of Blossom The ability to reproduce and outsource models such as the Rainbow TB forum model CEPT has been completed by the year 2018. Project duration: 2007-2018

Each year we commemorate World TB Day on March 24 to raise public awareness about the devastating health, social and economic consequences of tuberculosis (TB) and to step up efforts to end the TB epidemic at grassroots level. This year our awareness Campaign for World TB Day started at Virudhunagar Railway Station. Banners were displayed in front of the station. A group of volunteers handed out notices and flyers in front of the station as well as on the platforms and passing trains. Touring the city Next, the exhibition was moved to Virudhunagar city center. Banners had been fixed on our car so that while travelling between the railway station and the town center, they were visible to by-passers. The car also travelled slowly and stopped frequently to enable volunteers to distribute notices to pedestrians and have a chat with them. Overall, people responded very well to the campaign. People where keen to take away fliers and the banners were closely studied by the passers-by.flyers answered questions such as: ''What are the symptoms of TB?'', ''How to get diagnosed and treated?'', and ''How can Rainbow TB Forum help patients cope with TB and its consequences.'' Outcome Overall, people responded very well to the campaign. People where keen to take away fliers, and the banners were closely studied by the passers-by. Project duration: 2018

This years World TB Day we went into Virudhunagar District to create awareness about Tuberculosis. The theme of this year was ''Unite to end TB''. Creating awareness India has the most TB cases in the world. This is a serious concern that needs to be addressed. Many people are not aware of the symptoms of TB, or what to do when they contract TB. At Blossom, we have been supporting TB affected communities for years through our projects and self-help groups. This World TB Day we took to the streets again to inform people on how they can recognize TB symptoms, where to go for treatment and more information about TB as a disease. This year's activities for World TB Day were sponsored by our partners Cepheid and TB Alert India. Without them, this event would not have been possible. We are very grateful for their support. Project duration: 2017

World AIDS day 2016 was on December 1 with the main focus on HIV testing. Blossom went out on the streets to create awareness about the testing of HIV and to inform people about the prevention, testing and treatment of HIV. Making noise During the day, our team went out to distribute flyers and explain how to recognize HIV, where to go for treatment and how to prevent the disease. The day started at the railway station. Here our director, the DD health director, the Railway Health Supervisor, the District Project Manager and the Railway staff were present to get the most attention as possible. Project duration: 2016

From 2007 to 2010, Blossom ran a project to support the children in the community: the Care and Support Project. Its idea was to form a group for children living with and affected by HIV/AIDs and other children, to reduce the stigma/discrimination and to build support among themselves. The project ended in 2010, however Blossom continued its support and has strengthened and expanded the Buds Network until 2016. It is now a network of children’s clubs, education centers which include all disadvantaged children within the community. The Buds centers help to motivate the children in education and counsel both the parents and teachers to ensure this is carried through. These ‘after school’ networks focus on academic education and life skill development. The centers have continued the “Re1 scheme” where children are encouraged and driven to save Rs. 1 a day. They are shown the beneficial outcome by allowing them to buy educational materials so they can see the rewards. There were 13 education centers functioning in Virudhunagar, Madurai and Kanchipuram districts. Three Buds centers are now supported by IDF in Mumbai and renamed as ‘Bal Gurukul’ centers. Project duration: 2007-2016

At Blossom, we organized a clean-up event on October 2nd of this year. During the day we went, together with volunteers, through the city of Virudhunagar to clear out the garbage on the streets and create awareness on the importance of sanitation. At Blossom we organized a clean-up event on October 2nd of this year. During the day we went, together with volunteers, through the city of Virudhunagar to clear out the garbage on the streets and create awareness on the importance of sanitation. Project duration: 2016

Blossom has been working in partnership with the Mahalir Thittam Project of Tamil Nadu Women’s Development Corporation Ltd, Chennai since 2000. The aim of this project is to financially empower rural women by facilitating the creation of their own income generating activities. Through this program, Blossom supports the establishment of Self Help Groups (SHGs) and provides a link between them and banking facilities. Additionally, Blossom provides skills training for the SHGs including embroidery and tailoring, computer skills, forestry, vermicompost establishment and catering. SHGs are usually comprised of approximately 15 women. In 2011-2012, 123 new SHGs were formed, reaching a total of 1149 SHGs. Mahalir Thittam activities for the year 2009-2010 include: Animator and Representative Training to SHGs leaders. Coordinate meetings between different SHGs. Lobbying and Advocacy activities by SHGs including rally. Establish linkages between Banks and SHGs. Project duration: 1998-2015

The PPTCT, Prevention of Parent to Child Transmission of HIV/AIDS Project, provides support to HIV-positive pregnant women in preventing the transmission of HIV/AIDS to their unborn child. PPTCT was active in six blocks of Virudhunagar District. Blossom implemented the PPTCT project starting March 2005, continuing until 2015 thanks to funding from the Investment Lease and Financial Services Corporate (IL&FS), Chennai under project RCC - II. Care and Support Meetings Blossoms trained counselors conducts meetings with People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLHA) for emotional and psychological support, as well as acting to build support groups within the community. PPTCT Outreach Workers Support Services The team of 6 trained Blossom staff provided additional support services to mothers during pregnancy, delivery and post-natal care. Outreach workers identified and referred pregnant women in the community to ANC support services and VCT centres. After delivery, HIV mothers were tracked and received support during breastfeeding, as well as counselling about supplementary feeding, appropriate hygiene and sanitation. The success of the PPTCT project has resulted in the projects expansion, with another office opened in Guduvancheri in Kanchipuram district, hiring 13 outreach workers and a coordinator to work in 13 new blocks. Prevention Blossom provides prevention and care for reproductive women and their families. The PPTCT contains the following methods: Primary prevention Family planning Voluntary counseling Confidential testing ART prophylaxis Counselling for breast feeding Project duration: 2005-2015

ROSE, Rural Opportunity for Social Emancipation of Women, came into existence as a CBO of Blossom for social entrepreneurship in order to strengthen the economic development strategy of Poomalai Women Collective and social up-liftment of women. Rose marketing consisted of two main components: ROSE - Fair trading division ROSE - Rural marketing division The goal of ROSE was to reinforce and strengthen the economic development undertaken in the Poomalai Women’s Collective through fair trade and rural marketing. The rural marketing division worked under the principle of U2R (Urban to Rural). Meaning that household needs were secured at fair prices for the local people in remote areas. Once people have benefited from a micro credit project in Poomalai, project ROSE helped them establish a sustainable business. ROSE searched for leaders in the local markets who were willing to train the women to become rural agents. These newly trained female rural leaders supported the local people in making their projects financially sustainable. The ROSE fair trading division functioned as the active marketing link between Poomalai and potential buyers. Self-help groups have raised awareness about the amenities available for sale. Products such as phenoyl, handbags and fabrics have been recognized and promoted. So far ROSE has identified 96 rural agents and social entrepreneurship through the key economic strategy in the communities. In 2012-2013 ROSE has registered with a network of small business units called India trade.com. This greatly improved the communities’ chances of gaining contracts to start large scale production within their businesses. Project duration: 2010-2015

World Diabetes Day (WDD) is the world’s largest diabetes awareness campaign with events organised in more than 100 countries each year and dedicated advocacy activities. On November 14, our Survive Sugar network took to the street in a demonstration to create awareness about diabetes. Members from our Survive Sugar Network volunteered to go out on the streets dressed as EduClowns for World Diabetes Day to bring attention to our activities in education, awareness, screening, and prevention, while building social support systems for the afflicted. The theme of the day was to ''halt the diabetes epidemic'', and our EduClowns encouraged onlookers to become part of the Survive Sugar network. Check out our video of the day Project duration: 2015

Part of the Global Fund Round 9 India TB Grant for the period 2010-15, project Axshya was a civil society initiative to strengthen TB care and control in India. Axshya (a Sanskrit word meaning ‘free from TB’), was a project co-ordinated by two civil society representative organisations, namely International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) and World Vision India (WVI). Project Axshya was a timely intervention that aligns with the Stop TB strategy and supports India’s tuberculosis programme to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. Blossom’s role in this project was to organize four GKS meetings per month throughout the years, conduct cultural programmes, staff training, refer TB suspect cases for sputum collection and conduct sensitization meetings in high-risk communities particularly targeting smokers and HIV positive groups. Additionally, a large focus has been placed on preventing Multi-Drug Resistant TB (MDR) through tracing out defaulters and encouraging treatment continuation by Blossom staff. 77 new cases were identified and 63 default cases were traced out and put back to treatment. Project duration: 2010-2015