Matching Objectives with activities:

Objectives:

 To cater to the physical, spiritual, social, educational and economic

aspirations of the rural people.

Activities:

Educational: Night Schools were organized for illiterates young and old. Libraries were managed by
the Y.M.C.A. school teachers. Regular training on various subjects connected with various aspects of
rural life such as cottage industries, cooperation, cattle breeding, exhibitions, dramas, rural
leadership, demonstration methods, adult education, sanitation, women and child welfare, physical
education etc. were organized

Social & cultural development: Indian dance forms and drama like Kathakali and Kala-Kshapam were
encouraged. Exhibitions as a means of education and demonstration were periodically organized.
They also used to organize dramas, exhibitions and inter-village competitions.

Economic Development: To supplement villagers’ incomes, the then existing cottage industry was
reorganized to make it more remunerative. The main industries which were reorganized were
poultry-keeping, bee-keeping, weaving, jiggery-making, cashew nuts, basket, mat and rope making.

There were other significant services were rendered such as improving the breed of the cattle and
introducing quick growing fodder grass.

Spiritual Development: Daily morning and evening prayers were organized regularly at the centre.

Approach:

The experiment was sustained by Y. M. C. A. The agency did not aim at quick results (short-term
approach) and it was a less of target minded and statistic minded approach. The program was based
on giving nothing for free except education and advice only to make it sustainable. They emphasized
much on keeping the costs to a significantly lower level. They spent hardly Rs. 8000/- per year. By
1940 there were 13000 unpaid worker. The main reason for cheapness of Marthandam program
was its inexpensive and simple buildings made out of thatch, bamboo and reeds and a host of
honorary workers. This indicates the people centred approach. Also various village associations were
formed and each association had its honorary secretaries from the respective villages. Thus, people
had a considerable share in day-to-day work.

The organization worked on a single formula of “self-help with intimate and expert council”. The
most remarkable thing was that people themselves everything without any outside help. The project
created a vehement urge for self-development among villagers.
To improve financial conditions of people, the project adopted cooperative model and made
arrangement for marketing the products produced by villagers. The project focused on

The Marthandam pattern was also followed by various state governments and Y.M.C.A. workers
helped those initiatives.

Entry Point:

Before arrival of Dr. Spencer Hatch, there were already 100 organizations promoted by YMCA and
managed by honorary officers. Along with Dr. Hatch, Mr. Paul selected Marthandam as a place for
establishing demonstration centre for educating villagers because they wanted to make an impact
on large no. of people with extreme poverty. Also another basis for the selection was that the place
had a well road communication and YMCA had already built up rapport with the villages around due
to its existing cooperative credit society operation.

Intervention strategy:

- Conducted socio-economic surveys to get an idea of socio-economic problems prevailing

around the villages.
- Target area was 40 villages within 4 miles of radius covering 40000 populations.
- Chief media used were rural dramas, rural exhibitions, inter-village competitions and
demonstrations.
- Village associations and Regional development associations were formed.
- Demonstration centre at Marthandam represented the nucleus of various village
development activities and provided information, instruction and guidance.
Intervention Strategy:

- Conducted socio-economic surveys to get an idea of socio-economic problems prevailing

around the villages.
- Target area was 40 villages within 4 miles of radius covering 40000 populations.
- Chief media used were rural dramas, rural exhibitions, inter-village competitions and
demonstrations.
- Village associations and Regional development associations were formed.
- Demonstration centre at Marthandam represented the nucleus of various village
development activities and provided information, instruction and guidance.

Objectives:

 To cater to the physical, spiritual, social, educational and economic

aspirations of the rural people.

Activities:

 Educational:
1) Night Schools
2) Libraries
3) Regular training on various subjects connected with various aspects of
rural life.
 Social & cultural:

1) Indian dance forms were encouraged.

2) Exhibitions as a means of education and demonstration were periodically organized.

 Economic:
1) The existing cottage industry was reorganized to make it more remunerative.
The main industries which were reorganized were poultry-keeping, bee-
keeping, weaving, jiggery-making, cashew nuts, basket, mat and rope making.
2) Adopted the cooperative model and combined cooperative trio-cooperative
production, cooperative credit and cooperative marketing.
3) Other significant services such as improving the breed of the cattle and
introducing quick growing fodder grass.

 Spiritual: Daily morning and evening prayers were organized regularly at the centre to
maintain a spiritual atmosphere.
Approach:

People centred approach:-

1) Simple and inexpensive yet effective model to work for concrete results
rather than show-off.
2) More focus on performing activities of a centre efficaciously rather than
expanding and opening up new centres.
3) Secretaries of various centres and most of other workers were honorary.
4) ‘Self help’ formula
5) YMCA workers also helped various state governments to emulate the model.