The programme ´A new life at 15 Tsunami affected villages´ aims to realize a decline in poverty of the inhabitants of 15 villages, 20.000 people, at the east coast of Andhra Pradesh in India . Friends Indeed hopes to tackle poverty by providing micro- finance loans to women who suffered severe losses during the Tsunami. In total 243 women received the credit and, after a process of counselling with the ARDAR staff, started their own business. Another 114 women have been identified as per plan and ARDAR is working with them. The credit will be given in the first half of august 2007.

Most women choose for fish related business. Some women - very new for these villages - choose for a grocery shop, rice business, vegetable seller. In Pedda Kovvada we see a lot of cradle making, a teashop and a Tiffin shop. The women are doing well and recovered from the Tsunami. Except one or two cases they are improving their condition and the condition of their children. Our planning is to give in 2008 again 550 pre micro credits. The aim for 2009 is an independent cooperation, managed by the women themselves; The office will be located at the future Campus Challenge, quite near the villages.

At the instance of NABARD Hyderabad three Watersheds have been identified by ARDAR: Badidevarammagedda watershed, Dokisila Watershed and Mulaga watershed which are about 10-15 kms west of Parvathipuram town of Vizianagaram District. These watersheds are identified based on physical characteristics, depletion of resources and backwardness of the area. ARDAR has successfully implemented Capacity Building Phase (CBP) of the programme. The full implementation of the project has commenced after people in the watershed expressed their willingness to under take watershed project.

Mulaga watershed has total geographical area of the watershed is 1641 hectares of which 514.50 hectares is covered under reserved forest. An extent of 930 hectares has been sanctioned under the full implementation programme against the total area of 1641 hectares. There are six habitations with 542 households in the total watershed area.

The major outputs of the project are soil erosion prevention, increase in average man-days employment, water table raise by 1.00 to 1.50 m, SHG Formations and skills development on soil conservation and water harvesting.