Building homes, transforming lives!

Our Secure Housing Initiative addresses one of the most fundamental challenges faced by marginalized single women in rural communities—access to safe, stable, and dignified shelter. This program specifically serves widows and women abandoned by spouses who have been systematically denied their rightful share of family property through discriminatory inheritance practices, forced evictions, and property grabbing. These women often face the dual trauma of losing both their spouse and their home, finding themselves without legal title to land they helped cultivate for decades. Through careful beneficiary identification processes involving community consultations, local government partnerships, and detailed vulnerability assessments, we identify women in the most precarious housing situations and provide comprehensive support toward permanent housing solutions. To date, we have successfully constructed 50 secure homes for widows and deserted women in Andipatti, creating stable foundations from which these women can rebuild their lives and livelihoods.

Building on this successful implementation, our initiative is currently expanding to Genguvarpatti in the Theni district, where construction is underway for 30 additional houses designed specifically to meet the needs of vulnerable single women. Each house follows a standardized yet customizable design featuring two rooms, a kitchen area, sanitation facilities, proper ventilation, and structural elements appropriate for local climate conditions. Construction utilizes quality materials and incorporates disaster-resistant features while remaining cost-effective. Community involvement remains central to our approach, with beneficiaries participating in design consultations and contributing through sweat equity where physically possible. This participation fosters ownership and ensures that homes reflect cultural preferences and practical needs while building valuable construction skills among community members involved in the building process.

We firmly believe that we are not simply constructing physical structures—we are building foundations for transformed lives by restoring dignity, security, and a sense of belonging for women who have experienced profound marginalization. Having a home registered in her name fundamentally alters a woman’s position within her community, establishing her legal presence and citizenship while creating a base from which she can pursue livelihood opportunities, support dependent children, and participate in community affairs. The psychological impact is equally significant, as women report profound relief from the constant anxiety of potential eviction and renewed confidence in their ability to face future challenges. As these new homeowners form supportive networks and mutual aid systems, the initiative’s impact extends beyond individual beneficiaries to foster collective resilience and gradually transform community attitudes toward women’s property rights. Through this holistic approach to housing security, we are contributing to sustainable social change that will benefit generations of women to come.