Deccan Development Society, the grassroots organisation working with women groups, based in Pastapur of Zaheerabad in Sangareddy district, has completed 40 years of its journey in transforming lives.
In an event to celebrate the occasion, women from over 100 groups from various villages, leaders of the organisation and the Board members, met in Pasthapur on Saturday.
B. Chandramma, a livestock farmer, recounted how her life was and how it changed after DDS in the past four decades. The society, she said, helped her find work, provided aid to purchase cattle, and set up livelihood ventures.
N. Anjamma of Gangwar, the recipient of Plant Genome Saviour award, recollected how she used to work as labourer in agricultural fields before DDS. With the intervention of the Society, she said, the 50 varieties of seed she collected over the years spread to surrounding villages. She also recollected the guiding work of PV Sateesh, founder of DDS, who helped many women become self-reliant.
DDS Board members Rukmini Rao, Prof. Sanjay, Prof. Shantha Sinha, Prof. Vinod Pavarala, Salomi Yesudas and Veda Kumari, and others participated.