The graduates of the Evoor center (a recent recipient of the rolling WE Project’s “Best Center Award”) made a splash in their community. During the follow-up visit in April (conduced three months after the completion of their course), 25 graduates set out on an Awareness March to promote road safety in their area.

The stretch of National Highway 47 that goes from Allepey to Cheppad passes through Evoor town and is a notorious spot for accidents and road problems. In fact, the previous week a family that many of the graduates knew was involved in a major road accident and killed four of the family members. The graduates decided to do something about the road safety problem. They created signs and notices and took to the streets to remind everyone of the importance of driving with care and obeying traffic rules. An impromptu class was given to schoolchildren at a church on the march path as well, showing incredible gumption and enthusiasm by one of the graduates.

This event represents an enormous and important personal change in many of the graduates. 18 of the 25 who participated reported that this is the very first time they had ever participated in a public event.

The following is a report written by the women following their march:

The graduates from WE project of Evoor Center have conducted a rally to promote awareness of road safety, as it is a very relevant issue with frequent road accidents occurring in the in the National Highway stretch of Allepy-Cheppad.

This initiative was taken up to reiterate the importance of observing traffic rules to avoid accidents and to make our roads safer. About 25 of us graduates took part in the rally holding posters, banners, distributing fliers and interacting with people. Within a short span of time, the group was able to give a very important and potentially life saving message to the people covering the distance between Ramapuram Temple and Cheppad Junction. People were paying attention as the issue raised was of high importance to the local population.

At the Cheppad Church, an impromptu awareness class was conducted by the graduates to the local children, and was lauded by the priest at the church. Future classes will be planned with more advanced notice to ensure a fuller class is given.

After the rally all the graduates came together to discuss about the whole event. Few points that came up during the discussion were; ladies in general cause less accidents if they drive, and the proportionate development in road infrastructure is not happening with the increase in number of vehicles on the road resulting in more accidents.

So based on the positive feedbacks and the attention received from the general public for this awareness campaign, the group has decided to conduct more campaigns on other socially relevant issues.

May 15, 2013