Kulandei Francis is the latest receipient of prestigious Ramon Magasaysay Award from India. A native of small village from Tamil Nadu and born in a poor Family, Kulandei Francis rose to become a prominent social activist and scholar who has transformed the lives of Millions. Below we present a short Biography of him.
He was born in 1947 to the parents of Kulandei and Mathalai Mary in a village called Karipatti , salem Dt. Tamilnadu, India.
There was little wealth in his family, so funding even the most basic education for Francis was a struggle. His parents, however, understood the importance of education, so sacrificed the small piece of land (considered to be the family’s only property) in order for Francis to attend and graduate from Annamalai University. As Mr.Francis, personally experienced early age poverty, he started IVDP to help the poor and needy.
Sixty-six-year-old Francis began the Integrated Village Development Project (IVDP) in 1979, in Krishnagiri in Tamil Nadu starting out with small projects: conducting a night school, setting up a first-aid centre.
Later with the help of development organisations, he undertook a micro-watershed programme that, over 22 years, built 331 mostly small check dams benefitting cultivators and their families in 60 villages, said RMAF.
In 1989 IVDP began organising women’s self-help group (SHP) and today there are over 8,200 groups with 153,990 members with a total savings of around $40 million, a cumulative loan portfolio of around $435 million and a reserve fund of around $8.9 million.
This immense sacrifice of parents inspired Francis to dedicate his life towards helping the poor. Following his ambition to become a priest, he joined the Fathers of the Holy Cross in 1970 and was sent to study Theology in Pune, Maharashtra. As part of the degree he was involved in relief work with Caritas India, offering aid during the Bangladeshi war. He also participated in relief work with those affected by the drought in Pune in 1972.
Francis continues to educate himself in order to advance the charity, and has taken a Social Development Course at Coady International Institute, Canada, and a Rural Management Course in the Philippines.
Francis is married to Kosalai Mary, and has a daughter named F. Sunitha Nadhini Esthar. Both his wife and daughter play prominent roles in running the IVDP.
In 2007, IVDP launched Education Revolution. This scheme was to provide scholarships for high achievers as well as Tenth and +2 Standard guides for all children in the Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri District.
In 2011 IVDP started to promote Solar D-lights and Envirofit wood stoves among the SHG members. Besides, Nurturemate a supplementary food , much needed vitamins/minerals for children between 2-5 year are given to members children at Institutional rate.