On a journey through communities in south India, Tearfund’s Stephanie Cantrill travelled with our partner EFICOR and witnessed communities at different stages of transformation. Their stories show how long-term partnership and faithful presence can nurture real and lasting change.
I’ve become fascinated by the miracle of trees. I love the way they support each other and sustain the lives around them. When they’re just little saplings they need a bit of nurturing, but as their strength and resilience grow they can handle all kinds of storms and fires and whatever else comes at them. Growth is slow, but if you go away for a decade and come back you’ll see the change.
It’s a helpful metaphor for community development. (I could go on about fruit and blossoms and nesting birds, but I think you get the point.)
Visiting the communities where our partners work is an incredible privilege. We get a glimpse into the work they’re doing to bring hope and change into their own lives and those of the people around them. And while a visit gives just a snapshot of that moment, sometimes we do get to see signs of change over the longer term.
Earlier this year, I got to do a bit of time travel to see that longer-term change along with two of my Tearfund colleagues. Our partner, EFICOR, took us to visit villages in two regions of south India belonging to the Chenchu tribal minority: one in which the project team was working for nine years and now just does occasional follow-up, and one where they’ve started much more recently. The people in both places were welcoming, kind and keen to share their stories—but you could clearly see the difference that came from years of faithful presence and partnership.
State: Andhra Pradesh.
9+ years of partnership
First, we visited rural communities near the city of Atmakur in Andhra Pradesh. We wandered through villages with stable housing, paved roads and lush fruit trees (sadly, mango season was still a little way off, but we could see signs of the juicy delicacies that were to come!).
We met people who told us of the enormous changes they had seen in their communities, going from temporary mud houses with no reliable water supply and frequent open defecation to solid homes with water supply and toilets at each household. While flooding, snake bites and water-borne illnesses were once common, these have all drastically reduced due to improvements in infrastructure and hygiene practices.
We changed because EFICOR changed our mindset.
Importantly, it’s not only the villages that have changed but also the people in those villages. They told us of their initial suspicion of the EFICOR team. Just another NGO that will come and go like the rest of them, and achieve little if anything at all. But, through the team’s consistency and persistence, trust was built up gradually and people began to open up about the challenges they were facing.
They learned how to prioritise and address these challenges, formed self-help groups and developed leadership skills. Women have gone from being afraid of people to having the boldness to speak into a microphone in front of a group, and people of all ages now have the confidence to meet with government officials. Young people are more committed to their education and are holding their heads higher as they go out into society.
One project participant summed it up nicely: ‘We changed because EFICOR changed our mindset.’ But this mindset change, like any big change, takes time. And the next two villages we visited gave us more insight into the initial trust-building that EFICOR does in order to empower communities.
State: Telangana
2 years of partnership
The people in this village have had some leadership training, and their self-help group is functioning well. They’re also learning about hygiene and using health facilities, understanding legal issues and their rights, and how to write applications and apply for entitlements.
Many people are still waiting for ration cards, toilets, household water supplies and other supports, but they told us they now feel more confident to approach government offices to access these.
While we were visiting, the community celebrated the inauguration of their new leaf plate machine. With cardboard and leaves collected from the village and surrounding forest, the machine creates disposable plates that can be used for functions without creating additional waste. (They also look a lot classier than standard paper plates!)
The community is hopeful that this will be a good source of income for the village. They’ve also had some training in making a kind of sherbert drink and have begun selling it in the market. Things are just getting started, but hope is increasing.
State: Telangana
1 year of partnership
Finally, we visited a village where EFICOR has only been working for a year. A big highlight from that first year was the provision of cricket gear, leading to the locals winning the regional cup! They’ve also done some applications for improved water facilities and started learning about self-help groups and adapted agricultural techniques.
But there just wasn’t the same atmosphere of optimism at that last village. The suspicion that the other communities told us they felt initially was evident here. People were able to identify a few community goals, but we could tell from their tone that they weren’t as hopeful about seeing these goals met.
While the people in this village were hospitable and kind, EFICOR is still focused on building trust through kindness and patience. Their work is grounded in their faith and the biblical command to love their neighbours and serve with humility, so they can all work together for a more promising future.
And seeing the villages EFICOR has been working with for much longer, we knew that future was possible. A bit of initial nurturing, just like a sapling, and this village would become as strong, hopeful and resilient as the others.
Standing in these villages, it was clear that change doesn’t come from quick fixes or short-term projects. It comes from presence, from people who stay, listen and walk alongside communities year after year.
Through partners like EFICOR, Tearfund remains committed to that long, faithful work of restoration. Villages like Amalapuram and Chadarampenta now stand as role models for their neighbours, proof of what’s possible after years of work and the steady support of people who walk with us and our partners for the long haul.
Many other communities around the world are still at the beginning of that journey, like Sarlapalli where trust is being built and hope is taking root. But we’ve seen what’s possible. Your ongoing support helps continue the long-term work that communities need most.
Thank you for standing with us.
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Related projects have received support from the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP).
