Communities that lead their own change.
PALM2 walks alongside marginalised farming and tribal families in the hills of South India — building strong people's organisations, organic livelihoods and lasting self-reliance.
Participatory Action Learning Methodologies · Since 2002
≈12,000
families we work with
- Families reached
- ≈12,000
- Working since
- 2002
- Community organisations
- 20+
- Self-Help Groups
- 500+
People first. Women in the lead.
PALM2 began in 2002 in the Nilgiris at the request of plantation workers. Two decades on, we work in some of the most remote hamlets in Gudalur and Thalavadi, where few development programmes ever reach.
We don't bring ready-made answers. We sit with villagers, listen, and help them organise so they can solve their own problems — and speak up for their own rights.
Read our storySeven areas, one goal: self-reliant communities.
- 01
Social mobilisation & training
Self-help groups and community organisations that run themselves.
- 02
Women's livelihoods
Training, loans and small enterprises that put income in women's hands.
- 03
Food & organic farming
Healthy soil, chemical-free crops and food security for every family.
- 04
Water, waste & environment
Composting, bio gas and tree planting that protect the hills.
- 05
Education
Pre-schools and learning programmes for children in remote hamlets.
- 06
Tribal development
Value-added forest produce and self-help for tribal communities.
- 07
Rights & awareness
Lobbying and awareness on human rights, so that marginalised families can claim what is theirs.
From a village meeting to a people's organisation.
Change that lasts takes five to seven years. Here is how we build it, step by step.
- 1
Listen
Villagers map their own resources and priorities, drawing on the ground with sticks, leaves and stones (PRA).
- 2
Organise
Groups of 12–15 women or men form, learn to save and lend, and keep their own accounts.
- 3
Link
We connect groups with banks, government schemes and training for income-generating work.
- 4
Lead
10–15 groups unite as a registered Community Based Organisation that runs its own development.
Learning, health and livelihoods, village by village.
Education
Learning centres and dropout motivation that keep children in school.
Health & nutrition
Medical camps, health training and anaemia screening in tribal communities.
Income generation
Bamboo handicrafts, soap and phenyl making that put income in local hands.
Agriculture
Kitchen gardens and vegetable nurseries for fresh food and resilient crops.
Remote hills, forgotten hamlets.
We go where few programmes reach — isolated villages near the borders of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka.
Gudalur
Main office. Nilgiris district — tea and coffee plantations, small farmers and tribal hamlets.
Thalavadi
Field office. Erode district — hill country of tribal villages and forest livelihoods.
Partner with us. Volunteer. Buy local.
Agencies, funders, volunteers and consultants are welcome. You can also buy organic and locally made produce directly from our women's groups.