READS Rural Education And Development Society

Name

READS Rural Education And Development Society

Legal name

READS - Rural Education and Development Society

Website

https://readscpt.org.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Chetpet

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

READS is a registered voluntary non-profit organization delivering rural development programs across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. It runs programs in education, health, skill training, special education for mentally challenged children, agriculture and watershed management, microfinance lending to women Self-Help Groups, and producer company formation for handloom weavers and women farmers.

Product overview

READS NGO operates as a multi-program nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of rural development initiatives. The organization functions as a platform-plus-programs model, with each project addressing distinct rural development needs: Navasaarigai silk handloom weaver producer company for livelihood, Watershed for agricultural development, Manidhi Women Farmer Producer Company for women farmers, Kalamkari skill training for artisans, NABFINS-SHG and JLG credit linkage programs for microfinance, VYK training programs for capacity building, and MR Home for mentally challenged children. These programs collectively serve education, health, skill training, agriculture, and microfinance sectors across Tamil Nadu districts and Puducherry.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Navasaarigai Silk Handloom Weaver Producer Company Limited A silk handloom weaver producer company for weavers in Devikapuram and Nedungunam (Chetpet Taluk) that converges with government schemes and enables better market prices for handloom products.
• Watershed - Agri Land Development for Farmers Watershed management project covering Melvillivalam, Chetpet and Kannanur that improves water availability, enhances agricultural productivity, reduces soil erosion, and replenishes groundwater, benefiting 4,749 households.
• Livelihood Entrepreneurship Development Programme for Narikuravas Skill training program for Narikuravas tribal community in Kanchipuram District to make silk thread jewelry from leftover silk thread, increasing income from Rs.200 to Rs.2,000 per accessory, benefiting 30 tribal members.
• Manidhi Women Farmer Producer Company for Women Women farmer producer company for economically disadvantaged women dairy farmers in milk-based products and livestock farming, benefiting 206 women farmers who earn 15% higher income through collective branding under the Manidhi brand.
• Kalamkari Skill Training to Weavers Skill training program for Arani weavers to learn Kalamkari painting skills, benefiting 90 handcraft weavers (60% women), with 60% of beneficiaries transitioning from homemakers to skilled artisans.
• Micro Eco Plan Development Project Environmental restoration project in Jamunamathur and Kalvarayan Hills implementing soil and water conservation, afforestation, and sustainable agriculture practices.
• MR Home for Mentally Challenged Children Special residential school for mentally challenged children in Tiruvannamalai providing life skills, therapy, and education focused on cognitive, social, and motor skill development, serving 50 students.
• NABFINS - SHG Micro Credit Credit linkage program connecting 1,700 Self-Help Groups with NABFINS in Chetpet and Pernamallur blocks, benefiting more than 20,000 women SHG members.
• TNGB-NABFINS-JLG Credit Linkage to Weavers Joint Liability Group loans for handloom weavers in Devigapuram in collaboration with Tamil Nadu Grama Bank, forming 13 JLG groups with 65 weavers benefiting from INR 19,50,000 in loans.
• VYK Training Programme Training program for NGOs and students covering resource mobilization, project management, and community engagement, benefiting 300+ NGO members and 1,000 students.

Quantifiable outcome

• 204 weavers received Health Asset (Privilege Card) worth INR 408 Lakh (INR 2 Lakh/member)
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TAWDEVAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Chetpet Watershed management project for Agri Land Development, collaborating with NABARD for transformative impact on water availability and agricultural productivity.
• Government of Tamil NaducoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple partnerships including Livelihood Entrepreneurship Development Programme for Narikuravas, MR home for Mentally challenged Children (DDAWO), and various welfare schemes convergence.
• Forest Department, Tamil NaducoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMicro Eco Plan Development Project in Jamunamathur and Kalvarayan Hills for soil and water conservation, afforestation, and sustainable agriculture practices.
• Sanitation FirstminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with READS for menstrual hygiene awareness sessions and free hygiene kit distribution to Narikuravar beneficiaries.
• Rajan Eye Care, ChennaiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided lifetime privilege eye health cards to all 30 Narikuravar beneficiaries enabling free eye treatments including check-ups, LASIK, and cataract operations.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• MYRADA: Long-established Indian NGO working on rural development through self-help groups, microfinance, and institution building across multiple states. Comparable to READS in SHG promotion, microcredit linkage, and rural livelihoods focus.
• Gram Vikas: Indian rural development NGO focused on water, sanitation, livelihoods, and community institution building in tribal and rural areas. Comparable to READS on watershed/water management, tribal community focus (Narikuravas), and community-led development model.
• BAIF Development Research Foundation: Large Indian rural development NGO focused on livelihood enhancement through livestock, agriculture, watershed, and women empowerment programs. Comparable to READS on watershed management, women farmer collectives, and rural livelihood programming.
• Hand in Hand India: Indian NGO focused on mobilizing disadvantaged rural communities through SHG formation, skills training, and livelihood promotion. Comparable to READS on SHG microfinance, skill training (Kalamkari/handloom analog), and women-led community development.
• Mann Deshi Foundation: Maharashtra-based rural women's empowerment organization providing microfinance, skills training, and entrepreneurship programs to rural women. Comparable to READS on women-focused microfinance, skill training, and rural women FPO-style collective work.
• PRADAN (Professional Assistance for Development Action): Prominent Indian NGO operating across rural India to promote livelihood systems for poor households through women's self-help groups and producer collectives. Closely comparable to READS's FPO model (Navasaarigai, Manidhi) and SHG-based microfinance work.
• SEWA (Self Employed Women's Association): Large Indian organization focused on women workers' empowerment, microfinance via SHGs, and rural livelihood development. Directly comparable to READS on SHG microcredit, women empowerment, and rural livelihood focus, though at significantly larger scale.

Broad incumbents

• Naandi Foundation: Large Indian social sector organization working across livelihoods, education, and health with FPO programs in multiple states. Comparable to READS on rural livelihood and FPO model but operates at much larger national scale with broader program portfolio.
• World Vision India: Large international NGO operating across India on child welfare, education, livelihoods, and community development. Comparable to READS on rural education, women's empowerment, and community development programs, but at significantly larger institutional scale and geographic breadth.

Emerging players

• SELCO Foundation: Indian social enterprise foundation focused on sustainable energy access for rural livelihoods. Partially comparable to READS as a rural development foundation partnering with government and communities, but specializes in energy-livelihood nexus rather than broader rural programming.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rural-education-and-development-society

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about READS Rural Education And Development Society