GENESIS:
Every individual or group (village, Slum or a particular deprived/oppressed section of people) has capabilities or "SHAKTHI"(Potential) to develope themselves and others in the socity. But most among them are disadvantaged lacking opportunities and guidence for exposing their capabilities or shakthi. Inorder to make avilable these needed opprtunities and guidence, the CDDP was formed by a group of dedicated and service minded women in the year 1988.

LEGAL STATUS:
1 . The CDDP Is registered under Tamilnadu Government (A State Government in Indian Pepublic) Societies Pegistration Act of 1975 on 21.3.1988.

2. It is also registered under Foreign Contribution Regulation Act of the Government of India to receive foreign donations directly from International donors/agencies.

AIM:
To develop those who are disadvantaged educationally, economically, socially and culturally through self-help and self-governing collective development activities. In short "'TO HELP THEM TO HELP THEMSELVES"

The activities are undertaken on Gandhian lines of organizing constructive development actions through mobilisation of human and local resources.

OBJECTIVES:
1. To promote people's organisations, especially for women/youth/village folk belonging to weaker sections and to strengthen them as self-reliant and self-governing development groups.

2., To initiate need based training and development programmes for eradicating illiteracy, ignorance, poverty, disease and disunity among the rural poor.

3. To undertake life education activities through non-formal and Gandhian basic education systems.

4. To conduct problem based community health activities and to regenerate faith and knowledge on Indigenous systems of medicine.

5. To organise special activities for eradicating specific problems of children.

6. To implement activities aimed at environment preservation and ecological balance.

7. To propogate sustainable indigenous non-chemical agriculture activities.

8. To coordinate and cooperate with various Government departments, national and Intemational agencies and interested individuals or groups for organisisng various need based training and development activities on the basis of the aforesaid objectives.

9. To provide other voluntary organisations the needed training, consultancy and evaluation services.

10. TO undertake necessary applied research programmes on rural/urban development.

11.To organise such other activities which will help in utilising constructively the untapped human and natural resources available in the society.

TARGET AREA:
Presently, 60 Villages in Thiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts of Tamlinadu State, India and 5 Villages in Andhrapradesh state of India comprise the project area.

TARGET CATEGORIES:
1. Women and children belonging to socially and economically weaker sections.

2. Unorganised agriculture labour.

3. Small and marginal farmers.

4. Youth, especially those who are disorganised and misdirected.

5. Destitudes, Orphans and Physically Challenged

6. Other socially and economically disadvantaged sections of people.

Presently, 60 Villages in Thiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts of Tamlinadu State, India and 5 Villages in Andhrapradesh state of India comprise the project area.