Participatory Evaluation of the M. Puthur Rural Expansion Project of National Y.W.C.A.

Abstract

Set against the backdrop of post-disaster rehabilitation in Tamil Nadu, this paper presents a participatory evaluation of the M. Puthur Rural Expansion Project initiated by the YWCA of India. The study examines how efforts in adult education, Mahila Mandals, and youth clubs shaped local leadership and created early forms of village-based organization. Through field discussions, community meetings, and self-assessments, the evaluation traces both the possibilities of collective action and the limitations faced in sustaining it. The research positions participatory evaluation not simply as a technical exercise, but as a process that reveals how communities negotiate leadership, self-reliance, and their relationship with external agencies. In doing so, it leaves open questions about how such initiatives might deepen local control and reshape the role of supporting institutions.