services
Promotion of land and livelihood for Tribal communities
Island Trust promotes tribal livelihood by reclaiming ancestral lands and restoring traditional livelihoods. By reviving indigenous crops, cultivation practices, food habits, and medicinal systems, communities now grow organic herbs and grains on redeemed land - leading to improved health and sustainable living. Our primary goal for the tribal communities is to get their legal right of land ownership from the government as per the Forest Right Act of 2006 (The Schedule Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers Act, 2006).
Projects and services
Education and health promotion among children and youth
Island Trust is committed to ensuring fundamental education for all children in its target villages, with a special focus on tribal communities. Currently, 26 supplementary schools support over 1,100 children (300 tribal and 800 non-tribal) in areas where education standards remain low. To reduce dropouts, Island Trust provides annual educational assistance—including fees, books, uniforms, and supplies—to 1,050 children.
Evening schools emphasize overall development, skill development, general knowledge, civic responsibility, health care, communal harmony and more. Tribal students are now able to keep pace with peers from other communities.
Children’s Clubs in every village foster environmental responsability, peer education, and advocacy against child labour. Children’s Day is celebrated annually as a Right to Education and Development Day.
To support higher education, Island Trust offers scholarships to SC/ST students who complete high/ higher secondary education. Career and Educational Guidance camps encourage them to pursue employment-oriented courses in college and vocational training institutions.
Projects and services
Rehabilitation
Home for Persons Living with HIV/AIDS
Island Trust runs two rehabilitation centres in Ooty and Gudalur for people living with HIV/AIDS and their dependents. These care homes address medical, psychological, and social needs with support from a full-time doctor, social worker, and caretaker. Vocational training in tailoring, embroidery, hand knitting, and areca nut plate making equips residents for self-employment. Operating from Island Trust’s own municipal buildings, the centres currently benefit around 1.000 individuals.
Projects and services
Link workers scheme
Island Trust has been implementing its HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention project since 2010, covering 100 villages across 35 Gram Panchayat areas. Supported by the Tamil Nadu AIDS Control Society and the National AIDS Control Organization, the initiative engages 24 staff and 1,500 village-level volunteers to educate and protect rural communities from HIV infection. Our objective is "zero infections".
Projects and services
Climate change activities
Since 2010, Island Trust has integrated climate change adaptation into its tribal development programs by reclaiming degraded lands and reviving traditional farming practices. These efforts not only restore ecological balance but also strengthen food security and health among indigenous communities. The Trust’s initiatives align with Tamil Nadu’s broader climate strategy, which emphasizes nature-based solutions, biodiversity conservation, and inclusive green growth. Through organic cultivation of medicinal plants and food grains, Island Trust fosters low-carbon agriculture and empowers rural communities to become active stewards of their environment.
Projects and services
