ANANTAPUR: The Rural Development Trust (RDT), an NGO serving marginalised rural communities in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana since 1969, is facing a crisis following the non-renewal of its Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) licence.
Dedicated to sustainable development across education, healthcare, women’s empowerment, disability-inclusive growth, ecology, and livelihoods, RDT has transformed the lives of over 4,50,000 families across 3,906 villages. The denial of FCRA renewal now threatens to severely disrupt its operations and jeopardise the futures of the communities it supports.
The RDT operates three hospitals in Anantapur district, providing critical healthcare services, including specialised treatments and emergency care. Annually, these facilities handle 8.5 lakh outpatient visits, 60,000 inpatient admissions, 15,000 deliveries, and 15,000 surgeries. They also offer HIV care for 4,900 individuals and have performed 26 bone marrow transplants for children with thalassemia. Employing 691 healthcare professionals, including 37 DNB residents annually, these hospitals risk closure without FCRA funding, cutting off essential health services to thousands of rural residents. RDT’s education programmes have been instrumental in transforming the lives of rural youth by ensuring access to quality education, scholarships, and vocational training. Since 2004, 2,697 students have benefited from higher education scholarships, boasting a 67% employment rate among graduates.
The trust has achieved 100% enrolment and retention rates among remote communities like the Chenchu tribe and distributed 40,891 bicycles to improve school attendance. Gutturu Lavanya, a beneficiary of RDT’s support, recently secured State Rank No. 1 and All India Rank 65 in the NEET PG 2024 exam, crediting RDT for making her dream possible.
The RDT’s programmes for inclusive education and disability rehabilitation have created transformative opportunities for thousands. They operate five inclusive residential schools, offer job training for disabled youth, run a successful Special Olympics programme, and provide essential mobility aids. The story of Obi Reddy, who was visually impaired from birth and supported by RDT, is a testament to the organisation’s impact. He is now an Assistant Manager at the Central Bank of India, earning Rs 81,000 a month.