The 43rd Vayalagam Movement Workers’ Training Programme was held from 25th to 30th September 2025, with 40 participants (38 women and 2 men) representing the Pambar, Gundar, and Vaippar regions. The training was inaugurated by leaders of the Vayalagam Mutual Movement and Dhan Vayalagam (Tank) Foundation. The 42-day training programme is launched with one week classroom sessions. The sessions covered the fundamentals of development, poverty and its causes, participatory learning methods, and the philosophy and evolution of the DHAN Foundation. Participants were introduced to the structure and functions of development organizations, the formation and governance of Vayalagam institutions, and the practical dimensions of watershed and agricultural finance management.

A key highlight of the programme was the participatory learning exercise conducted in K. Pudupatti village, where trainees mapped the village’s natural and social resources, including its 18 tanks and 4 ooranis, and documented agricultural practices. The field exposure deepened their understanding of integrated village development and community leadership. Subsequent sessions focused on microfinance, insurance, and operational systems of Vattara Vayalagams and AFGs. The training concluded with the assignment of ten practical field tasks designed to translate classroom learning into action, ranging from forming new associations to documenting best practices and local histories. Overall, the programme strengthened the participants’ skills in facilitation, organization building, and grassroots leadership for sustainable water and agricultural development.