Federation of Associations for Community Empowerment (FACE)

FACE is basically an organization, working with salt workers and other marginal and hidden-neglected communities in Tamilnadu. We presently work with salt Workers in Vedaraniyam and Tuticorin (two important salt production centers in Tamilnadu). Salt worker community is very depressed, vulnerable and voiceless community which is in the complete pocket of ruling salt producers. the Bay of Bengal report of Ministry of Industries (salt Commission) accepts that salt workers are the poorest of the poor in the country. But unfortunately because of many reasons, there is no specific development light on the group. A good old professional group earning comparatively a bigger foreign exchange to the nation lies uncared until tsunami. For example, the total number of salt workers in Tamilnadu is about 2 lakhs but the salt commission record says that it is just 14956. Tsunami had further paralyzed the community and affected the livelihood. However, as a privilege in distress, the tsunami interventions of civil societies like FACE had brought a little light on salt workers community to the mainstream. Tsunami intervention relationship with salt workers had created a better understanding to FACE Team. FACE and salt worker community started collectively discussing about situation, analyzed the issues, cause and effect and developed a strategic plan to empower salt workers in Tamilnadu.