‘We Can’ allies aimed to enroll 60,000 Change Makers between December 2008 and March 2009. Towards this end, they organised mass events, alliance meetings, door-to-door visits and also held ‘1000 Events’ functions calling upon a students, NGOs, government officials and people from excluded communities to attend.

The 225 alliance members came together in 18 districts of the state to push this agenda forward. A total of 216 events were held in these four months where each event managed to mobilise between 300 and 500 Change Makers.

The events also included an array of cultural performances, puppetry shows, competitions (debate, creative depictions, etc), poster and banner displays and street theatre. On an average, each event was able to enlist 300 to 500 Change Makers. Eight of the 14 districts focused on enlisting government officials.

To seek public attention, attempts were made to display campaign posters and hoardings in main bus junctions, at public wells and within panchayat offices, schools and colleges where there is high visibility and huge public footfalls. Public rallies and signature campaigns were also organised. Messages were publicised additionally through calenders, ring tones on mobile phones, campaign visuals on hand fans, TV ads, talk shows, messages on greeting cards and wall messages in parking areas.

The idea of the ‘1000 Events’ was popularised in the seven districts of Salem, Dindugal, Trichy, Theni, Namakkal, Pudukottai and Karur. Each of these districts have managed to mobilise between 7,000 to 10,000 Change Makers and were able to recall between 250 to 300 Change Makers for these events.

Initially in the month of November the state coordinators oriented the district conveners about the ‘1000 Events’, its methods and its implementation. Then the district conveners oriented the alliances and alliances recalled old Change Makers in their respective districts. The orientation on “how to create awareness and mobilise New Change Makers” was done through informal meetings/gatherings like weddings, lunches, birthday parties, functions at temples and meetings at public wells, farming lands and churches.

The old Change Makers were also taught to share their experiences with the new Change Makers and the communication materials were made use of. Each Change Maker was asked to conduct at least four informal events and raise a minimum of five Change Makers per event. To monitor and review these events, the state coordinators met with district conveners in the months of January and March.

Regular state alliance meetings have been held to take stock of the progress of the campaign and the allies have managed to widen the network to include: Tamil Nadu Voluntary Health Association (TNHAV), Dalit Development Programme, Transgender Welfare Association, Positive Networks, Vizhudugal (THAI project) for HIV Infected Persons, NCHR for Dalits, AFDL for Dalits, Evidence for Dalits, Campaign Against Negligence of Girls Child and the Parents Association for Mentally Retarded.

Among the state progarmmes that have shown interest in the campaign are: THADCO for SC/ST Skill Training Programme, Nehru Yuvak Kendra for Youths, Adivasigal Sangam for Scheduled Tribes, Tribal Welfare Scheme, Swarna Jyanthi Gram Swarajgar Yojana (SGSY) for SHG Women and the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA).

Institutions that will collaborate with the camapifn incluse: Jayaram Engineering College- Siraganoor,Trichy; Urumu Dhanalakshmi College for Arts and Science- Kattur, Trichy; Kavery Women’s College-Trichy; Govt Arts College- Musiri, Trichy; Sithalakshmi Ramasamy College-Cinthamani, Trichy; Christhuraj College-Panjappur, Trichy; Adhi Sunchnagiri Womens College-Kambam, Theni; District Institute of Teachers Training College- Uthamapallayam, Theni; Kachi Karutha Ravuthar Houthiya College -Uthamapalayam, Theni;Dharmamoorthy Rao Bahadoor Calavala’s Cannan Chetty’s Hindu College, Chennai; Government Women’s Arts College, Dindugal; and GTN Government Arts College, Dindugal.

The schools which have decided to participate are: Government High School, Trichy; St Joseph Higher Sec School- Sommeresampettai, Trichy; Uppiliyapuram High School, Trichy; KAP Vishvanatham Higher Sec School, Trichy; Govt High School – Thiruppanchalli, Govt High School- Anda Kovil East, Karur; Kallar High School, Unjampatti, Theni, Nagammal Middle School, Nagalapuram, Theni,;Panghacham Girls Higher Sec School, Boardinayaganoor, Theni; ZKM High Secondary School; Boardinayaganoor, Govt High School, Allinagaram, Theni; PC Convent Girls Higher Sec, Theni; and Govt High School, Kodivillaropatti, Theni, among many others.

All these efforts have resulted in mobilising 65,000 Change Makers in 330 villages of 18 districts over these four months.