For a foreigner who is an outsider to Indian culture, the concept of caste can be extremely difficult to comprehend. While the effects of this cultural practice may not always be easily apparent, it can be very difficult to reconcile with our own values and beliefs when we do encounter it. We may have contact with caste structures in simple ways, such as having your laundry done by a local dhobi, a low caste person whose traditional occupation is to wash clothing. Or we can find that caste relations become a major challenge to the development process when working with rural communities to overcome their problems, as can be the case with communities participating in the SPED III program.

The caste system has been deeply ingrained in many aspects of Indian social life for centuries and can be broadly described as a social structure that places people into different groups based on their traditional occupation. A person’s caste can dictate what job they can pursue, who they can marry, where they live, and what kinds of social interactions they can have. Different castes are ranked in a complicated hierarchical order and low caste people continue to face hardship and discrimination, especially in rural areas, despite many efforts to bring them into the mainstream.

Caste issues recently became an obstacle to development for the people of Bhutikuna, a small village in Uttar Pradesh near to the border of Bihar. I came to this village to meet with members of the Village Action Team, which had been recently formed as a part of Save A Family Plan’s SPED III program. The women and men of the village told us about the many problems they were facing, including not having a proper drainage system in the village. They showed us where all the waste water in the community was currently collecting in a pond in the village, very close by to some of the villagers’ homes. It was easy to see how this situation was causing many difficulties for the community members, including increasing health and environmental problems.

We were delighted to find that the community had taken up the challenge of the SPED III program with great seriousness and conviction. They had already elected a new Village President from amongst themselves, who spoke to us passionately about his commitment to improve life in the village. With the assistance of the local field staff, the people had also made an application to the local government to request funds for the construction of a drainage system in the village that would dispose of the wastewater in a safe way. The application had been approved and the construction was ready to begin.

But the villagers faced one more problem. The drainage channel would run along the edge of a piece of land belonging to a high caste family and the family was refusing to give permission for the construction since the channel would carry waste from the homes of low-caste people as well as high-caste people. In accordance with their rigid beliefs about the caste system, they found this contact with people of lower castes completely unacceptable. Despite this problem, the local field staff were not deterred. They encouraged the community to discuss this issue with the high caste family, while offering to help them to build awareness about the importance of this project for all the members of the community.

A few weeks after my visit, I received news that the community had been able to overcome this problem and the drainage system had been completed with the agreement of the landowners. The whole community was happy that the wastewater was removed from the village through their effort and cooperation.

Although the caste system in India has deep historical roots and will likely continue to impact communities for years to come, it is important that we begin taking steps to challenge the negative effects of caste and to promote a society where all people are valued. We congratulate the people of Bhutikuna for taking this meaningful step to promote change and unity across caste lines in their community through the SPED III Program.

The road that led to the village had never been paved. It was narrow and rocky, and as our driver navigated it with both skill and courage, we were tossed and shaken around in the jeep. We had already driven many hours like this to find the remote village of Mane Goan, but all that was forgotten when we saw the large group gathered outside the only building in sight, waiting to greet us. These were members of the recently formed Village Action Team and other interested community members who were meeting to discuss the community’s problems and search for possible solutions as part of the SPED III Program.

The SPED III Program (Sustainability Through Participation, Empowerment, and Decentralization – India) is currently being implemented in 580 villages all across India. The people who benefit from this program belong to 10 different states, speak a wide variety of languages, and come from different religious backgrounds, tribes, castes, and political parties. The SPED III Program asks them to stand together to gain access to the many programs provided be the Government of India to assist communities in overcoming their problems and realizing their basic rights.

The people of this particular village are from a tribe called the Gonds who long ago ruled a large part of the area that is now Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisghar. Now, they face discrimination from mainstream society and many live without access to basic facilities. After we were greeted in the community with the washing of our hands, a traditional song and dance, garlands, and of course a cup of tea, we discussed some of the activities that had been going on in the village.

The villagers explained a long list of issues to us, some of which they had been trying to overcome for more than a decade. The SPED III program asks the village to select just one or two issues to address each year, so this community had chosen sanitation and cooking fuel. There was not a single family that had a latrine in the village and no public toilet was available, so the people were simply using open areas. This practice can lead to many health issues and makes problems of privacy for women. They also had difficulties finding firewood for cooking, since the land in the area is very bare.

With local government representatives present, we discussed the possibility of accessing government resources to overcome these problems. We learned that the government will pay half of the cost of constructing a sanitary latrine for anyone living below the poverty line, which included more than half of the villagers. They would need to contribute a small amount of savings, along with their labour. There were also grants available to support communities in accessing more effective types of cooking fuel. Beyond this, local governments have large funds available that can be allocated for these types of projects that will benefit impoverished communities in their area.

Each year, large portions of these types of funds go unused because communities do not have the knowledge or the capacity to access them. Other amounts are lost due to government corruption. It is important for communities to increase their awareness of these types of programs and to understand that these provisions are not charity, but a part of their rights as citizens of the country. By standing together and making their voices heard, they can work to make their local governments more effective and accountable and create lasting change in their communities.

We look forward to sharing in the success of the people of Mane Goan and all the other villages participating in the SPED III program in the coming years.

I woke up to a white Christmas this year, but not the kind I am used to in Canada. Out my window, thick white fog hung over the paddy fields and mustard flowers that make up the landscape of Haryana in North India. It was one of the coldest days yet in the area, falling to only 2˚C during the night, but my heart was warmed by the beautiful Christmas celebrations that were going on in this corner of the world.

This year, I had the wonderful opportunity to spend my Christmas at Sanjopuram Children’s Village in Chandpur, Haryana, just a couple hours from the city of New Delhi. It is a project of Save A Family Plan’s partner St. Joseph’s Service Society in Delhi and is home to more than two hundred children. A major goal of this project is to promote inclusivity for those with disabilities, including the blind, deaf, and physically and mentally challenged, by allowing them to live and study along with normal children. The children with special needs learn from specially trained teachers, as well as from their interaction with the other students. The other children develop compassion and learn to respect and help those who have different abilities than they do.

Some of the children have families to spend their holidays with, but most stay in the village and spend Christmas with the many religious sisters who manage the residences. Although I was expecting a quiet Christmas, it was anything but! In India, there is a tradition of going caroling in the nights leading up to Christmas, so for many nights, we packed all the children into a school bus with drums, shakers, and santa hats and made our way down the roughly paved roads to find others to share in our celebrations. Sometimes we’d go by foot, dancing along to the sound of the drums and our own voices with darkness all around us and the bright stars above us. Even in an area that is predominantly Hindu, the local residents greeted us as we went by.

Christmas Eve brought with it great celebrations, involving more caroling, crackers, and a long candlelight procession at midnight. On Christmas day, we shared a simple but wonderful meal prepared by the sisters and enjoyed cake and sweets. Warm clothing was distributed to needy people in the local area.

In a part of the country where marginalization and exclusion due to gender, religion, and caste persists in a very extreme way, it is wonderful to experience the inclusive and empowering atmosphere that exists at Sanjopuram. It provides an example of what is possible when we build communities based on acceptance and gives hope for the next generation to create a society where everyone is able to participate.

In Canada, SAFP is partnering with Community Living London, a local organization that is dedicated to supporting people with intellectual disabilities and their families. Michelle Palmer, the Executive Director of this wonderful organization, shares with us about the work undertaken by Community Living organizations.

There are many challenges people with intellectual disabilities face, but on a positive note there are many efforts to create an inclusive society where all people are included in all aspects of community life.

Community living organizations across the country advocate for and support people who have intellectual disabilities and their families. We believe that all people have the right to share in all elements of community life – to live, to work, to be educated, to participate in recreational activities, to receive health care, and to have connections with friends and family. And each person needs to belong and feel respected.

Supports that are offered to assist people to be successful in community life include but are not limited to:

• Residential supports – from a couple hours a day in their own home to 24 hours per day in a group living shared home

• Employment supports – supports businesses to employ people with intellectual disabilities. Adults are assisted with every aspect of finding meaningful employment, including job readiness, resume writing, job searches, development with potential employers and job coaching. Participating businesses gain a hard-working, dedicated employee and develop a greater understanding of people with intellectual disabilities. Training and education to assist a person to obtain competitive employment for a fair wage.

• Community Access – gets people involved in the neighbourhood where they live. We link adults who have an intellectual disability to meaningful leisure, recreation, practical learning and volunteer opportunities, creating a schedule of daily activities that is as unique as they are. The goal is to facilitate great life experiences. Whether it’s a night at the movies with new friends, Karate classes, learning to cook, or volunteering in the community, we connect people to valuable opportunities to learn and grow.

• Respite Services – offer a wonderful opportunity for children and adults to broaden their social circle and experience inclusive community activities.

Parents and caregivers benefit by taking time for themselves or spending time with other family members. Respite Services can provide the break you need to take a vacation, or to cover for times of emergency or crisis.

All of these supports facilitate opportunities for people to be engaged in their home community. They develop friendships, employment relationships, and also enhance the positive relationships they have with their own family. We have come a long way since the days of institutionalization and isolation of people with disabilities in our society. But we still have much work to do.

Did you know that Canadians who have a disability are one of the most underrepresented groups in the workforce? In 2006, 14.3% of Canadians identified that they have a disability. And only 45% of people who have a disability were in the labour force in 2001. Employers rate employees who have an intellectual disability as positive (93%), reliable (90%) dedicated (90%) and hardworking 93%. So why are so many people with disabilities still unemployed?

This is one of the many challenges we continue to advocate for. And that is why our work will only end when all citizens are equally valued, provided equal opportunities, and respected equally.

To learn more about the SAFP’s partnership with Community Living London, check out this article about SAFP’s volunteers.

Criminal activity is a negative aspect of life for citizens of any country. Unfortunately, for those whose health and security are already compromised by poverty and marginalization, the effects of crime and victimization are even greater. In all societies, it is the children who are most vulnerable and therefore most at risk. This is quite evident in India.

Crime in India 2010 includes data that relates specifically to ‘Crime Against Children.’ According to the report, there were a total of 26,694 reported cases of crimes that were committed against children in that country in 2010 (p.91). These are crimes that are punishable under either the Indian Penal Code (IPC) or under Special and Local Laws (SLL), and all pertain to children less than 18 years of age. They represent wide-ranging acts of abuse, neglect, and exploitation that are especially tragic because of the young age of their victims.

The following table breaks down India’s 2010 child-victim crime numbers into specific categories:

(derived from Table 6A, p.96)

Facts of interest:

• The national average rate for crimes against children was 2.3 per 100,000 people; for Delhi the rate was 19.8 per 100,000 (p. 92)
• The state of Madhya Pradesh, with 6.1% of population, was responsible for 18.4% of all crimes against children; Delhi, with 1.5% of population, was responsible for 13.6% (Fig. 6.1)
• Kidnapping and Abduction cases represent 40.3% of crimes against children (Fig. 6.2)
• Rape cases represent 20.5% of crimes against children (Fig. 6.2)
• 8.9% of all rape victims (women and children) were girls under the age of 14 (p.83)
• In 97.3% of all (22,172) rape cases, offenders were known to the victims (family members, relatives, neighbours) (p.83)
• The states of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra accounted for 35.2% of child rape cases (p. 95)
• The number of cases for Procuration of Minor Girls increased by 186.5% from 2009 (p. 96)

Crime is often an indicator of social malaise caused by the hopelessness, frustration, and desperation of poverty.  Lack of employment opportunities, inadequate food and water supplies, land degradation, sub-standard housing, poor sanitation, ill health, discrimination, and limited education all create conditions whereby individuals are at greater risk of becoming both victims and perpetrators of crime.

That such great numbers of children in India and around the world continue to be victimized by crime is a pointed reminder that we have not fulfilled our duties as protectors and caregivers.

If, indeed, it “takes a village to raise a child”, then perhaps the solution lies with the village, or at least the community of citizens to which the child belongs.

Communities can exist as neighbourhoods or as groups of people with a common interest (eg. social, cultural, religious). The value of community is that it brings people together and actively involves them in the issues and activities that affect their lives. It often relies on the sharing of skills, knowledge and experience. Many community groups are based on the values of fraternity, friendship and empathy. Others have a specific mandate, such as women’s self-help groups, farmers’ groups, microcredit groups, or advocacy groups that stand up for citizens’ rights.

What does this have to do with crimes against children?

Without community, a family or individual is disempowered—they don’t have access to the support and information that could be helpful in a situation requiring advice or help. Nor do they have effective opportunities to voice serious needs, concerns, or opinions. For such a family living in poverty, the consequences of such isolation can be critical. For instance, there are many situations in India when a family’s financial debt-load puts their children at great risk for abandonment, prostitution or trafficking.

Promoting active participation in community life, and then nurturing that involvement through training and education, is an important starting point for restoring social health and stability. Like a healthy family, a strong community will act in the best interest of its members, especially children.

As an organization seeking to end poverty, Save A Family Plan is committed to supporting the empowerment and healthy development of families and communities. And through its work with the poor in India, if there is one less crime committed or one less child hurt by an act of violence, then that will be a success story.

LL Chan

I remember first arriving in India. It was around 3 in the morning and even at that time the heat and the weight and smell of the air were staggering. My father, Patrick Mahon, and I stepped out of the airport and into the night to a dense mass of people, many of them staring at us, and a road covered in innumerable idling vehicles breathing exhaust fumes into that oppressive air. Our friend, Father Augustine from SAFP India, found us and soon we were off along tortuous roads, passing people making their way in the dark to temples and churches to attend morning prayers. In the light of the sparse fluorescent streetlights, dense masses of raw jungle and buildings leered from the gloom. I got a sense of a different world, and it felt like a dream.

Our destination on that early morning was Aiswaryagram. It is the headquarters and offices of Save a Family Plan, located near Ernakulam in the province of Kerala, very near to the southern tip of India. My father is on the board of Save a Family Plan in London, Ontario, and this presented him and me with the opportunity of staying in India for a month and visiting with the organization and its people. We arrived at the beginning of the month this past February, when my father was on sabbatical and I was out of school (for I had graduated the previous year and had returned to high school just for one semester to take a few additional courses). We had a couple days to recover from jet-lag and explore the Save a Family Plan headquarters – which consists of both a building with bedrooms, kitchen, chapel and offices, and a large farm around the back – before we were off, travelling the area and doing our work with Save a Family Plan. But I say this casually – the main work of the organisation is to help poor families of the region by using money from sponsors in Canada to provide the families with the tools necessary to start an Income Generation Project, a means of establishing their own source of income, so that after a few years they will no longer need the aid of the organization. What we were doing was not dropping off sewing machines or livestock, but for the most part, we were simply visiting families involved with SAFP and seeing the progress they are making with their IGPs. Also, as we travelled around, we attended gatherings of SAFP families at each area’s Diocesan Social Service Society, and we also visited other associated organisations such as orphanages and youth hostels. In a sense, we were ambassadors of Save a Family Plan Canada.

On our journeys with SAFP we toured just the two Southern-most provinces of India where the organisation’s work is among its strongest, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. We travelled with a couple representatives from Aiswaryagram and also with coordinators from each DSSS. Everywhere we went, we were received like kings! At each house, the families would take us into their small dwelling and ask us to sit while they lavished us with their freshly prepared food and juice, always trying to give us more. It was often uncomfortable accepting food and being waited on by people who had so little, and yet it made them visibly happy to see us take and enjoy their gifts. The houses were simple and small. The families were prevalently those of widows; Kerala and Tamil Nadu border the Indian Ocean and the water claims many fishermen. There was often a solemn man’s photograph in the main room of the house above the door.

We visited families and dioceses for a couple weeks. It was overwhelming. The families were always horribly poor, faced with formidable social and economic challenges, and yet their unwavering generosity was inspiring. Their whole attitude was inspiring, as they received us always with smiles and optimistic stories.

Each experience was powerful, but one family stands out in my mind. Their dwelling was some distance from the road, and it consisted of three walls of varying brick and stone, and a thatched roof which came down low in the front to serve also as something of a wall. The house was tiny. The family came out to us instead of trying to squeeze us in, but through the front I saw all that lay inside: a single bed and a power conduit with one outlet granted to them by the Indian government, a bizarre object in such an abode. The inhabitants were a young mother, a son, a daughter, and a grandmother. Save a Family Plan support had enabled the mother to purchase a goat. The family was only in their first year of SAFP sponsorship, and the local animator explained that it was likely that with time their situation would improve significantly. But I had a difficult time being optimistic. The hardship and obstacles of this family were altogether crushing. The mother was described to us simply as an “abandoned woman.” The grandmother was old and frail and would not move or speak, perhaps she was soon to die. The son, about age 9, suffered from acute eye problems and his mother had invested much in surgery and special glasses with little apparent success. It seemed from his manner he had other issues as well, though this was not confirmed. The girl, about age 7 was healthy – but as a poor girl in rural India, all that her family could hope for her was that she would eventually be married, and dowries are invariably outrageously expensive. It was unlikely that her family could ever afford one; I wondered if the best they could ever hope for would be for the mother to work for the husband’s parents, indefinitely.

Grasping all this and looking at the family before me I came to a realisation: for the most part, the problems and troubles of my life are comparatively meaningless. I saw then the world to be wider than I could have ever understood before the trip, and that it is on this reality that I should focus my own life’s interests. I thought of the playful, exuberant children we had seen in the orphanages, the generosity of the families, and the matter-of-fact way this family had recounted its hardships. The people we had visited are all confronted with immense challenges, and could be duly despondent from time to time in the face of these, but, somehow, they could still be happy too. I wondered if, in large part, this is because they are somehow ‘free’ of the negligible things we so often let haunt us in our lives in the privileged West.

As we left this family, the children waved and smiled and I tried to do the same.

Sometimes our staff is happily surprised by creative individuals who use their talents and take the initiative to act for change. This was the case with three wonderful friends of SAFP, Sarah McCann, Ashley Wheeler, and Grace Fullerton from Stratford, Ontario, Canada. Here is their story.

“We are three 14 year old girls, and our names are Sarah McCann, Ashley Wheeler, and Grace Fullerton. In 2009, a woman came to our old school, and explained about people raising money for wells. We decided we would like to do something like that to help the less fortunate, so we told our teacher and he suggested Save A Family Plan to donate money to. We checked it out online, and decided they would be a great program to donate our money to, so we emailed and asked some questions. After we got the basic information, our idea to raise money was to sell homemade bookmarks, 4 different kinds each for a dollar. We sold our bookmarks at a few local garage sales, our school, and we also went to the mall here in Stratford a few times. A long time after, approximately a year, we raised $401.22, the perfect amount to build a traditional well!”

A big thank you to Sarah, Ashley, and Grace for taking this great action to partner with the poor and provide a well for a needy community in India!

Do you have an idea to act for change? Contact our office to talk to our staff or to request information and resources about the needs and issues of families and communities in India.

As we work to combat poverty in India, special assistance must be provided to tribal communities to help them address their many needs in a way that respects their unique history and way of life. The Kothamangalam Social Service Society and the Highrange Development Society in Idukki have been working with tribal communities in the area of Marayoor, Kerala for nearly two decades. Prior to this, the communities had no interaction with the outside world and at first, they were cautious to have contact with people from the outside. Over time, staff members were able to establish a trusting relationship with the communities and were eventually welcomed in the tribal settlements. These staff members discovered a people with a nomadic culture, their own dialect, unique cultural arts and traditions, and a custom of nature worship. They also found high rates of infant mortality, insecure temporary shelters, many cases of early marriages, and extreme poverty.

The staff began to work with the community to illustrate the importance of formal education and eventually they worked together to create a school for the children of the area. It has been developed and expanded over time and now provides education up to Grade 4 for 200 local children. In addition to housing classes, the school also acts as a community centre where many gatherings take place, including community discussions on important issues, celebration of the local tribal festivals, medical camps, meetings with local government officials, and administration of the local Credit Union.

Save A Family Plan (SAFP) works in partnership with the Highrange Development Society to support the ongoing operation of the school and to continue addressing the needs of the children. In 2008, a midday meal program was started for the students after it was discovered many were missing class because they were hungry and spent the day searching for food in the forest instead. The following year, “an egg a week” program was started to provide additional nutrition to the children.

In early 2011, a survey of the community revealed that only 10% of the people in the tribal settlements had access to proper sanitation, while the rest were using open areas for their washroom. This practice leads to a variety of health issues and diseases that could be seen among the population. SAFP is now partnering with Highrange Development Society with a goal of building 60 latrines in the settlements this year. This will decrease the cases of endemic diseases, prevent the contamination of drinking water, decrease the infant mortality rate, and raise awareness of the importance of hygiene throughout the community.

SAFP is happy to support the work of the Highrange Development Society and the committed staff who spend their time working and teaching in these remote areas. In order to reduce poverty in India, it is essential that all people have the chance to take part in the country’s development and to benefit from the progress that is being made. Many marginalized groups, such as the Scheduled Tribes, require a helping hand to begin identifying and addressing the problems they face and to ensure their human rights are being met. We are pleased to work together with these communities as they engage in development with dignity and become active, participating citizens within their country.

By Cassandra Griffin
SAFP Canada Staff

Poor families arrive in Varanasi from nearby villages and neighbouring states in search of work in the city. With no education, assets, or savings, they are often forced to settle in areas with poor infrastructure and lack of security, and to work low paying jobs driving cycle rickshaws, washing dishes, cleaning clothes, cooking or cleaning for others, selling vegetables or sweeping the street. With their small incomes, education for their children is out of reach. They are unable to afford the costs of uniforms, books, and supplies that are required for their children to study in free government schools. A large number of the children are also expected to work from a young age to help support the family, picking up trash in front of stores, begging, working at road side stalls selling tea or tobacco, pushing food carts, and working as domestic servants in wealthier homes. In this case, sending the children to school means a loss of income for the family.

Little Stars School, a partner of Save A Family Plan, is working to overcome the obstacles to education in the slums of Varanasi and give the children a chance at a better future. Along with providing tuition, uniforms, and supplies at no cost to the families, they have worked with parents to help them understand the importance of education. The school started by providing classes to a just few students, but now nearly 750 students are enrolled from preschool to grade 10.

Little Stars School aims to provide as much assistance as possible to these underprivileged children to address the variety of challenges they face. Class sizes are kept small to ensure that all the students get the help that they need and a wide range of skills are taught to accommodate their varying abilities and goals. Medical exams and daily nutrition supplements are also provided to keep the children healthy and deal with any problems. Support is provided to those who wish to continue their studies at college or university.

SAFP is happy to support organizations like Little Stars School that work to give disadvantaged children the chance to attend school. Their work is integral to making education for all in India a reality.

Photos and information courtesy of Little Stars School, http://www.littlestarsschool.org.

Sony Ben lives in Nadapa village near Bhuj in the state of Gujarat. She was abandoned by her husband and left to care for three children with her meagre income. Sony Ben has a wonderful talent for creating elaborate designs with needlework, which is a local form of traditional art in some rural parts of Gujarat. In order to earn an income, she would do this stitching work for a wholesaler in the city, who provided her with materials to create her artwork and paid her a minimal amount for her labour when she returned the completed pieces. By dealing with a middle man, she was prevented from participating directly in the local market.

Sony Ben became involved with an organization called Clare Bhavan, a partner of Save A Family Plan, which had come to her village to assist a group needy women. They were offered support to start their own small businesses, including receiving training and access to microfinance loans. Sony Ben was sceptical at first, since she knew of the problems that came from borrowing from moneylenders. However, she decided to join the group and take a loan of $125 provided by Save A Family Plan, after which she immediately purchased her own cloth and other supplies to produce her beautiful textiles work. Now that she has ownership of her materials, she is able to approach retailers on her own terms and earn a more fair amount for her product. She is able to earn $5 per day, which is enough to bring her above the poverty line and to meet the needs of her family.

Sony Ben shares her feelings about her experience. “I could not imagine my life if I had not joined the group. This is not just a
matter of me earning money, but now I have a feeling of pride and acceptance and the other women are appreciating me.”

To read more about the use of microfinance in SAFP’s programming, check out this this article, titled Helping the Poorest.