The Millennium Development Goals – Heading towards 2015

September 16, 2011 //
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In the year 2000, all the world’s countries came together and agreed to make a commitment to ending poverty and improving the well-being of the poor and marginalized around the world. They decided on a set of 8 goals, which they hoped would be achieved over 15 years, by 2015. These goals are:

Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education
Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women
Goal 4: Reduce child mortality rates
Goal 5: Improve maternal health
Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases
Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability
Goal 8: Develop a global partnership for development

Governments, international institutions, development organizations, and committed people around the world have now been working to make progress towards these goals for more than a decade. Improvements have been made in many areas, but a huge amount of effort is required to reach the targets in the remaining years leading to 2015.

From the beginning, it has been clear that achieving these goals would depend on large improvements being made in India, since it was estimated to be home to a third of the world’s poor. In 2010, a report was released by the United Nations to assess the changes made in India so far. Here are some of the results.

-India has made great strides in increasing the number of children attending primary school, creating access to clean water, and conserving natural resources. However, at the current rate of progress, it is not aimed to meet targets in the areas of poverty, hunger, health, and gender equality.

-Hunger continues to be a persistent problem and India still accounts for 50% of the world’s hungry. It is estimated that more than 46% of children in India are undernourished.

-Mothers and children in India continue to face major health risks. For every 1,000 live births, an average of 74 children will die before their 5th birthday and an average of 254 women die giving birth to a child for every 100,000.

-The Government of India has created many rights-based laws and innovative development programs with the potential to make great progress in these areas. However, problems such a persistent inequality, ineffective delivery of public services, weak accountability systems, and gaps in the implementation of pro-poor policies often prevent those most in need from accessing assistance.

SAFP is striving to make these goals and their targets a reality as we approach 2015. Not only are we working with poor families and communities to meet their basic needs, we are also helping them to gain access to government programs and services and to address the issues of inequality and corruption. Our programs have also expanded into new areas of the country that are struggling to make progress, including Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, and Uttar Pradesh. Through the joint efforts of many committed groups working to achieve these goals, we are hopeful that we can greatly improve the lives of those most in need in India and around the world.

For more information about the Millennuim Development Goals and India’s progress, visit http://www.beta.undp.org/undp/en/home/mdgoverview.html.

By Cassandra Griffin
SAFP Staff

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Categories Development Matters

We want to hear from you!

September 9, 2011 //
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Save A Family Plan’s blog has been operating for 3 months now, bringing you a variety of stories about the work of SAFP and its partners, current poverty-related problems in India, development approaches, and the experiences of individuals who have seen our work in action. Now we want to hear from you! Let us know what kind of stories you’d like to see more of in the coming months as we strive to keep you informed about our work in India.

Please share your thoughts and comments with us below! Thanks for reading!

SAFP Canada Staff

Categories Uncategorized

Responding when Disaster Strikes

September 1, 2011 //
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In addition to our ongoing development activities, International Development Organizations like Save A Family Plan and its partners also need to be prepared to act when natural disasters strike. Extreme weather conditions and other destructive forces present a major risk to the poor, many of who are struggling for survival to begin with. It is essential that organizations are able to respond quickly in this type of crisis situation.

Two years ago, SAFP was able to work together with the Shimoga Multipurpose Social Service Society and other NGO’s to respond when torrential rains devastated the district of Davanagere in Karnataka. The rain caused severe flooding that swamped millions of acres and many people lost their homes, belongings, crops, livestock, and even their lives in the flood. In the aftermath, villagers whose shelters had been destroyed stayed in schools, temples, churches and community centres. Daily activities were at a standstill and thousands of people were left jobless.


The government’s relief efforts were slow to reach many of the affected people in this area, but the Shimoga Multipurpose Social Service Society was able to take action. The staff was able to quickly assess the situation and ensure that relief was provided to those most in need. Relief packages were assembled by energetic youth from a nearby church and contained rice, oil, biscuits, tea, sugar, a bedsheet, soap, utensils, and other important items. In all, 530 families received relief packages.


The Shimoga Multipurpose Social Service Society had this to say about the experience: “Serving the flood affected people was an opportunity for our organization. We could stretch out our hands to the most affected people of our society. The survey that was conducted by volunteers helped us to select the poorest people and most affected by the rains. Every stakeholder played their role beyond their ability, with love and zeal. We thank every person for their mite in bringing some joy and peace in the lives of the affected poor.” They continue to engage with the affected communities to support livelihood initiatives and prepare the people to manage natural disasters in the future.

To learn more about SAFP’s role in disaster management, read about our Tsunami Family project.

By Cassandra Griffin
SAFP Staff

Categories Get to Know Our Partners, Sharing in Success

India: 64 Years After Independence, Gandhi Still Inspires Peaceful Change

August 25, 2011 //
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Local citizens, aware of their rights, organize to protest against an illegal transmission tower in Kerala. They are supported by SAFP partner organization, the Women's Initiative Network.

August 15th is Independence Day in India, a national holiday. This year, 2011, marked the 64th anniversary of the termination of British authority and the beginning of self-government for that country. The Indian Independence Act, which provided for Partition of India and Pakistan, was signed in August of 1947, with India and Pakistan becoming two independent nations following the transfer of power from Britain.

Mahatma Gandhi was instrumental in helping India achieve its independence. Among other notable individuals, he helped to steer the country toward what was seen as its necessary development into a sovereign nation, freed from the demoralizing rule of its long-time colonial master.

Gandhi was an activist. Throughout his life he campaigned for civil rights, improved labour laws, and equal justice for Indians. He famously used non-violent civil disobedience as a means of advocacy, public engagement, and achieving reform.

Currently, in New Delhi, 74 year-old Indian activist Anna Hazare is fasting to publicly protest against rampant corruption in India. His long-standing campaign to have government pass legislation that would create an ombudsman with sweeping powers to probe corruption at all levels, has led to widespread public support and demonstrations all over India.

Like Gandhi, Hazare wants to make change happen; he wants people to be witness to his actions, so that they can be inspired to demand an end to the endemic bribery and misuse of public funds that stand in the way of equal rights and opportunities in democratic India.

Much public funding is earmarked for local village-level projects and programs in rural India. C. Griffin’s blog of July 12th addresses the issue of corruption and discusses Save A Family Plan’s role in promoting good governance. Properly informed, local citizens can be empowered to demand transparency and accountability from their local governing bodies. They, too, can be models for peaceful action and inspire positive change in their communities.

India was the British Empire’s “jewel in the Crown”. The journey to independence was fraught with incredible challenges that continue to trouble the two nations that emerged in 1947. That India today is world’s largest democracy, fourth largest economy, and a global leader in science and technology, is proof that this country has the resources and ingenuity to overcome a difficult past and achieve greatness.

However, the greatest challenge remains the inequity—the huge numbers of impoverished, marginalized, and oppressed citizens who have yet to experience the benefits of an independent, democratic India. It is these people for whom Gandhi acted—for whom others now act in defence of justice and equality.

Jean Vanier, humanitarian and founder of L’Arche (worldwide network of homes shared by those with developmental disabilities and those who assist them), is an admirer of Gandhi, whom he calls “a defender of the poorest and the weakest…a man with a vision of liberation through love, wisdom, and non-violence.” According to Vanier, non-violence is, “…an attitude where we do not hate or want to use violence, but where we want the oppressor to change and to grow in justice and truth.” (Jean Vanier Essential Writings, Whitney-Brown, 2008)

Independent India and Pakistan did not arise without violence; sadly, Gandhi’s attitude was not shared by all. However, his legacy continues to inspire individuals and organizations in India, and worldwide, who work in peace to ensure a dignified, secure, and healthy life for all.

L.L. Chan

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Categories Development Matters, India in the News

Business at Aiswaryagram

August 10, 2011 //
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Save A Family Plan’s India office near Kochi, Kerala is housed at a site called “Aiswaryagram”. It is a piece of land in a small village called Parappuram, just 20 minutes from the Kochi airport.

The word ‘Aiswaryagram’ means ‘place of peace’. Aiswaryagram is a project of SAFP started by Father Gus back in 1988, which acts as a model farm and research centre for sustainable, environmentally friendly agriculture practices in Kerala. It also serves as a training centre for poor local farmers, as well as for coordinators and field staff of SAFP’s Family and Community Development Programs.

There are many ongoing projects at the farm, including cultivation of bananas, coconuts, jackfruit, pepper, nutmeg, and cinnamon, animal husbandry for cows, pigs, rabbits, and chickens, milk and egg production, a plant nursery, and biogas facilities. Many people from all over India come to Aiswaryagram to purchase plants, livestock, and agricultural products, or to find work. Others come to learn about good farming practices and to gain understanding about Aiswaryagram’s business model, which is rooted in SAFP’s commitment to partnering with the poor and protecting the environment.

Here, Mr. C.T. Rappai, a long-time Manager of Aiswaryagram provides a description of the dairy production project and outlines some ways in which it reflects SAFP’s values.

“On an average day, 300 liters of milk is produced. Pure cow milk is sold to families through 4 vendors at door steps early morning and immediately afternoon, giving preference and priority to the families having small kids below 5 years old as part of our public service. We serve to about 400 families in a radius of 5 km.
Cow dung is collected in a tank for use in the four bio-gas plants and the rest for manure.
Green grass variety for the requirement of cow live stock is cultivated by us. About 8 acres of land is completely utilized for the purpose. Seven women employees are engaged in grass cutting alone and one woman and one man employees are engaged in shed cleaning and other essential cow shed duties. Milking is done by 2 men and one man is managing the daily works. Share of profit system is prevailing in the Dairy. The profit is distributed to the employees as special festival gifts and other benefits. They also get all statutory perquisites like PF (retirement savings), Gratuity EDLI (life insurance) and Medical insurance.”

Women collecting grass for the cows at Aiswaryagram.

The dairy production project illustrates the business model adopted at Aiswaryagram, one that places emphasis on environmental sustainability, fair treatment for workers, and serving the needs of the community. As India’s economy is growing and changing rapidly, it is important to cultivate examples of successful small businesses that can be helpful to small-scale farmers, who make up a large portion of the population, as well as their communities and local eco-systems. Aiswaryagram provides a powerful example of the possibilities for India’s agriculture industry into the future. This is just another way that Save A Family Plan is working for a just world!

To learn more about Aiswaryagram, check out the story of long-time contributor Judy Cirillo’s visit to Kerala and our SAFP India office at Aiswaryagram.

By Cassandra Griffin
SAFP Canada Staff

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Categories Get to Know Our Partners

Memories of India

August 3, 2011 //
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While hot, humid summer weather can be a challenge and a bother to most people, for me it brings back a flood of wonderful memories of my time in India. Last summer, I was lucky enough to spend three months in India as a Student Intern at Save A Family Plan’s office near Kochi, Kerala. I remember stepping off the plane into the warm, damp air for the first time, filled with excitement as I began a wonderful and humbling adventure.

The hot, humid climate in many parts of India, particularly Kerala, makes the land among the most fertile in the world. The vegetation cannot be held back; at times it seems to spill out into every available space, including the road! As a visitor to the country, I felt just like one of these plants as I soaked up many powerful experiences and felt my understanding of the world growing and expanding in so many directions.

One particular experience that continues to have a profound impact on my life is the time I spent with Soundari and her children, Priyadharshini and Moorthy, the family I have been supporting through the Family Development Program since I first started working with SAFP as a volunteer. To reach the village where they lived, I first made the 12 hour overnight train ride to the city of Chennai in Tamil Nadu. Then on the day of the visit, I set out with the staff from the local partner organization for a long and bumpy jeep ride out of the city to a remote part of the state. Our journey was slowed by stretches of road left in terrible disrepair and also by a large political rally that had brought traffic in one town to a halt. Nursing a very upset stomach from the previous day (a key part of the India experience), it was a difficult journey that was well worth it in the end.

Soundari greets me and an SAFP India staff member when we arrive at the village.
When at last we reached the village, it seemed that the whole community was there waiting for me to arrive! I received a warm greeting from Soundari, who wrapped me in a shawl and performed a ritual with a dish of coloured water, following local tradition. I’m still not sure which one of us was more excited to meet the other, as we shared our joy with a field staff translating for us. Then Priyadharshini offered me a flower and an apple and sang a beautiful song for me that brought tears to my eyes.

Soundari is illiterate, a mother of two, and a widow at the early age of 30, only a few years older than me. Her husband passed away due to a heart attack just a couple of years ago and she faced many setbacks. After partnering with her family for only a year and a half, I was truly amazed to see the progress that she had already made! Soundari had bought a large wooden frame and the tools needed to start a sari embroidery project at her home. Her talent and skill was clear in the beautiful, intricate designs that she created. Her most recent piece of work was an elaborately beaded wedding sari, which she had hired four other women in the community for five days to help complete. Not only was she earning income for her family, but she was also able to provide work opportunities for other women in the village!

Priyadharshini wrapped in the beautiful sari decorated by her mother and other women in the village.

Soundari shared with me her plans for the future. She hoped to expand her business so that she could do her embroidery work all year round, instead of returning to farm work when business was slow. This would mean that she would be at home and available to care for her children all the time. She was working hard and had almost finished paying off a loan that she had taken to pay for surgery for her daughter, Priyadharshini, when she had broken her arm some months ago. She was also saving up to send her children to a better school where they would have more opportunities and resources needed to succeed. I was amazed that the support that she receives each month, which is such a small amount for me to contribute, could make such an incredible impact and give her the opportunity to plan a future for her family that she could feel proud of.


Back in Canada a year later, Soundari and her family are in my thoughts every day. Her courage and hard work continue to inspire me and remind me that the poor are capable of accomplishing wonderful things with a bit of support. They have many gifts and talents to share if they are only given the chance. SAFP’s Family Development Program offers people like me in the developed world a way to provide poor families in India with this chance. I was very lucky to have the opportunity to see first-hand the difference I can making and to meet such a beautiful family who live so far away, but are always close to my heart.

By Cassandra Griffin
SAFP Canada Staff

Categories Stories from the Field

Why Partnership Matters

July 28, 2011 //
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Working in partnership with Save A Family Plan, this community has made a map of their village to help plan a project that will improve the well-being of the community.

Save A Family Plan’s work in India is guided by the vision of “partnering with the poor for a just world”. This is really more than just a mission statement; it says a lot about the relationships that Save A Family Plan (SAFP) has with the recipients of its programs. Partnership implies that all the groups involved are seen as equally important to the development process and have something valuable to contribute. SAFP works hard to ensure that this belief is put into practice at all levels of the organization, from our contributors around the world to the families and communities receiving support in India.

Here at SAFP, we strongly believe that any development work must offer families and communities the opportunity to actively participate in the planning process and to take a central role in implementing the projects that we support. This approach can be seen throughout SAFP’s programs, all of which involve some type of training for the recipients and work to include as many different stakeholders as possible, including local governments, religious communities, local NGO’s (non-governmental organizations) and self-help groups (or sanghams). In our Community and Family Development Programs, all of these groups will come together in partnership with SAFP staff in India to decide what changes are needed in the community and how to implement these changes in a way that is beneficial to all.

The community and other important actors comes together to identify problems and discuss solutions.

What are the benefits of approaching development in this way? Here are just a few of the reasons why partnership matters so much.

1.) Makes use of Local Knowledge – Community members have a special understanding of the place in which they live, including knowledge about natural resources, characteristics of the land, weather and farming patterns, local customs and social order, political and religious dynamics, and relationships with outside communities. By including the whole community in the planning process, this important information can be used in decision making, which makes projects more likely to succeed.

2.) Improves Sustainability of the Projects – One major challenge in development work is ensuring that the project that has been implemented continues to be used and maintained after our work there is done. If a community has come together to plan a project and contribute their time, energy, and ideas, they will be more likely to feel a sense of ownership and carry on with the project after it has been completed. It is also likely that projects designed in a participatory way will be in tune with the needs and capability of the villagers, ensuring that it remains realistic and beneficial to keep it up.

3.) Encourages Learning for the Future – By participating in every step of the project, communities develop skills in organizing themselves, critically identifying problems, brainstorming solutions, planning, budgeting, accessing available funds and other local resources, and working together to make their plan a reality. After engaging in this process, they will have the skills and knowledge to address new problem as they arise and make changes in their community to continue moving forward in the future. They will also gain confidence by discovering what they are capable of with support from SAFP.

4.) Promotes Equality and Justice – Including recipients directly in the development process reflects the belief that everyone has something valuable to contribute and that all voice deserve to be heard. In the struggle for social justice, those who are the most poor and marginalized must be involved for change to take place. By helping these communities to take an active role in determining their futures, SAFP is working to promote a society built on equality and justice.

Check back in the coming weeks to learn more about some of the organizations that SAFP partners with in India and to get updates on the wonderful work they are doing in the field!

By Cassandra Griffin
SAFP Canada Staff

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Categories Development Matters

Remembering Our Founder

July 20, 2011 //
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A Sister lights incense in memory of Father Gus at our office in India.

Save A Family Plan was born out of the inspiration of a man with incredible love for the poor, a man named Monsignor Augustine Kandathil, but better known as Father Gus. Father Gus was born in Kerala, South India and ordained a priest in 1947. He was an incredibly intelligent man and eventually earned his PhD in Chemistry while studying at Notre Dame University in Indiana as a Fulbright Scholar. He went on to teach Chemistry at St. Thomas University in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, in 1962.

In 1964, during the International Eucharistic Congress in Bombay (now Mumbai), Father Gus was inspired by the words of Pope Paul VI as he asked the world to join him in a non-violent battle against hunger and poverty. Father Gus started in his home state of Kerala by matching five Indian families with five families in Canada to provide financial support and greater cultural understanding. From this very small beginning, Save A Family Plan has grown into an organization that reaches out to tens of thousands of impoverished families across India every year.

Father Gus passed away in India on July 18th, 2001. Today, on the 10th Anniversary of his death, we remember his love for the poor and marginalized and the incredible impact of his work with Save A Family Plan in creating a more just world. Our mission continues to be guided by his example. Bishop Sebastian Adayanthrath, President of Save A Family Plan India, had these words to share about his memories of Father Gus.

“Father Gus is one of the most ascetical men I have met in my life. When he left Canada, he had a small suitcase with him to travel back with two sets of dress. He wore a watch which he bought during his college days. The watch had constant problems, one of the major ones being that it never showed the right time!!! We often suggested to him that we should buy a watch for him. He told me, “You give that money and I will take care of it”. But I realized that the money went for someone who needed it badly either to pay a medical bill or to buy some food. He was poor so much so that they had to borrow a good cassock when he was laid in the coffin.

Father Gus inaugurates the Home of Hope in India back in 1991.

Father Gus is one of the rare people who knew where he should focus his energy. He was not interested in anything else except to assist people to regain their human dignity. He thought about it, he prayed about it and above all he worked hard for it. You could not divert him from where he wanted to go; he was highly focused in everything he did. When he worked, he worked hard; and when he had fun, he would do his utmost to enjoy the time.

One will be shocked to know that he was not a healthy man at all. He had quite a bit of Asthma and it troubled him throughout his life. Often he could not sleep but he never complained. He looked fresh in the morning. He was a genius for his times. He developed the structures so well for Save A Family Plan so much so that none of us who came after him could add much to it. It was well set.

We love him and love him deeply. May his memory guide us to stand for people who are voiceless in our society.”

Bishop Sebastian Adayanthrath
Auxiliary Bishop of Ernakulam
President of Save A Family Plan, India

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Categories Uncategorized

Corruption – An Obstacle to India’s Development

July 12, 2011 //
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Investigations into events such as the 2010 Commonwealth Games have brought problem of corruption in India to the forefront of international news.

Recent protests in India have brought attention to a serious issue that threatens the country’s potential for development – the problem of corruption. Corruption is a deeply rooted issue that penetrates all levels of government and directly affects a great number of people in India. On a large scale, there are reports of individuals and companies illegally benefitting from large government-funded projects, allocation of resources, and the illegal seizure of land. Down at the individual level, many people are required to pay bribes to access services promised to them by the government.

Since corruption of this kind is nothing new to India, why has it recently brought about such a strong reaction from the people? It has been suggested that the rising inequality that can be seen throughout the country is partially responsible for triggering the recent protests. As India sees vast improvements in economic growth and prosperity, the government has worked to develop a wide range of anti-poverty programs to ensure that the financial success of the country is felt by everyone. These programs cost billions of dollars and far surpass the efforts of other Asian countries. However, many of the programs have little chance of reaching those most in need, largely because of problems with corruption.

Corruption creates difficulties among many of the families and communities working with Save A Family Plan, as I discovered during my stay in India last year. In one small fishing village that I visited in Tamil Nadu near the city of Tuticorin, we met with several families headed by widows who had lost their husbands at sea. Although all widows living below the poverty line are entitled to a small monthly widow’s pension through the Indian government, only one of the women we met with was receiving it. We learned that all of them had been turned away by the local government official, except the one who was able to pay a bribe of Rs. 4000 (about $100) to have him accept her application. The conditions that all of these families lived in were appalling and as someone from outside, I found it shocking that such a needless barrier could stand in the way of them receiving the assistance that they needed so desperately.

The problem of corruption is a major obstacle to India’s development and to achieving justice for the poor. With more than 45 years of experience working in India, Save A Family Plan understands the seriousness of this problem and designs programs that work to challenge corruption at a grassroots level. All families and communities involved undergo awareness training to learn about their rights and what they should expect from the government. They gain experience organizing themselves through their participation in sanghams (self-help groups) and have the chance to discuss the problems that they are facing. By joining together, communities can work to challenge corruption within their local government and ensure that everyone can receive government services in a fair and honest way. SAFP works to support these initiatives and promote a society where economic development is paired with justice and good governance for everyone.

By Cassandra Griffin
Save A Family Plan Staff

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Categories India in the News

Helping the Poorest

July 5, 2011 //
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Micro-credit offers small loans to the poor to open small businesses, like this petty shop (corner store) owned by Margret and Joseph near the city of Ernakulam.

Micro-credit is hailed by many as a “magic bullet” with the potential to eradicate poverty and empower women, and providing the poor with access to affordable credit has become a central plank in development strategies. Important research is emerging, however, which suggests that the “poorest of the poor” are under-represented in micro-credit programs.  For example, in Bangladesh, which has the highest level of micro-credit penetration in the world, participation is highest among the second poorest quintile, but lowest among the poorest quintile.

Recent studies indicate the very poor are risk averse—given the daily struggle to obtain enough to eat and find secure shelter, making regular loan payments seems impossible. Borrower groups are reluctant to accept the destitute, afraid their inability to make payments on time will jeopardize the other member’s access to future loans. In an effort to keep their default rates low, micro-credit lenders are becoming more and more cautious in screening potential clients. All of these factors explain why the poorest of the poor are often “missing” from micro-credit programs. But are livelihood loans what the chronically poor really need? The answer is no…and yes.

Raising goats can provides a family with income, as well as nutritious milk.

The very poor typically benefit most from a two-step program, where “social safety net” programs constitute the first step, followed by enrolment in a credit-based livelihood development program. Studies show this type of two-pronged approach has been very effective in allowing the most vulnerable families to gain a solid footing and then go on to develop income generating activities which are sustainable over the long term.

SAFP’s Family Development Program offers the ideal combination of elements that the poorest of the poor need to achieve a life of dignity. The financial grant provided by benefactors allows even the poorest members of the community to take on the dual risks of accessing a loan and initiating an income generating activity. By spreading the financial support across a six year period, families have sufficient time to firmly establish their livelihood activities. SAFP partner organizations supply the needed training—in how to manage a micro enterprise, health and nutrition, and awareness regarding legal rights and government assistance programs. Each beneficiary belongs to a self-help group, which provides peer-based social support. It is because of these multiple supports that Family Development Program beneficiaries—drawn from the most vulnerable and marginalized groups in India—are able to participate successfully in micro-credit programs when others in similar circumstances often cannot.

Grace Flesher is a doctoral candidate at the University of Warwick (UK) and is researching micro-credit and women’s empowerment in southern India.

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Categories Development Matters
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