The year 2019 was difficult, frustrating, and heartbreaking as my crop yielded very little in the final quarter. I had no other option but to leave my family behind in search of work in Bhopal. Balu Munsi Bhilawekar, a marginal farmer from Kakarmal village, was finding himself struggling to make ends meet. Fortunately, he got a job as a labourer in building construction, but before he could fully settle in, the COVID-19 pandemic swept through the

The Saksham programme, implemented by 18 partners in five North Indian states, has significantly increased the overall food availability of marginalised communities by helping them produce more from their small and marginal holdings. Apart from helping communities increase food and nutrition availability, Saksham has also contributed to empowering communities, particularly women, to participate more beneficially in the grassroots-level governance

Caritas India shared a new engagement strategy for its next phase of the Samvaad peace-building program. Partners from Meerut, Kotdwar, Jhansi, Bareilly, Agra, and Lucknow came together in New Delhi on February 7–8, 2023, under the Caritas India Samvaad program, to present their six months’ progress. Head of Program, Ms. Babita Pinto, reflected on the programme’s key driving strategy to engage different stakeholders like citizen forums, peace

Looking outside through the rusted window railings of Namkhana local, I saw a glimpse of the bright sun shimmering on the freshly cut haystacks left on the field. Once these were lush with golden grains of "dhudher shor", a rice variety largely grown in the Sundarbans, as these are the only rice variety that grow on the saline soils of the area and are highly priced in the markets. As the train moved away from Namkhana station leaving the fields

Caritas India, best known for its commitment to alleviating human suffering, launched the multi-state Child Rights Programme ‘Surokshit Shaishav – Promoting Safe Childhood’ for the promotion and protection of children’s rights. On January 31, 2023, the second phase of the programme was launched at Seva Kendra Calcutta. The new phase is supported by Caritas Germany/BMZ for West Bengal, Assam, and Uttar Pradesh to improve access to education

Dissemination of findings of the research report organised as part of the orientation meeting under Jeevan Nirman program of Caritas India in Raipur, Chhattisgarh between 30th of January and 1st of February 2023 revealed the struggling life situations of migrants in India. The empirical study covered 3843 migrants in seven states, viz. Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh unveiled the precarious working

Caritas India teamed up with IQRAA Hospital Bathery, medical practitioners, nurses, pharmacists, medical social workers, and ambulance services to serve the migrant workers at Pulpally, Kerala. On January 29, 2023, a medical camp was organised for migrant workers supported by Caritas India and CHARIS with the help of Shreyas. Mr. Shijo Mappilasseri, the ward member of Mullankolly panchayath (ward 12), visited the camp, which was introduced by Mr.

The symbiotic relationship between tribals and their forest is inalienable. Mahua (Madhuca longifolia) plays a key economic and cultural role in the lives of tribals. Even before they are born, they are connected to the mahua tree. Mahua is woven into every aspect of their cultural life, from conception to death, from marriage to funeral. The mahua tree yields a variety of products, including syrups, purees, liquor, and medicinal extracts.Even expectant