Introduction

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Calcutta Social Project (CSP)

CSP supporting livelihoods VIDEO

In 2005 SAVE-UK, established, with financial support from the Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland, a Vocational Training School in Ballygunge, Kolkata in collaboration with CSP. At present it is running a very successful computer training programme for poor students, many of them living in slums. We have also been supporting CSP’s vocational training programmes in sewing and embroidery for young illiterate mothers living in slums in South Kolkata. So successful has the training been that contracts have been received to supply bed linen to a number of private hospitals in Kolkata. Since 2000 SAVE has been behind many of the major Projects of CSP, as one of the principal donors.

Charity and community organisations in India are trying to meet the increased demand on their services resulting from the Covid 19 pandemic and SAVE has provided donations to the Tagore Foundation, Calcutta Social Project (CSP) and Baikunthpur Tarun Sangha, for nutrition programmes and hygiene materials. The damage done to the poorest of the poor will be long lasting, threatening their livelihood, their savings, indeed their entire security. Working with one of our long term partners, Calcutta Social Project, SAVE is suporting two projects aimed at restoring lost livelihoods.
1. SANJEEVANI: THE FOOD AID PROGRAM FOR DAILY WAGE EARNERS AFFECTED BY LOCKDOWN AND ECONOMIC COLLAPSE The program gives essential food rations and cooking ingredients for two square meals a day, sufficient to last the beneficiary family a week. The Program has so far enabled over 800 poor people to have security of food on an assured basis and has supplied 171,000 meals to families.

2. SAMBHAV: RESTORING LIVELIHOODS LOST This program is designed to counter the devastating economic effects of the pandemic and accompanying lockdown. Many affected have survived on loans accessed from money lenders at usurious rates of interest which are liable to completely derail their business recovery. SAMBHAV provides interest free capital to retire the debt, allowing small operators to return to some level of normalcy. This is done on a case by case basis, each strictly monitored and investigated. Such rehabilitation measures are necessary to eliminate the cancer of unsustainable interest burdens.