Pratibondhee Shangha (PBS) – West Bengal

“Empowerment and community based rehabilitation of persons with disabilities through capacity building and income generating activities”

SAVE UK secured £10,000 per year for three years for the income generating projects for physically and mentaly challenged adults from the Bairdwatson Trust of Scotland. Pratibondhee Shangha (PBS), is an association of disabled people, established in 1981.
It provided the training in tailoring, bag making, mobile repairing, computer basics, vermi composting and marketing skills. In its final year there were 80 direct beneficiaries, and 130 indirect beneficiaries. 31 participants were interviewed and they showed increased confidence, skills and ability to negotiate, to start their own enterprise and work in groups. They are also now more aware of the various government schemes for mobility appliances, income generation and health facilities.

The income for those trained in mobile repairs varied between 2000 and 5000 Rupees per month. Those trained in computer work averaged between 2500 and 4500, for tailoring the sums are 1500 to 2000 and bag making 1200 to 1500.
Such was the success of the last project that Bairdwatson Trust has agreed to part fund a further three year project for income generation. SAVE decided to provide the rest of the funding needed to ensure the success of the work.