Self Help Groups

A sustainable solution to poverty is to form women's self-help-groups. Since 2001 we have supported 2,750 self-help-groups, supporting poor families in the Sundarbans community. Now these women are planting mangrove trees for which they each earn a day-labour rate. Families can save small amounts of money which they can invest in income-generating projects or in educating their children, healthcare and normal everyday living costs.

We support numerous projects such as:

• Kitchen gardening: Rice paddy, vegetables, herbs and spices
• Poultry: Training in hen and duck rearing, start-ups in poultry and chick incubator project,
• Animal husbandry: Goatery initiatives
• Developing Skills: Tailoring courses for women to produce clothes

Cyclones and Flooding

Cyclones and storm surges destroy peoples’ homes, they lose all their assets, animals and belongings. Fresh water and food shortages occur. Land is unproductive following saline inundation and productivity is drastically reduced for several months. There is nowhere to go, there are insufficient cyclone shelters. We provide emergency relief (food, water and hygiene kits) through our local partners, to the poorest of the poor, following devastating cyclones. People in poverty have reduced capacity to recover from loss of livelihood and assets. Our livelihood programs assist the poorest of the poor.