FROM THE MANAGING DIRECTOR’S DESK

Dear Friends,

Winter is gone. Springtime has come. In some parts of the country, icy fields will thaw making way for green vegetations to sprout. In many parts of the country with no winter, dry season will make way to a more pleasant springtime. There too, green vegetations will sprout on the fields.

Transformation can and will come from different places and take on different forms. This is what we learn from the changing of seasons. How we shape this transformation is what we will eventually end up with. For those living in poor housing conditions, community transformation is essential to ensure social and economic justice. A decent home, dignified livelihood, employment, education, health and well-being, environmental quality and access to capital are the factors we determine the community well-being with.

To see a transformed community, we need to promote Honesty, Integrity and Trust. This will set us on our path to community transformation and transformation at all levels. 

Wishing you warmth, joy, and good health! 

In partnership Dr. Rajan Samuel Managing Director Habitat for Humanity India

Sarika Shinde, 30, lives with her daughter Sanskriti, 14 and Sankar, 11 in Nandgaon village, Osmanabad district, Maharashtra. She got married in 2006. But only a couple of years after marriage, her husband suffered from alcoholism plunging the still newly wedded Sarika into mental and physical agony.

Things did not improve as years went on. Her children already growing up, also suffered the consequences of a delinquent father who was not only unhelpful but was violent under influence. Deciding to protect her children, she left her marriage with only a few clothes and returned to her elderly parents.

She started sewing blouses and children’s clothes at home to support her children and her aging parents. Soon, it became a business. From a single sewing machine, it became 4 sewing machines employing 3 people.

She signed up with Nirmanshree project after participating in the discussions with the team. She received training on Enterprise Development Program and Government Schemes (Social Entitlements) and received certification under Recognition of Prior Learning as she learnt how to build a sustainable business and access government schemes for business expansion. Post the training, she received handholding support to apply for the Prime Minister Employment Generation Programme to start a mask making micro-enterprise. She was granted a loan of INR 1,00,000 with 35% subsidy, with the remaining amount to be repaid within 2 years – free of interest and has received the first instalment of INR 50,000.

“I am looking forward to this new phase in our lives. I am truly delighted that this new track of business will not only improve our income but support other families,” says Sarika.

Since the launch of Project Nirmanshree's Entrepreneurship Development Program training, many women like Sarika have shown the courage to start or expand their micro-enterprises and have been linked with appropriate Government schemes. Sarika will use the financial support to construct a shed so she can make her mask-making business productive and efficient. She is aiming to produce 300 masks every month and will continue tailoring blouses as a part of her business.

CSR Dialogue on Home+ Accelerated Impact Program

Habitat India successfully concluded a CSR Dialogue on Home+ Accelerated Impact Program on 25^th February 2022, bringing together corporate organizations, schools and individuals from different walks of life. 55 people attended the dialogue in which Dr. Rajan Samuel, Managing Director, Habitat for Humanity India presented programmatic strategy and goals of the Home+ Accelerated Impact Program.

The program aims to address urgent community needs  by leveraging Habitat India’s expertise, pan-India presence, and its network to implement short term and mid-term high impact projects through Conditional Cash Transfer interventions in the thematic areas of:

• Home Repairs and Unfinished Houses
• Individual Household Latrines (IHHL)
• Livelihood Projects
• Family Essential Kits
• Support for families at the Bottom of the Pyramid

If you are planning any tax saving giving by 31^st March 2022, Please DONATE through our crowdfunding campaign. 

Holistic Village Development Project, Tamil Nadu

On 4^th February 2022, a Vayujal Water Generator Unit was handed over to Union Middle School, Appur, Tamil Nadu as a part of the Holistic Development Project supported by Royal Enfield (Eicher Group Foundation). The water generator unit extracts safe drinking water from the available moisture in the environment. This is one of the many interventions planned under the Holistic Development Project currently implemented in Oragadam and Appur Panchayat of Kanchipuram district near Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The project will address some of the most acute challenges faced by the community through 150 Individual Household Latrines, 350 Rainwater Harvesting units, 20 Solar Street lights, 2 community RO plants, repairing of infrastructure (1 school and 1 anganwadi centre), 1 Community Sanitation Unit and Behavioral Change Communication workshops impacting over 1000 families in total. This is the second such support from Eicher Group Foundation after the successful completion of Vallam Holistic Development Project in the state in 2021.

Download our ‘Developing a Model Village’ dossier to read more about the Vallam Holistic Development Project.

ROAD TO RECOVERY 2.0: COVID-19 RESPONSE

Till date, we have served 3,62,970 people by providing them with Hygiene and Family Essential Kits and by setting up Habitat Care Centres under Road to Recovery 2.0. Under Road to Recovery 1.0, Habitat India served over 1.32 million people from March 2020 to March 2021.

The crisis is far from over. We request you to consider our urgent appeal and donate now to help Indians affected by the second wave.

You can contribute as an individual or through your company’s CSR department. Write to Mr. Mohan D’Souza, Director - Resource Development on [email protected]  

Click here to learn more about or contribute to our COVID-19 response.

Supporting COVID-19 Widows

Habitat India launched a unique Road to Recovery project to support COVID-19 widows and children in Srikalahasti mandal, Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh. Supported by Hero MotoCorp Ltd, the project will impact the lives of 100 families with Conditional Cash Transfers for household maintenance and Family Essential Kits. 53 children from COVID-19 affected families will receive education support to cover their tuition fees and stationeries or books for 6 months. 83 women will receive livelihood support to take up poultry and animal husbandry. This project is Habitat India’s response to the health and economic crises posed by the pandemic and aims to catalyze economic recovery for families belonging to the economically weaker section.

Groundbreaking Ceremony for a Sanitation Project in Madhya Pradesh

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