India

India contains the largest number of poor people in a single country, with an estimated 350-400 million individuals living below the poverty line. Seeing as the total population equals approximately 1 billion, it is clear that poverty is an extremely important issue in this country. The main problem lies in rural areas, where 75% of all impoverished people live. More than 40% of the country is illiterate, which is a large cause for the high poverty rates. Other causes include a booming population growth rate that greatly exceeded the economic growth rate for the past 50 years as an independent country free from British colonial rule, in addition to economic policies that discouraged foreign investment.

In rural agricultural areas, monsoon rainfalls pose a problem both to the farmers who lose large numbers of crops, in addition to poor village artisans and traders who must deal with rising grain prices. This has caused food and water prices to fluctuate greatly.

Industrial nations, such as the U.S., have contributed large amounts of food supplies, which are then transferred to storage facilities and/or dispersed throughout the country. However, rats often consume half of the supplies before they leave the storage facilities, yet the rats are never killed because of the Hindu belief that they are sacred. Architecture and reverent structures and statues are also copious in India, and it doesn’t help that they are often constructed with gold and jewels. The extreme level of poverty has also served as a catalyst for other social issues, such as lack of education, lack of water supply and sanitation, which in turn leads to numerous diseases, malnourishment of approximately 50% of the country’s children, and the mistreatment of women by men, to name a few.

Things have begun to take a turn for the better, starting in the early 90’s. In the past decade, the country has experienced a 10% reduction in poverty levels. There has also been a noticeable growth in the size of the middle class, a group that was practically non-existent before 1990. These changes are quite likely due to an increase in the GDP, and the allocation of more money towards social sector spending. Another step that must be taken to alleviate poverty in India is to increase governance, or the ability of local government officials to act as an active unit and give input at higher levels, especially in regard to pro-poor concerns.

The most prominent civil issue in India is discrimination, which is particularly directed towards women, tribal groups, different religious groups (including Muslims), certain historical castes, and more recently, homosexuals and both activists for and persons infected with AIDS/HIV. These individuals are subject to discrimination from law officers, the criminal justice system, government-directed militias, as well as from other Indians with a more favorable life situation. Both systematic and random torture and killings of these groups are commonplace, and there is a tendency for the culprits to have impunity for their human rights violations.

Human rights defenders are often accused of “anti-nationalism,” and often are harassed by state, public, and private affiliated individuals in the form of threats, preventative arrest/imprisonment, and even violence. For example, the most recent severe case occurred from 1984 to 1994, when upwards of 3,500 Sikhs were unlawfully executed and cremated in Punjab. This information was released to the public by human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra. Shortly after, Khalra was abducted by Indian police, and later “disappeared.”

India has frequent territorial disputes with China and Pakistan over ownership rights of Kashmir, the site of the largest and most militarized dispute over territory in the world. However, conditions have begun to improve since the gradual withdrawal of troops in 2003. India also clashes with Nepal and Bangladesh over distinguishing clear borders and regulating the action that takes place across them. India is also the highest producer of admissible opium for pharmaceutical markets, yet it is unknown what portion of this admissible opium is diverted to the illegal international drug market. It also has the highest number of child workers in the world, many of them engaged in bonded labor.

It is estimated that 5.1 million people in India are inflicted with HIV/AIDS, although the number is likely much higher than that. AIDS sufferers are commonly discriminated against, and are often denied employment and access to education and healthcare. Those that are traditionally considered, “high-risk,” (homosexual men, persons with numerous sexual partners, and persons who use drugs that require injections) are also discriminated against. Because women are so disrespected, they are not in a place to ask their husbands to wear condoms when engaging in intercourse with extramarital sexual partners.

Commercial sex workers are also common in this country, which is a large cause for transmission to their clients (many of which are married men). Statistics show that a very low percentage of these women (less than 20%) regularly use condoms, and less than 50% have accurate knowledge of HIV/AIDS preventative measures.

Children are also affected by the disease, be it that they are one of the hundreds of thousands of kids living with the disease, they are forced to drop out of school to care for parents who are infected, or are orphaned and forced into the streets to provide for themselves.

Currently, the number of people infected with HIV/AIDS is relatively low considering the size of the population in India. However, the concern here is the same for several Asian countries; injection drug users. These individuals are relatively low in numbers, but are commonly sexually active, and possibly even involved in the commercial sex market. Combining all of these factors and possible groups that the disease can be transmitted to, this is an equation for eventual mass transmission throughout India.

Apart from discrimination and denial of treatment and preventative services, another prominent cause for the increasing number of people infected with AIDS is lack of educational resources to teach people how to both prevent transmission, specifically through the use of condoms, and to not fall victim to discrimination.

India faces an extreme overpopulation problem. The country, roughly 1/3 the size of the United States, is home to 1.1 billion people. This makes it the second most populous country in the world. The main environmental problems in this country include land damage, including deforestation, desertification, over-grazing, and soil erosion; air and water pollution; and water shortages, all of which are largely due to the exploitation of natural resources by the burgeoning population.

Land damage that has occurred over the past 20 years has led to extreme and at times deadly flooding, which in turn harms growing crops and potential croplands. There also seems to be an apathetic attitude regarding the uninhibited “dumping” of chemical and industrial waste and fertilizers and pesticides into the soil. This has caused 70% of all surface water to be contaminated, and virtually useless. However, in recent years, water supply and sanitation has improved, providing 95% of urban users and 79% of rural users with safe water, and greatly reducing cholera levels. Sewage treatment continues to pose a problem, however.

In 1992, India had the sixth worse carbon dioxide emissions in the world. The air pollution caused by industrial activities is particularly bad in urban centers. However, rural locations are not exempt, for wood, charcoal, and excrement burning for fuel, paired with excessive dust from soil erosion contributes to the problem as well.

Females are extremely discriminated against in India, and as a result, are provided with minimal access to even primary education, and are often forced to drop out for monetary concerns. There is also a very large discrepancy between female and male literacy rates. It has been shown throughout history that countries that value women and allow them equal opportunity in the educational system often result in universally higher rates of literacy.

The system of education itself is quite weak in India, which consists mainly of memorization over problem-solving. Although enrollment rates are increasing, retention and completion are not. There is a shortage of universities in India, and there are even fewer institutions that offer valuable course material. The money that the government does invest in education is mostly used for secondary education, when primary education is clearly the most important of all levels. The funding situation would be improved if the government were to offer a completely free (and improved) public education to all students, leaving the funding for optional secondary schooling to be accommodated by private institutions. Also, to prevent high drop-out rates, alternative forms of education would be helpful.

Roughly 76.4% of youths (age 15-24) and a mere 61% of adults are literate. The low literacy rates of India are without a doubt an impediment to the advancement of the country in terms of poverty reduction, healthcare availability, productivity, employment opportunities, and tapering off the enormous population. Historically, reading was of importance to aristocrats and clergy members, for it both helped them with their work and signified their status. This trend continues into modern-day India, for the ruling elite and the Brahman caste (the most affluent members of society) display notably higher literacy rates than the rest of the population.

100 Friends Project - The 100 Friends Project is a small, informal grassroots project dedicated to helping people in Third World Countries facing myriad problems. 100 Friends collects the donations (a little as $1 and as much as $500) from approximately 100 people and then takes the money overseas to distribute as directly and intelligently as possible.

A SEED - An NGO-Society for Education, Empowerment and Development, India. SEED exists to empower the socially, educationally and economically deprived communities through education and training in the formal and non-formal fields.
The non-formal areas comprise inputs for developing market-relevant skills, leadership and entrepreneurial qualities in the children, youth and women of these communities for them to make their lives and living more meaningful.

A1 Poor Fund Foundation Of India - This foundation was created in 1985. Work is done with disadvantaged sections of designated communities through activities ranging from organizing grass root level women's groups, to building a resource center for women's groups and NGOs, and forming a network of women's organizations. At present there are 156 women's organizations in our network. The area of interest and focus varies according to the regional socio-economic and cultural differences. These women are supported via putting them in touch with the right agency/groups who could provide them the required support, except for training that is organized by the foundation.

Action for Autism - Action for Autism (AFA), a non-profit parent organization, is the national Autism Society of India. AFA serves people affected by autism, their family members, and professionals who work with them through a full range of services and programs. These include counseling and assessment, referral, a training center for people with autism, home-based management programs, networking throughout India, and training workshops for parents and professionals. AFA also publishes a journal and is leading the movement for legal reform for persons with autism in India. All people interested in autism are invited to pool energy and resources with AFA to achieve our goal of a society more aware, accepting, and involving of persons with autism.

ACTION FOR WELFARE AND AWAKENING IN RURAL ENVIRONMENT ASSOCIATION / INDIA. - AWARE directs its focus mostly towards empowerment of women in rural areas, where the poor rural women have no say in public matters except managing their families. This organization also has development programs for implementation in urban areas also intended for betterment of lives of Street Children, Aged & the Infirm, Mentally Retarded Children and the Physically Disabled and poor widows.

Adhar - Mission: To work with the poor and marginalized people to eradicate poverty by overcoming the injustice and inequity that cause it.
Vision: A world with out poverty in which every person can exercise her/his right to life of dignity.
Goal: To help people help themselves for a better life and just society.

Adivasi Uthan Sangh Adivasi Uthan Sangh - Adivasi Uthan Sangh Adivasi Uthan Sangh is dedicated to the alleviation of poverty by promoting education, health care, and good governance. Work is conducted in tribal village areas in rural India (Jharkhand state). There are currently 17 schools teaching basic literacy and numeral skills to young children ages 3-7. The program has nearly 300 pupils.

Alternative For India Development-JHARKHAND - Alternative for India Development (AID) is committed to the total development of the poor - socially, economically & politically. The organization believes people’s participation in their development process is the key to the success.
This is the vision of AIDJHARKHAND.
Sustainable development of people ensuring everyone - even the most deprived – can progress towards achieving basic education, health provision & an adequate livelihood.
This is the mission of AIDJHARKHAND.
Enabling the more disadvantaged to analyze & deal with their problems themselves. To enable them to gain access to basic education, health provision & an increased livelihood.
This is the goal of AIDJHARKHAND
To bring about total transformation and create a just society. The belief in grassroots democracy, decentralization, equality, respect for women’s rights, an end to caste discrimination and non-violence.

ALTERNATIVE FOR RURAL MOVEMENT(ARM) - Realization of an equitable social order through motivation, facilitation and self-activity among backward rural women and children in the sphere of health, education, economy, rural leadership and participation in democratic governance in society.

Anbaham - "Work for the Mentally ill to live in dignity".
Our mission statement is targeted towards the wandering mentally ill men lacking on the streets of Chennai (India). Our work involves in picking up such men from the streets treating them, rehabilitating them, teaching them livelihood skills and returning them to their families.
At present our home has a license to hold about 40 persons, we are working to increase our capacity with additional buildings etc. We provide medication, food, and accommodation free of cost. We only concentrate on men, as there is another organization to cater for women found in similar conditions.

ANTODAYA - ANTODAYA's vision is to realize a society where there is no hunger, fear, injustice (arising out of inertia), and diseases.
MISSION: ANTODAYA believes that its vision can be realized through group action that leads to:
* Emergence of strong village level organization
* Critical analysis of the situation
* Having access to development opportunities where they exist and asserting for it where they don't
* Encouraging the Marginalized section for their greater involvement in a development process which is sustainable, socially acceptable, economically viable, and technically feasible
* Collaborating with like minded Organizations and individuals and build partnerships to fulfill the objectives

ARDAR (Association for Rural Development and Action Research) The MISSION: ARDAR exists
to work with backward communities
to empower people to overcome exploitation
to improve the health status of the poor and needy
to provide opportunities for sustainable development
to improve socio-economic conditions of women
to improve health and education of children to achieve overall growth and development
to improve the health and security of old age people and
to take up research and action research projects.

Bharat Vikas Parishad - Nagrota Bagwan - Established in 1992, the Nagrota Bagwan (Himachal Pradesh) branch of the Bharat Vikas Parishad (BVP) is a volunteer, non-profit community service organization whose mandate includes (i) providing free artificial limbs and polio calipers to the disabled, (ii) health aids such as hearing aids, neck braces, and wheelchairs to the needy and (iii) vaccinations against Hepatitis B to the underserved.

BIGHELP FOR EDUCATION (A Catalyst For Better Education in India) - A nonprofit organization dedicated to spreading literacy in India & ensuring the quality of education is available for every child, regardless of gender, class, race, religion and disability. BIGHELP strives to be a catalyst for spreading the awareness of literacy and achieve 100% literacy in India by 1.) Sponsor A Child -- Directly funding and sponsoring education of children who are at risk of discontinuing their studies due to very impoverished circumstances, 2.) Adopt A School --Strengthening the schools and ensuring the quality of education, 3.) Merit Awards -- Providing merit awards to meritorious students.

Brindavan of India - To provide good quality education for the school children in general & to serve the poor and needy:
1) To involve the volunteers in educating the children and train our staff to have multi cultural exposure.
2) To raise funds for the organization to do more service in all related spheres for the needy, in the future.
3) To train our children in all sorts of extra curricular activities such as music, dance, English Conversational Language for debates, seminars etc.

Caring India - Give a meaningful life to Senior Citizens as an alternative set up to old age home. Look after the poor and forgotten among old people. We are the pioneers in setting up day care centers for senior citizens in slum areas. Presently we have two such centers.

Centre for Social Research (CSR) - To restructure gender relationships through research, capacity building, networking, advocacy and implementing measures for empowerment.

Creation Service Association - Creation Service Association [ CSA ] works for the economic enhancement of tribal and village people mostly WOMEN. In cooperation with the government, we help them earn through self-help groups, making them self-sufficient, teaching them to save a portion of their income.
CSA also helps the poor & needy children with education and health, mobilizing local funds. CSA helps disabled, blind, deaf, and mentally challenged students to improve their education and help them cope with AIDS, as well as educate them about the subject.
Sadly, only a few are reached, due to lack of funds.
CSA conducts health, vision, women’s healthcare, and awareness camps periodically, as well as offers free treatment and surgery for underprivileged people.
CSA is involved with training other non government organizations (NGO’s) to help the poor.
CSA is working towards sustainable rural development through microfinance.
CSA is planning and working for a hostel for tribal students, seeing as tribal and underprivileged student drop-outs are the most common. However, this can be eliminated by providing food and shelter to these students by giving them a hostel in the city.

DPC Academy - DPC Academy is an educational institution, registered under the Muyal Liang Trust, an NGO established in 1980, that provides free education and boarding to 300 destitute and underprivileged children from the tribal rural areas of Sikkim, India. In addition, we provide vocational training to students in our small income generating projects (bakery, tea plantation, carpet weaving initiative, yak and dry-farming) and shelter and work to 12 destitute women.

Environment Support Group, Bangalore, India - Environment Support Group (ESG) is a not-for-profit voluntary organization, working with local communities, civil society organization and government agencies on issues related to environmental and social justice in India.
In fulfillment of this task, we facilitate local communities and civil society groups in their effort to resist socially and environmentally destructive developments for which we provide a variety of support functions including research, documentation, training, advocacy and legal support.

Global March Against Child Labor - "The Global March is a movement to mobilize worldwide efforts to protect and promote the rights of all children, especially the right to receive a free, meaningful education and to be free from economic exploitation and from performing any work that is likely to be damaging to the child's physical, mental, spiritual, moral and social development.

Institute for Integrated Rural Development - Sustainable development through environmental enrichment by fostering initiatives of groups of rural poor.

Kovai Heart Foundation - Kovai Heart Foundation (KHF) is a registered, non-profit charitable organization based in India.
KHF is dedicated to creating awareness of heart diseases and providing assistance to those who cannot afford the high cost of cardiac surgery.
Our Mission is to bring Cardiac Health Care of international standards within the reach of every individual.
We are committed to the achievement and maintenance of excellence in heart care for the benefit of humanity.
With this aim, we utilize our existing resources:
1.To help prevent Heart and Lung Diseases by creating public awareness.
2.To promote early diagnosis and treatment of Heart ailments.
3.To help poor patients undergo treatment at reasonable rates.
4.To perform Open Heart Surgery for indigent patients at reasonable rates or free of cost.

Morning Star Social Development Society (MSSDS) - Tamil Nadu, India. Children and Youth: rehabilitation program for street and working children. Empowering youths in skill training.
Education: Eradication of illiteracy among the children in the age of 6 to 14 years.(Full school enrollment in urban and rural).
Health: Providing sustainable health program for the urban and the rural community.

Prithvi Theatre of Bombay, India - Prithvi Theatre, Mumbai (Bombay, India, seeks to promote the dramatic arts -theatre, drama, dance-drama, puppetry, children's theatre, etc.- through performance, workshops, and seminars at it's 200-seater space, as well as by organizing theatre festivals (national and international) and theatre encounters every year.

Sankar Benevolent Foundation - Provide financial support to brilliant but needy students for pursuing a professional education and provide primary health facilities to poor people in India.

The Banyan - The Banyan works in the rescue and rehabilitation of mentally ill, homeless women in Chennai, India. It runs a transit shelter and rehab centre, the only one of its kind in the country, that currently houses over 360 women. Every day a new woman who has faced extreme deprivation and abuse on the streets and is no position to even ask for help, is brought in. Over ten years, more than 1200 women have sheltered here and over 600 have been successfully rehabilitated in their families and communities across India after holistic psychiatric care. Given the abysmal lack of public healthcare and non-government initiatives for the homeless, they normally live and die in inhuman conditions on the streets of India. The Banyan has proved that care is feasible and has helped hundreds of women recover lives of dignity.

Valleypeace.org - Our INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS facilitates international co-operation for sharing intellectual, financial and material resources to develop am integrated and holistic approach to conflict resolution at various levels and for promoting justice and peace globally.
Our EXCHANGE PROGRAMS encourages and facilitates encounter between cultures and people for understanding and co-operation for a better life and a better world for all.
Dedicated in promoting PEACE always as `People's Enlightened Affiliation through Culture and Education'. We visit and encounter new people and new cultures globally, integrating within ourselves and working with each other towards a yet undefined `culture of peace'.
We at Valley Peace, are promoting Cultural and Work Exchange between India and USA/Canada and Europe through internships, home stays, and Academic programs. We are also into Inbound programs helping professionals and students around the world for exchange programs thru' travel, home stays and education/internships in India.

Community Health Educator-India - You will receive 4-6 weeks in-country training that covers language, context-specific information, non-formal education methods, participatory rural appraisal techniques, and appropriate rural technologies (ARTs). You will then be placed (in small mixed-nationality teams) in rural communities where you will coordinate with schools and community leaders to identify and resolve key health issues. Over 6-9 months, you will: Teach weekly school-based adolescent health classes using youth-focused non-formal education methods. Provide life skills training and opportunities that empower women, young people, and other marginalized sectors of society, to safeguard their health.
Facilitate access to youth-friendly services by connecting schools, health clinics and local health and education authorities. Organize community health workshops and festivals with local NGOs, providing HIV testing, condom distribution, music, dancing and drama with a health theme.
Volunteers must be 18-28 years old. Positions are for 4-6 months and are unsalaried, although volunteers receive a small stipend. SPW asks volunteers to cover the costs of their placement (generally between $6,000 and $6,500) this includes airfare, food, travel expenses, comprehensive insurance, Visas/work permits, training, and placement costs. SPW helps volunteers fundraise for these costs before their departure.

Community Magazine Editor - The Dogga Magazine Team is looking for you, if you are good at editing (of course). The new and very popular monthly community magazine "McLeod Ganj" is a wide spreading Information Magazine with a very strong team of about five people and we welcome you to become our next editor.

English Language Volunteer - Teach English language/ conversational English to students of our hotel management and catering technology institute; in addition, teach English language/ conversational English at our institute to students of other nearby institutions.
Kindly note that our volunteer positions usually require a minimum of three to six months commitment. This insures that both parties benefit and that you are able to make a difference. (We will however consider shorter term stays on a case-by-case basis.) Our volunteer positions are unpaid but we do provide free food and accommodations during your stay with us.
If interested in the above position, Please feel free to contact us at kumar_273@yahoo.com for more information.

Unity Charitable Trust - Registered NGO invites FEMALE volunteers from UK/USA/CANADA/ AUSTRALIA/ EUROPE to work in HOSPITALS in our hometown VIRUDHUNAGAR. The minimum stay requirement is 3 months. The first month will consist of learning nursing care, common diseases and prevention, and community work. The remaining 2 months will involve implementation of what the volunteers learned. The working hours will be from 9 AM to 5 PM Monday through Friday and on the weekends, volunteers have the opportunity to go to tourist spots, such as beaches and hill stations in Tamilnadu and Kerala. Home food with bottled drinking water and nice accommodations with European type bathrooms will be provided. For this home stay, we are charging 350 USD for one month per volunteer, and for the following months, 200 USD per month. Volunteers must make arrangements for their flight tickets and other expenses, including weekend trips and personal expenses.

Veterinary Doctor - Animal Aid Society welcomes certified veterinarians to work as volunteers at its animal hospital just outside of Udaipur, Rajasthan. Ability to perform spay and neuter operations is critical. Facilities are not provided for lodging and board, but inexpensive lodging can be found in Udaipur. Several vets have spent as little as two weeks and as much as two months.

Volunteer in Indian orphanage - Unique opportunities to serve! Work in one of the most impoverished regions of the world. Global Volunteers has pledged ongoing support and resources to feed and house the estimated 106 orphaned or abandoned children in the suburb of Chennai in secure, clean and caring facilities. You can help expand this legacy of love and compassion by sharing your heart and hands in India this year! Teach English and care for abandoned children for two or three weeks. No special skills are required, but you WILL make a significant difference. Teams scheduled year-around. Your service program fee ($2,100 to $2,295) helps pay for the on-going costs to maintain these programs and covers your food, lodging, community transportation, project materials, your team leader, consultants and administrative costs. All program-related costs, including airfare, is tax-deductible for U.S. tax-payers.