Survival Aid to Old, Abndoned, and Helpless People dependent on support from relations or others That support was no longer forthcoming following the economic disaster that overwhelmed the lower strata of society.
Sumitra Sharma, 77 years
At the age of 22, in search of earnings, Sumitra Sharma came to Calcutta from Bihar with her Father in law and with husband and started staying in a rented house at Monoharpukur Road. Her Father in law was a driver and husband works as a Peon in a private company. Sumitra also supported her family by maid servant jobs in two households. This is presently not there for her.
Santi Karan, 60 years
In 1976 famine, in search of food Santi Devi came to Kolkata with her parents from Midnapur. Father somehow managed daily family needs as road repairing labour. In the year 1989 Santi Devi married a daily labour. Due to illness arising from sort of addiction, her husband died after 12 years of marriage. Their elder and younger son separated from Santi Devi after their marriage. Santi devi staying with her addicted youngest son who somehow manages his expenses by truck loading and unloading job.
Gouri Halder, 71 years
Native place and father-in-laws residence is at Magrahat, Diamond Harbour, 24 parganas(S). Husband works as a cooking helper, died in the year 2002. After her husband’s death, Gouri Devi came to Garia with her only son and started staying at rented house. Her son helps priests at Kalighat (Panda) and helps his mother too. Suddenly, in the year 2020, her son expired due to some undiagnosed illness. Subsequently daughter in law left the family. In search of food she often visits nearby temples and begs. Sometimes neighbors help.
CSP experience with the Food Aid Programme brought about realisation that many of the elderly street dwelling urban poor in Kolkata are helpless and ailing and critically required support since they had no means of survival income , not to mention access to healthcare. This would continue to be a problem with or without a Pandemic.
CSP formally announced the closure of the Food Aid Programme on the 30th of August, 2021 after having provided upwards of 5,00,000 meals to the needy to start a more comprehensive project .
Sahay plans to survey existing beneficiaries and carefully select those Aged, Helpless and Ailing who are completely incapable of self sufficiency.
Sahay provides four distinct deliverables to such beneficiaries. They are Food, Clothing, Medicine and Shelter repair and viability. The deliverables will all be individualised as per the need of the beneficiary.
The same is assessed in a two step survey. 1) The first survey assesses the eligibility of the beneficiary for the programme and its deliverable. 2) The second survey assesses the detailed individualised needs of the beneficiary.
The most unique feature of Sahay would be a variable deliverable distribution model carefully assessed by our surveyors making Sahay a sustainable endeavour for CSP in the long term.
