The bustling city of Kolkata is known for its community spirit; it maintains a tolerance towards those of different faiths, beliefs, and habits. Human unity has been at the core of the city’s ethos, supporting men and women to live in peace and progressive harmony.

Migrant laborers - drivers of goods vehicles, helpers, and laborers in the wholesale market, masons, carpenters, and painters have formed a vital cog in the city’s commercial space. They sleep in their vehicles or on the pavement at night.COVID-19 shook the ground under their feet. Jobless, they have been roaming around from one locality to another in search of food, with the police chasing them on several occasions. Their plight has become invisible, and the government’s apathy visible.

Amphan has submerged the lives of the poor in deep water. The cyclone, which barrelled through the city, has left a trail of destruction in the form of damaged houses, flattened standing crops, uprooted trees, and collapsed electricity infrastructure. Struggling economically, migrants and daily wage earners have to cope with another challenge – reconstructing their damaged homes.

Civil society must abandon its middle-class value systems and awaken to the reality – without savings, malnourished, and facing starvation, the marginalized die of hunger.

The migrant laborers have unmistakable pride of labor; they will never beg for anything. All they are asking for is employment and support in reconstructing their life. In this hour of crisis, physical structures can be submerged, but the human spirit must rise above our differences to the stay the course of selfless-service.

Aahwahan Foundation’s community development programs function based on transparency, involvement, responsibility, and improved local capacity. Our experience at the grass-roots has indicated that when provided clear and transparent guidance, access to data, and relevant technical & financial assistance, marginalized communities can effectively determine community priorities. They resolve local problems by collaborating with local governments, NGOs, institutions to build small-scale infrastructure and deliver essential services.
We are passionate about constructing a resource for self-empowerment that was not wholly dependent on international aid. We aim to promote the sustainable development and self- sufficiency of marginalized communities.
 

Some of the community development programs are:

 Delivering educational facilities in Villages
 Improving agricultural production
 Establishing cooperative societies
 Enhancing public health
 Setting-up cottage industries
 Strengthening panchayats