HCL Foundation and CINI join hands to promote community development in West Bengal

HCL Foundation’s flagship program, HCL Samuday, is expanding its community development efforts to the state of West Bengal. The foundation is joining hands with the Child in Need Institute (CINI) in its endeavor to bring transformational changes to rural villages.

CINI is a national humanitarian organization working for the upliftment of women and children in the field of health, nutrition, and education. Together with HCL Samuday, CINI will work towards the sustainable and holistic development of rural West Bengal. The two organizations will join hands to come up with viable solutions to transform villages into integrated models that can be replicated throughout the region.

Established in 2015, HCL Samuday has a wealth of experience when it comes to building integrated village models based on sustainability and self-sufficiency. Over the past six years, its village development and transformation program has always focused on six core areas – agriculture, environment, livelihood, health, education, and WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene).

Developmental Efforts by HCL Samuday

HCL Samuday will apply the lessons learned over the years in the upcoming project with CINI. The main areas of focus will be health, education, and WASH. The Kultali block of 24 South Paraganas districts in West Bengal will play host to the initiative. HCL Samuday and CINI will first work on designing interventions related to telehealth, adult and child education, hygiene standards and then gradually move on to other areas.

The first and foremost plan of action, however, will be to clean up the destruction caused by the cyclone Yaas. Relief plans and financial support to the 1,150 households affected by the disaster will be the first steps taken by HCL Samuday. West Bengal was hit hard by the cyclone, which left a trail of death and destruction in its wake and affected around 10 million people. Kultali, with a population of 2.3 lakh, was amongst the worst affected blocks.

The HCL Foundation has already pledged to supply the affected families with dry rations and wellness kits, educational and learning kits for children till the end of the year. The foundation will also repair and clean up potable water sources and ponds.

Alok Verma, Project Director of HCL Foundation, said, “We are now looking to extend this model to other states in India in a phased manner. HCL Samuday is unique and highly successful as it works with local communities to co-create solutions that truly matter. We are also excited that CINI is our first partner as we implement our plans of outreach.”

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