family development program

The Family Development Program is the core program of SAFP, and marked the origin of our organization. Poor families in India are supported by regular monthly assistance for a sustainable livelihood.

Donations for the Family developmentProgram are forwarded through SAFP India office to our partners - the DSSSs (Diocesan Social Service Societies), then to the community-based Sanghams (grassroots people’s organizations), and finally into the bank accounts of the recipient families. The families use these funds for necessities and many save a portion of this assistance for future needs.

There are three variables regarding the program and how it operates:

The accuracy and integrity of the family’s designation as needy
The way in which the families spend the monthly funds is reflected by their most pressing needs (i.e. medicine, food or education of the children)
The adequacy and duration of the assistance

Choosing the Families
Purpose of Assistance
How it Helps Poor Families
Duration of Assistance
Statistics on Families Helped
Areas of Work
How to Support?
Correspondance with Family

choosing the families

The families are chosen in a participatory manner by the local Sangham based on priority of need. The names of the chosen families are then sent to the DSSS offices for review and finalization. Once families are approved, photos of the families are taken, and profiles are provided explaining the needs. The photos and profiles are forwarded to the SAFP India office for a final inspection before being sent to the SAFP office in Canada. They are recorded and stored until linked with a Canadian partner family, individual, group, etc.

Two Phased Approach on Poverty Alleviation:

To meet immediate needs such as food, clothing, medicine or education
To encourage each family assisted to become self-reliant and productive within the context of their local and general economy

purpose of assistance

Provide basic human needs (food, medicine, shelter)
Cover some of the educational costs of children so they can attend school
Offer skills development opportunities for parents
Enhance employability through training
Provide means for these families to own livestock to have an improved diet and to give them an asset
Assist families in financing entrepreneurial initiatives such as small retail stores called petty shops, bicycle repair centres, teashops, fishing businesses, etc.

how it helps poor families

Reduces their indebtedness
Improves their living conditions
Reduces the burden on single parents such as widows and widowers as well as abandoned women
Augments present income for an immediate improvement in their standard of living
Provides avenues for subsidies and bank loans that would not normally be available to the poor
Provides a built-in support system with their local Sangham

duration of assistance

SAFP promises six years support to each family. After six years, if it is deemed necessary by the local Sangham or committee that the assistance must be extended for a while longer (due to extenuating circumstances such as the death of the main earner, raising a child with physical or mental challenges, etc.) the assistance will be made available.

statistics of families helped

More than 50,000 families have been assisted to become self-reliant. At present more than 12800 families are being assisted on a monthly basis. Some residents in SAFP’s 25 Homes of Healing receive monthly assistance toward their living expenses, medical care or educational costs.

areas of work

SAFP’s Family-to-Family Program operates in the following states of India:
Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.

how to support?

$20 a month or $240 yearly will assist a family. A minimum of $60 (3 months) support is needed to start assistance

$1,440 (72 months) will support a family(ies) for 6 years
$5,000 bursary will support a family(ies) for 20 years

If you wish to assist a family Click here to DONATE

correspondance with families

You can correspond with the family in India directly. When writing letters to your family, please use only the address that appears on the profile sent to you by SAFP. This is located near the top of the profile as highlighted in the picture below. The family will write at least two letters a year, via interpreters.