OUR PROGRAMMES
Starting in 2008, HSDT has co–funded eight overseas programs, mainly with Oxfam and Save the Children.
Of these, six succeeded in reaching their ambitious objectives whilst two did not.
Building a Brighter Future
The Trust began by directly funding projects often working with major charities like STC and Oxfam.
Eight pilot tests were implemented in east India, north Bangladesh & Vietnam, of which two failed & six succeeded. Collectively, these eight pilot tests at least doubled the income & empowerment of 11,000 women & their families (over 50,000 people).
Two of the eight programs won major international Awards – a UN Equator Award for poverty reduction, and a Save The Children Phoenix Award for Innovation.
The programmes delivered included:
development in fishing villages in Odisha, India
experimenting with how micro loans and training impacted village income over a 7 year period in Rangpur, Bangladesh.
training teachers in child-centred learning in remote rural areas in north Vietnam;
reviving education in 12 primary schools in tribal Odisha by training young & enthusiastic local teachers;
helping street children get into state schools & stay there ( with parental involvement) in Kolkata, India;
locating child domestic workers, training them as beauticians, and placing them in beauty salons or helping them start their own business (“New Horizons”), also in Kolkata.
Average length of the successful programs was five years.