SAHAY SAMRIDHI YOJANA

Social Upliftment Initiatives of OSf

OSF has diverse initiatives under Sahay Samridhi Yojana to address the vulnerabilities in societies. The projects are designed to addresses themes like poverty, safety, unemployment and social justice. We respond to calamities, doing rapid assessments, setting up channels to distribute emergency supplies like food, essential non-food items and facilitate community rehabilitation.

Our Work Themes

Project SHRESTHA (Formerly Project Cruse)

Project SHRESTHA is a compassionate and empowering monthly support initiative launched to provide financial stability and skill-based upliftment to the most vulnerable members of our communities: single women, widows, and children who have lost one or both parents.
This comprehensive program under the Sahay Samridhi Yojana (Livelihood) originated as Project Cruse during the COVID-19 pandemic to immediately assist families facing sudden financial distress due to the loss of a parent.

The Mission: Dignity Through Livelihood

Current Scale and Impact (Integrating Old Data):

Support Target: We currently support 62 families and aim to reach 75 families this year.
Aid Provided: Support ranges from Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 3,500 per family, delivered via direct account transfers.
Expected Outcomes:
- Eliminating Drop-Outs: Ensuring children can continue their education without financial interruption.
- Enhanced Self-Reliance: Fostering a culture of savings and planning for future uncertainties.
- Inspiration to Succeed: Providing the confidence needed to excel academically and professionally.

It is our desire that these beneficiaries overcome present challenges and garner certainty for their future, leaving behind the bitter experiences of the past.

Strategic Partnership for Growth

Project Shrestha’s success and expanded vision have attracted crucial support, joining hands with the renowned corporate firm Khoros India in Bangalore. This partnership enables us to significantly enhance our skill development and vocational training components, accelerating the journey toward complete financial independence for our beneficiaries.

CRISIS CARE & REHABILITATION

Calamity Relief

We intervene in situations that need urgent attention at the ground to moderate the sufferings of the poor and vulnerable.
As relief materials, we provide Dry Rations (rice, lentils, sugar, salt, biscuits, tea, onions, potatos etc.), non-food products (soap, detergents, tooth-paste) with other essential provisions that will sustain the families for a few weeks.
OSF has responded to Kerala Floods 2018 with kits for students and is now active in Covid19 Relief work.

Crisis Care & Rehabilitation projects of OSF embody the Operation Sahay Foundation’s commitment to immediate and sustained intervention in humanitarian crises. We respond with urgency at the ground level to moderate the suffering of the poor and vulnerable affected by natural disasters and civil unrest.

Our Response Model

Relief Provided

Dry Rations: Rice, lentils, sugar, salt, biscuits, and tea to sustain families for 7–8 days.
Non-Food Essentials: Soap, detergents, toothpaste, and other basic provisions.

Rehabilitation Focus

Education Aid: Financial support to ensure children’s education is not interrupted by displacement.
Livelihood Support: Providing resources for displaced individuals to regain lost income streams.

A History of Intervention

OSF’s timely response has been critical across multiple large-scale crises:

2018: Responded to the devastating Kerala Floods, providing crucial kits for students to resume their education.
2019-2021: Active throughout the Covid-19 Relief work, providing life-sustaining aid to families impacted by the pandemic.

Recent Crises: The Year 2023-2024

Our commitment was vital during the crises of the past year

Disaster Relief: Cyclones Michaung & Tuticorin Floods (Dec 2023)

Following the devastation caused by Cyclone Michaung in Chennai and the extraordinary 93 cm of rainfall in Tuticorin, OSF immediately initiated relief efforts.

We provided dry rations to around 500 affected families, focusing on the most vulnerable groups, including daily wage earners, women, individuals with disabilities, and those whose livelihoods were disrupted.

Humanitarian Aid: Manipur Unrest

We provided a crucial hand of support to the displaced individuals in Manipur who endured the loss of their homes and possessions.

Refugee Camp Support: We intervened in six camps, where families faced harsh conditions, including cramped shared living spaces, inadequate sanitation, and rationed food supplies.
Preventing Despair: Our support addressed the impossibility of educating children and the loss of livelihoods, providing resources and care to alleviate suffering and promote mental well-being.

This project empowers those enduring displacement to hold onto hope and stability until they can rebuild their lives.

Sahay Skill Training Centres

Resource and opportunity deprived communities are common in India. Many young women in such areas have no skills to engage in an income generating activity. Lack of finances, apprehensions to work outside of their communities and poverty forces them stay at home even after school education.
OSF’s vision is to equip these young women in remote areas and small towns so that they earn their livelihood. The training centres impart the needed skills through a vigorous 6-month certificate tailoring program with periodic tests and a final practical examination.
On completion they are encouraged to start a tailoring centre or form a SHG. We also inform them options for employment in townships close to their villages.

Community Interventions

Observing villages and communities, we formulate customised solutions to the issues faced. Some examples:

Weighing Machines for Farm Clusters – this initiative is to enable farmers realise the right price for products they sell to middlemen in local markets. Tampered machines at the procurement end, curtails the reasonable income realisation for farmers. In a few places where we knew this was happening, we provided weighing equipment for the farmers. They assigned educated youth to weigh the products and give the readings in a slip. This slid is then shown to the middlemen who now go by the accurate readings claimed by the farmers.
Lighting Products – Emergency lighting products where there are power outs and power quality issues

Upcoming Projects

Total Projects

200 in 15 states

People Impacted(Round Off)

88000

Communities

240

Project Cruse-Monthly Aid for Single Parents/Orphans

Project Cruse, is a monthly support system for:- families of single parents; children whose parents have expired; families with one or no functional parent (where the other parent is invalid, unable to earn etc. We maintain a verified list of deserving beneficiaries who struggle to meet their basic needs.

Now we support 62 families and the target is 75 families this year with support ranging from Rs.1000 to Rs.3500. The expected outcomes are:

No drop-outs from education (for lack of money)
Inspiration to study. Earn better grades
Enhanced self-reliance and saving

It is our desire that they hold up to the present challenges and garner some certainty for their future, leaving behind the bitter experiences of the past.