POVERTY RELIEF & WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

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Mesco's Flood Relief Activity At Kausa - Mumbra

Mrs. Salma Sultana from Goregaon provided with a Drill Machine Under Seed Money Scheme for Flood Afflicted People.

POVERTY RELIEF & WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

The third major objective of the Organization, which fits under the loose category - Relief of Poverty has been an area, which has over the years, as in most of MESCO's activities taken shape in terms of well-defined schemes.

This activity started years back under the term 'Floating Fund', signified help to be rendered to the poor. The applicants then varied from a person requiring money for Ration to another requiring help for buying medicines, to monies required for daughter's marriage and so on.

Utensils Kit For Food Victims

Later this Floating Fund, where the annual allocation had gradually increased over the years was carefully looked at and applications fitting into medical or educational assistance was shifted, as schemes under these categories. The Floating Fund was next named as 'General Aid'. However, there was still no fixed norm or schemes devised under this category.

Gradually under the General Aid, grant of Sewing Machine was a definite category that emerged, as aid was being consistently given each year to this category. The next category to emerge was help for marriages. This however, for many years to come was not given a separate status. Another category, which kept cropping up was that of providing for assistance for the repair of huts and such dwelling places. This later emerged as a separate scheme.

It was only in the last decade, that the General Aid is now centred around 3 definite schemes, namely House Repair, Sewing Machine Distribution and financial assistance for Girls Marriages.

House Repair: Applicants facing eviction, or those applying for Repairs of Hut in case of collapse, destruction due to fire, reconstruction of huts, damaged during monsoon etc. are assisted.

Mr.Afzal Qureshi's family with a sign of relief after their House aided by MESCO under its House Repair Scheme

During 2005-06 27 cases were provided assistance.

BEFORE

AFTER

Sewing Machine Distribution: These are provided free of cost to widows, deserted, destitute women and orphan girls, as a means of earning their livelihood or help in supplementing family income after checking out their capacity to use them for gainful sustenance through a trade test and interview. This scheme which has been in operation for the last thirty five years has been instrumental in making over 600 such widows and destitutes not only self-reliant but live a dignified life. Since last 16 years more than 1000 students have benefited from this activity. Our collaboration with Sophia Polythene under their Outreach programme for women, has further strengthened our course and tent greater credibility to our already-well established programme.

During the year 2005-06 32 sewing machines were given out.

Girls Marriage: Under this scheme, MESCO provides clothes, utensils, bedding material, furniture or home appliances for girls at the time of their marriage. Masximum aid of Rs. 6,000/- is granted under this scheme. This Scheme has been discontinued from 1st April 2005. During 2004-2005

Last year (2005-2006) 15 applications for Girls Marriage were assisted.

Catholic Relief Services (CRS): MESCO is associated with Catholic Relief Service as a Counter Part. Catholic Relief Services or CRS is a USA based organization having its head quarters in Baltimore, USA & operates in more than 90 countries. In India it operates in 23 states having 10 programmes reaching out to almost 20 lac participants all over the country. MESCO has collaborated with CRS for 9 years. It took over with 17 Operating Partners (OP's) & now has 23 OP's with 2775 participants. It covers OPs from Bandra to Vasai,Thane & Raigad District.

We, at MESCO request to all our brothers and sisters all over the world to assist us by giving us DONATION for the conduct of our programmes.