Family-to-Family Development Program
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The Family
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to - 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.
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Donations for the Family-to-Family
Program 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.
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There are three variables regarding the program and how it
operates:
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The accuracy and integrity of the family’s designation as needy |
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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) |
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The adequacy and duration of the assistance |
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Choosing the
Families |
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Purpose of
Assistance |
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How it
Helps Poor Families |
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Duration of
Assistance |
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Statistics
on Families Helped |
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Areas of Work |
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How
to Support? |
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Correspondence with Family |
Choosing the Families
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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.
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Two Phased Approach on Poverty Alleviation
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The alleviation of poverty has essentially two stages:
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To meet immediate needs such as food, clothing, medicine or education |
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To encourage each family assisted to become self-reliant and productive
within the context of their local and general economy |
Purpose of Assistance
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Provide basic human
needs (food, medicine, shelter) |
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Cover some of the educational costs of children so they can attend school |
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Offer skills development opportunities for parents |
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Enhance employability through training |
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Provide means for these families to own livestock to have an improved diet
and to give them an asset |
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Assist families in financing entrepreneurial initiatives such as small
retail stores called petty shops, bicycle repair centres, teashops, fishing
businesses, etc.
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How it Helps
Poor Families
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Reduces their indebtedness
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Improves their living conditions
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Reduces the burden on single parents such as widows and widowers as well
as abandoned women
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Augments present income for an immediate improvement in their standard of
living
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Provides avenues for subsidies and bank loans that would not normally be
available to the poor
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Provides a built-in support system with their local Sangham
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Duration of Assistance
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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.
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Statistics on Families Helped
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More than 50,000 families have been assisted to become self-reliant
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At present more than 14,400 families are being assisted on a monthly basis
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Some residents in SAFP's 25 Homes of Healing receive monthly
assistance toward their living expenses, medical care or educational costs.
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Areas of Work
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SAFP’s Family-to-Family Program operates in the following
states of India:
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Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.
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How to Support?
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$20 a month or $240 yearly will assist a family. A minimum
of $60 (3 months) support is needed to start assistance |
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$1,440 (72 months) will support a family(ies) for 6 years |
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$5,000 bursary will support a family(ies) for 20 years
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If you wish to assist a family Click here to DONATE
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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.
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