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The Banyan Tree, Kerala, India

This project has grown over the past few years out of one man's experience of dealing with the social problems and needs of extremely poor families, many of whom have no father because of  death or desertion. Most of the poorest belong to the Adivasis, scheduled caste hill tribes. Many are illiterate and all have few rights and little access to Government services.

The man with the vision to help them is Tom Sutherland. An Australian by birth he has lived in India for more than 20 years and originally worked with Mother Teresa. He has remarkable compassion and seeks no remuneration for his work. He lives by faith and has no material possessions of his own. He travels by bicycle, by bus or on foot. 

Daily, very many women approach him with their concerns, almost always about problems facing their children - food, malnutrition, health needs, etc.  Health Help International is pleased to be able to assist with some finance on a regular basis but more is needed and with our supporters' help we aim to provide it. 

A sub-committee of HHI is 'Friends of the Banyan Tree', a group of U.K. supporters who concentrate on this project with the aim of empowering the mothers through 'sanghams' which means 'a meeting' but in this case to work together in small co-operatives where the women are taught craft and cottage industries. Little training is necessary, the capital and equipment costs are minimal and the mothers, by working at home, can care for their children from the money they earn from selling their crafts.

Through the sanghams it is hoped to establish mini credit schemes so that they can start to free themselves from debt which is a shadow under which most of them live.