Crusade

Centre for Rural Systems and Development (CRUSADE), founded in 1991, works closely with communities to alleviate poverty and to bring about sustainable changes that improve the lives and livelihoods of the poor. CRUSADE works in around 200 villages in four development blocks of Minjur, Sholavarm, Ellapuram and Gummidipoondi in rural Tiruvallur district, north of Chennai, covering 250,000 population.

Salt of the Earth (SOTE)

About SOTE

Salt of the Earth (SOTE) is a non-profit Leicester (UK) based charity that fund rural development projects for the rural poor in South India. The charity works closely with Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in Tamil Nadu, to help directly implement projects in the villages SOTE support. SOTE is are a volunteer-led organization and are committed to supporting some of the poorest communities in India.

“Our vision is a world where rural communities have access to opportunity, dignity, equality and sustainable livelihoods”
— Murray Frankland, CEO and Founding Trustee

SOTE history:

SOTE was founded after CEO, Murray Frankland, visited the salt plains of South India in 1988. His plans to travel up North were postponed during a business trip and he was momentarily constrained to the area. Unable to travel, a guide recommended that Murray visit a local NGO to see the impact they were having in rural villages.
Murray was struck by the absolute poverty in the villages and returned home to the UK compelled to make a change. Since that trip, Salt of the Earth was set up and has since raised close to £5 million for the rural poor.

Who SOTE support:

Most of the people SOTE support are low caste and many of them are Dalits (untouchables).The Dalit population in India are below the poverty line and service are often ‘un-seen’ by the government. The rural communities supported by SOTE live in hard to reach villages and have little access to work, food, water and services.
SOTE support some of Tamil Nadu’s poorest Communities and implement projects for people of all ages, regardless of their religious beliefs.

SOTE support some of Tamil Nadu’s poorest

SOTE aim to improve the lives of those living in rural poverty by delivering a variety of projects. It fund projects focusing on women’s empowerment, health initiatives, education, water access and environmental preservation.
SOTE has been supporting CRUSADE since 2017 extending its funding to Health-care, Disability services, Environment promotion, Access to clean water, Anemia control among adolescent girls, Village and schools infrastructure improvement, Ethical Gift and Children Sponsorship.
Community development underpins all SOTE’s work so that the projects leave a lasting impact.

www.sote.org.uk