BGR International is intentional about focusing on overlooked people in need, and when local partners became aware of a commune in West Bengel, India, that was being pushed to the edges of society, they moved in to take action. Often, in marginalized communities, lack of access to education and necessary resources is the root cause of a lot of underlying issues, so community development and solution identification quickly became the main objectives of the program that was set in place.
Local leaders were able to establish a weekly group of trailblazers who set goals tackling the main issues that their friends and families were facing: income generation, successful migration and integration, and exploitation. These pioneers identified ways in which they could create startups whose success would reveal ways in which their labor was being unfairly compensated and their men were exploited.
Specifically, the main pilot project involved building a large brick kiln that all the families could easily access and earn a consistent income from. After weeks of hard work, the kiln was built, and families were able to make a 160% profit from their efforts, even doubling the standard labor wage for local workers.
The hard work of these individuals combined with your generous donations made a real and lasting impact on this community! To learn about similar projects and giving opportunities, stay connected with BGRi through our blog and social media platforms.