Shoshit Seva Sangh - History

History

Beginnings

The Shoshit Seva Sangh, chartered on 16 July 2004 as a not-for-profit organisation created to fund the economic, educational, social and cultural uplift of underprivileged sections of society, is based out of Patna, the capital of the state of Bihar. Bihar itself is one of the poorest and most backward states of India, where an estimated 50% of the population lives below the poverty line (as against the national Indian average of 20% to 25%).

Focus on the Mushar community

Among the vast poverty ridden population of Bihar, one of the most exploited and deprived sections is the Mushar community. The Mushars are landless labourers, living in grinding poverty and sub-human condition for centuries in ghettoes called 'Mushairies' or 'Mushar Tolis' which are found on the outskirts of villages in Bihar.

Culturally, the population features large extended families requiring greater financial resources to sustain themselves. The unemployment rate is overwhelming, and much of this can be traced to the lack of employable skills or a mismatch between the skills of the residents and those required by regional industries. Government initiatives in relation to poverty alleviation programmes, housing, nutrition, education and skill development are mostly on paper and there is little or no positive impact of state intervention on the Mushars. Deprived of both capital and skill, Mushars have remained trapped in a cycle of poverty for centuries. Since the Mushars are one of the most underprivileged sections of Indian society, the Shoshit Seva Sangh's efforts are targeted at this community.