Nirmala was struggling to make it. A member of one of India's lower castes, she faced years of discrimination and poverty. But social rank was only one of her woes.
Nirmala, a widow, was left to fend for herself after her only son got married. Feeling abandoned and hopeless, she realized she didn't have the skills necessary for a job. No job meant no steady source of income or food.
But as the Society for Welfare, Animation and Development entered Nirmala's community, so did hope. Nirmala and about 630 impoverished families in her area were provided with saplings of pear, jackfruit and cashew by the Catholic Relief Services partner. The families received training and support as they set up small gardens to grow food for their families as well as a surplus to sell for a profit.
The gardens were only part of a larger effort to aid the poorest residents within Orissa, the state where Nirmala lives. Nirmala began participating in a savings group through which she could have access to small loans. The newfound source of financing helped her improve her income.
Members of the lower castes in India suffer entrenched stigma and overwhelming poverty. Like many other extremely impoverished people, they have little access to financial opportunities.
Photo by David Snyder for CRS 
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