KOLPING INDIA

Kolping India, founded by BL. Adolph Kolping the nineteenth century German Churchman, is a service organization to promote spiritual and economic emancipation of the poor. Kolping India aims at eradicating poverty by encouraging the poor to organize themselves into small groups and create their own savings in a "participatory way" so that they could plan and take up profit oriented projects to become masters of their own destiny. In other words the project aims at tackling the twin problems of poverty and unemployment. Kolping India has been extending financial assistance to Kottar Social Service Society for implementing its project for the benefit of the poor in Kanyakumari district for their spiritual and economic emancipation

Objectives

1. To eradicate poverty by encouraging the poor to organize themselves into small groups
2. To create awareness about spiritual and economic progress
3. To inculcate the habit of thrift and small savings
4. To upgrade the skills of the poor and motivate them to take up income-generating activities.

Core Activities

1. Surveying the families for identifying the really poor
2. Forming the poor into small groups
3. Selection of office-bearers for each group
4. Member education on group dynamism viz. conduct of periodical meetings, recording of minutes, collection of savings, rotation of leaders, appraisal of loan applications, internal loaning , prompt repayment of loans, etc.
5. Imparting training for upgrading the skills of members to take up income-generating activities as also creating awareness about Right to Information Act, Domestic Violence Act, spiritual development, etc.
6. Awarding prizes to best performing groups to inculcate the spirit of competition among the groups.

Impact of the programme

• As at the end of March 2011, 54 Kolping groups were formed in 52 Parishes benefiting 962 members
• Group members gained awareness on the problems of poor, evils of alcoholism, HIV-AIDS as also the remedial measures.
• Many poor families have improved their spiritual and economic status.