The Belaku Trust was set up by a group of like-minded professionals from health and social sciences who believed that there was a need for an organization that combined research and community involvement to improve the quality of life in the villages of Kanakapura.

In 1995, the Belaku Trust first began its work in the village communities of the Kanakapura Taluk.It found families struggling unaided against huge and entrenched challenges : poverty,caste segregation,poor awareness about health and nutrition,the nearly absent infrastructure of state services – like education and healthcare – and the especially keen deprivation experienced by women and children. The Belaku Trust has spent seventeen years deepening ties and trust in those communities,so that, for as many of those families as possible, the struggle is no longer a solitary one, and the challenges are no longer insurmountable.Research in the area of women’s and children’s health and nutrition gradually moved on to implementing programmes that address the problems identified.

Although we initially emphasised issues of health, over time we have become aware of the need for programmes that respond to other factors that impinge on health, and have initiated relevant activities. Thus we facilitate groups making recycled paper products and block-printed materials that lead to income generation, we provide scholarships for girls from poor families, and provide medical referrals/financial aid for needy families with serious medical problems.

 

We Believe

 

• That charity and hand-outs are not the answer, knowledge and empowerment are

• That lasting change can come only through true involvement and ownership by the community

• That existing services should be strengthened and not sidelined or replaced

 

Vision

Our vision is of communities where every person’s talents and energies are valued and where all people have the opportunity to use those talents to direct and improve their own lives and determine their community’s development.

 

Mission

To work with communities to promote health and development with an emphasis on that of women and children, achieving this through research, community based interventions and collaboration with existing service providers and organizations.

 

Objectives

 

 

• To promote village level health and development, with the active involvement of community based people’s organizations and Panchayat Raj Institutions (PRI).

• To undertake research on health care practices, service delivery systems and socio-economic,cultural and environmental factors that impinge on health and well-being.

• To disseminate the findings from the research in the appropriate policy and decision-making forum and to lobby for the necessary change.

• To support and train health and development personnel so as to improve their ability to carry out their roles.

• To collaborate with existing sevice providers and organizations rather than duplicate services.

• To produce information materials and training and communication aids in the area of health and community welfare which can used by others to strengthen their work.

• To network with like-minded health and development organizations for joint action and to provide a common forum for sharing development experiences and learning.

• To constantly evaluate the effectiveness of our work and ensure it answers current needs.