HELP’s first member visited eastern India (state of Orissa) for academic research purposes in 1993. Based on research-related inquiry in to the situation of groups Constitutionally referred to as Scheduled Castes (SCs) (in derogation, also referred to as “untouchables”) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) (or Adivasis/original dwellers/indigenous peoples) identified for purposes of amelioration because of a historic and contemporary process of marginalization and discrimination, a collective decision (prompted by members of SC/ST communities who participated in the research process in India) was taken to begin a partnership to address poverty-related concerns being faced by SC/ST’s in India.
(India Map)
(Orissa Map)
(Gajapati, Orissa)
HELP was formally registered as a society in Edmonton, Alberta in June, 1995 and as a registered charity (charitable business #89977 6256 RR0001) in early 1997. HELP is a member of the Alberta Council for Global Cooperation (ACGC), an umbrella organization for international voluntary development non-governmental organizations (NGOs). HELP’s founding members and officers are a group of individuals committed to addressing poverty and marginalization.
Similarly, a group of SC and ST members from the state of Orissa in India registered VICALP (means “alternative” in the Oriya language) in 1995 and a people-to-people partnership commenced with tangible initiatives to address food and agricultural concerns in 25 villages in south Orissa in 1997. The partnership now includes 120 villages(represented by the Adivasi-Dalit Ekta Abhijan or ADEA) in south Orissa, engaging over 16000 Kondh, Saora and Panos SC/STs in organized collective action to address food sovereignty and the long-term cultural and material prospects for SC/ST communities in this region. Since its inception, this partnership has been supported by the Alberta Government’s Wild Rose Foundation, International Development Program.
