Caste
Sometimes it is so trivial and petty you can scarcely believe it – Dalits denied the right to wear shoes, walk in certain public areas or use the same tumblers as others in a teashop.
Sometimes it is so ugly and brutal you can hardly believe that too – Dalits attacked or even killed for some real or perceived slight, or for daring to challenge the established order.
Women
Oppressed, dominated, maltreated, exploited, vulnerable, insecure. All these words could describe the position of women in village India.
Brave, feisty, determined, assertive, bold, confident. These words too are true of such women. The difference: the self-help group. VST and its partners support a 20,000-strong women’s movement of self-help group members.
Panchayats
India's panchayats (village councils) are very democratic, very good for poor people and very open to abuse. Very democratic because in addition to elections for a president, vice president and ward members they reserve seats for Dalits and women and hold meetings of the electorate with real powers to call the elected members to account. Very good for poor people because panchayats have funds to spend on housing, roads, lighting, sanitation, clean water and employment and powers to push for better schools, health centres and welfare services. Very open to abuse because those with political and economic power can divert resources at the expense of the weakest and most needy people.
HIV/Aids
Anyone can get infected by HIV but not everyone does. The most vulnerable in society are most at risk - such as migrants, those in debt, the lowest in the caste system, the poorest, those least able to avoid unsafe sex, or forced into a situation where they have to sell sex. VST and its partners try to break this alliance of poverty, inequality and disease.
Real lives
The latest news from VST and personal stories from people we have worked with.