Joyeeta Chaudhury

BISWA

Bharat Integrated Social Welfare Agency (BISWA) was established as a philanthropic organization in 1994. In pursuance of its objectives, in later stages it has incorporated various means and methods to achieve desirable results. Promotion of Self Help Groups (SHGs), extending Micro-finance, encouraging Micro-enterprise, ensuring social justice for disabled, socio-economic rehabilitation of leprosy cured persons, creating avenues for alternative livelihood for poors have been adopted since a long time and have proven to be effective tools for poverty alleviation. As a banker fifteen years ago, Mr. Khirod Chandra Malick, founder Chairman, Bharat integrated Social Welfare Agency (BISWA), while working in western part of Orissa, realized and then visualized the debilitating impact of real poverty in the vision. In fact, this was the turning point in his life which generated an inner urge to start a philanthropic organization with a group of like-minded people. Thus BISWA was born with a very well-defined Vision and Mission. It is now full committed towards the sustainable development of the people with special emphasis on women. During this period, the Organization has expanded to other state thereby acquiring the status of a prominent nation level NGO. It has promoted 238 independent BISWA Federations known as MBTs (Mutual Benefit Trusts). At present it has decided and planned to create one million employment opportunities by March 2011 and to bring down poverty levels to twenty per cent by that time. "Just and equitable society with greater emphasis on spirituality, compassion and peace on earth." Mission "To make a real and lasting social, financial, psychological and spiritual impact on individuals, help build strong cohesive communities and generate substantial employment opportunities by increasing availability of a wider range of services."