Friends of Kalangarai
Friends of Kalangarai, Inc is a U.S. 501(c)3 non-profit that was established in 2016. Its mission was (and continues to be) to support community-based programs working to enhance dignity, self-reliance, and the well-being of widow-headed families in South India. These community-based programs are implemented by Kalangarai which is a non-governmental organization (NGO) located in Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu, India. Kalangarai’s programs include micro-credit self-help groups for widowed/abandoned women, children’s educational programs, job training, a community college, and emergency services during natural disasters. Participants of these programs are approximately 2500 widowed or abandoned women and their families. Most of them are from low castes, living in rural villages, and are experiencing poverty primarily due their lack of sustainable livelihoods and exclusion from economic opportunities.
What we do
- Raise social consciousness about the plight of widows in India and potential solutions for their empowerment through lectures, gallery talks, newsletters, and learning trips to India;
- Implement community-based research to inform Kalangarai’s programs and to develop innovative solutions for sustainable livelihoods for the women and their children.
- Fundraise for the programs of Kalangarai by sponsoring events and online campaigns.;
- Offer internships and scholarships for students interested in international social work and social justice projects.
The organization depends exclusively on donations from individuals. The majority of the contributions goes toward supporting Kalangarai’s programs.
