Bengaluru: Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are acknowledged to be critical to socioeconomic development in developing countries where government capacity and revenues are often limited. The last decade has been marked by a rapid growth of NGOs and an increased involvement of these organisations in the process of development. The Just Bell Foundation, which works from Bengaluru, focuses on the welfare of the poor and needy, especially children and the elderly. The Foundation, formed by likeminded people, facilitates socio-economic development of disadvantaged people living in rural and urban areas by focusing on education.
The Foundation, headed by Kishore Joseph, believes in working in partnership with the existing system as it results in sustainable change and facilitates in improving the performance of public systems. But the Trust, which also functions independently, works to improve the infrastructure and functioning and performance of institutions.
Mr Joseph told Deccan Chronicle, “NGOs have appeared as the saviour for a countless number of people without food, cloth, education and basic health facilities. At present, we have 25 underserved children with us. Some of them are orphans, some have a single parent and some have parents but economically backward. Currently operating from a rented building, we are planning to build a permanent shelter to accommodate over 300 children in the days to come.”
The Foundation aims to promote and reach education to poor students in rural parts and also to concentrate on health, rural development and overall uplift of the standard of living in rural areas. The Trust aspires to set up free boarding and lodging facilities, schools, vocational training centres, hostels and higher education institutions for the needy and deserving students. It focuses on helping people affected by natural disasters, and also provides facilities in rural hospitals.
“The Trust believes in the importance of human capital development for the prosperity and progress of people. We work towards helping to provide a dignified quality of life to those children who are deprived, denied and dispossessed of basic needs, irrespective of caste, creed, community, race, religion and gender. Our vision is to set up a permanent shelter for the poor, helpless, underserved children from all sections of society, distressed women and senior citizens,” Mr Joseph said.
The Foundation works to empower the poor, powerless, marginalised and needy sections of society to enable them to take care of themselves and their dependents, and also to be able to contribute to society. It also works to identify and work with the economically and socially deprived, physically and mentally challenged, abandoned children and elders, to help them live better and with dignity, be self-reliant and enjoy a healthy and sustainable quality of life.
