It started with a catastrophe…

In the year 1978, there was a devastating flood in almost all parts of West Bengal. This caused the greatest part of its districts to be flooded and mostly destroyed. Seeing that in the district of Howrah three important rivers, namely the Ganges, Damodar and Rupnayaran pass along some smaller areas, it was particularly fatal. The extreme forces of the water caused massive loss of lives and damage to properties. Especially the children and women were the most debilitated group in this natural calamity.

After this flood, initiatives were taken by a group of young educated women to organize the poor and marginalized women of the district to protect their interest toward a sustainable livelihood.

For this vision, small as well as big voluntary organizations extended cooperation to these women. Among these, Tajmahal Gram Bikash Kendra – a leading organization of this district – worked in close collaboration with this women group.

… and an idea became the base for an organization…

In the year 1979, this women group named Nari-O-Sishu Kalyan Kendra (engl.: Women and Children Welfare Center) was registered under the West Bengal Societies Registration Act, in order to immediately respond to the flood victims and with a great desire of overcoming the economic poverty through livelihood options.

… which is reaching great heights.

During the last two decades, in the evolution of Nari-O-Sishu Kalyan Kendra (NOSKK), it has successfully spread out its activities in a number of blocks of Howrah with thousands and thousands of women and adolescents.

This long endeavor towards fulfilling the mission of NOSKK has become possible with co-operation and contribution of many national and international resource sharing agencies, the state, and national level government as well as non-government institutions.

Read more in the following pages to find out!