History
Initially after months of field survey and aptitude assessment of the target beneficiaries some suitable trade areas were identified in which selected youth were to get trained.
With some entrepreneurial training skills it was expected that the beneficiaries would become job creators and and all of them would then be able to lead their lives with dignity.
Unfortunately, not a single project could take off the ground because the youth could not be motivated to attend
even a single meeting and so Disha could not pursue it's goal further.
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Simultaneously, a literacy program was being conducted. This was running very well .Then it was decided to provide children with a safe , hygienic, loving , healthy and educational environment where they would remain close to their roots yet develop mainstream life skills and entrepreneurial skills essential to lead their lives with dignity.
Disha, thus, evolved into the present form of a residential school where children from a radius of 100 Km are admitted by a lottery system . There is no advertising required. Parents bring their children after hearing how content and proud other parents are with their performance of their children.
Since 1993 Disha has directly impacted the lives of hundreds of girls, boys and women. Indirectly it has impacted the lives of thousands of people in the surrounding areas of I.I.T. Kharagpur within a radius of 100 Km . Disha is located within the I.I.T. Kharagpur campus on a six acre lot leased to the Jyoti Development Trust under the aegis of which it operates.
Provided games equipment like football shoes and ball to the youth of the village youth club.
Provided the material required and coordinated the activities of the village youth to get a road constructed in the neighboring village.
Conducted sewing classes for the village women some of whom are using this talent to add to the family income.
Provided water to the nearby villages during summer when the water table ran low.
Set up a house maid service for the tribal girls and widows to work in cities like Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi etc.
Operated a Bakery , first and only one run by rural women only.
Set up a cashew de-shelling unit ,one of it's kind in West Bengal run mainly by rural women.
Provided protection to women to safeguard them against physical and mental abuse and taught them preventive measures to defend themselves.
Helped some rural women to acquire their rights to property.