Our beneficiaries

In India, society is organized around a rigid caste system linked to the Hindu religion. Each caste occupies a particular place within the social structure and belonging to one or another defines the status of individuals.

It is a hierarchical system and has been perpetuated over centuries.

Although the Indian constitution officially bans caste discrimination since 1950, in practice the change is slow.

The Foundation works to improve the living conditions of the most disadvantaged communities:

Dalits or untouchables

They are considered as without caste. Historically they have been condemned to perform the most menial and demeaning tasks in society. In rural India, the Dalits are a marginalized community: their work as labourers, poorly paid and irregular, prevents access to decent living conditions.

Tribal Groups and Backward Castes

Since 2005, with the aim of giving further impetus to the development agenda, the Vicente Ferrer Foundation is expanding its work with tribal groups and members of the so-called backward cast, very humble people who suffer open marginalization and poverty.

Chenchu tribes

The Foundation is in the preliminary phase of work with the so-called tribal group the Chenchu, who live in the central forests of Andhra Pradesh. The men gather honey, the women rubber, honey, fruits and roots. Until now, the forests have fed them and allowed them to survive. The situation has recently changed due to the diminishing forest area and the depletion of natural resources. Currently, this group records the highest poverty rates throughout the state of Andhra Pradesh.