Who We Are?

ABOUT US

The Centre for Development Initiatives (CDI) is the social development wing of the Missionary Sisters of Mary Help of Christians (MSMHC). It is dedicated to empowering marginalized communities, with a special focus on women and children. CDI has its central office at Guwahati. Established in 2008, CDI was founded to promote the vision and values of MSMHC’s founder, Bishop Stephen Ferrando, rooted in love, care, and compassion. The Centre also emerged as a response to the growing challenges of inequality, poverty, and the marginalization of vulnerable populations—particularly in the northeastern states of India. As the coordinating body for the Congregation’s social and developmental efforts, CDI provides strategic guidance, capacity-building support, and expert facilitation to its Provinces and Delegations. Registered under the Societies Registration Act of 1860, CDI operates with a commitment to human dignity and social justice, working tirelessly for the upliftment of exploited and voiceless women, girls, and children.

OUR VISION

CDI is committed to a civilization of love and envisions a society where people live in unity based on the valued of justice and love.

OUR MISSION

The mission of CDI is to restore human dignity and empower the poor and the marginalized. It is committed to empower them with special focus to women, girls and children through capacity building, promotion of life skills, legal education, livelihood initiatives, care for environment, social security for sustainability through rights-based approach, to establish love, justice and peace in the society.

Thematic Focus

Promotion of Women’s Rights and Empowerment

CDI works for the empowerment of vulnerable women and young girls through social action, education, awareness, skills training, lobbying, advocacy, employment finding and placement. Specifically, CDI has been working for the attainment of professional rights of the domestic workers and the mitigation and prevention of human trafficking of migration and exploitation prone young girls with perpetual rescue and rehabilitation efforts.

Child Rights and Child Protection

Recognizing the innate vulnerability of children, and vulnerability brought about by the pressing circumstantial socio-economic situations, CDI is empowering children through informal and non- formal education system. Instilling child protective rights and knowledge, along with activities that bring about holistic development encompassing the intellect, physical, emotional and social are significant parts of the empowerment process.

Micro-credit and Entrepreneurship Development

CDI promotes livelihood development and financial security through self-help groups (SHGs), skills training, and investment in start-ups and networking. This thematic intervention is aimed at achieving financial independence, dignity and worth, enhancement of quality of life, and interdependence. The focus is on transforming financial susceptibility into financial stability.

Skill Promotion through Vocational Training

The young occupies and prominent place in the heart of the CDI Partners. Skill development through Vocational Trainings are carried out in many of the centres to prevent Human Trafficking and promote safe migrants of women and young girls. CDI undertakes tailoring and general housekeeping courses for the school dropout girls from the rural areas and the potential domestic worker and migrants.

Health Care and Health Promotion

CDI promotes health and fitness through free health camps; health, hygiene and nutrition awareness programmes; promotion of healthcare practices, medical referrals, counselling and direct intervention. Equal emphasis is placed on the mental, emotional, physical and social health of the beneficiaries.

Care for Environment

CDI advocates for environmental preservation and protection through environmental education, sensitization programmes, prudent ecological action and sustainable eco-friendly culture. To reduce its carbon footprint, CDI has made significant investment in capturing renewable solar energy and in harvesting rainwater through rainwater storage-cum-filtering system.

Talk to us

Kindly feel free to contact us for any queries regarding the services we offer. We are always open to talk about your problems, so that we can provide adequate help and support, and to create opportunities, especially for the betterment of girl child and women.