NGOs in Kochi

As mentioned above, there are several NGOs that are working in and around the city of Kochi - from empowering women to tribals, from keeping the arts alive to ensuring a better life for animals, there is plenty that they are doing. The organisations, with their determination to make this world a better place comes across as more than just a resolve; the actions are becoming visible. Not only are they working on the ground and grassroot levels, they are also working hard to ensure the voices reach the correct ears, in order to bring about real change.

Before we go onto the list of NGOs in Kochi, let's take a look at some of the most important sectors where they are showcasing their prominence:

• Education NGOs: Working with the primary aim of providing education to those who are not able to do so, these organisations work either independently or in collaboration with schools and other government organisations to provide access to proper education.
• Healthcare NGOs: By prioritising health, there are several NGOs that are working towards bringing at least basic healthcare services to those who are marginalized or unable to get the same. They also run public awareness campaigns and setup medical camps in impoverished areas.
• Women's Empowerment NGOs: Gender inequality is a problem that is rampant in almost all parts of India, and Kerala is no different. Many organisations are stepping up to provide opportunities to women, offering them chances to learn and develop new skills, try to earn a livelihood through employment and providing assistance in opening/starting small businesses.
• Child welfare and youth development NGOs: Children and youth are the future of any country and safeguarding their interests is paramount - understanding this, there are several NGOs that are working towards ensuring education, vocational training, skill development and protecting them against any and all exploitation.
• NGOs for Human Rights: The constitution of India guarantees certain rights and freedoms to every individual in the country and no one has the right to take them away, regardless of their social, financial or other position. From providing legal guidance to physical interventions, there is a lot that these organisations are doing.
• NGOs for Livelihood Enhancement: By providing a chance to earn an education, by offering skill development and vocational training opportunities, these are the organisations that are offering people a way to earn a livelihood and lead a life of dignity.
• NGOs for Arts and Culture: Kerala, as a state, is recognised for its rich legacy of art and culture and Kochi remains at the heart of it. It comes as no surprise that this city is also the main base for several organisations that are working towards protecting and preserving this legacy. From planning and hosting events to creating awareness, there is much that these NGOs are involved with.
• Environment NGOs: Protecting the environment and ensuring that there is a beautiful planet left to leave to the future generation is what eggs the NGOs working in the environment protection space on. By raising awareness about conservation, preservation and sustainability, these environment NGO in Kochi are helping create more green spaces, reducing pollution and giving proper methods of garbage disposal too.
• NGOs for Animal Welfare: While there are several NGOs that give importance to human rights, there are also those who speak out for those who can't speak for themselves. These organisations work towards protecting not only domestic and stray animals, but also wild animals and ensuring that their natural habitats are kept safe.
• NGOs for Specially Abled: The discrimination against those who are differently abled has been around for a while now, but thankfully, there are organisations that are working to bring the problems of the specially abled into the light. Their efforts include offering vocational training, job opportunities and helping generate employment opportunities.
• NGOs for Tribal welfare: There are several tribal communities that live in Kerala, with many of them living in remote areas of the state. There are organisations that are working to bring a better life, education, medical faculties and such to these tribes.

It is heartening to see that there are several organisations in the city that are working in various domains to not only identify the problems that are present, but also find solutions that are easy to implement and will be effective in the long run. Given that Kochi is a city of contrasts, there are numerous social spheres where attention is often required. Some of the most common domains, where the NGOs near Kochi and within the main city limits function include:

• Education
• Child and youth development
• Healthcare
• Women empowerment
• Art and culture
• Environment
• Animal welfare
• Human rights
• Specially abled
• Tribals

Kerala is a state that has attained 100% literacy, but that does not mean that education is completely accessible to all, which is why, there are several organisations that are working to ensure that every child gets to go to school. Investing in the children and the youth of any community is the foundation that can lead to progress and growth. Along with that, there also needs to be a certain investment to ensure that gender discrimination is rooted out and women are just as empowered as men. In Kochi, there are also organisations that are working to ascertain proper rights for all humans, irrespective of religion, caste, creed and sexual orientation.

Only a healthy population can contribute to the community and it is good to see that there is more than one healthcare NGO in Kochi that is working hard to ensure proper healthcare to everyone. And it is not just the humans that these organisations are concerned about, because there are a number of organisations that are working in the field of animal welfare. Known as one of the greenest states in the country and perhaps one of the most ecologically blessed lands in the world, protecting the environment is just as important a task and there are many organisations that are stepping up to the task.

This is also a state that is rich in terms of art and culture - preserving the traditional forms and giving wings to new artists is equally important and there is more than one NGO in Kochi that is working in the area. And in order to preserve the tribes that still exist in Kerala, there are NGOs that are creating a bridge between them and those in power to bring a change.

Kochi is a bustling city and is home to several high impact NGOs, which have been doing extremely good work and here are just a few of them:

• Don Bosco Welfare Centre Society: One of the most well recognised organisations in Kochi, Don Bosco goes beyond just being an NGO working for education in Kochi. They work for a range of social issues, including mental health, providing shelter and education to underprivileged children, empowering youth, and offering support to those who most need it.
• Kochi Biennale Foundation: Over the past few years, the Kochi Biennale has become extremely popular and is being recognised globally as a meeting point for art and culture enthusiasts. Started with almost no support, this foundation toady supports several artists and organises shows, exhibitions and more to keep the local art and culture scenes thriving.
• Centre For Socio Economic And Environmental Studies: This organisation not only functions as a learning ground, but also has volunteers working in several social domains. This includes education, health, women empowerment, child and youth development and tourism. They are also involved in offering assistance and services to senior citizens, specially abled, tribals and those looking for effective ways of earning proper livelihood.
• Raksha Society For The Care Of Children With Special Needs: Raksha is one of the primary organisations working with children who have special needs. This education NGO in Kochi has trained teachers, who help specially abled children and youth become more confident and comfortable with the mainstream. They run a school, where special children are given formal and informal education.
• Deseeya Sevabharathi Keralam: Sevabharathi has a presence in several districts of Kerala and is involved in several social service-based projects. Whether it is offering assistance to the elderly who might not have anyone to take care of them or providing relief during natural disasters, from arranging material for local schools to planting trees, there is much that this organisation is involved in.

It is important to note that Kochi is not just the city of Ernakulam, the mainland is just one part and there are several islands and neighbouring towns that join together to make Kochi. Because it is so spread out, there are several challenges that crop up along with it - there is often a need for providing proper education to children, empowering women, offering methods of livelihood to the youth and general public and make sure that basic necessities such as water and sanitation is provided to all.

In urban landscapes such as that of the city, the Kochi NGO network becomes extremely important - by conducting awareness programs of various kinds, they are able to capture the attention of the general public as well as those at whom it is actually aimed at. Through surveys, they are able to identify children who are out of schools, they set up health camps bringing basic healthcare services to areas where it might not be easily available and make provisions for clean drinking water, proper toilets and maintenance of basic hygiene and sanitation.

In fast growing urban landscapes like the one in Kochi, problems of waste disposal are also sure to crop up and where the local bodies might not be able to tackle it all, it is NGOs that often take up the tasks. In addition, these organisations also work towards reaching out to marginalised sections of the society and tribals and offering them help in whatever manner they might require.

In order for any endeavour to succeed, there has to be a sense of engagement - pick any name in the vast Kochi NGO list and talk to their teams and they will tell you that unless the community comes forward in support, their efforts would not be as successful. However, it is capturing the attention of the community that often proves to be the primary task. In order to ensure that there is proper engagement, the NGOs often have to come up with interesting and unique strategies.

Understanding that there can be no staple solution for all communities is the first step - NGOs take cognizance that each community and each problem might be different, which is why the solutions also need to be customized. Bringing in local leaders and those with a voice is often step one - several NGOs empower community members by providing them with necessary skills, training, and resources to actively participate in initiatives and spread the word. Many times, there is the need for support from local government bodies and creating collaborations with them is also beneficial.

There is a need to make the community understand that the solutions being provided have to be sustainable, so that they remain solutions for as long as possible. Regular evaluation and monitoring of the projects might need the assistance of the local populace and their involvement can make data collection and dissipation of information easier.

The collaboration between the NGOs and government bodies is essential for the successful implementation of any projects; whether they are meant to address social, economic, environmental or any other issues. Many times, the assessments are done together, because NGOs might have a greater or more interior reach, offering vital information needed for planning and future execution. Similarly, while making any policies, taking into consideration the suggestions of the NGOs is becoming common practice as they would have ground level facts and data with them.

In many cases, the NGOs collaborate with the government bodies to conduct awareness campaigns that will allow them to educate the public about social issues, what kind of policy changes are in the works, and spelling out the importance of community participation. Such organisations also form alliances with government and semi-government agencies, leveraging their collective influence to advocate for specific causes at various levels. Given that the government might not be able to reach out to every individual, it is often the NGOs that play the role of a bridge that gets the information across.

Without a doubt, every NGO in Kochi will attribute their success and reach to their volunteers, because they are the backbones that hold the organisation up, in addition to the donations and donors. The role of the volunteers is extremely important:

• By offering their time to the causes - whether it is helping with education-based programs or helping senior citizens to hospital and back home
• By speaking to locals and informing and educating them about the programs run by the NGO
• By distributing materials/products such as sanitary products, food, medicines, books and others
• By offering assistance during disaster relief programs
• By raising funds for special programs
• By offering administrative support, such as data entry, translation, planning of events etc.

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