Monetary Support
- Funding for stipends for 20 local surveyors (approx. 3 months)
- Printing of survey forms
- Data entry devices and stationery
- Minimal administrative overhead
A Historic Intervention by Social Workers Association
Help Us Map the Unseen – Support the Thatter Colony Milestone Survey
2,500
families in Thatter Colony, Old Lucknow
First
door-to-door, verified survey of the colony
20
local surveyors, trained and paid a stipend
90 days
to complete the survey
Thatter Colony, Old Lucknow
The Thatter Colony Milestone – A Community That Deserves to Be Counted
Thatter Colony, located in a densely populated area of Old Lucknow, is an urban settlement housing approximately 2,500 families from the most marginalized communities, all belonging to Very Low Income (VLI) and Below Poverty Line (BPL) categories. Though several NGOs work in Lucknow, very little to no work has been done in this large area. Basic government schemes often fail to permeate such colonies due to lack of awareness, documentation, and systemic neglect.
Based on demographic extrapolation, we estimate this population includes:
- Hundreds of vulnerable children, including a significant number of orphans and semi-orphans
- Dozens of widows and abandoned spouses (both men and women) lacking social security
- A large cohort of unemployed youth with zero access to career guidance or skill development
- Ailing and destitute individuals who are invisible to the largely shattered public healthcare system
The Core Problem – Poverty Is Visible, But Needs Are Invisible
While poverty is visible, the specific needs of these individuals are invisible. Blanket ration distribution or one-off medical camps fail because they do not address the root causes unique to this colony. No structured, verifiable, or participatory survey has ever been conducted in this community.
SWA plans to adopt this colony and work out intervention measures. But before we can help, we must first understand. That is why we are launching the Thatter Colony Milestone – the first-ever door-to-door, scientifically verified socio-economic survey of this community.
About Social Workers Association (SWA) – A Legacy Since 1987
Since 1987, the Social Workers Association (SWA) has walked alongside the poorest and most vulnerable members of the community. We are not a large organization with massive budgets; we are a diligent one. Our strength lies not in the size of our plans, but in the depth of our verification.
Before we provide a single ration kit, sponsor an orphan’s education, or support a widow’s small business, we personally visit, cross-check claims, speak with neighbours, and verify every detail. We do this because we believe every case is unique, and every rupee must be accounted for.
Over several decades, we have helped countless individuals – not through grand gestures but through consistent, verified, and dignified support. We do not take our work to the public at large, as we are not seeking donations in general, but to select like-minded individuals who have joined us, one at a time, after knowing our work over the past decades.
SWA’s commitment to properly verify each and every detail does three things:
| What We Do | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Verify Every Detail | Ensures resources go to the actual needy |
| Cross-Check Claims | Protects the organization from fraud |
| Maintain Transparency | Gives donors confidence that their contributions are not wasted |
Our holistic, life-cycle support system isn’t just feeding people; it is addressing livelihoods (immediate survival), orphans (future generation), widows (vulnerable women), and the ailing (health emergencies). This is so because poverty is a web, and you have to pull multiple threads to untangle it.
The Intervention – A “By the Community, For the Community” Survey
SWA proposes to conduct the first-ever door-to-door, scientifically verified socio-economic survey in Thatter Colony. Our methodology is unique because:
Local Empowerment
We will recruit and train better-educated women and girls from within the same colony to conduct the survey. This is possible as we already have access to about 5 dozen families whose children are attending the Quranic classes being run by a group of friends.
Dignified Compensation
These women will not work as volunteers; they will be paid a modest stipend per form. This achieves three goals:
- Provides immediate income to educated but unemployed local families
- Ensures the surveyors are trusted by the residents
- Builds a local database of community leaders for future interventions
Absolute Verification
True to SWA’s years-old legacy, every detail – from income proofs to family structure and medical conditions – will be physically verified to ensure zero duplication and 100% authenticity.
The Monumental Impact – Why This Matters
This survey is not an academic exercise; it is the blueprint for a 5-year sustainable development plan. Upon completion, we will possess a dynamic, verified database that will:
| Outcome | Impact |
|---|---|
| Identify Orphans | Connect them with educational sponsorships and legal guardianship schemes |
| Map Widows & Separated Spouses | Secure government pensions (e.g., PMVVY) and micro-enterprise loans |
| Catalogue Youth | Provide targeted ITI, soft-skill, or vocational training based on education levels and aspirations |
| Pinpoint Chronically Ill | Organize health camps and long-term ration support for households with chronic illness |
How you can help
A Call for Partnership – Beyond Just Money
We are seeking well-meaning individuals and organizations to be part of this meaningful initiative. Here is how you can help:
Technical (Data) Support
- Digital data entry
- Software support to create a secure, searchable database of 2,500 families
Human (Expertise) Support
- Volunteers with experience in social research
- Excel data analysis experts
- Social workers to help families secure documents (Aadhar, Ayushman, Ration Cards, etc.)
In-Kind (Logistics) Support
- Computers
- Sewing machines
- Other equipment for vocational courses (computer courses, sewing courses, etc.) to commence after survey completion
Our Commitment to Donors – Accountability Above All
SWA promises accountability.
- Every rupee given for stipends will be tracked with signed receipts from the local women
- Every data point collected will be made available (in anonymized form) to our partners
- We invite you to visit the colony mid-survey to see the ground-level transformation happening in real-time
The Road Ahead – A 90‑Day Journey to Change
The survey will take approximately 90 days. Once the data is verified and analyzed, SWA will release a public “Thatter Colony Needs Assessment Report.” This will serve as a master document for scheme implementation and subsequent intervention phases, including:
- Education centres
- Vocational and skill training
- Widow livelihood clusters
- Youth career counselling cells