Why We Do It

Healing Hands for India implements Catholic Social Teaching by emphasizing the preferential option for the poor in serving some of the poorest of God’s children. Beneficiaries have extremely limited options at the lowest levels of Indian society. Income levels in the communities served by Healing Hands typically average less than $3 per day per family. Children suffer from high levels of mortality due to common diseases such as diarrhea, pneumonia, and tuberculosis. Mothers often have limited maternity care leading to high levels of mortality in childbirth and poor fetal growth. The elderly often have poor support systems and die without love and in discomfort in unworthy conditions.

While the United States has unresolved poverty, it has matured social safety net support systems that mitigate the worst effects in poverty. This foundation focuses on India for the following reasons.

• As a sign of solidarity with elements of the Universal Church that are among the poorest of the poor. Indian per capita income is about $6,700 per year (vs. $57,300 in the U.S.), although in 2011, approximately 268 million Indians lived on less than $1.90 per day.
• Maternal death rates in India are approximately ten-fold higher than in the U.S.
• Approximately 25% of all newborn deaths in the world occur in India.
• The status of women and girls in India is particularly tenuous. The low value placed on females has led to demographically threatening high levels of sex-selective abortion and infanticide. The education of women and girls is a powerful tool for improving health and well-being in communities.