About Us

Catalysts for Social Action (CSA), is a social welfare organization dedicated to the cause of child welfare. CSA focuses on Adoption, and Institutionalized-child care. Initiated as the outcome of an adoption in the family CSA was established in September 2002, and is registered as a Society under the Societies Registration Act 1860 and as a Trust under Bombay Public Trust Act 1950. Our aim is to optimize rehabilitation outcomes for institutionalized children and to influence change in adoption practice. We work both, on enhancing the total number of adoptions and, and towards better child care while the child is institutionalized.

CSA is supported by Kale Consultants Ltd. a software House in Mumbai. Kale route their CSR through CSA.

Adoption
CSA work with 25 rural agencies in Maharashtra, Orissa, Chattisgarh and Goa. Primarily, we identify agencies in smaller towns where children do not find homes locally. We partner with the agencies in

Finding homes for children awaiting adoption.
Enhancing the living, childcare and work-conditions in the agencies.
Cultivating an adoption-friendly environment by networking with the Government, Judicial and other authorities that are a part of the adoption process.

An encouraging outcome of our effort is that several city parents now, adopt from rural India. In effect, we have started a trend. Many children who would have ended up in orphanages and a lifetime of sub-optimal care now, find homes.

We extensively support the adoption community too. Our Adoption facilitation initiatives have helped many a parent, to fulfill their desire to parent Our website, a complete information repository on Adoption in India has been described as a ‘valuable resource’.

Our Chat Groups– Adoption_experiences@yahoogroups.com for adoption stakeholders and Adoptees_voices@yahoogroups.com for Adult Indian Adoptees, are excellent support bases.

Our Advocacy efforts have started yielding results; The Orissa High Court has, in response to our requests, initiated measures for clearing long-pending Court cases and measures leading to uniformity and standardization of Court processes.

Orphan care
CSA works with 9 Destitute Homes/Orphanages, 4 in Maharashtra and 5 in Orissa. Vocational training, Skills development and Functional Literacy are some of the areas of focus. Wherever possible, children are encouraged to seek admission in English medium schools. Educational support, recreation and Health facilitation areextended to the children.
We have also, initiated the process of moving adoptable children from orphanages, into the adoption stream.