About BRWS
About West Bengal
- West Bengal is located in the north eastern region of India, sharing a border with the
neighboring country of Bangladesh. It is economically one of the Poor and Densely Populated
states of India, which is three times the national average.
- As BRWS focuses on sustainable development and women's empowerment in rural areas, it
is significant to note that around 70% of West Bengal is rural, and that 84% of its rural
population is living below the poverty line. Additionally, women only make up close to 20%
of the state's workforce.
[ as per 2001 census ]
History of BRWS
The founders of BRWS originally united to provide aid to the victims of West Bengal's
devastating flood in 1978. After having interacted at an intimate level with the state's
underprivileged citizens and after having realized the demand for their services, the team decided
to dedicate themselves to a broader goal: assisting rural Bengalis in raising themselves out of
poverty. Thus, in 1981 BRWS formally registered as an NGO, and, ever since, the organization
has been working to alleviate poverty through its women's empowerment and health care initiatives.
