Centre For Social Action (CSA) a registered trust has as its vision to be “Facilitators of a Just and Humane Society based on Love, Equality, and Harmony with Creation”. The mission of CSA is to initiate and sustain non-violent, collaborative, and integral development processes for vulnerable individuals and groups and work for the empowerment and upliftment of the poor and the marginalised people in the city of Mumbai and its suburbs, Dharavi Island (comprising the villages of Uttan, Gorai, Manori, Pali, Chowk and Dongri), parts of Thane district and whole of Raigad district.
CSA functioned as the Office for Social Work being since 1951, however only after the Consultation in 1990 the mandate of a structure was commissioned. In 1997 the then trustees registered this Office as a Trust. A process of Perspective Planning was initiated in 1999 which enabled the trustees and various stakeholders involved in sharpen their focus resulting in the Vision and Mission of CSA which were reaching out to various vulnerable and marginalized groups of women, children, dalits, tribals and prison inmates through their various partners located in Greater Mumbai, Thane and Raigad districts.
As per the challenges and the needs based issues people were sensitized and the issues dealt with have been – Gender and Development, Anti-Human Trafficking, Promotion of Home based care for People living with HIV AIDS, Protection of Human Rights, Environmental Protection and Sustainability, Communal Harmony, Promotion of formal and non-formal Education especially for tribals and responding to natural calamities and disasters by providing relief and rehabilitation.
CSA’s approach has been a combination of various approaches with a focus on responding to the need through Partner Engagement, Community Mobilization, People-led Development, Networking, Awareness building, Engage with Stakeholders – Government and Systems (Socio, Political, Economic). CSA has constantly worked with like-minded organizations who journey towards the same goal and values that are upheld. They are Equality, Justice, Human Dignity, Peace and Harmony, Love, Inclusiveness, Collaboration, Participation, Respect, Forgiveness, Transparency, Accountability and Unity.
As per the Social Perspective Plan the four broad Program Areas and Objectives of CSA are:
1. Vulnerable Children and Education:
a. To restore the human dignity of vulnerable children through the process of empowerment.
b. To bring about equitable, qualitative and value based education for all.
2. Women Empowerment and Right to Sustainable Livelihood: Every woman in the archdiocese is empowered and her basic rights are guaranteed.
3. Environment and Good Governance – To create sustain and empower CBOs to promote environment-friendly practices and ensuring accountability in governance through a process of participative democracy
4. Communal Harmony and Emergency Response:
a. We commit ourselves to promote Communal Harmony through a process of empowerment.
b. A well-coordinated and secular response to effectively manage emergency situations.
