Bhagya was just a child when her mother died and her father walked away.
She was left to care for her elderly grandmother, younger brother and three little sisters alone. They had no regular income. No government documents. Their roof leaked in the rain, and Bhagya struggled just to put food on the table.
“My family’s situation was very difficult. Life felt aimless and burdensome,” she says. “Even managing a week’s food was a challenge.”
But then Bhagya found Loyola Vikasa Kendra (LVK), our local Jesuit partners in Hangal, India. With their support, she obtained food ration cards, got her siblings into school and even secured funding to fix their crumbling home.
“I now have self-confidence, participation, enthusiasm and determination. On behalf of myself and my family, I will be forever grateful.”
Bhagya prepares food for the girls at the youth hostel.
Today, she earns a liveable wage as an assistant cook at an LVK youth hostel while training to be a tailor so she can better support her family.
“There’s a lot of newness in my life and I feel so happy,” she says. “Because of all the positive changes happening in my life, I now have self-confidence, participation, enthusiasm and determination. On behalf of myself and my family, I will be forever grateful.”
Life for families on the margins
Hangal Block in Karnataka is home to some of the most marginalised families in India.
Many, like Bhagya’s family, come from the Dalit community, which has historically faced deep social exclusion and limited access to education, healthcare, government support and employment opportunities.
This leaves many families trapped in a multi-generational cycle of poverty through no fault of their own.
LVK understands that many of the challenges marginalised families in India face do not occur in isolation: they are the result of complex and interwoven issues that often date back generations.
To break the cycle of poverty, we must first break down the barriers that hold these families back.
That’s why LVK isn’t just about short-term aid. It’s about long-term empowerment. Working alongside families and their communities to build lasting change where it counts.
Already, LVK has transformed 1,617 lives across 36 villages. Your support today can help reach thousands more. Donate online now.
Bhagya featured in our tax appeal 2026.
