Target Group

It is an established truth that disasters affect poor the most. Affluent people have every thing to compensate their losses, but the poor do not. Women, children and old are the most vulnerable and so are the handicapped. Dalits in general suffer the most. It is therefore, natural that GPSVS primarily works with

• Women
• Children
• Dalits and marginalised communities

Status of Women

Women in the area are considered as second class member in the target area. For the same amount of work they get lesser wages than their male counterparts. Average women of is 56 years and mean age of marriage is 14 to 16 years. Most of the women are anaemic.
                                 
In the absence of their husbands, who live outside generally because of livelihood compulsions, women are the main victims of the socio-economic imbalances.  The women have to bear the whole responsibility of family like arranging food, drinking water, cattle rearing, childcare and looking after of the old parents.  This has bearing on the entire family, including children.

Status of Children

Since fathers of a majority of children have migrated to other states and cities because of livelihood compulsions, the children are mostly left uncared for. Education of children is the last thing that a family can think of under these circumstances. Because of poor to almost non-existent educational infrastructure, many children never see the face of a school. Event those who are in the schools are barely able to attend the schools because of floods, summer vacations, etc. The result is that a generation of illiterates and uneducated people is fast coming up as is reflected by increase in absolute number of illiterates, even though the percentage of illiterates has gone down.

Status of Dalits and Marginalised Sections

Like elsewhere, Dalits in Madhubani district are among the most marginalised communities, though marginalisation of people cuts across the caste groups. They are forced to live in degraded localities, are forced to do menial work and become victims of atrocities of the people of higher castes. Their women are particularly vulnerable. Most of the Dalits and marginalised people do now own agricultural lands, their resource base is too narrow and this adds to their vulnerability.