Healing Wounds with Hope in Kashmir

Every day, the beautiful but conflict-ridden landscape of Jammu and Kashmir presents unique survival challenges for its rural communities. For families shattered by systemic instability, finding a steady income and securing basic nutrition is a daily struggle. This year, India Development Service is proud to partner with the Human Aid Society (HAS), a dedicated grassroots organization working tirelessly to revive sustainable livelihoods and restore dignity in the region. The founder of the organization has a moving backstory: Bashir Ahmad Mir overcame profound personal tragedy - including targeted killings of family members during the Kashmir militancy and surviving life-altering injuries - to establish the Human Aid Society, eventually embracing a path of radical forgiveness by funding the education and care of the children of his family’s assailants.

For over 26 years, the Human Aid Society has served as a beacon of compassion. Since its inception in November 1999, HAS has transformed lives through targeted interventions: training more than 200 women for self-reliance, providing monthly food rations to 100 widows and supporting over 1,400 students. Driven by the core motto, “Instead of giving a fish, teach how to catch one,” their mission emphasizes self-reliance over external dependency.

Through this new partnership, IDS is supporting a transformative, small-scale livelihood pilot model in the rural villages of the Baramulla district. Classified as an Aspirational District with limited economic opportunities, Baramulla faces severe underemployment and low household incomes.

Human Aid Society livelihood initiative in Kashmir

The new initiative directly targets 25 economically vulnerable households, with a strong emphasis on women-led families, many of them being widows, who traditionally rely on irregular wage labor. By establishing dedicated poultry livelihood units, providing infrastructure (such as temporary sheds), feed, vaccinations, and continuous supervision, the project aims to:

Generate sustainable household income
Improve food security and nutrition
Empower women economically

Community livelihood and women's empowerment in Baramulla — Community livelihood and women’s empowerment in Baramulla

With October 15 being the International Day of Rural Women and October 17 being the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, it is a joy to showcase how HAS is planting seeds of resilience and long-term stability across Kashmir by nurturing traditional livelihood practices and fostering local village employment.

Together, we are building a future where marginalized communities can heal, grow, and thrive with dignity. Thank you to our generous donors for making this vital work possible.