Bihar State, India
OHET – bringing practical support and lasting hope to rural communities in Bihar State.
TI (Canada) is working with Open Hands Education Trust (OHET) in rural Bihar, India, supporting children, women, and vulnerable families through education; skills training; food support and clean water initiatives.
Bihar is one of India’s most economically challenged states. Through community-based programs, OHET helps families build healthier, more secure futures.
How you can Help:
Support from donors in Canada makes these programs possible. Every contribution, large or small, directly strengthens education, job training, clean water access, food security, and opportunity for families in rural Bihar. Official Canadian tax receipts are issued for eligible donations.
Your support can make a practical, immediate difference:
- Provide sewing tools, materials and instruction for a woman learning income-generating skills
- Supply books and learning materials for a primary school student
- Contribute toward tuition and expenses for an orphaned student pursuing higher education
- Help fund clean water wells and sanitation/hygiene facilities
- Provide food staples and warm blankets for elderly and disabled villagers
Sewing Program - Location: Goh, Rural Bihar; Established: 2017
OHET began a small sewing program in the village of Dadawan, providing practical job skills for women and older girls with limited income opportunities. What began in a single village has grown into a Sewing School in the nearby town of Goh, which is steadily changing the lives of women and girls in many surrounding villages.
Impact to Date
- More than 250 women graduated between 2017 and 2024.
- Many now contribute financially to their households for the first time and have grown in self-confidence.
- With support from a 2025 grant from the Unitarian Universalist Community of Victoria, Canada, up to 120 additional women and girls will graduate between 2025 and 2027.
The sewing school provides not only sewing and tailoring skills, but also independence, business skills, self-confidence, dignity, and a sustainable way forward for women who previously had few options.
Children’s School - Location: Dadawan Village; Est. 2018
Since 2018, the OHET School has provided free elementary education to children who would otherwise be unable to attend school.
Current Reach
- 80 to 90 students from Kindergarten through Grade 5
- Books and study materials provided at no cost
- Meals and snacks shared regularly
- Classes held in a borrowed village building
Long-Term Vision
OHET hopes to purchase land, build a permanent school facility, and expand grade levels and resources. A permanent building would provide stability, safety, and space for future growth.
Clean Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) - Location: Dadawan Village
Reliable access to safe, year-round water was identified by village leaders as the most urgent need.
OHET responded by building a clean water well and hand pump in Dadawan village, along with sanitation and hygiene facilities.
Community Impact
- During recent drought seasons, OHET’s well and hand pump have at times been the only dependable source of safe water.
- Community toilets and hand-washing facilities have improved sanitation, health, and dignity while reducing open defecation and illness.
The World Health Organization identifies WASH programs as one of the most effective public health interventions for improving child health and reducing disease.
Long-Term Vision: OHET is committed to expanding clean water access and sanitation/hygiene facilities in Dadawan and neighboring villages.
Higher Education Support for Orphaned Students; Est. 2018
OHET supports bright young people who have lost one or both parents and would otherwise be unable to continue their education.
Support May Include
- Tuition assistance
- Books and educational supplies
- Living expenses
Currently, OHET is supporting a young woman completing a university degree in education. She excels academically, has completed additional computer training, and volunteers at the OHET primary school.
She hopes to become a teacher and give back to the community that supported her.
OHET aims to expand this program so more orphaned students can fulfill their potential and build stable, independent lives.
Food and Cold-Weather Support for Elderly and Disabled Villagers - est. 2020
During the COVID crisis, OHET began distributing dry food packages to vulnerable elderly and disabled villagers. What began as emergency assistance has become an ongoing lifeline.
Current Support
- Approximately 40 individuals receive regular food bags containing rice, lentils, soybeans, cooking oil, tea, salt, sugar, and soap.
- During cold winters, warm blankets are distributed to those without adequate protection.
This simple but essential program ensures the most vulnerable members of the community are cared for with dignity.
Every gift supports community-led initiatives that promotes long-term stability, dignity, and hope.
Together, we can continue building practical, sustainable change – one child, one family, and one village at a time.