ACT Alliance

CASA is the humanitarian and development arm of 24 Protestant and Orthodox Churches in India and is also a related agency of the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI).

It has its headquarters at New Delhi with zonal offices at Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata. Its primary objective is to alleviate poverty and promote the efforts of marginalised groups of Indian society lives of social justice and self-sufficiency.

The main programmes of CASA fall into three categories: direct programmatic work, partnership programmes with related organisations and emergency and humanitarian assistance. The role of CASA has more recently shifted to that of facilitator of networking, lobbying, advocacy and collective action activities. Social mobilisation are the crux of its developmental action. The present approach is people centered, process oriented and rights based.

Development is not economic growth but equitable distribution, enhancing people's capabilities and widening their choices; it gives top priority to the elimination of poverty, integration of women into the development process, self-reliance and self-determination of people, and protection of the rights of disadvantaged communities, including the dalits.