About us > Who we are
For the poorest of the poor
Howrah South Point (HSP) is an Indian organization founded in 1976 by father Francis Laborde, a roman catholic priest of the Prado. At first, a small home for handicapped children with a dispensary for the poorest were established in Andul Road, Howrah (West Bengal). Then for more than forty years services grew up. Now our action goes through three main programmes: Homes for handicapped and deprived children, Schools for the destitute, including special and non-formal schools, and Health programmes to reach out those who can not access to any structure. A total of nine homes, with more than 500 children; 11 schools with more than 2000 school children; a healthcare center and three mobile dispensaries reaching out more than 45000 deprived people are at the heart of the work of the 320 dedicated staff of HSP today.
The “City of Joy“ spirit
Francis Laborde, born French, always wanted to come to India. After he became a priest, He arrived at Pondichery before settling in the suburbs of Calcutta. His first nine years of indian life inspired Dominique Lapierre for his best seller «The City of Joy». This was the nickname the inhabitants of Pilkhana gave to their own slum. And actually, despite going through the most arduous circumstances, they could keep smiling at life and feeling that it is worth living. This is the spirit of HSP.
To work for the integrated growth of the challenged and differently abled children, the sick and destitute through rehabilitation programs, specialized education, preventive and curative health activities.