Diocesan Development & Welfare Society (DDWS) was established in the year 1980, mandated by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Allahabad, which is a Christian minority institution with an objective to bring a sustainable change in the society irrespective of any cast, creed and color. Allahabad Diocese is one of the oldest Dioceses in India. In the last 29 years DDWS has grown into a big tree with its different branches giving fruits of development and shades of love and affection to the people coming under its shade.

Diocesan Development & Welfare Society has now spread over 12 civil districts in Uttar Pradesh and 6 civil districts in Bihar. Breaking the barriers of social and economic status, DDWS has been able to bring the community on common platform to discuss the issue of development and change in the society. With its philosophy of working with the community rather than working for the community, it made a base of development at the grass roots level through its various programmes. DDWS believes in accelerating the change as a catalyst with an aim to bring self-reliant change through community action. It works as a change agent in the community. It is making sincere efforts year after year with new strategies to intervene in the community as well provide innovative techniques through micro planning to the community.

The organization works with the poorest of the poor through its social centers spread out in the remote areas. Currently this work includes credit unions, literacy movements and conscientization, strengthening government schools and health services through local advocacy, income generation programmes, health education , a shelter home for women in crisis, legal aid and legal literacy, community vigilance against bonded labor and child labor, Childline programme (the national hotline for children in crisis). Capacity building among these communities is creating a layer of skilled leadership among the poor and oppressed, especially of people who are now social activists, youth leaders, paralegals and paramedical workers. During the last 29 years DDWS has initiated community based development work to strengthen the poorest and most marginalized groups in the remote areas and has brought a fruitful results in the targeted area.

The philosophy of the DDWS is to work with grass root communities. The DDWS believes in accelerating change as a catalyst would go to the people with the aim of building self-reliant community through social action. Over the years it has made a sincere effort to use new strategies to intervene in the community and provide innovative techniques like micro planning to the community.

The DDWS bears active witness to the mandate of Jesus Christ and His Gospel teachings to respond to human needs in the following ways:

• By promoting development awareness
• By promoting community based health and education
• By initiating income generation programmes
• By organizing various vocational training programme
• By helping people to fight against various natural calamities
• By promoting legal awareness and providing legal aid
• By helping people to get liberated from any kind of bondages
• By rescuing children who are in distress and getting them back to their homes
• By empowering women make them aware of their rights

Permanent Address:
Bishop's House
32, Thornhill Road
Allahabad - 211 002

Office Address:
Jan Hit Sadan
Near Bethany School
Mirzapur Road
Naini, Allahabad - 211 008
Phone: 0532-2697489
Email: ddws@rediffmail.com