Tea plantation workers in North Bengal, India, are often deprived of their rights and subjected to exploitation by plantation managers and government agencies.

Plantation managers often fail to provide workers with the rights and statutory benefits set out in the Plantation Labor Act, including fair wages, medical care, and primary education for workers' children. Government agencies also deny workers their benefits and rights, such as ration cards and access to land ownership.

These violations are a loss of human dignity and result in unacceptable living conditions for the workers, most of whom are Scheduled Tribes (called "Adivasis").

The Human Life Development and Research Center (HLDRC), based in Matigara, is a project of the Jesuit Province of Darjeeling that addresses these injustices.

Canadian Jesuits International (CJI) is currently supporting a project that aims to empower marginalized members of the tea plantation community through a multi-pronged approach centred on rights-based advocacy, livelihood support, education, and leadership development. By strengthening community structures such as women’s Self Help Groups (SHGs), youth groups, and grassroots leadership, the initiative aims to provide long-term social and economic transformation across tea gardens.

Here are some expected results:

• Increase household income for women in tea plantations through livelihood enhancement programs delivered to 10 Self Help Groups (SHGs), directly benefitting women tea workers;

• Facilitate access to social security and retirement benefits—specifically India’s Provident Fund, Gratuity, and other statutory welfare schemes—for approximately 200 tea workers via project-supported Help Desks;
• Build the legal and advocacy capacities of community leaders through training on land rights ownership applications, para-legal education, workshops, and assistance in court settlements;
• Prevent and address human trafficking through targeted legal and social awareness campaigns across 30 tea gardens, using Help Desks as critical support and referral hubs;
• Improve employment and educational outcomes for young people by providing vocational training for 150 youths and academic support for approximately 400 low-income students across 15 non-formal study centres.

The HLDRC also conducts research and maintains a database on migrant and missing women, including victims of trafficking. It coordinates its activities with the Delhi-based Jesuits in Social Action (JESA) and is an active member of the Lok Manch.

HLDRC Director: Fr Pascal Xalxo SJ

Watch video about HLDRC: Helping tea plantation workers claim their rights

Visit HLDRC’s website: https://hldrcsocialcentre.org

Read the latest project impact report: Click here for English,  Click here for French