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:

• Increased awareness of land rights and minimum wage among 2,300 women in the Terai and Dooars region; about 100 women in self-help groups will build the capacity to set up small-scale business activities through the entrepreneurship development program, which offers small start-up funds;

• Access to social security and retirement benefits—specifically India’s Provident Fund, Gratuity, and other statutory welfare schemes— are facilitated for approximately 200 tea workers via project-supported Help Desks;
• Build the legal and advocacy capacities of 200 community leaders through training on land rights ownership applications, para-legal education, workshops, and assistance in court settlements to support the filing of 1,000 land claims;
• Prevent and address human trafficking through targeted legal and social awareness campaigns across 40 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 young people and academic support for approximately 400 low-income students across 15 non-formal study centres
• About 130 young people from tea gardens and villages are trained in tribal music and dance to preserve and promote their culture 

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