A group of Master of Social Work (MSW) from the North East Institute of Social Sciences and Research (NEISSR), Nagaland, visited Caritas India on February 3, 2025, to study its innovative social development programs. Led by Fr. Dr. Robin Thomas, Assistant Professor and Head of the Department of Social Work at NEISSR, the visit aimed to foster academic-practitioner collaboration and deepen understanding of Caritas India’s grassroots initiatives.

The students, specializing in Social Entrepreneurship Development received an overview of Caritas India’s six strategic focus areas: Humanitarian Aid & Disaster Risk Reduction, Climate-Adaptive Agriculture & Food Sovereignty, Anti-Human Trafficking & Migration, Peacebuilding, Health & Nutrition, and Livelihood & Skill Development. Exposure visits bridge classroom theories with real-world interventions. The students from the Social Entrepreneurship Development (SED) course gained practical models and insights for sustainable change offered through Caritas’ work.

A highlight was the detailed presentation on Samvaad, Caritas India’s flagship peacebuilding program. This initiative, operational in Uttar Pradesh, promotes communal harmony through dialogue, youth engagement, and conflict resolution training. The program has trained over 600 students as “peace ambassadors” and expanded to 32 villages, emphasizing grassroots reconciliation.

Fr. Anil Crasta, Assistant Executive Director of Caritas India, highlighted the organization’s openness to collaborative research on different thematic areas and encouraged the students to volunteerism. Strategic partnerships with academic institutions like NEISSR can amplify evidence-based solutions for marginalized communities while nurturing future social work leaders.

Caritas India regularly hosts student groups to demonstrate the operational dynamics of large-scale social programs. Such exchanges aim to inspire innovative approaches to poverty alleviation and peacebuilding while addressing systemic inequities.

Both institutions believe that this symbiotic relationship between the NGO and MSW students will pave the way for innovative solutions to longstanding community challenges. They expressed interest in joint research projects and field internships, particularly in Northeastern regions. This collaboration aligns with Caritas India’s strategic pillar of “Empowering Animation,” which prioritizes youth leadership in social transformation. The exchange between NEISSR and Caritas India exemplifies the growing synergy between academia and development practitioners, promising more effective and sustainable solutions to complex social challenges.