Salt of the Earth is a successful and different charity. Founded in 1988, it was set up to support a particular non-governmental organisation in southern Tamil Nadu called Social Change and Development (SCAD) which had been started a few years earlier to help the low caste, the disadvantaged and the poorest of the poor. The people SCAD helps live in great poverty and, without help, they would be unable to improve their lot.

We at Salt of the Earth believe it is important to build and maintain a close working relationship with our partner organisation in India. To this end, Trustees and supporters make regular visits to SCAD, at our own expense, at which time projects are visited and discussed, and funding agreements are made. Cletus Babu, the charismatic Chairman and founder of SCAD, comes to the UK every two years to meet with as many people as he can. As a result of these on-going interactions there exists a robust and highly practical working relationship between the two organisations based on mutual trust, affection and respect.

We also believe that it is very important that the very best use is made of the donations we receive. Consequently we have a policy that every penny donated goes direct to the project area with absolutely no deductions being made. We can do this because everyone involved with Salt of the Earth is a volunteer, and the expenses of the charity are paid for from the profits of a stall, selling Indian goods, run by some of the Trustees.

Salt of the Earth is able to demonstrate, through its work with SCAD, that there is real hope for the developing world and that individuals can make a significant difference by giving, no matter how much or how little.