Everyone involved in the charity gives their services free of charge. The expenses are kept to a minimum and are paid for by the proceeds of stalls selling goods that some of the Trustees buy when they visit India. Money goes a very long way in south India as operational costs are low as is the cost of living. The dedicated SCAD staff are prepared to work for long hours at much lower salaries than the Government would pay.

We can be described as a network charity. We have a strong and committed supporter base of over one thousand which has been built up by word of mouth and recommendation. We publish a twice yearly newsletter and run child, village and tree sponsorship schemes.

The charity was founded by Murray Frankland as a result of a chance visit to SCAD whilst touring southern India in 1988. Cletus Babu, the founder of SCAD, had left the Catholic ministry some three years earlier and had set up his organisation to help the rural poor in the village of Cheranmahadevi. Cletus showed Murray the work in the local agricultural villages and the progress being made in the saltpan area some 70 kilometres to the east on the coast. Murray was so impressed with Cletus, the quality of the work that was being done and the need that he made a long term commitment to support the work of SCAD.