"Center for Advancement and Rural Empowerment" founded Dear members and supporters of our association, we are now entering the next phase of our service to the poorest of the poor – this time with a special focus on the rural population. As I have discovered in my academic work, there are numerous aid programs and development projects run by the state and federal governments in India. Unfortunately, these offers often do not reach the affected people in the villages. To address precisely this, a dedicated "Center for Advancement and Rural Empowerment (AL-CARE)" has now been established at a Jesuit university in India. Two academic staff members will be deployed there to assess the needs, resources, and available workforce in the villages. On this basis, the university will identify suitable government programs and funding measures that fit the respective village structure. The regulations for the cooperation between the university and the support association were recorded in a "Memorandum of Understanding" and ceremoniously signed on June 4, 2025. The next step is to empower the villagers to apply for and use these programs. Following successful approval by the authorities, the university team will oversee the implementation of the projects – from planning to successful execution – so that the people actually benefit. This is our vision: We will cover the personnel costs of these two forces, while the university provides infrastructure and management. This creates a true win-win situation: The rural population gains sustainable economic and social stability, the university combines academic work with concrete social engagement through its Faculty of Rural Development Sciences (RDS), and we, as the Arul Trust, enable real transformation in rural areas through our support. It's a fantastic project with a lot of potential, and we hope to be able to demonstrate significant results in five years. Thank you so much for making this project possible through your membership fees and donations! We will be regularly informed about progress, and I will personally monitor its development. Sincerely, Dr. Arul Lourdu