Poverty Research

In recent years CR has begun to shift from a demand-led to an evidence-based/data-driven organization.

• In 2017, CR started with a survey examining the health and living conditions of people living in slums (the precursor to the larger Multidimensional Poverty Survey).
• This was quickly followed by a longitudinal cohort study looking at the impact of a nutritional intervention programme on growth patterns of stunted children living in a large slum in northern Kolkata (the malnutrition project).
• CR started data collection to examine the impact of Covid-19 on multiple life domains of people living in slums (COVID-study).  
• CR’s first full Multidimensional Poverty Survey was conducted in 2019, covering 23 slum areas and was repeated in 2024. 
• We also conducted some preliminary work looking at the mental health of slum residents.
• We evaluated the impact of the holistic multicomponent adolescent school-based gender equality programme.

These concurrent initiatives led to the establishment of the Calcutta Rescue Research Collaborative in early 2020. The Calcutta Rescue Research Collaborative comprises a group of international research volunteers from a wide variety of disciplines.  They meet online to generate relevant, well-researched, accountable research protocols buttressed by rigorous methodology and ethical guidance. 

Purpose

The purpose of research at Calcutta Rescue is to provide our management with data allowing:

• Evidence-based decision making (e.g. prioritisation)
• Service improvement
• Fundraising and communication
• Monitoring and evaluation

For more information about the research please contact Dr Esther Sulkers esther.sulkers [at] gmail.com