Our charity has been raising funds for communities in South India for over 30 years
About us:
Salt of the Earth (SOTE) are a non-profit Leicester based charity, that fund rural development projects for the rural poor in South India. Our charity works closely with Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in Tamil Nadu, to help directly implement projects in the villages we support. We are a volunteer-led organisation and are committed to supporting some of the poorest communities in India.
Early visit to India, first collaborations with local NGOs
“Our vision is a world where rural communities have access to opportunity, dignity, equality and sustainable livelihoods”
Our history:
SOTE was founded after CEO, Murray Frankland, visited the salt plains South India in 1988. His plans to travel up North were postponed during a business trip and he was momentarily constrained to the area. Unable to travel, a guide recommended that Murray visit a local NGO to see the impact they were having in rural villages.
Murray was struck by the absolute poverty in the villages and returned home to the UK compelled to make a change. Since that trip, Salt of the Earth was set up and has since raised close to £5 million for the rural poor.
Murray on a sponsored bike ride in the late 90’s
Who we support:
Most of the people we support are low caste and many of them are Dalits (untouchables). The Dalit population in India are below the poverty line and are often ‘un-seen’ by the government. The rural communities we support live in hard to reach villages and have little access to work, food, water and services. We support some of Tamil Nadu’s poorest communities and implement projects for people of all ages, regardless of their religious beliefs.
Janet and Murray visiting a kitchen garden in 2020
What we do:
We aim to improve the lives of those living in rural poverty by delivering a variety of projects. We fund projects focusing on women’s empowerment, health initiatives, education, water access and environmental preservation. Community development underpins all our work so that our projects leave a lasting impact.
Billie being interviewed by Indian News channels in 2020
Our Team
How we operate:
We work hard to keep expenses to an absolute minimum. We hire a part-time freelancer to take care of our admin. Every other person in our organisation, including our CEO, works voluntarily. We are a very small team that works closely with our partner NGOs in India.
Our trustees meet twice a year and give up their own time to visit our partner organisations, where they review progress and agree future plans on an annual basis. We have a team of over 25 dedicated volunteers who fundraise for us throughout the year. A large percentage of our income comes via private donations and sponsorship schemes, by donors who trust the good work that we are doing.
We work hard to ensure that those who donate are aware of how their donations are supporting those in need. With our expenses being so low, we are proud to state that almost 100% of the money you donate, goes directly to our projects in India.
Murray Frankland, CEO
Murray (left) has visited India over 30 times and is partuclarly proud of working with people with disabilities.
Janet Elisita, Management team
Janet (left) has visited India over 20 times. Her talks to Women’s Self Help groups are very popular. She is proud watch rural women gain confidence and stature over the years.
Lena Lang, Freelance Admin & Marketing
Lena (middle, right in pink) has visited SOTE projects in India three times. She is proud to help showcase SOTE online and manages our child sponsorship scheme.
Billie Calland, Management team & Visit Guide
Billie (left) has been visiting India for 20 years. She is proud to run the visitors trip to SOTE projects and takes an active role in management meetings in the UK and in India.
David Bradly, Accounts
Dave (middle right, standing in white shirt) takes care of the SOTE accounts. He takes an active role in management meetings and is proud to be a part of helping those less fortunate in India.
Paul Calland, Supporters Visit Guide
Paul (left) runs the supporters visit to India with his wife Billie. Paul enjoys showing visitors around the wonders of South India and introducing supporters to our partners.
Our Trustees:
We currently have nine trustees that govern our charity. They have all seen the impact of our projects first-hand in India through their own expense, and are passionate about making decisions that positively impact rural people in Tamil Nadu.
Murray Frankland, Chair and Founding Trustee:
Founded Salt of the Earth in 1988 after a trip to Tamil Nadu and has visited the projects the charity supports every year before the pandemic. He built a career in management training and organisational development both in company and as an independent consultant
Janet Elisita:
Janet Elisita B.A. Diploma in Social Administration. M.Phil. Diploma in Counselling. Janet has worked in Social Work, Adult Education and Counselling. Janet has been a SOTE trustee for over 20 years.
David Bradly:
David is a computer programmer by profession, previously working in the computer graphics industry before retiring in 2015. His interest in India started through supporting Oxfam after graduation, joining Salt of the Earth in 2005 at the time of the tsunami. He has visited India twice.
Billie Calland:
Billie is a Child support worker and has volunteered for SOTE since its inception. She has several qualifications in supporting children, and has visited our projects several times. She and her husband Paul lead the supporters visit to India each year.
Celia Barden:
Celia Barden has supported Salt of the Earth since it started. She was vey moved on seeing the poverty of many in Tamil Nadu. She has organised a sale in aid of the charity for 25 years and enjoys keeping up with all activities in the villages.
Brian Woodcock:
Brian is a retired United Reformed Church minister. He first went to India in 1996, and has been a trustee of Salt of the Earth for fifteen years.
Anne Walker:
Anne is a retired Sales Manager. Over the years Anne has visited our projects many times and been active in some field work. Anne enjoys holding fundraisers at her home for Salt of the Earth.
Simon Fielding OBE:
Simon originally trained as an osteopath and was appointed by Ministers as the first chair of the statutory General Council of Osteopathy. He later spent 13 years as an adviser at the Department of Health and now devotes his time to his many charitable interests and his bees.
Jane Fielding:
After a successful career that has encompassed publishing and marketing, Jane now divides her time between managing a busy osteopathic clinic and pursuing her love of art and gardening.