Transforming the lives of Dalits Forever.

Millions of precious children of God live trapped in the world’s largest form of modern-day slavery. Sometimes known as the “Untouchables,” the Dalits dwell at the very bottom of the hierarchy of India’s caste system, living lives that we as blessed Americans find difficult to comprehend.

Dalit Facts

• The word “Dalit” means crushed, broken, or oppressed

• Dalits comprise a staggering 25% of the population and are regarded as subhuman outcastes

• Each Dalit is thought to deserve his or her status because of the Hindu belief that a person is born

into a caste determined by actions from a past life

• 250 million Dalits suffer unthinkable discrimination, humiliation, and lack of basic human rights

such as education, healthcare, and access to available clean water sources

• Because of their caste, Dalits generally have no choice but to work in the most “unclean,”

dangerous, and inhumane occupations

• Though the caste system has survived for 3,000 years, it is beginning to crumble today as Dalits rise up and demand change.

The Dalits have invited the Dalit Freedom Network into their international struggle and their individual communities. DFN’s response to the Dalits’ specific requests is a dynamic four-program approach including Education, Healthcare, Economic Development, and Social Justice. Standing alone, none of these programs

is sufficient; each is an integral part of the community transformation process, and together they are transforming India forever.

Over the coming year, we will be telling you more about the work that is being done to transform the lives of the Dalits. After helping us with a successful campaign to raise funds for the Africa Well Project in 2007, we invite you to join STL as we take on this new mission challenge. Our desire is to bring awareness of the Dalits to you and hopefully aide in bringing justice to these people by showing God’s love and mercy.

For more information on how to participate in this worthy cause or to order a

display for your store please visit www.dalitnetwork.org or call 866-921-1333.

“For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the

needy in his distress…” (Isaiah 25:4)