Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) is a sprawling, raucous, fascinating metropolis, buzzing with enormous energy and vitality.

Situated on the Ganges delta, the capital of West Bengal is famous for its thriving cultural scene, its cuisine and the warmth and friendliness of its inhabitants. As the former Indian capital, and headquarters of the East India Company, the city has a history of great prestige and power, its beautiful monuments and buildings a reminder of its former glories.

However, in recent decades Kolkata's infrastructure has been stretched to breaking point, due to massive urban migration from neighbouring rural areas and Bangladesh, and successive generations of underinvestment and mismanagement.

Kolkata now has over 16 million inhabitants, a quarter of whom live below the poverty line, and some 2.5 million living on the streets and in slums.

As a result, in Kolkata's poorer communities today, disease is endemic: there are over 2 million new cases of TB every year in West Bengal, HIV/AIDS has reached epidemic proportions and hundreds of people died from a malaria epidemic in Kolkata in 2008. Meanwhile malnutrition is increasing as food prices rise, while in West Bengal, nearly 1 million children, age 6 to 14, do not attend school. Over 85% of females drop out of school before completing Grade X (the last grade of high school).

These are the people Calcutta Rescue supports with life-enhancing holistic medical care, nutrition, education and employment.

Calcutta Rescue is helping as many of these vulnerable people as resources allow. The organisation's work over the past 30 years shows that it is possible to provide hope for these marginalized people through its wide-ranging services. None of this work would be possible without the generous support of individuals around the world.