Steuncomité Anand (The Anand Society) is meant to raise funds and provide on-the-field assistance to a network of social projects aiming at the emancipation of the Dalit & Scheduled Castes communities (the so-called "untouchables") of Bihar (India). The local network, called Jeevan Deep and chaired by Kailash Prasad, who is himself a Dalit, believes that freedom and basic human rights are to be obtained by the people themselves, and that education is the first step towards a better future. Further to its scope (the Bodhgaya area), the local organisation finds inspiration with both Buddhist and Gandhian philosophy, but the Anand Society has adherents of all faiths and persuasions.