Profile

Saath (which in Hindi/Gujarati means ‘together, co-operation, a collective or support’), founded in 1989, is an NGO in India registered as a Public Charitable Trust and is based in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Saath closely works with the vulnerable communities and empowers the socially marginalized by providing them livelihood linkages, imparting skills leading to employment, health and education facilities. The focus areas of Saath are livelihoods, skill development, health and education, rights, urban governance, financial inclusion, rehabilitation and resettlement and other community development initiatives.

Saath began as a Charitable Trust that pioneered in rejuvenating underprivileged slums and vulnerable neighborhoods into self-sustaining and developed communities by its Integrated Community Development Programme changing the environment of urban slums. Saath through its one-stop centers provides supports to slum dwellers to obtain government identities, providing them access to public benefit schemes, imparting skills leading to employment, micro-finance for vital personal consumption and setting up SMEs and providing access to habitable environment and basic education.

Over the years, Saath has partnered with various entities – government, corporates, individuals and other NGO/NPOs for several undertakings of greater good.In the last 30 years Saath has rendered it services to several slum residents, migrants, minorities, children, women, youth and vulnerable people in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Maharashtra (Mumbai) and has touched the lives of more than 15 lakh individuals.

As Saath marches forward with its partners in its journey towards uplifting the marginalized, it keeps on expanding its horizon of the communities it serves. In this journey, Saath has received several accolades for its programs, internal systems, organizational ethics, best practices in resource mobilization and sustainability models, the latest one of them being the – India NGO Award 2014-15 in the Medium category.

Vision

Saath envisions inclusive and empowered communities and individuals.

Mission

To make human settlements equitable living environments where all residents and vulnerable people have access to health, education, essential infrastructure services and livelihood options, irrespective of their economic and social status.

Approach

Saath engages organizations, corporates and individuals from India and globally as partners and supporters. Saath initiated the Integrated Community Development Programme, an undertaking that seeks to rejuvenate slums into vibrant neighbourhoods. Saath works with slum residents, children, women, youth and vulnerable people in urban and rural areas.It addresses multiple needs of the socio-economically vulnerable with one-stop solutions, through which slum residents have access to basic services for holistic growth. Saath collaborates with the communities, specially the youth to undertake their upliftment programmes. Communities co-invest with Saath and donors for the program implementation and scaling-up.

Theory of Change

By utilizing Saath’s 30 years of experience of working with the communities, its mar-ket and need based innovative approach within multiple sectors, its reach and engaging with the stakeholders Saath will be able to empwer 2 lakh vulnerable families by December 2020, by working for their livelihoods, housing (R&R), financial inclusion, community leadership and education. To be successful at this Saath will have to build the capacity of its team members and community leaders, use technology for bringing quality, cost-effectiveness monitoring, bring accountability, expand its current reach, leverage interlinkages and bring in more funds by taking new approach and tapping new sources.