Women helping women: 5 women-led NGOs in India

WOMEN-led organizations are unique in that their understanding, approaches and solutions come from a place of empathetic first-hand experience. We often see this in cases with female police officers who are more inclined to spot signs of distress or cries for help due to a heightened awareness of such needs. Each NGO for women that are founded by women or that receive significant input from women tend to identify issues that impact women, such as the correlation between drought and women’s safety or between female literacy and the strength of the future workforce of India. 

Organizations that are women-led are also more comfortable for women beneficiaries who interact with greater ease with female counselors, lawyers, doctors and other professionals. This is especially important when dealing with sensitive cases that include domestic violence or sex trafficking. 

While all contributions are invaluable, when it comes to understanding the issues that women face and coming up with sustainable solutions, the contribution and leadership of women are critical and irreplaceable. Even in identical situations, the experience of a woman is different to that of anyone else. This qualifies women to be leaders in the areas of women’s rights and empowerment, especially in the development sector. Each NGO for women in this blog explores a different need such as widow abandonment, menstruation, burn attacks, trafficking and domestic violence. 

Here are 5 amazing women-led organizations that help other women: 

Winnie Singh

Maitri rescues widows abandoned on the streets of Vrindavan and brings them to a safe place where they receive shelter, food, medical care and companionship for the rest of their lives. This Vrindavan-based NGO for women was founded by Winnie Singh in 2005 as a response to the devastating sight of abandoned women living on the streets and begging for food just to survive. These women have families and children but were abandoned for being an “aging inconvenience”. Having witnessed this heartbreaking sight, Winnie Singh realized that she would dedicate her life to uplifting these women by taking the widows off the streets and giving them a comfortable home where they would be safe, have all their needs met and would never have to worry about being abandoned ever again. 

Support Winnie Singh of Maitri

 

Khyati Gupta

Pinkishe Foundation distributes free sanitary pads to underprivileged girls and women who cannot afford them. This helps the girls and women be healthier and makes sure they are not deprived of education or employment because of something as normal and natural as periods. Khyati Gupta started her NGO for women when she saw her household help’s daughter with blood stains on her dress because she could not afford sanitary pads. Khyati was just 16 years old but she knew she had to help other girls and women and has since distributed 3,458,380+ menstrual products to poor girls and women. Recognizing that menstruation is often considered “unclean”, Pinkishe Foundation has also held 2,000+ awareness sessions with local communities to break the stigma about periods and end the discrimination against menstruation. 

Support Khyati Gupta of Pinkishe Foundation

 

Dr. Prema Dhanraj

Agni Raksha provides free surgeries and long-term care to underprivileged and abused women who are burn victims. These women are often victims of domestic violence who have been burned by their husbands or in-laws. From poor backgrounds, the women cannot afford medical treatment – except from Agni Raksha. Dr. Prema Dhanraj suffered from burns as the result of an accident and, therefore, understands the importance of access to emergency medical treatment, counseling care and employment training. 90% of Agni Raksha’s employees are burn victims and the work of this NGO for women has earned its founder Dr. Prema Dhanraj the prestigious Padma Shri award in 2024 for having treated 18,000 burn victims since its founding 15 years ago.

Support Dr. Prema Dhanraj of Agni Raksha

 

Manju Singh

Guria conducts daring raids in red light districts and rescues women and girls forced into prostitution. Manju Singh founded Guria in 1993 to save women and girls from the sexual torture and slavery they are forced to endure in red light districts. Once rescued, the women are brought to a safe location and given urgent medical care, trauma counseling, regular and nutritious meals and vocational skills training to start rebuilding their lives. But Manju Singh doesn’t stop there. Her Varanasi-based NGO for women works with the police and local authorities to locate and prosecute traffickers and owners of brothels, where women suffer from beatings and sexual abuse – even to the point of death. Guria has rescued more than 5,500 women and girls, including minors, from forced prostitution. 

Support Manju Singh of Guria

 

Mrudula Vemulapati

Sayodhya Home for Women in Need shelters women who need a safe location to escape physical abuse from their husbands at home. Founded by Mrudula Vemulapati a decade ago, this Telangana-based NGO for women offers abused and distressed women and their children who are fleeing abuse safe and secure shelter, a free legal aid clinic, psychosocial counseling and urgent medical treatment. Mrudula’s organization has helped 3,500 women and more than 10,000 families with immediate and long-term needs such as employment training to live in financial independence. Sayodhya Home for Women in Need also works to eradicate gender-based discrimination through workshops to reduce the instances of domestic violence plaguing women across India. 

Support Mrudula Vemulapati of Sayodhya

 

Support these women-led NGOs helping women

These organizations, founded by strong women leaders, serve the needs of women across India. Each NGO for women included in this blog equips and empowers women who are suffering in silence from abuse, exploitation and a lack of basic needs. Your support to these NGOs can help more Indian women receive the care they need to live strong and self-sufficient lives. 

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