Samerth Charitable Trust works with vulnerable communities - empowering them to gain access to their social and economic rights

Samerth Charitable Trust, also referred to as Samerth was founded to capacitate people and institutions so that they can live a life of dignity. Samerth actively started working in 2001 in Kutch District, Gujarat as a response to the devastating earthquake at that time. The earthquake left several individuals either maimed, homeless or without their families. Samerth initiated support through building houses, facilitating health facilities, providing safe and clean drinking water & promoting education. The Kutch program has now evolved to work extensively on participatory ground water management, reviving ponds and wells, building rain roof water harvesting structures. Over the years the Kutch Program has impacted approximately 50,000 lives directly and ensuring a 25% drop in distressed migration, a huge issue in the area.

In 2002, we expanded our work in Ahmedabad during the distressing riots that shook Gujarat. The focus once again was on marginalised and vulnerable communities. We worked with children & adults with special needs, on early education and leadership development among women of the local communities. Today, the Ahmedabad program runs a day care and vocational centre for over 86 children and young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, providing them access to daily therapies such as physio, speech and psychotherapy. They are also given regular consultations with specialists, an individualised education plan (IEP) is developed for all along with providing vocational training to young adults. The team also works with 13 government schools & community centres on enhancing education in the foundation years, reaching out to more than 1500 children.