Saath Charitable Trust
Saath founded in 1989 serves the informal sector through education, livelihood, health, & financial literacy and inclusion.
Saath is a Public Charitable Trust, founded in 1989, with an aim to support those underserved. Saath in Hindi/Gujarati means ‘together, co-operation, or a collective support. The organization is dedicated to empowering the marginalized communities, by providing livelihood opportunities, access to health care, education, financial literacy and inclusion through varied interventions developed organically in a participatory manner. The goal is to build ownership from within the community to ensure sustainability and impactful transformations, especially for women and children.
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 Program, an undertaking that seeks to rejuvenate slums into vibrant neighbourhoods. Saath works with slum residents, children, women, youth, informal sector workers, 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’s Thematic areas:
Livelihood - The livelihood programs at Saath focus on making individuals financially independent either by equipping them with vocational training (traditional and non-traditional) or supporting them through entrepreneurial support. Women have been at the core of this initiative. Till date Saath has actively supported 72,809 youth and women for vocational training. Out of which 5200 are successful entrepreneurs. 3,200 women have been trained in non-traditional livelihoods.
Education - Saath has supported almost 23,066 children through various educational initiatives.**** The three main strategies tailored to the specific needs of communities are:
Balghar: Launched in 2004 as pre-school spaces designed to provide a nurturing educational environment for the holistic development of children. Activities within these spaces concentrate on addressing a child's cognitive, socio-economic, physiological, psychological, and nutritional needs. Serving as demonstration spaces, Balghar complements government-run anganwadis (Pre-schools), catering to the same age group of children. The ultimate goal of the Balghar is to seek admission for the child into a mainstream school, to further her education.
Child-Friendly Spaces: Is a vital initiative aimed at offering a secure environment for child laborers and the offspring of construction workers, addressing their comprehensive developmental requirements. Frequently left unsupervised due to the absence of parental care, these children are at risk of being compelled into child labor.
STEM Education: Is dedicated to enhancing the quality of education in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics through specially developed Centres, equipped with hands-on learning material, an essential need for children from marginalized communities, particularly girls, who often lack opportunities to pursue these subjects. The STEM experience also presents to them varied career opportunities which they can now seek out and explore.
Health – Health has been an integral part of Saath’s working since its inception, strongly believing that health has an implication on every aspect of a person’s life. Till date Saath has supported 8,22,040 through various interventions, health awareness programs and referral linkages especially focusing on reproductive and child health, vaccination, immunization, Tuberculosis and malnourishment among the vulnerable communities.
Livelihood: The livelihood program focusses on making indiviuals financially independent either by equipping them with vocational training (traditional & non-traditional) or supporting them through entreprenurial support. Women have been at the core of this initiative. Till date Saath has actively supported 76,788 youth and women through vocational training. 8,832 have been supported through Microentrepreneurship (ME) interventions.
Integrated Area Development (IAD) - The goal of IAD is bringing together & empowering communities to address issues affecting the quality of their life. The program includes extensive mapping, identification of problem areas and prioritizing them on the basis of severity and urgency. All done in a participatory manner to build ownership from with the community. Committees are then formed and empowered to take these issues to the local government for redressal. 25000 households have been supported through the IAD and more than 500 problems have been resolved.
Financial inclusion – The program aims to build a habit of saving among the community members, no matter how small the amount be. The intervention started in Rajasthan in 2016 spread to Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat as well. Saath has till date supported over 30,000 beneficiaries through various financial inclusion interventions.
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Save Tangaliya: A 700-Year-Old Craft Facing Extinction
Tangaliya, also known as Daana Weaving, is a unique and centuries-old weaving tradition originating from Gujarat’s Surendranagar district. It’s a craft passed down through generations by the Dangasiya community, with a fascinating origin story. According to legend, a young boy from the shepherd community fell in love with a weaver’s daughter. Despite being shunned by his family, he married her and settled with the weaver community, continuing to herd sheep. As he learned the art of weaving from his in-laws, he introduced wool from his herd into the craft, eventually creating the stunning Tangaliya art we know today. Tangaliya weaving is a highly intricate and labour-intensive craft, where tiny dots of extra weft are twisted around warp threads, creating bead-like embroidery effects on fabric. These detailed geometric patterns are formed simultaneously on both sides of the fabric, adding to its beauty and uniqueness. Despite its richness and history, Tangaliya weaving is on the brink of extinction. By 2002, only two families in Surendranagar continued the tradition. At Saath, we refused to let this heritage fade into history. Here’s how we’ve worked to revive and preserve the craft: Providing access to credit, enabling artisans to buy raw materials. Connecting artisans to marketplaces, ensuring fair prices without the interference of middlemen. Training in digital marketing, helping artisans expand their reach and grow their customer base. Assisting in design innovation, encouraging artisans to create fresh products while maintaining the traditional integrity of Tangaliya fabric. A Weaver's Story, Chandubhai Vaniya from Surendranagar District: "When I was young, Tangaliya weaving was on the brink of extinction. Most young people had left for the cities, and only two families in our district still practised the craft. I had to leave school after the 10th grade to support my family. I grew up watching my father at the loom, and though I wanted to study, I too began weaving. Back then, we made only traditional woollen garments—beautiful, but disconnected from modern tastes. Tangaliya was no longer sustainable, and the knowledge was fading. That’s when Saath Charitable Trust stepped in. They brought us together, created a materials bank, and helped raise awareness about preserving our cultural heritage. Under Saath’s guidance, the Rweaves initiative was born. It helped us modernise designs, work with new materials, access credit, and sell directly, making the craft viable again. Thanks to this support, Tangaliya is alive today. More families are weaving again. The youth are returning to the loom. My income has increased by over 60%, I now employ others, and my work is officially recognized by the Ministry of Textiles. My children are educated and financially secure—but my proudest moment is seeing my son Hitesh, once disinterested, now passionate about Tangaliya and eager to grow the business." Since 2010, our efforts have helped over 45 families reconnect with the art of Tangaliya weaving. However, sustaining and expanding this craft requires ongoing support. Your contribution can ensure that this cultural heritage is preserved for future generations, while providing artisans with a stable and sustainable livelihood. Join Us in Supporting These Artisans & Preserving Our Culture! Together, we can help keep this 700-year-old tradition alive. Your donation will not only safeguard the future of Tangaliya weaving but also uplift the lives of artisans and their communities. Tangaliya #Heritage #Craftsmanship #Tradition #Art #Weaving #Cultural #Empowerment #Handcrafted #Artisans #Livelihood #Beautiful #Designs #Labour
- Raised
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- Next milestone
- $100
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Turn Hunger into Hope with Every Meal
When Neha’s (name changed) family moved to Ahmedabad in search of a better future, they found a place to stay in a labour colony provided by the builder. While this gave them a roof over their heads and a sense of community, it didn’t shield them from deeper struggles. Her parents worked long hours at the construction site, leaving her alone for most of the day, with no school, no care, and barely enough food. Hunger weakened her, making even the simplest joys of childhood feel distant. For children of migrant workers, hunger isn’t just about food—it keeps them out of school, drains their energy, and locks them in a cycle of poverty. That’s why Saath established Child-Friendly Spaces (CFS)—safe havens within labour colonies that not only provide nutritious meals but also act as bridge schools, preparing children for formal education. For the first time in months, Neha had a full plate of warm food. The meals at CFS didn’t just fill her stomach; they gave her the strength to hold a pencil, focus in class, and dream of a future beyond the construction site. A simple meal became her first step toward a brighter tomorrow. Since 2008, Saath Charitable Trust has supported over 10,000 children through CFS centers across Gujarat and Rajasthan. Today, over 200 children in Ahmedabad rely on these centers for their daily meals and education. Yet, thousands more still go to bed hungry. Their parents work tirelessly to build homes for others while struggling to secure their own children’s future. Without proper nutrition, these children remain trapped—too hungry to learn, too weak to grow, too invisible to matter. With just ₹600 ($7), you can provide a child with nutritious meals for an entire month. Your support ensures that no child at CFS has to study on an empty stomach or suffer in silence. Your kindness can turn hunger into hope and give them a real shot at education. Donate today and help a child step into school, not hunger.
- Raised
- $40
- Next milestone
- $100
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