About Disha

DISHA is a NGO working for socio-economic development of urban and rural communities. Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s ideology of serving the downtrodden, poorest of the poor and marginalized sections, DISHA works with children, adolescents, women and their families in the area of education, health, gender equity, skill development, Self-Help Groups, micro finance, water management, sanitation, livelihood, peaceful conflict resolution for restoring justice, dignity and human rights. These development programs are based on the felt needs of people with an effort to mobilize participation for their individual and community development.

In Delhi, our work is with children and youth to encourage creativity through innovative pedagogy in the area of education and skill development. In the last seven years, we have touched the lives of more than 20,000 boys and girls from the slums and streets of Delhi and students studying in the municipal corporation schools. Most of them are working and face sexual abuse, economic deprivation, and harassment and are addicted to drugs. We also work with the families of the little ones to enable their children to live their dreams.

In Bihar, we work for the empowerment of rural women who are at the bottom of the pyramid. Since the past fifteen years we have helped women by establishing 825 Self Help Groups and cluster groups to start micro- financing activities, skill development for sustainable livelihood and micro enterprise development. Their children are provided education and adolescent girls are given accurate and correct information on issues of adolescent reproductive health. We have helped the marginalized communities to adopt rainwater harvesting for water management and sanitation.

DISHA was founded in 1992 and since then, these initiatives have helped people on the path of self-reliance and empowerment.