Vatsalya - India

An NGO committed to rehabilitation of orphaned and abandoned children, empowerment of marginalized women and healthcare while emphasizing on green energy. Vatsalya is a Sanskrit word meaning unconditional motherly love. Vatsalya came into existence in 1995 by registering itself under the Rajasthan Societies Registration Act, 1958. The major activities of the organization, however, started in the year 2000 when its Founder Members Jaimala and Hitesh decided to leave their full time jobs and devote their energy and efforts to establishing the organization. Their decision coincided with the sad demise of Jaimala’s mother, Mahashweta Devi, whose gifted assets to her daughters initiated Vatsalya’s first few activities. This included helping destitute and desperate children who lived on the footpath, conducting health check-ups, providing free medicines, organizing health education camps and counseling sessions. Vatsalya has undertaken projects and interventions that spread over the entire state of Rajasthan, India. It has a unique Children’s Village on the outskirts of Jaipur where every year about 60 abandoned and destitute children live under the loving care of Vatsalya’s staff. In addition it has outreach programs which attend to the needs of over 800 children in slums every month as well as significant interventions in the fields of Health & HIV-AIDS & Women’s Empowerment.