Our Mission
Objectives & Aims
Our work is guided by eight core objectives aimed at empowerment, education, health, and the protection of marginalised communities. Each objective below reflects a real, ongoing area of work grounded in constitutional rights and social need, not just a slogan.
1. Reservations and welfare for SC/ST communities
India's reservation system, rooted in Articles 15(4), 16, and 46 of the Constitution, exists to correct centuries of social and educational disadvantage faced by Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. On paper the system reserves seats in education, government jobs, and local bodies, but in practice many eligible families never receive the certificates, scholarships, or job placements they are entitled to, simply because they do not know the process or cannot navigate the paperwork. We work at the village and household level to help families obtain caste certificates, apply for scholarships and hostel facilities, and follow up on welfare scheme applications that get stuck in bureaucratic delay. We also track local implementation of SC/ST welfare budgets and raise cases of denial or discrimination with the concerned departments.
2. Prevention of child marriage
The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 sets the marriageable age at 18 for women and 21 for men, and empowers courts to annul such marriages and punish those who solemnise, promote, or permit them. Yet child marriage persists in many communities, often driven by poverty, fear for a daughter's safety, or social pressure around dowry and family honour. Child brides face interrupted education, early pregnancy risks, and greater vulnerability to domestic violence. Our volunteers work with families and local leaders to identify at risk marriages before they happen, connect families to the appointed Child Marriage Prohibition Officer where needed, and run awareness sessions in schools and community gatherings on the legal and health consequences of marrying before the legal age.
3. Ending child labour and securing every child's right to education
Under the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, no child under 14 may be employed in any occupation, and the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 guarantees free, compulsory schooling for every child aged 6 to 14. Despite these laws, lakhs of children across India, including in our own communities, are pulled out of school to work in agriculture, domestic labour, or small family enterprises because their families cannot afford the loss of income otherwise. We identify out of school and working children, support their enrolment or re-enrolment, help families access the benefits and reservations they are entitled to under the RTE Act, and follow up with schools to ensure children are not quietly dropped from attendance rolls.
4. Health awareness camps and access to healthcare
Out of pocket medical costs continue to push millions of Indian families into poverty every year, and awareness of government health coverage schemes such as Ayushman Bharat remains low in many rural and semi-urban communities, particularly among those without formal identity documents. We organise periodic health camps offering basic checkups, screening, and referrals, and help eligible families understand and apply for Ayushman Bharat cards and other public health entitlements. We also run awareness drives on preventable illnesses, maternal and child health, and the importance of timely treatment rather than delayed or informal care.
5. Preserving cultural heritage and identity
The history, art, literature, and traditions of Dalit and other marginalised communities are frequently left out of mainstream cultural memory. We work to document oral histories, celebrate the contributions and life stories of community leaders and reformers, and support local cultural events, festivals, and gatherings that keep this heritage alive for younger generations. Preserving this shared identity is, in our view, inseparable from the wider struggle for dignity and recognition.
6. Countering superstition and promoting scientific thinking
Superstition, faith healing in place of medical treatment, and exploitative practices dressed up as tradition disproportionately harm communities with limited access to education and healthcare. We conduct awareness sessions that encourage scientific temper (a value explicitly recognised in Article 51A of the Constitution), explain the real, often dangerous consequences of practices such as witchcraft accusations and quackery, and direct families toward legitimate medical and legal support instead.
7. Supporting de-addiction and recovery
Alcohol and substance dependence place a heavy, often hidden burden on already vulnerable households, worsening poverty, domestic conflict, and health outcomes. We connect affected individuals and families with available government and NGO de-addiction and counselling services, run community awareness programs on the health and social costs of addiction, and support families navigating the recovery process, particularly where addiction is contributing to child neglect or domestic violence.
8. Ending untouchability and caste based discrimination
Article 17 of the Constitution abolished untouchability, and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 makes caste based violence and humiliation a specific, punishable offence with special courts for speedy trial. Despite this legal framework, practices such as denial of access to water sources, temples, and public spaces, and social boycotts against Dalit families, still occur in parts of the country. We document such incidents, support victims in accessing legal aid and the relief they are entitled to under the Act, and work with local authorities to press for proper investigation and follow through, while also running community dialogue programs aimed at breaking down these practices at the source.