The Community Center model is MS’s approach to helping transform underprivileged communities and supporting families to ascend above the poverty cycle. Thanks to the generosity and concern of donors who fully or partially adopt the expenses of our centers, we can offer a range of programs at each community center based on local need and participation.
Impact of Community Centers
Effecting meaningful change in attitude and behavior in the communities is a slow and steady journey. However, over three decades years, we have witnessed the following through our Community Center model:
- Improved health, hygiene and community sanitation
- Increase in school attendance rates and girls’ education
- More awareness around importance of education and higher education
- Rise in parental involvement
- Decrease in cases of tuberculosis
- Less addictive behavior (gambling, alcoholism and chewing tobacco) in younger generations
- Some movement in the social standing of women
Centers in Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Centers in Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Supported Centers Across India
Manav Gulzar
Background: The interfaith community of Ram Rahim No Tekra is home to more than 40,000 Hindu and Muslim families, who actively maintain harmony, even during communal riots. We started serving the community with a street school, but eventually, with the request of the community and the support of Flowering Tree, we built this center between a Dargah and a Temple, a sacred spot chosen by the residents.
Programs:
- Bal Sanskar
- Vidhyadham
- Scouts &Guides
- Nutrition
- Health &Awareness
- Hope
- Youth Gym
- VadilVatsalya
- Nagrik Kalyan Seva Kendra
- Vyasan Mukti
- Women’s Savings
- Computer Courses
- Pedal Rickshaw
- Annadaan
- Tailoring Certification
Manav Setu
Background: Home to about 3,000 families, nearly 90% of whom are daily wage laborers, this neighborhood hosts a wide mix of populations from different parts of the state and country. Superstitious beliefs prevail in the community, often negatively impacting its growth and progress. The department of Urban Community Development has granted MS space under a highway, where we have built Manav Setu.
Programs:
- Vidhyadham
- Scouts & Guides
- Nutrition
- List Item
- Hope
- Vadil Vatsalya
- Health & Awareness
- Cooking Classes
- Pedal Rickshaw
- Annadaan
Manav Seva
Background: Efforts in this pulsating community started with a Street School, which gradually evolved into the Manav Seva Community Center and Shakti Center, built in partnership with Team Seva. The locality Shankar Bhuvan is very dense, with a large stray dog population and poor sanitation. The area is inhabited largely by two communities, one of which, though vibrant and unique, continues to believe resolutely in its traditions and superstitions. As a result, enabling change in behavior and attitude around family planning, girls’ education and health is a serious challenge.
Programs:
- Bal Sanskar
- Vidhyadham
- Nutrition
- Health & Awareness
- Hope
- Shakti Center
- Women’s Savings
- Nagrik Kalyan Seva Kendra
- Vyasan Mukti
- Pedal Rickshaw Project
- Annadaan
Loving Community
Background: About 30 years ago, several leprosy-affected families settled along the low-lying, outskirts of Ahmedabad forming the Gandhi Leprosy Seva Sangh Community. They depended largely on begging for survival. Despite the eradication of the disease through treatment as well as the integration of Vastral into larger Ahmedabad, the community remains physically isolated and stigmatized. Though the third generation are studying and working hard for their futures, their parents continue to struggle to secure jobs. This community, however, is one of few where there is reasonable gender equity and girls are encouraged to pursue their education. MS built a Community Center and Classroom, accessible to 125 families in the community.
Programs:
- Bal Sanskar
- Vidhyadham
- Nutrition
- Health & Awareness
- Hope
- Women’s Savings
- Pedal Rickshaw Project
- Annadaan
- Bhav nu Bhojan
- Dream Homes
Manav Mitra
Background: Situated in the sprawling area of Gandhi Vas, Sabarmati the Manav Mitra Center was founded with the support of Dry Creek Foundation. This community is largely migrated from the rural and tribal villages of North Gujarat. The area still suffers from a lack of clean drinking water and access to basic sanitation facilities, such as toilets. Gandhi Vas, prone to flooding due to its location in a low-lying area, is part of an interconnected series of marginalized neighborhoods. The level of poverty here is alarming; children attend our centers just to use the toilet or receive a nutritious snack.
Programs:
- Bal Sanskar
- Vidhyadham
- Scouts
- Nutrition
- Health & Awareness
- Hope
- Nagrik Kalyan Seva Kendra
- Vyasan Mukti
- Paryavaran Mitra
- Women’s Savings
- Cooking Classes
- Pedal Rickshaw Project
- Annadaan
Manav Muskaan
Background: The most recent addition to our community centers, Manav Muskaan caters to predominantly Muslim residents who are critically underserved. They lack access to public schools and healthcare facilities within four square kilometers of the community.
Programs:
- Bal Sanskar
- Vidhyadham
- Nutrition
- Health & Awareness
- Hope
- Women’s Savings
- Cooking Classes
- Pedal Rickshaw Project
- Vadil Vatsalya
- Annadaan
Supported Centers
MS also supports 4 smaller centers—2 in Ahmedabad, 1 in Rajasthan and 1 in Uttarakhand. Our intention is to bolster dedicated grassroots leaders, who are aligned with our approach and genuinely serving marginalized communities. We assist them with financial support, space, in kind contributions and/or nutrition, alongside mentorship.
Programs:
- Bal Sanskar
- Vidhyadham
- Scouts
- Nutrition
- Health & Awareness
- Hope
- Nagrik Kalyan Seva Kendra
- Vyasan Mukti
- Paryavaran Mitra
- Women’s Savings
- Cooking Classes
- Pedal Rickshaw Project
- Annadaan
Manav Jatan
Located across the road from the Sabarmati Gandhi Ashram, Ramapir No Tekro, also known as the Tekro, is one of the largest slum areas in Ahmedabad. Although the area is considered an encroachment, it has existed for more than 60 years. The neighborhood has a diverse socio-economic population, with main sources of livelihood including driving rickshaws, rag-picking, cleaning homes, shining shoes, and working as potters or day laborers.
Manav Sadhna started working in this area in 1995, focusing mainly on encouraging children to attend school, offering an alternative to child labor and working on improving health through a community clinic and awareness campaigns. In 2004, through the support of the community and donors, we created the Manav Jatan Community Center, our pilot effort after which we have modeled our subsequent centers.
We built the Center from local recycled materials and involved the community in building it. After working for more than 23 years with this locality, we have witnessed a meaningful change in awareness and habits around education, hygiene, health, community sanitation, and livelihood. We continue to address challenges around gender equality and women’s rights, addiction, higher education, nutrition, and breaking through superstitions and stigmas.
Regular Daily Beneficiaries: 709
Manav Jatan
Located across the road from the Sabarmati Gandhi Ashram, Ramapir No Tekro, also known as the Tekro, is one of the largest slum areas in Ahmedabad. Although the area is considered an encroachment, it has existed for more than 60 years. The neighborhood has a diverse socio-economic population, with main sources of livelihood including driving rickshaws, rag-picking, cleaning homes, shining shoes, and working as potters or day laborers.
Manav Sadhna started working in this area in 1995, focusing mainly on encouraging children to attend school, offering an alternative to child labor and working on improving health through a community clinic and awareness campaigns. In 2004, through the support of the community and donors, we created the Manav Jatan Community Center, our pilot effort after which we have modeled our subsequent centers.
We built the Center from local recycled materials and involved the community in building it. After working for more than 23 years with this locality, we have witnessed a meaningful change in awareness and habits around education, hygiene, health, community sanitation, and livelihood. We continue to address challenges around gender equality and women’s rights, addiction, higher education, nutrition, and breaking through superstitions and stigmas.
Regular Daily Beneficiaries: 709
Situated in the interfaith community of Ram Rahim No Tekra in Baherampura, the Manav Gulzar Center serves a slum neighborhood that is home to more than 40,000 Hindus and Muslims, who actively maintain harmony, even during communal riots. Here, due to high levels of poverty, many struggles to meet daily needs and face poor health, malnourishment and low education levels. A lack of girls’ higher education is also a pressing challenge.
Our engagement with the community began in 2005, when we started running a Street School. We would set up a classroom for a couple of hours, daily, on the sidewalk to offer the children basic education, guidance, nutrition. Over time, we would help re-integrate them into school. Eventually, the locals asked us to build a Center and requested more initiatives for the larger community. So in 2013, with the support of Flowering Tree, we built Manav Gulzar between an Islamic Dargah and a Hindu Temple, a sacred spot chosen by the residents.
In cohesion with the meaning of ‘Manav Gulzar’ (blossoming of humanity), we offer our holistic education program, health and awareness, computer literacy, tailoring classes, women and children’s savings programs, a young men’s support group (Yuva Mitra Mandal), a Scouts and program, weekly bhajans for the elderly, Anna Daan and more.
Regular Daily Beneficiaries: 483
Leprosy Loving
About 30 years ago, several leprosy-affected families settled along the low-lying, outskirts of Ahmedabad and depended largely on begging for survival. Despite the eradication of the disease through treatment and the integration of Vastral into larger Ahmedabad, the community still remains physically isolated and stigmatized. Consequently, though the third generation are studying and working hard for their futures, their parents continue to struggle to secure jobs. This community, however, is one of few where there is equity between genders and girls are encouraged to pursue their education.
Manav Sadhna has been supporting the community through healthcare, values education, and livelihood since 2006. In 2010 we built a children’s playground and a Community Center for the residents, where they run a supplementary values-based education program, women’s savings project, Bhav Nu Bhojan and use it for community events. As of 2018, we have been running the Dream Homes project in collaboration with De Montfort University with the aim to construct low-income housing for needy families in the community. Though we work with a specific number of daily beneficiaries, we support all 125 families through our health and community initiatives.
Regular Daily Beneficiaries: 105
Leprosy Loving
About 30 years ago, several leprosy-affected families settled along the low-lying, outskirts of Ahmedabad and depended largely on begging for survival. Despite the eradication of the disease through treatment and the integration of Vastral into larger Ahmedabad, the community still remains physically isolated and stigmatized. Consequently, though the third generation are studying and working hard for their futures, their parents continue to struggle to secure jobs. This community, however, is one of few where there is equity between genders and girls are encouraged to pursue their education.
Manav Sadhna has been supporting the community through healthcare, values education, and livelihood since 2006. In 2010 we built a children’s playground and a Community Center for the residents, where they run a supplementary values-based education program, women’s savings project, Bhav Nu Bhojan and use it for community events. As of 2018, we have been running the Dream Homes project in collaboration with De Montfort University with the aim to construct low-income housing for needy families in the community. Though we work with a specific number of daily beneficiaries, we support all 125 families through our health and community initiatives.
Regular Daily Beneficiaries: 105
Manav Seva
Efforts in this pulsating community started with a Street School in 2005, which gradually evolved into the Manav Seva Community Center built in 2016 in partnership with Team Seva. Shankar Bhuvan is a very dense locality, with a large stray dog population, where lack of hygiene and sanitation prevail. The area is inhabited largely by two dominant communities, one of which, though extremely vibrant and unique, continue to believe blindly in their traditions and superstitions. As a result, enabling change in perspective and behavior around family planning and girls’ education is a serious challenge.
Through values-based education, better health and awareness, better livelihood opportunities and more exposure we hope to nurture the true potential of this community. In addition to holistic education, we run a women’s savings group, awareness campaigns and health initiatives, Anna Daan and the Shakti Center, a space for adolescent girls to gain awareness, life-skills, and livelihood training.
Regular Daily Beneficiaries: 314
Manav Mitra
Situated in the sprawling community of Sabarmati, Manav Mitra was launched in 2016 with the support of Dry Creek Foundation. It is our newest center. This community largely migrated from the rural and tribal villages of North Gujarat.
The area still suffers from a lack of clean drinking water and access to basic sanitation facilities, such as toilets. Sabarmati, prone to flooding due to its location in a low-lying area, is part of an interconnected series of slum neighborhoods.
The level of poverty here is alarming; often children attend our centers just to use the toilet or receive a nutritious snack. Through the Center, we run a branch of Paryavaran Mitra and a holistic values education program for 1st-6th standard. After surveying the needs of the community, we are launching a skills training program for women. We will gradually expand our programs to reach more children and community members.
Regular Daily Beneficiaries: 219
Manav Setu
Efforts in this pulsating community started with a Street School in 2005, which gradually evolved into the Manav Seva Community Center built in 2016 in partnership with Team Seva. Shankar Bhuvan is a very dense locality, with a large stray dog population, where lack of hygiene and sanitation prevail. The area is inhabited largely by two dominant communities, one of which, though extremely vibrant and unique, continue to believe blindly in their traditions and superstitions. As a result, enabling change in perspective and behavior around family planning and girls’ education is a serious challenge.
Through values-based education, better health and awareness, better livelihood opportunities and more exposure we hope to nurture the true potential of this community. In addition to holistic education, we run a women’s savings group, awareness campaigns and health initiatives, Anna Daan and the Shakti Center, a space for adolescent girls to gain awareness, life-skills, and livelihood training.
Regular Daily Beneficiaries: 314
Manav Setu
Efforts in this pulsating community started with a Street School in 2005, which gradually evolved into the Manav Seva Community Center built in 2016 in partnership with Team Seva. Shankar Bhuvan is a very dense locality, with a large stray dog population, where lack of hygiene and sanitation prevail. The area is inhabited largely by two dominant communities, one of which, though extremely vibrant and unique, continue to believe blindly in their traditions and superstitions. As a result, enabling change in perspective and behavior around family planning and girls’ education is a serious challenge.
Through values-based education, better health and awareness, better livelihood opportunities and more exposure we hope to nurture the true potential of this community. In addition to holistic education, we run a women’s savings group, awareness campaigns and health initiatives, Anna Daan and the Shakti Center, a space for adolescent girls to gain awareness, life-skills, and livelihood training.
Regular Daily Beneficiaries: 314
Supported Centers
Situated in the sprawling community of Sabarmati, Manav Mitra was launched in 2016 with the support of Dry Creek Foundation. It is our newest center. This community largely migrated from the rural and tribal villages of North Gujarat.
The area still suffers from a lack of clean drinking water and access to basic sanitation facilities, such as toilets. Sabarmati, prone to flooding due to its location in a low-lying area, is part of an interconnected series of slum neighborhoods.
The level of poverty here is alarming; often children attend our centers just to use the toilet or receive a nutritious snack. Through the Center, we run a branch of Paryavaran Mitra and a holistic values education program for 1st-6th standard. After surveying the needs of the community, we are launching a skills training program for women. We will gradually expand our programs to reach more children and community members.
Regular Daily Beneficiaries: 219
Supported Centers
Situated in the sprawling community of Sabarmati, Manav Mitra was launched in 2016 with the support of Dry Creek Foundation. It is our newest center. This community largely migrated from the rural and tribal villages of North Gujarat.
The area still suffers from a lack of clean drinking water and access to basic sanitation facilities, such as toilets. Sabarmati, prone to flooding due to its location in a low-lying area, is part of an interconnected series of slum neighborhoods.
The level of poverty here is alarming; often children attend our centers just to use the toilet or receive a nutritious snack. Through the Center, we run a branch of Paryavaran Mitra and a holistic values education program for 1st-6th standard. After surveying the needs of the community, we are launching a skills training program for women. We will gradually expand our programs to reach more children and community members.