Empowering India’s Women & Children for 30 Years
We can connect hearts, transform lives and foster a sense of belonging for everyone
Our Core Initiatives
Empowering change for a brighter tomorrow
Education & Child Sponsorship
Every child deserves a chance to learn and succeed. Our Education & Child Sponsorship program helps underprivileged children – especially girls – go to school and stay in school. We provide scholarships, school supplies, and tutoring to children who would otherwise be unable to afford an education. Nearly 40% of girls in low-income communities drop out by age 15, often due to poverty or early marriage . We’re changing that statistic one girl at a time. Donors can sponsor a child in India through WHAD for as little as $150 a month, covering a student’s school fees, uniforms, books, and even a daily nutritious meal. Our local volunteers closely mentor each sponsored child, working with families to prioritize education over child labor or marriage. As a result, sponsored children are staying in school, improving their grades, and dreaming of bright futures. Many of our first sponsored kids have now graduated and some even returned as volunteer tutors – a beautiful full-circle of giving back.
Women’s Economic Empowerment
We believe women’s empowerment is key to breaking the cycle of poverty. Through vocational training and livelihood support, WHAD enables women to earn a decent income and gain confidence. In our skill-training centers, women learn trades like tailoring, embroidery, baking, basic computing, and handicrafts. We also organize Self-Help Groups (SHGs)where women save money together and access small loans to start micro-businesses. Over the years, we have trained hundreds of women who have gone on to become seamstresses, entrepreneurs, shop owners, and community leaders. These women not only lift themselves out of poverty but also create jobs for others. A dollar invested in a woman’s education and skills yields tremendous returns for her family – studies show that women reinvest up to 90% of their income into their households, leading to better health and education for their children. By equipping women with marketable skills and financial literacy, we’re seeing higher family incomes, reduced domestic violence, and greater gender equality at home. Each success story – like Asha, a widowed mother who learned tailoring and now runs a small boutique – inspires dozens of other women in her slum to believe “Yes, we can do it too!”
Community Health & Wellness
True to our name, health is a cornerstone of WHAD’s work. Community Health & Wellness programs ensure that women and children have access to basic healthcare, hygiene, and nutrition. We organize regular health camps in underserved neighborhoods, where volunteer doctors (including our founder, Dr. Ida) provide free check-ups, immunizations, and screenings. We focus on maternal and child health: prenatal care workshops, anemia prevention, nutrition counselling, and growth monitoring for infants. In the slum communities we serve, up to 42% of teen girls are undernourished and child malnutrition is common. WHAD tackles this by distributing nutritious food rations and vitamin supplements to pregnant women and young children. We’ve also installed community water filters and toilets to improve sanitation, drastically reducing water-borne illnesses. Another key initiative is our health education outreach – local women trained as health workers go door-to-door teaching families about disease prevention, family planning, and menstrual hygiene (helping girls stay in school during their periods). By integrating health with education and livelihood support, we give families the strength and knowledge to build a better life. Healthy mothers and children form the foundation of a healthy community.
Engaging Men & Boys (Inclusive Development)
What sets WHAD apart is our belief that women’s empowerment benefits everyone – and that men and boys must be part of the solution. Our Engaging Men & Boys initiative works with fathers, husbands, and youth to foster positive attitudes toward gender equality. We conduct community dialogues with men on topics like the importance of girls’ education, shared household responsibilities, and preventing domestic violence. By highlighting how empowering women strengthens families and communities, we’ve seen many men become proud supporters of our mission. WHAD also facilitates practical programs for men’s economic betterment, understanding that financial stress is often a root cause of family conflict. Through the Three Wheels United partnership, we helped hundreds of auto-rickshaw drivers in Bengaluru transition to better livelihoods – whether by adopting electric vehicles (with lower fuel costs) or joining cooperatives for fair credit. This not only raised their income but also built respect for WHAD’s work, as these men saw their wives and daughters thriving in our programs. Now, fathers in our communities actively advocate against child marriage and ensure their daughters complete schooling. By transforming mindsets across gender lines, WHAD is building a future where men and women work together to uplift their families.
Connecting Hearts and Helping Hands
Building a better future through compassion
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