Our Programs

Education

Nirman focuses to improving the lives of poor and needy communities by ensuring that every child, especially girls, has access to quality and age-appropriate education.

Across its various initiatives in Pune and Satara, the organization has reached over 5,000 individuals, including 507 school-going children, 1,313 children and 661 families in three urban slums of Vishrantwadi, 1,000 children (60% girls) in ten villages of Satara, and adolescent girls through focused empowerment programs. Through projects such as the Program for Empowerment and Education in Pune’s slums, Bright Beginnings in ten slums of Chakan and the Education and Life Opportunities project in Satara, Nirman is working to reduce dropout rates, promote girls’ re-enrolment, and create child-friendly and inclusive learning environments. Efforts have included establishing Activity and Resource Centres, awarding scholarships worth ₹1,84,000 to 33 girls aged 14–18 years, registering 96 women and children in ICDS Anganwadi programs, and extending document support to 330 poor families. In addition, 100 adolescent girls in Vishrantwadi are being supported with life skills, education, and digital literacy, out of whom 22 are pursuing higher studies in Arts, Science, and Commerce, while 50 received sponsorship to complete school. Career guidance sessions have opened pathways to professions such as nursing, police service, fashion design, and architecture. These initiatives collectively empower girls through education, life skills, and leadership, while engaging communities to build environments that nurture equality, confidence, and lifelong learning.

Empowerment of Women & Children

Nirman’s efforts toward empowering women and children across Pune, Solapur, and Satara districts, fostering leadership, confidence, and gender equality among needy and poor communities.

Through various related initiatives, the organization strengthens community-led responses to women’s safety, education, and empowerment. In Pune and Solapur, the project currently supports 221 women and 203 girls, promoting leadership and better access to education, while 151 individuals have already benefited from government welfare schemes. A Help Desk Centre established in collaboration with the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) provides direct legal and psychosocial support to survivors. In Satara District, Nirman’s interventions reach 293 women and 374 girls, raising awareness on gender equality, sexuality, and health. The team’s appointment as Support Persons by the DLSA underscores institutional trust in their commitment to women and children, which was further recognized when the organization received an award from the District Women and Child Development Department for its exemplary work. Expanding its reach through the Ensuring Gender Equitable Practices initiative across 40 villages in Pune and Satara, Nirman engages men and boys as allies while equipping 1,448 participants (667 girls and 781 women) with leadership and life skills. These collective efforts have led to greater openness and awareness around Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), alongside tangible legal progress, including seven approved Manodhairya scheme applications that provided ₹30,000 each to survivors, with three more cases currently under process. Through these integrated initiatives, Nirman continues to build equitable, informed, and resilient communities where poor women and girls lead the way toward social change.

Livelihood and Skill Development

A. SMART Vocational Training Centre

From October 2013 to March 2023, NIRMAN, in collaboration with Tech Mahindra Foundation, implemented a four-month SMART training program to enhance youth employability and bridge skills gaps in the service sector. The program included foundation courses (YUVA English, Basic IT, Workplace Readiness), domain-specific training (ITES/BPO and BFSI), and additional sessions on gender equality, life skills, financial literacy, and motivation. Over 3,500 youths, 65% of whom were girls, were trained, with 75% securing employment in 100+ companies, earning an average monthly salary of ₹15,900. The project concluded last year, with graduates continuing to secure opportunities in Pune’s ITES-BPO and BFSI sectors.

B. Building livelihood resilience

Nirman envisions a future where poor and needy people, especially women, have equal access to financial services, economic opportunities, and resources, empowering them as entrepreneurs and decision-makers. In pursuit of this vision, Nirman’s ongoing initiatives focus on livelihood diversification and skill development through both agriculture-based and non-traditional sectors. In ten villages of Indapur block, Pune district, 200 women received training and kits to establish kitchen gardens and adopt agri-allied activities, resulting in improved food security, household nutrition, and sustainable income streams. Financial literacy programs have equipped families with essential financial management skills, while targeted efforts have enabled 45 women to generate income through surplus produce sales and boosted earnings for another 131 women by 25%.

Women Driving Training Program

The driving industry has long been a male-dominated space, but change is on the horizon.

Recognizing the need for greater diversity and inclusivity, Nirman launched Women Driving Training Program in June 2023 to challenge stereotypes and create opportunities for women in professional driving. The program offers comprehensive training programs for women, combining practical and theoretical sessions to empower them with essential skills. Practical training includes simulation exercises and one-hour on-road driving sessions conducted by trained drivers while theory sessions cover a wide range of modules such as financial and media literacy, self-defence, interpersonal communication, work readiness, road safety, first responders; awareness, customer handling, mental health, women’s health, and confidence-building. Additionally, the center provides exposure visits to the driving sector, insurance support, need-based counselling for women and their families, and basic spoken English classes, ensuring holistic development and readiness for women entering the driving profession.

A total of 105 women completed intensive training in driving, workplace communication, and entrepreneurship; 67 of them have secured jobs with an average monthly income of ₹20,000, uplifting their families’ economic prospects. All participants in these projects report greater confidence, independence, and mental well-being, driving not just their own success but also broader social change within their communities.

Social Entitlements

The project is focused on facilitating improved access to social entitlements, health services, and welfare schemes for needy and poor people, with a reach of over 50,000 individuals across Pune, Raigad, and Nashik districts.

Through focused initiatives, the organization has facilitated access for 30,000+ needy people to citizenship documentation, BOCW registration and welfare, social security schemes, and health services, significantly improving the livelihoods of needy and poor families. At the Kamgar Sanman and Suvidha Kendra, Nirman strengthens resilience by assisting needy and poor households in securing documents and accessing education, health, and employment entitlements, registering over 4,400 individuals and issuing 1,909 documents. The Entitlements and Health Program in Dindori Block, Nashik further supports rural populations through a district-level Resource Centre, generating 1,529 supporting documents, delivering nearly 3,000 benefits under key government schemes, and organizing health camps for over 1,700 people.

Health

Nirman, in collaboration with Bridgestone India Pvt. Ltd., has established the Sarthi Support Centre in Transport Nagar, Nigdi, as a dedicated response to the unique health and welfare concerns of commercial drivers and their families. This initiative provides a robust range of medical services—including routine health check-ups and eye screenings—while also facilitating access to social entitlements, educational support, and livelihood resources, thereby strengthening the well-being and resilience of this vital workforce.

The center offers comprehensive medical services, including regular health check-ups and specialized eye screenings, while also providing access to welfare information, educational resources, and livelihood support. Through its integrated approach, it combines healthcare, empowerment, and community outreach to ensure that those driving the nation’s economy remain healthy, supported, and informed. So far, the centre has distributed 1,098 spectacles and 491 reading glasses, improving vision and quality of life for needy drivers. Eye screenings have reached 2,863 drivers and family members, and 6,187 OPD health check-ups have been conducted, accompanied by recovery assistance, referrals, and emergency treatments. Additionally, a social entitlement camp facilitated the distribution of 907 benefit cards (685 Ayushman Bharat, 219 e-Shram, and 3 ABHA cards), enabling access to free healthcare worth ₹5 lakh and insurance coverage of ₹2 lakh.