According to the National Commission for Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (2008), NT-DNT communities face major challenges. Approximately 58% of Denotified and 72% of Nomadic communities reported that their children do not attend school. Less than half of Denotified communities had all children enrolled in schools, and only 20% of Nomadic communities reported school enrolment. Additionally, 58% of children in Denotified communities and 49% in Nomadic communities are engaged in economic activities instead of attending school.

NIRMAN has established an Educational Resource Centre (Savitrichi Shala), that provides a safe and supportive environment for children aged 3-18 from NT-DNT communities. Our formal strategy aims to increase enrolment, retention, reduce dropouts, and prevent early child marriage, thus ensuring children from NT/DNT communities complete their formal education.

NIRMAN operates 13 Savitrichi Shala across Pune and Satara Districts, providing educational opportunities to more than 3000 children from NT-DNT communities, and promoting social inclusion and equality.

Violence against women and children in India remains a significant issue. In 2020, there were 371,503 reported cases of crimes against women. According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), 29.3% of women aged 15-49 have experienced physical or sexual violence from an intimate partner at least once in their lifetime.

NIRMAN Sanstha is addressing the issues by using PR3 Model (prevention, response, and rehabilitation concurrently) through a comprehensive approach. Engaging men and boys is essential to promote behavioural change and to collaboratively act as a structural catalyst

for preventing violence against women and girls from marginalized communities. For the past decade, NIRMAN Sanstha has been working to prevent various forms of violence against NT-DNT and other marginalised women and girls. The organization also focuses work on sexual and reproductive health rights and promotes non-traditional occupations for women in three districts of Maharashtra in India.

NIRMAN currently operates three Resource Centers in the Satara, Pune (Indapur and Pune City), and Solapur districts. These centers are dedicated to promoting gender-equitable practices among NT/DNT communities, engaging men and boys as allies, and offering critical support services. They provide immediate relief, legal assistance, and psycho-social support to survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. Our focus is to work closely with government agencies, ensuring communities receive their rightful entitlements, access to justice, and essential services.

NIRMAN also concentrates its efforts largely on menstruation health and hygiene, Maternal health and Safe abortion, contraceptive and prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), protection from sexual and gender-based violence, and education on safe and healthy relationships.

PR3 Model

Prevention

NIRMAN empowers NT-DNT and marginalized women and girls with the knowledge and skills to resist violence and discrimination. We promote awareness of constitutional rights, gender-based violence, and leadership through community initiatives. We also collaborate with men, boys, community leaders, and stakeholders to enhance our prevention efforts.

Response

NIRMAN Sanstha aims to enhance the legal system by reinforcing existing frameworks and providing extensive support to survivors. This support includes legal, medical, psychological, and social assistance. They help survivors file complaints, oppose bail, obtain compensation, and represent them in court and before commissions.

Rehabilitation

NIRMAN adopts a comprehensive approach to aid in the recovery and reintegration of survivors and their families. We offer a range of support services, including educational assistance, vocational training, and skill-building workshops. Additionally, we provide psychological therapy from professional counsellors to help survivors develop resilience in the face of trauma and stress.

Reform in System

To make changes at the policy level, NIRMAN collaborates with different stakeholders. We build partnerships to achieve our goals. We actively engage with state officials, including law enforcement, members of the women and child development department, One Stop Centres, child welfare committees, juvenile justice boards, shelter homes, police department, district legal service authority, lawyers and judges. This engagement is crucial to ensuring both accountability and responsiveness in addressing the needs of survivors of gender-based violence. Through these efforts, we strive to hold stakeholders accountable and encourage their active participation in effecting meaningful reforms within the system.

Parwaz Project

The driving industry has long been a male-dominated space, but change is on the horizon. Recognizing the need for greater diversity and inclusivity, in collaboration with Bridgestone, NIRMAN launched Project Parwaz in June 2023 to challenge stereotypes and create opportunities for women in professional driving.

The Parwaz Centre, situated on Alandi Road in Kalas, Vishrantwadi, Pune, 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 in collaboration with IDTR, 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, gender-based violence, constitutional and legal rights, 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.

The employability and livelihood situation in India presents several challenges. According to the India Employment Report 2024, around 82% of the workforce is engaged in the informal sector, with nearly 90% being informally employed. The female labor force participation rate has shown improvement since 2019, particularly in rural areas. However, youth unemployment remains high, with 83% of the unemployed workforce being young individuals. Additionally, the transition from agriculture to non-farm sectors is slow, and wages for regular workers have either stagnated or declined.

NIRMAN chose to respond the situation with the following programmes and projects.

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 among NT-DNT communities

We envision a future where Nomadic and Denotified Tribes (NT-DNT) have equal access to financial services, economic opportunities, and resources, with women leading as entrepreneurs, decision-makers, and community leaders. Intervening in Indapur block, NIRMAN facilitated income generation through Kitchen Gardens for 200 families. Over 182 families have successfully established kitchen gardens, with 114 families reporting a 10% increase in their income.

A. Migrant Resilience Collaborative

Migrant Resilience Collaborative (MRC) is a national-level project designed for the protection of migrant workers’ rights. Migrant resilience collaborative project aimed to ensure the safe and responsible recovery of migrant families and their livelihoods in India.

NIRMAN currently works on social protection and safe migration and has effectively facilitated 1.5 lakh people in accessing citizenship documents, BOCW (registration, card, health checkup and safety kits), social entitlements and other financial benefits. This project aims to address the critical issue of bonded labour’s rescue and rehabilitation, migrant workers’ social protection mechanisms and advocating for their rights.

Our MRC Project operates in Pune and Raigad districts of Maharashtra, reaching out to more than 210 construction sites and delivering essential services to the communities that need them most."

Kamgar Sanman and Suvidha Kendra

NIRMAN began the Workers Facilitation Center (Kamgar Sanman and Suvidha Kendra) for

unorganized sector workers. The Center is specifically located in the Bhosari area of PCMC. The primary focus is social security, worker protection, and safety.

Sarathi Support Centre:

India tops the world in road crash deaths. In 2018, road crashes claimed the lives of over 1.5 lakh people in the country. Out of this, over 15,000 road crash victims have been truck and lorry drivers. Our nation’s economy relies on the trucking industry. The trucker community is a crucial stakeholder in the transportation industry, yet they are vulnerable and disadvantaged due to the informal nature of this industry.

NIRMAN, in partnership with Bridgestone and PCMC, has established the Sarthi Support Center, strategically located in Transport Nagar, Nigdi. The Sarthi Support Center represents a pioneering endeavor dedicated to the well-being of drivers and truckers, playing a crucial role in advancing road safety. The center prioritizes a holistic approach, addressing not only physical, mental, and behavioral health but also aspects like maintaining a healthy work-life balance, nurturing family time, promoting healthy lifestyles, facilitating education and literacy, and addressing issues related to self-esteem, dignity, and respect.