March 02, 2020

Help women in India improve their habitats

topic:	Women's rights
tags:	#India, #NGO, #women's rights, #United Nations, #donation, #volunteer, #climate crisis
by:	Yair Oded

Women, particularly in the global South, are facing the brunt of the climate crisis; with limited access to resources, many of them find themselves struggling to deal with the repercussions of the planet’s ecological collapse. 

Mahila Housing SEWA Trust (MHT) is an India-based, female-led non profit organisation working to empower women from poor backgrounds to improve and upgrade their habitats. 

Founded in 1994 by the Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) - a union of poor, self-employed women workers - the organisation was initially created to facilitate better housing and infrastructure for its members in the Indian state of Gujarat.

Since, MHT has significantly expanded its operations, and currently works to turn poor women across the country into leaders in transforming and improving their habitats to include, among other things: clean water, toilets, electricity, and adequate light and ventilation.

Among its numerous notable achievements, MHT has facilitated the registration of over 5,000 property titles under women’s names, supervised the construction of over  45,000 toilets and 42,000 water connections, and enabled 180,000 families to access legal electricity (5,000 of which use cleaner fuels). 

“MHT believes women are the leaders to drive progress in their under-served communities. Through grassroots programs in habitat development, climate change, and participatory governance, MHT empowers women to exercise their rights and uplift living conditions for their families and neighbors,” the organisation’s website states. 

Through its habitat development activities, MHT contributes toward promoting the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

Image credit: MHT website.

Please visit the MHT website to learn more about their work and volunteer opportunities or pledge a donation.