Our Journey
28 years of empowering communities across Maharashtra
From Grassroots to Ecosystems of Change
A timeline of growth, resilience, and lasting impact since 1998
Karunya Trust was founded in 1998 with a simple yet powerful belief—that real change begins within communities. What started as small, grassroots efforts soon grew into meaningful interventions.
Initiatives like Gyandeep (education support), Poshan (nutrition and ration support), and Jeevan Sahara (healthcare access) began taking shape. While these were not formal “projects” at the time, they laid the foundation for Karunya Trust’s core areas of work—education, health, livelihoods, governance, environment, and overall community well-being.
The 2005 Mumbai floods marked a turning point. Faced with widespread devastation, Karunya Trust scaled its response to reach thousands: Cooked meals served to 23,733 people, Ration support for 30,850 families, Hygiene kits distributed to 9,969 families and Education kits provided to 5,915 children.
This period also saw the beginning of Karunya Trust’s work in HIV support—an effort that started small but would grow into a dedicated intervention. At the same time, the seeds of women’s empowerment were sown through the promotion of Self-Help Groups, enabling communities to become more resilient and self-reliant.
As immediate relief efforts evolved, the focus shifted toward long-term impact. With the launch of Nivas (2008), Karunya Trust began supporting housing needs for tribal and underserved families—helping create not just shelters, but a sense of dignity and security.
This phase marked a period of significant growth and transformation. Karunya Trust expanded both its reach and depth through multiple initiatives:
- •Gyansaathi (2011): Education and holistic development for children from rag-picking communities in Govandi
- •Bharari / Disha (2013): Empowerment of tribal women and children
- •Mruthunjai (2013): Organ donation awareness initiatives
- •I-SAVE (2014): Livelihood and skill-building programs
- •Uplift (2014): Infrastructure and technology for community well-being
- •Jeevan (2015): Promoting governance and sustainable agriculture practices
- •Swach (2015): Advancing sanitation and hygiene for healthier communities
- •Savli (2016): Support for children affected & infected with life-threatening diseases
As the work deepened, Karunya Trust recognized that true change goes beyond access to services—it requires emotional and psychological support. During this phase, psychosocial care became a core approach across programs.
This was more than expansion—it was a shift in approach. Karunya Trust moved from supporting individuals to transforming entire communities.
With Sujal (2017), Karunya Trust brought access to clean drinking water to tribal hamlets, addressing one of the most fundamental human needs.
During this time, Karunya Trust also led extensive relief efforts during the Kerala floods (2018)—providing nutrition support, healthcare, essential household materials, and rebuilding homes for affected families.
When the world came to a standstill during COVID-19, Karunya Trust’s work intensified.
From large-scale relief distribution to community health support and emergency assistance for vulnerable families, the organization remained on the ground—ensuring no one was left behind in a time of uncertainty.
Karunya Trust continues to evolve, reaching more communities and deepening its impact.
- •I-PLAY (2024): Using sports as a tool for empowering children and youth
- •Expansion of Children’s Holistic development program Gyansaathi to new locations, including the slums of Kalwa, Thane
Today, Karunya Trust is not just implementing programs—it is building ecosystems of change, where communities are empowered, resilient, and capable of shaping their own futures.