Member Profile: Utthan

Our vision is a strong and independent India without inequalities and discrimination, and where everyone enjoys equal opportunities, security and freedom.

Our mission is to initiate sustainable process of empowerment amongst disadvantaged communities specially women.

Utthan Development Action Planning Team is a registered society and a public trust based at Ahmedabad. It was founded in 1981 through the initiative of four professional women who had a desire to work in the coastal Bhal region of Gujarat. The first phase of their work began in select villages of Dhandhuka taluka (District Ahmedabad). These villages fall in a geographical area commonly known as Bhal. The region of Bhal suffers from a hostile geo-climatic environment, highly saline shallow ground water, erratic monsoon rains, and exploitation of poor by high castes, and out migration. All these problems have rendered living conditions very difficult. It was in Bhal that Utthan helped and supported the emergence of a community-based group called Mahiti. Through a highly facultative community mobilization and organizational work, Utthan and Mahiti were able to initiate women's movement in Bhal focused around the issue of access to safe and regular supply of drinking water.