Our Formation Story
MVASSK was set up in 2000 as a Public Charitable Trust to address the social and economic development of marginalized communities, with specific reference to the field of health, livelihood, nutrition, and education for the most marginalized sections of the community. The organization was registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, and The Bombay Public Trust Act, 1950 at Thane, Maharashtra.
In the year 1998, MVASSK was envisioned by a group of committed youth from Navi Mumbai who was moved by the plight of brick labourer’s children and keen to promote the overall health, hygiene and education status of these vulnerable communities. Later these motivated groups started a Balwadi (daycare) and typing classes in Kalyan for these children. MVASSK was engaged in supporting the school education committees in 14 villages of Wai block in Satara district to ensure the process of participatory learning in schools. Also, this effort ensured to bring students, Teachers, and the education system closer to each other with a particular focus to provide inclusive education to marginalized students.
These efforts gradually led towards advocacy on the 73rd and 74th amendment for 33% reservation for women in Panchayati Raj Institutions and decentralization of powers and authorities to Urban Local Bodies, with support from Resource and Support Centre for Development (RSCD). After more than a decade of tireless groundwork, MVASSK received its first formal funding in the year 2012 from the Mumbai District AIDS Control Society (MDACS) for working with 5000 truckers on HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and support; the project continues to date having covered 6,80,000 truckers in Mumbai.
MVASSK Today
Over the years different activities and initiatives of MVASSK have evolved in view of the changing context but in consonance with its aims and objectives. Using a range of strategies including community engagement, service delivery, monitoring, grassroots communications, and advocacy at the local level, the organization has been able to create a place for itself both at the district and state levels in the domain of healthcare, women’s empowerment, and child rights.
Over the last fifteen years, MVASSK has strengthened its ability to influence the direction of community development in the field of health governance skill enhancement, networking, and social entitlement through capacity building of grassroots workers and stimulating community action. The overall governance of the organization is administered through a set of operational guidelines and processes and supervised by an Advisory Board.