Ashraya Initiative for Children works with residents of 8 urban slum communities, who belong to De-notified tribal (DNT), Notified Tribal, Mahar, Matang, Pardi and other marginalised communities in India.

 

Stigmatized as "criminal tribes" under British colonial rule, these communities were categorized as inherently criminal, subject to surveillance, restrictions, and brutal repression. Accused of being thieves or outlaws by colonial authorities, this official labeling led to widespread social exclusion, economic deprivation, and a loss of their cultural heritage.

 

After independence, while the Indian government officially De-notified these tribes in 1952, the stigma endured. Though no longer considered criminal, they continued to face discrimination, poverty, and limited access to essential services like education and healthcare. Many remained excluded from mainstream society and struggled to transition to sustainable livelihoods.

 

Today, the legacy of marginalization persists.

 

In Yerwada, Pune, a densely populated slum area, members of these tribes live in cramped, unsanitary conditions. The slums suffer from a lack of proper infrastructure, poor health conditions, and limited access to education and employment. Despite government schemes and affirmative action policies, these communities remain trapped in a cycle of poverty, unable to break free from socio-economic marginalization. The struggle for dignity, social acceptance, and basic rights continues to define their lives.

 

With limited government aid and deep-rooted prejudices, many of these families live in extreme poverty. Their traditional livelihoods—selling old clothes, iron utensils, sweeping, and manual scavenging—provide a meager collective household income of less than Rs 150 per day, often supporting extended families of ten or more. They rely on illegally tapped electricity, communal outdoor taps that provide water only for a few hours a day, and overcrowded, unsafe public toilet blocks.

 

In response, Ashraya focuses on empowering women and children as key agents of change. By investing in holistic measures and creating first-generation learners, Ashraya strives to transform and uplift these communities, providing them with the tools to build a sustainable future.