Our Top 10 NGOs working for Child Welfare

Child Welfare: i2u Social Foundation & Partner NGOs' Mission

With over 430 million children under the age of 18 in India, the UNICEF India Country Program states India is home to one of the largest populations of children in the world. This is a huge population, it is not only the future of the nation, it’s some of those most at risk residing in that nation. Millions of Indian children remain at serious risk of basic well-being and development, despite substantial progress in some areas. The obstacles are numerous: poverty, malnutrition, late or no education, incompetency in curative services and social issues including destitution, chattel work, maltreatment and destitution. To address these issues, we need to take on this issue with a committed multilayered approach, and child welfare NGOs are an asset to that commitment.

The child welfare landscape in India can be mapped around a few key pillars:

1. Education and Literacy: A serious educational crisis has remained largely unresolved in India: an estimated 25 percent of children are not in school. Children cannot have access to basic education because of their poverty and lack of resources. If children can’t make it to school then they can’t break the cycle of poverty and build a secure future. NGOs working in education make sure these children get to be in a classroom, to have a book in their hands, to be able to have some kind of digital learning resources and qualified teachers.

2. Health and Nutrition: Almost 40% of Indian children under five years of age are stunted, a sign of chronic undernutrition, while nearly 30 percent are underweight, UNICEF reports. A child’s physical growth is impacted not only he being malnourished but also by poor cognitive growth and which has lifelong challenges. And so services are just as important as health as children in rural or under privileged areas don’t have basic healthcare facilities.

3. Digital Literacy and Skills for the Future: In the digital world that we are now, digital literacy is becoming more important than ever to all children. Sadly, many children in low-income families do lack this significant area out of which they are greatly disadvantaged in later employability and competitiveness. In this area, NGOs help bridge this gap by providing digital literacy programs for children to acquire those vital computer and technology skills in a tech-driven world.

4. Mental Health and Emotional Support: The stigma around mental health as well as the lack of resources mean that many children with problems of an emotional or psychological nature are left unassessed. This is of course, once the troubles of family instability, abuse, and academic pressure take their toll on young minds. We provide counseling and emotional support for kids in order for them to grow up with a healthy mental outlook.

5. Empowerment through Inclusion and Diversity: Disabilities or special needs in children add extra hassles while they are accessing education, social services, community engagement, etc. These inclusive programs meet their needs from early intervention to vocational training that helps them make progress like the other peers around them.

6. Preventive Programs Against Exploitation and Abuse: Over 12 million children work in India, in hazardous conditions, and these children are considered child labor. NGOs are key in spreading awareness, educating households, and offering safe alternatives for child at risk. Other forms of exploitation such as trafficking and abuse are also prevented by the preventive programs.

7. Community-Based Support for Marginalized Communities: Marginalized and tribal communities often find themselves stranded even farther from resources as it pertains to language resources. Children from these communities are able to maintain their heritage while accessing essential services through tailor made support from NGOs, this includes culturally inclusive education and healthcare programmes.

i2u Social Foundation collaborates with an array of NGOs, each tackling one or more of these challenges with specialized approaches. By pooling expertise and resources, we create an ecosystem where each child can receive the support they need. Below is a list of i2u’s partner NGOs, each dedicated to transforming lives and uplifting children through diverse initiatives.

1. SPHOORTI Foundation

• Location: Hyderabad
• Focus: Education, Shelter
• SPHOORTI Foundation acts as a guiding light for those orphaned children or neglected whose parents are gone, or worse still have fewer means, or have some form of disability. The foundation is home to a little more than 180 children, taking care of an education and support that otherwise wouldn’t be there. SPHOORTI equips these children to not just overcome their fight from past struggles but to live a better future.

2. Sai Gokula Seva Samsthe Trust

• Location: Bengaluru
• Focus: Digital Literacy
• Sai Gokula Seva Samsthe Trust addresses a critical aspect of child welfare in the modern age: digital literacy. The Trust partners with NASSCOM and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology under its National Digital Literacy Mission (NDLM) where we equip children and youth with critical digital skills. These skills have the power to give young minds knowledge and confidence to help them navigate and win in today’s technological world.

3. Safeguarding Children Seva Samiti

• Location: Various locations
• Focus: Education, Nutrition
• Safeguarding Children Seva Samiti has been a lifeline for destitute children—especially during crises—institutionally since its inception in 2015. The organization offers critical tools to children who don't have access to nutritious meals or learning opportunities at home, via free food and education programs. These basics are always there to provide; they help kids spend energy on their growth and learning, not on their struggle for survival.

4. Ek-Koshish Special School

• Location: Multiple regions
• Focus: Inclusive Education, Therapy
• The aim of this effort is to establish an inclusive environment for children having special needs at Ek-Koshish Special School. The school plays a fundamental role in the development of a child with a disability in the area of independence and confidence through its role in running early intervention programs for young children, special education, and vocational training for senior students. Ek-Koshish not only teaches but also helps children to find purpose through tailored support and therapy in fostering lives filled with purpose.

5. Gangasagar Unnyani Samiti

• Location: West Bengal
• Focus: Education, Culture
• Gangasagar Unnyani Samiti works in the state of West Bengal focusing on creating a child's mind, by providing facility of education and dissemination of cultural awareness. Its programs enable the organization to provide children with the strong foundations in education as well as a feeling of community and a culture of pride. Thus Gangasagar Unnyani Samiti serves in promoting art, culture and awareness, which results in a well-rounded childhood experience so that children can establish a connect with the rich tradition from which they come and are growing.

6. The Good Sam Foundation (GSF)

• Location: Bengaluru
• Focus: Family Support, Rehabilitation
• Sahayaak rehabilitation program of The Good Sam Foundation helps people with severe physical challenges. Most of these are those who have suffered life changing injuries. Although the program targets adults, its family centered approach has a secondary benefit of improving the stability and support of families. The foundation’s ROSHINI program, in addition, houses vocational training programmes for women so as to empower them and eventually build both the economically stable and responsible household with children.

7. CONARE

• Location: Andhra Pradesh
• Focus: Community Empowerment, Education
• Marginalized communities such as tribal groups that CONARE works with include children and youth who have been brought education and empowerment. CONARE is opening doors to education and opportunities that children from underserved Chenchu, Lambada and Eurukala communities otherwise might never access. This NGO uplifts entire communities from these marginalized groups such that children from these communities have a path to a better future.

8. Cedar Foundation

• Location: Multiple regions
• Focus: Economic Support, Child Development
• Chosen Founder of Cedar Foundation is totally relied on to guarantee essential support structures for kids and their families. Cedar Foundation provides resource through various programs to ensure that children grow up in better, safer homes. Understanding the need for stability, the foundation improves economic and social conditions of families, so children have the stability that they need to thrive.

9. Sammaan Foundation

• Location: Various locations
• Focus: Education, Health Camps, Addiction Awareness
• Sammaan Foundation carries out health and education camps in the community welfare program, focusing on holistic approach. Through these initiatives children are educated about health, hygiene and the dangers of addiction. The Sammaan Foundation addresses these critical issues, by fostering an environment of support for children and by providing resources for communities to ensure the children in those communities have a safer, healthier future.

• Location: Madhya Pradesh
• Focus: Mental Health, Counseling
• Ekta Jyoti Welfare Society plays an essential role in promoting mental well-being among children and youth. By providing counseling, treatment, and a stigma-free environment, Ekta Jyoti helps children and young people develop emotional resilience. The organization’s focus on mental health equips children with tools to cope with challenges and build confidence, setting them up for a lifetime of well-being.

Conclusion

Each of these NGOs, in partnership with i2u Social Foundation, plays a unique role in transforming the lives of India’s children. By addressing different facets of child welfare—from digital literacy and education to health, mental well-being, and cultural empowerment—our partner NGOs work tirelessly to create safer, more promising futures for the country’s most vulnerable young ones. Together, we are united in our mission to build a society where every child can grow, learn, and flourish with dignity and hope.