The Society for the Promotion of Area Resource Centers (SPARC) is one of the largest Indian NGOs working on housing and infrastructure issues for the urban poor. In 1984, when SPARC was formed, it began working with the most vulnerable and invisible of Mumbai's urban poor - the pavement dwellers. SPARC's philosophy is that if we can develop solutions that work for the poorest and most marginalized in the city, then these solutions can be scaled up to work for other groups of the urban poor across the country and internationally.
Since 1986, SPARC has been working in partnership with two community-based organizations the National Slum Dwellers Federation and Mahila Milan. Together, they are known as the Alliance. Today, the Alliance works in about 70 cities in the country and has networks in about 25 countries internationally. Sheela Patel, the Director of SPARC was awarded the Padmashree Award in 2011.
Since 1986, SPARC has been working in partnership with two community-based organizations the National Slum Dwellers Federation and Mahila Milan. Together, they are known as the Alliance. Today, the Alliance works in about 70 cities in the country and has networks in about 25 countries internationally. Sheela Patel, the Director of SPARC was awarded the Padmashree Award in 2011.
National Slum Dwellers Federation (NSDF)
The National Slum Dwellers Federation (NSDF), founded in the mid 1970s, is a national organisation of community groups and leaders who live in slums and informal settlements across India. NSDF mobilises the urban poor to come together, articulate their concerns and find solutions to the problems they face. Today, led by President A. Jockin, the NSDF works with about half a million households in the country.
Mahila Milan
“Women Together" in Hindi—is a decentralised network of poor women's collectives that manage credit and savings activities in their communities. Mahila Milan aims to provide a space for women to take on important decision-making roles and be recognised for their contributions towards improving their communities. Mahila Milan was created in 1986 when hundreds of women who lived on Mumbai's pavements organised to successfully prevent the demolitions of their homes. Today, Mahila Milan has given out tens of thousands of loans to poor women all across the country and has collectively saved millions of rupees.