What The Humsafar Trust does

The Humsafar Trust is a non-profit community-based organization (CBO) headquartered in Mumbai, founded in 1994 as India's first CBO of self-identified LGBTQ+ persons working on queer health and well-being. Its core service is a network of Sahyog Clinics operating under Public-Private Partnership agreements with the Mumbai Districts AIDS Control Society (MDACS) and National AIDS Control Organization (NACO), delivering HIV and Syphilis testing, mental health counselling, doctor consultations, nutrition advice, and legal aid referrals across six Indian cities (Mumbai, Delhi, Guwahati, Nagpur, Gangtok, Amritsar) at a nominal annual fee of Rs. 1,000 per member. Beyond clinics, the trust runs 15+ community programmes including Yaariyan (youth, 8,500+ members), Umang (LBQT+ women), Sanjeevani (PLHIV support, 320 members), TRANScend (transgender socio-economic inclusion), CONNECT Partners (network of 25 CBOs), SAKSHAM (employment), LIKHO (queer journalism), EQueL (Tier 2/3 city leadership), STUDIO DHANAK (screenwriting), Bhavishya (scholarships), Khushpudi (condom/lubricant distribution), Project CARET (national health research), and NETREACH (virtual HIV outreach).

The underlying technology stack is modest: a website (humsafar.org) built by Zerovaega Technologies, an online donation portal (donate.humsafar.org) integrating Razorpay, Cashfree, and Easebuzz payment gateways with PCI-DSS compliance, and digital outreach platforms (NETREACH virtual navigators, LIKHO with Pride publishing platform, Rainbow Health Survey under Project CARET). The trust does not operate proprietary software products; its "technology" is the operational model itself — a community-led, peer-worker-driven service delivery platform integrated with India's public HIV/AIDS control infrastructure.

Revenue is grant- and donation-dependent rather than commercial. Streams include government grants from NACO/MDACS, international development funding (Global Fund, Amplify Change ~700,000 EUR over six years for CONNECT, UNAIDS), corporate CSR (TLG India for TRANScend, Publicis Sapient for film production), and individual donations ranging from Rs 100 to Rs 10,00,000 per transaction with 80G/12A tax exemption status. Pricing for clinic services is symbolic (Rs 1,000/year) reflecting the CBO's mission rather than cost recovery.

Name

The Humsafar Trust

Legal name

The Humsafar Trust

Website

https://humsafar.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Humsafar Trust is India's oldest LGBTQ+ community-based organization, founded in 1994 and headquartered in Mumbai. It operates a six-city Sahyog public-private partnership clinic network delivering HIV care and counseling, alongside 15+ community programmes spanning youth, trans inclusion, employment, journalism, and research.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Health Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Social Assistance (624), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Health & Health Equity Organizations (BPAGACAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

LGBTQ+ Rights & Advocacy Organizations (BPAGAFAE), Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK), Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN)

Keywords

• Community health services
• HIV testing treatment
• LGBTQ+ support programs
• Public-private health partnership
• Mental health counseling

Headquarters

HQ city

Mumbai

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Clinic Service Fees: Sahyog clinics charge a nominal fee of Rs. 1000 per year for comprehensive health services including HIV testing, counseling, doctor's consultations, and nutrition advice.
2. Donations and Philanthropic Funding: The organization accepts domestic and FCRA-compliant international donations through its online portal, with minimum donation of Rs. 100 and maximum of Rs. 10,00,000 per transaction.
3. Government Grants (NACO/MDACS): HIV interventions supported by National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) and Mumbai District AIDS Control Society (MDACS) through Targeted Interventions (TIs) and public health care delivery systems.
4. International Development Funding: Projects supported by international donors including Global Fund, Amplify Change, with CONNECT project receiving approximately 700,000 EUROS over six years.
5. CSR Funding: Corporate Social Responsibility funding from TLG India Private Limited supporting TRANScend initiative for transgender socio-economic inclusion.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Humsafar Trust is a community-based organization providing LGBTQ+ health and well-being services through Sahyog Clinics (HIV/Syphilis testing, mental health counselling, medical consultations, nutrition advice, legal aid referrals) at Rs. 1,000/year, alongside peer-led community support programs targeting LGBTQ+ youth, PLHIV, transgender persons, and LBQT+ women. The Trust operates as a Public-Private Partnership with MDACS and NACO, delivering services across six Indian cities with funding from government grants, international donors, CSR, and individual donations.

Product overview

The Humsafar Trust operates as a community-based organization (CBO) working on LGBTQ+ health and wellbeing since 1994, offering a portfolio of health services, community support programmes, and advocacy initiatives. Its core health infrastructure includes Sahyog Clinics (Public-Private Partnership clinic models across Mumbai, Delhi, Nagpur, Guwahati, Gangtok, and Amritsar) providing HIV/Syphilis testing, mental health counselling, and medical services. The organization delivers multiple community programmes including Yaariyan (youth support), Umang (LBQT+ support), TRANScend (transgender socio-economic inclusion), Sanjeevani (PLHIV support), SAKSHAM (employment inclusion), LIKHO (queer journalism), EQueL (emerging leaders), STUDIO DHANAK (screenwriting), Bhavishya (scholarships), Khushpudi (health supplies distribution), and CONNECT Partners (CBO network). Research initiatives include NETREACH (virtual outreach), Project CARET (health research), and Project समझ (COVID-19 awareness). Additional services include targeted interventions (Aarambh, Yaarana, Dostaana) and an online donation portal.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sanjeevani: Support group for people living with HIV (PLHIV) for MSM and Transgender communities, offering healthcare, counseling, and treatment support services.
• Yaariyan
• Umang
• TRANScend
• SAKSHAM
• EQueL
• LIKHO
• LIKHO with Pride
• Likho Awards For Excellence In Media
• STUDIO DHANAK
• CONNECT Partners
• Khushpudi
• Bhavishya
• SAHYOG Clinic
• Project Samajh
• Project CARET
• NETREACH
• Aarambh
• Yaarana
• Dostaana

Products and services

• Sahyog Clinics Public-Private Partnership clinic model offering HIV and Syphilis testing, mental health counselling, doctor's services, nutrition counselling, and legal aid referral at Rs. 1,000/year annual membership. Targets LGBTQ+ community members and key populations across six Indian cities.
• Yaariyan Youth Initiative Voluntary LGBTQ+ youth initiative and online support group for ages 18-28, organizing offline events, movie screenings, outings, HIV/STI awareness talks, and Chill Outs to combat social isolation and connect youth to queer-affirming services.
• Umang LBQT+ Support Group Support group providing community spaces for lesbian women, bisexual women, and transmasculine persons, offering mental health counselling, legal support, and community events to address double discrimination.
• TRANScend Initiative Initiative enhancing socio-economic inclusion of transgender persons through skills training, identity document assistance (Aadhaar, PAN), workplace sensitization, and stakeholder engagement.
• Sanjeevani PLHIV Support Group Support group for People Living with HIV (PLHIV) from MSM and transgender communities, providing ART registration, CD4 testing, baseline investigation, opportunistic infection management, and hospitalization assistance.
• CONNECT Partners Network Network of Community-Based Organizations in India responding to health and well-being of sexual minorities, providing capacity building and financial support to CBOs across 8 states.
• SAKSHAM Community-Led Job Fair Community-led job fair focused on holistic inclusion of LGBTQ+ individuals at every step of recruitment, connecting job seekers with inclusive employers across India.
• LIKHO Queer Journalism Initiative Initiative strengthening queer-affirmative journalism in India, including citizen journalism workshops, the Likho Awards for Excellence in Media, and sensitization workshops for media professionals.
• EQueL Emerging Queer Leaders Programme Training programme building capacities of young queer leaders and unifying networks to strengthen local LGBTQ+ movements in non-urban Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities across India.
• STUDIO DHANAK Screenwriting Programme Initiative nurturing young LGBTQ+ individuals in the art of screenplay writing to create queer-affirmative audio/visual content.
• Khushpudi Condom Distribution Initiative Initiative distributing condoms, water-based lubricants, and safe sex information among key populations vulnerable to HIV.
• Bhavishya Scholarship Programme Financial support programme offering scholarships to LGBTQ+ students for educational and upskilling courses who cannot afford them due to unavoidable circumstances.
• NETREACH Virtual Navigator Service

Quantifiable outcome

• 320 PLHIV supported through Sanjeevani support group
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• National AIDS Control Organization (NACO)coreOthersGovernment body supporting HIV interventions through National AIDS Control Program, providing health services to MSM and Transgender communities through public health delivery systems.
• Mumbai District AIDS Control Society (MDACS)coreOthersPublic-Private Partnership clinic model operating as Sahyog clinics offering comprehensive health services at nominal fee of Rs. 1000/year.
• UNAIDScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Project Samajh - COVID-19 social media campaign addressing specific knowledge needs of LGBTQ+ community regarding COVID-19, HIV, STIs, and mental health.
• Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for second and third line Anti-retroviral Treatment, MDR, TDR, and XDR Tuberculosis treatment and management of Hepatitis C infection.
• Family Planning Association of India (FPAI)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Hepatitis B Screening and Vaccination and outreach to female partners of men who have sex with men (MSM).
• VLCC and Beauty and Wellness Sector Skills CouncilsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSkill-building partnerships for transgender persons under TRANScend initiative, addressing socio-economic inclusion through vocational training.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pink Triangle Foundation: Indian community-based LGBTQ+ organization providing crisis support, mental health, and health services through a helpline and community programs. Comparable in CBO structure, LGBTQ+ health focus, and public-private partnership pattern of service delivery in India.
• India HIV/AIDS Alliance (Alliance India): National NGO focused on HIV prevention, care, and rights among key populations including MSM and transgender communities in India. Directly comparable in mission, donor mix (Global Fund, NACO), and PPP delivery model, with similar scale of CBO network and targeted interventions.
• Nazariya: A Queer Feminist Resource Group: Indian LBQT+ advocacy and resource organization providing mental health, legal aid, and community support. Directly comparable niche overlap with Humsafar's Umang vertical serving lesbian, bisexual women and transmasculine persons.
• Naz Foundation (India) Trust: One of India's oldest LGBTQ+ advocacy and HIV organizations, central to the Sec 377 litigation alongside Humsafar. Directly comparable as a community-based organization delivering health, mental health, and legal services to LGBTQ+ populations in India through both direct programs and partnerships with government/NACO.
• SAATHII: Solidarity and Action Against The HIV Infection in India, working on HIV prevention and treatment, gender and sexuality rights, and access to healthcare for key populations. Comparable as a peer CBO delivering queer-affirming health services and capacity building across multiple Indian states, partnering with similar international and government funders.

Broad incumbents

• MPact Global Action for Gay Men's Health & Rights: International coalition working on gay men's health, rights, and HIV across regions including South Asia. Comparable as a funder, network-builder, and policy influencer that channels resources and capacity building to community-based LGBTQ+ health organizations like Humsafar.
• OutRight Action International: Global LGBTQ+ human rights organization funding and supporting CBOs worldwide including in South Asia. Comparable as a broader incumbent that competes for the same international donor pool and policy advocacy space that Humsafar operates in.

Emerging players

• Mitini Trust / Sangini: Indian lesbian and queer women's support organization, including a helpline. Comparable as a niche player addressing the same population segments (LBQT+ women) and providing mental health and crisis support, though with a smaller operational footprint than Humsafar.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HumsafarTrust
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheHumsafarTrustOfficial
• Instagraminstagram.com/humsafartrust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-humsafar-trust

Compliance10 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Humsafar Trust