What Saathi Samaj Sevi Sanstha does

Saathi Samaj Sevi Sanstha is a non-governmental organization registered under the Madhya Pradesh Society Act in 1993, headquartered in Kondagaon, Chhattisgarh, India. It operates as a grassroots community development NGO serving vulnerable tribal communities — primarily Madia, Muria, Gond, and Halba groups — across approximately 700 villages in the Left Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected Bastar region. The organization was co-founded by Bhupesh Tiwari (President), Late Bhupendra Banchhor, and Harilal Bharadwaj (Secretary), inspired by Gandhian ideals and a five-year period of trust-building with the Bastar community prior to formal establishment.

The organization's programmatic portfolio spans six vertical areas: Education, Craft & Rural Tourism, Livelihood, Health & Nutrition, People's Rights & Empowerment, and Governance & Policy Advocacy. Its historical core is craft-based livelihood development — particularly terracotta, Dhokra, and wrought iron artisan work — but the model has expanded to include health and nutrition outreach in 100 hard-to-reach villages of the Narayanpur block, education access (including RTE Watch), rural tourism promotion, and rights-based advocacy. Per the source data, Saathi has cumulatively reached 500k+ rural beneficiaries and completed 30+ projects over 35+ years of activity.

The business model is a donor-and-grant-funded non-profit with no commercial revenue. Services are delivered free of cost to beneficiary communities; the organization employs approximately 10 people. Distribution is exclusively through direct community outreach in a single-country (India), single-region (Bastar) footprint. There is no proprietary technology platform, no digital product, no app, and no commercial pricing structure. The go-to-market is relationship-based, leveraging the founders' multi-decade trust with tribal communities rather than any branded service or platform offering.

Name

Saathi Samaj Sevi Sanstha

Legal name

Saathi Samaj Sevi Sanstha

Website

https://saathibastar.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Saathi Samaj Sevi Sanstha is a non-profit NGO established in 1993 in Kondagaon, Chhattisgarh, India, that delivers community development programs in education, health, livelihood, and rights across approximately 700 tribal villages in the Bastar region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Community Food Services (624210)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Rural Livelihoods & Economic Empowerment (BPAGABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Minority, Indigenous & Disability Rights (BPADAGAH), Community Health, Prevention & Health Education (BPAGACAC), Education Access & Quality (International Development) (BPAGABAE)

Keywords

• Rural community development
• Tribal livelihood programs
• Craft artisan empowerment
• Rural education access
• Health nutrition outreach

Headquarters

HQ city

Kondagaon

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations

Distribution channels1 record

Core offering

Saathi Samaj Sevi Sanstha is a non-governmental organization registered under the Madhya Pradesh Society Act in 1993, headquartered in Kondagaon, Chhattisgarh, India. The organization runs community development programs for vulnerable tribal communities in the Bastar region, covering Education, Craft & Rural Tourism, Livelihood, Health & Nutrition, People's Rights & Empowerment, and Governance & Policy Advocacy. Programs are delivered free of charge to beneficiaries and funded through donations and grants; they include artisan training in terracotta, Dhokra, and wrought iron crafts, school access advocacy, and health outreach across approximately 700 villages including 100 hard-to-reach villages in the Narayanpur block.

Product overview

Saathi Samaj Sevi Sanstha is a non-governmental organization established under the Madhya Pradesh Society Act in 1993, working with vulnerable communities in Bastar, Chhattisgarh. The organization focuses on holistic community development through multiple program areas including Education, Rural Tourism, Livelihood programs, Health & Nutrition, and People's Rights & Empowerment. Rather than a commercial product portfolio, Saathi operates as a social impact organization that addresses issues of craft-based livelihoods, health, education, and accessibility to essential services in Left Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected regions. The organization primarily addresses exploitation faced by artisan communities through programs focused on traditional crafts such as terracotta, Dhokra, and wrought iron, while also expanding into broader community development initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Education Program Community-based education access and quality education program delivered to tribal communities in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, addressing exploitation linked to absence of quality education. Free service funded by donations and grants.
• Craft & Rural Tourism Program Promotion of rural tourism in Bastar combined with craft-based livelihood development including training in terracotta, Dhokra, and wrought iron for tribal artisan communities. Free program funded by donations and grants.
• Livelihood Program Sustainable livelihood generation programs for tribal communities in Bastar, designed to combat exploitation and provide long-term economic alternatives. Free service funded by donations and grants.
• Health & Nutrition Outreach Health and nutrition outreach projects serving 100 hard-to-reach villages in the Narayanpur block of the Bastar region, addressing health and nutrition challenges in Left Wing Extremism-affected areas. Free service funded by donations and grants.
• People's Rights & Empowerment Program Program that frames health, education, and employment as basic rights of every individual, with programs delivered to tribal communities in Bastar to advance empowerment. Free service funded by donations and grants.
• Governance & Policy Advocacy Governance and policy advocacy programs supporting tribal communities in Bastar, addressing systemic issues including Community Forest Rights (CFR) and broader policy engagement. Free service funded by donations and grants.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• SRIJAN (Self-Reliant Initiatives through Joint Action): NGO focused on sustainable livelihoods and community institutions in rural and tribal India — directly comparable to Saathi's livelihood-generation and community-empowerment orientation.
• Navsarjan Trust: Gujarat-based NGO working primarily with Dalit and tribal communities on rights, empowerment, and education — directly comparable in its indigenous/marginalized community focus and rights-based programming.
• Gram Vikas: Odisha-based rural development NGO working on water, sanitation, livelihoods, and education with tribal and marginalized communities — directly comparable integrated community-development approach.
• Seva Mandir: Long-standing NGO working with tribal communities in southern Rajasthan on education, health, livelihoods and natural resource management — directly comparable mission, beneficiary profile, and integrated program design.
• PRADAN (Professional Assistance for Development Action): India's leading grassroots livelihood-promotion NGO working with tribal and rural communities on women's collectives, agriculture, and enterprise — directly comparable to Saathi's craft-livelihood and community-empowerment model.
• BAIF Development Research Foundation: Large pan-Indian rural development NGO with deep programs in tribal livelihood, agriculture, and community health — directly comparable to Saathi's craft-livelihood and health-nutrition verticals.

Broad incumbents

• SEWA (Self-Employed Women's Association): National-level organization for informal-sector women workers focused on economic empowerment and rights — comparable livelihoods and empowerment mission but at significantly larger scale.
• ActionAid India: Large international-affiliated NGO operating across India on poverty alleviation, women's rights, and education — comparable thematic focus but at much greater scale and broader geographic footprint.

Emerging players

• Transform Rural India Foundation: Foundation focused on rural household graduation across India's poorest districts, including tribal regions — emerging organization with comparable rural-tribal beneficiary focus and integrated program model.

Others

• Tata Steel Foundation (tribal development programs): CSR-funded tribal development programs operating in Jharkhand and Odisha on livelihoods, health, and education — thematically comparable as a potential funder/partner for Saathi's Bastar work.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/saathi-samaj-sevi-sanstha

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Saathi Samaj Sevi Sanstha