YWCA of India

What YWCA of India does

YWCA of India is a 130-year-old nonprofit women's rights organization headquartered at 10 Sansad Marg, New Delhi, operating a federated network of 95 local associations across 22 Indian states. It serves women, young women, and children from marginalized backgrounds (Dalit, Tribal, HIV-affected, and economically disadvantaged communities) through community development programs, vocational and livelihood training (tailoring, beauty culture, computer courses, geriatric care), youth leadership development (Rise Up!, Y-Deepa curriculum), education support, safe spaces, advocacy for gender equality and sexual and reproductive health rights, and crisis/shelter services. With 59 paid staff and 10,000+ volunteers, the organization claims to have impacted over 12 million women since its 1896 founding and maintains partnerships with the Australian Government DFAT, World YWCA, Oxfam India, NIIT, and India's National Human Rights Commission.

YWCA of India operates a hybrid nonprofit revenue model combining institutional grants (notably the DFAT-funded Rise Up! Phase IV program targeting 6,000 young women), individual and corporate donations (with FCRA-compliant accounts for foreign donors), and earned income from social enterprises. The social enterprise portfolio includes the Y-Knots India e-commerce handicraft brand (upcycled pouches, masks, table runners, customized hampers), the YWCA International Guest House in New Delhi (operating since 1962), and heritage holiday homes — Anandagiri-Ooty, Burns and Galway House-Kolkata, Spread Acres-Dehradun, Fairhavens-Nainital, Pine Retreat-Mussoorie, and Wyoming-Coonoor — alongside 35 hostels nationwide providing safe accommodation for working women and students. Technology plays a supporting role through digital platforms such as the Safe Space Hub and Virtual Safe Spaces, plus the Y-Deepa curriculum, but AI/ML capabilities are not evidenced.

Leadership is provided by National President Ms. Kunjamma Mathew (also co-founder and CEO of Molethu PMC Pvt Ltd) and National General Secretary Ms. Dhiya Ann Mathew (appointed 2022, among the youngest globally in this role), supported by a regional Vice President structure (Headquarters, Northern, Eastern, South East, South West, North East, Western regions) and a National Treasurer. The organization is affiliated with but autonomously governed from World YWCA, and it has historically contributed to India's regulatory landscape, including helping draft the 2013 Sexual Harassment at Workplace Act and advising on the Women's Reservation Bill.

Name

YWCA of India

Legal name

YWCA of India

Website

https://ywcaindia.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1896

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

YWCA of India is a 130-year-old nonprofit women's rights organization headquartered in New Delhi, operating 95 local associations across 22 states to deliver community development, vocational training, youth leadership, safe spaces, and social enterprise (hostels, guesthouses, handicrafts) for marginalized women, children, and working women.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Women's Empowerment and Community Development Services

akta.pro primary industry

Gender Equality & Women’s Rights (BPADAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Safeguarding, Accountability & Compliance (ESG, Gender/GBV, Do No Harm) (BPADAEAM), Fair Trade & Ethical Supply Chains (Certification, Traceability, Producer Support) (BPAGALAL), Conformity Assessment, Testing, Inspection & Certification Cooperation (BPADANAD)

Keywords

• Women empowerment programs
• Community development services
• Vocational training programmes
• Affordable women's hostels
• Handicraft social enterprise

Headquarters

HQ city

New Delhi

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: The organization receives donations from individuals, corporates, and well-wishers to support community development programs. Bank details provided for Indian donors (State Bank of India) and foreign donors (FCRA account).
2. Y Knots India Social Enterprise: Handicraft products sold through online store - includes pencil pouches, magic pouches, masks, table runners, multipurpose pouches, upcycled dusters, and customized hampers. Products sourced from local associations across India.
3. Guesthouses and Hostels: International Guest House in New Delhi and holiday homes (Anandagiri-Ooty, Pine Retreat-Mussoorie, Fairhavens-Nainital, Wyoming-Coonoor) provide accommodation revenue. Working Women's Hostels offer safe accommodation for working women and students.
4. International Funding: Rise Up! Phase IV funded by Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), implemented through World YWCA

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

YWCA of India is a non-profit women's empowerment organization that delivers community development programs, vocational training, youth leadership initiatives, and gender rights advocacy through a network of 95 local associations across 22 states. It also operates social enterprises — including the Y Knots India handicraft brand, an International Guest House in New Delhi, heritage holiday homes, and 35 working women's hostels — whose surpluses are reinvested into community programs.

Product overview

YWCA of India's product and service portfolio consists primarily of social enterprises and community development programmes rather than a unified technology product. Key offerings include: (1) Y Knots India - an e-commerce/social enterprise platform selling handicrafts made by women artisans; (2) Hospitality services including the YWCA International Guest House in New Delhi and multiple heritage holiday homes (Anandagiri in Ooty, Burns and Galway House in Kolkata, Working Women's Hostel in Chandigarh, Spread Acres in Dehradun, Fairhavens in Nainital, Pine Retreat in Mussoorie, Wyoming in Coonoor); (3) 35 hostels nationwide providing safe accommodation for women; (4) Youth leadership development programmes including Y-Deepa and Rise Up!; (5) Community development projects such as Pipal Chhaya (Trilokpuri), Sarhaah (Aizawl), and Kharberia (Calcutta); (6) Vocational training including Geriatric Care Training; and (7) Publications including Mirror newsletter, Horizon, and EYE Youth Magazine. The hospitality and accommodation services function as social enterprises where revenue supports community development programmes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Y-Knots India: A social enterprise brand that empowers local women artisans by outsourcing handmade handicraft products from Local Associations across India. Focuses on sustainable manufacturing practices and provides a platform for women to showcase their mastery in ethnic products, handmade decor accents, pouches, bags, accessories, and customized hampers.

Products and services

• Y Knots India Social Enterprise

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 12 million women impacted since 1896
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• World YWCAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYWCA of India is affiliated to World YWCA, a global women's rights movement present in over 100 countries. The partnership involves implementation of global programs including Rise Up! leadership initiative.
• Oxfam IndiamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered for community development programs including Pipal Chhaya project and We Can programme addressing domestic violence. Also involved in Civil Defense Trainings.
• NIITmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for providing certification computer courses for students from marginalized families, school dropouts, and street children across various projects.
• Singer CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for conducting sewing courses as part of livelihood and skill development programs.
• Society for Participatory Research in India (PRIA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for #MoreThanJustBrides study on early child marriage and forced marriages in Sonipat and Panipat districts. Joint project with young girls at risk of marriage.
• SafetiPinminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNetworking partner for virtual safe spaces project, helping young women identify local unsafe places, street stalking, eve teasing, bullying through mobile app.
• India Alliance for Child RightsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYWCA of India continues to liaison with India Alliance for Child Rights under guidance of Ms. Razia Ismail, participating in meetings on child rights and Sustainable Development Goals.
• National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYWCA invited to International Human Rights conclave organized by NHRC for session on Women and Children and SDGs. Also part of national coalition to end child marriage supported by NHRC.
• Government of India and State GovernmentsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with government bodies for environmental initiatives, Complaints Committees for prevention of sexual harassment at workplace (serving on 42 committees), and various social welfare programs.
• Women Power ConnectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYWCA was on advisory group meeting for research study on support structures for survivors of trafficking, contributing to resource directory development.
• Various Local NGOs and Civil Society OrganizationsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with organizations including Habitat Learning Centre, Amba Foundation, Council for Child Welfare, Shehnaz Hussain, Nehru Bal Samiti, Directorate of Civil Defense for community programs.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA): India-based organization focused on economic empowerment of informal-sector women workers through cooperatives, training, and social enterprise. Shares YWCA's dual focus on women's livelihood advancement and federation/association-based governance, though with a stronger economic-rights orientation.
• YWCA USA: U.S. national affiliate of World YWCA operating the same global brand and movement. Directly comparable as a sister federation in the same worldwide women's rights network, operating hostels, advocacy, and community programs for women.
• All India Women's Conference (AIWC): One of India's oldest women's empowerment organizations, established in 1927. Operates a similar federation model focused on women's education, welfare, and rights advocacy across India, making it a directly comparable peer to YWCA of India in mission and structure.
• Martha Farrell Foundation: India-based nonprofit focused on gender equality, women's empowerment, and ending violence against women. Comparable programmatic focus on gender-based violence prevention and women's leadership development, though with a smaller operational footprint than YWCA of India.
• CREA (Creating Resources for Empowerment in Action): India and South Asia-based feminist organization focused on SRHR, gender equality, and women's rights advocacy. Highly comparable mission to YWCA of India, particularly on SRHR and women's leadership, though smaller in scale and more focused on policy/advocacy than service delivery.

Broad incumbents

• Oxfam India: Larger international development NGO operating in India with broader scope (poverty, gender, inequality). YWCA of India has partnered with Oxfam on the Pipal Chhaya and We Can programs; a comparable peer due to overlapping women's empowerment and community development work, though with much greater resources and broader thematic reach.
• National Commission for Women (NCW): Government of India statutory body mandated to safeguard women's rights. Comparable in policy advocacy and women's rights mandate; YWCA has partnered with NCW and the Ministry of Women and Child Development on sexual harassment legislation, making this a strategic peer rather than direct competitor.
• ActionAid India: Indian arm of ActionAid International focused on women's rights, governance, and community development. Operates federation-like grassroots programming across Indian states similar to YWCA's 95-association model, but with broader scope including land rights and disaster response.
• CARE India: Large international humanitarian organization operating across India focused on women's empowerment, health, and livelihoods. Comparable on women's empowerment and community development programming with substantially larger resources and broader geographic and thematic reach than YWCA of India.

Emerging players

• Azad Foundation: India-based nonprofit focused on women's economic empowerment and mobility through livelihood programs (driving, mechanics). Comparable on women's economic empowerment dimensions, though narrower geographic scope and program focus than YWCA of India's broader portfolio.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/yknots.india
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ywcaindia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 YWCA of India