WHAT WE DO-
Our Programs.
For over three decades, Mahita has worked alongside women, children, youth, and marginalized communities to address challenges in education, child protection, livelihoods, gender equality, health, and climate resilience. Our programs are designed to create sustainable opportunities, strengthen local leadership, and build safer, more equitable communities across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
URBAN
STEM Education
To address the prevalent rote learning lacking critical thinking in government schools, Mahita champions integrating science and technology to elevate learning outcomes. This initiative introduces innovative teaching methodologies and STEM education to shift the educational paradigm towards hands-on experiences, allowing children to explore their potential.Recognizing the global importance of STEM, Mahita provides equal opportunities, especially for girls, to engage in high-growth STEM careers. By implementing this approach, Mahita empowers students, nurtures curiosity and practical skills essential for their future STEM success.
Migrant Children’s Education
Mahita established an Early Childhood Education Center catering to 70 children between ages 3-10 from migrant construction families. This provides crucial support including meals, healthcare and education to aid the most marginalized children, ensuring early education access.The program tracks children’s growth, addresses stunting through nutrition, and raises migrant family awareness regarding health and hygiene. This holistic approach uplifts and supports the children and families to positively impact this vulnerable community.
Youth Certification
Many young people interrupt primary education for child labor yet aspire to continue studies later. Mahita encourages and facilitates secondary education through distance learning to support these ambitions. Mahita established Mithra Knowledge Centers in Adilabad to assist and guide determined youth seeking continued education by identifying and connecting them to distance programs. Additionally, Mithra Centers provide coaching and interactions to enhance learning. This initiative fosters continued education, focuses on improving communication and life skills to empower youth with essential skills and contribute meaningfully to their communities.
Healthy School Environments
Access to clean, safe school facilities is pivotal for children’s health, safety, dignity and attendance. Mahita has long supported government schools by renovating dilapidated toilets, ensuring clean drinking water, and constructing girl-friendly infrastructure. Recently in Patancheru, we facilitated such facilities in 20 schools, benefiting 5000 girls, and 15 Anganwadis, benefiting 450 children. Moreover, we conduct vital Menstrual Hygiene Management capacity building for around 6000 adolescents in government schools in Adilabad and Hyderabad, imparting essential lifelong skills. Our infrastructure improvements and empowerment initiatives create environments for children’s holistic development.
Children’s Protection
Recognizing child protection as key to wellbeing, Mahita has spent years imbibing confidence and awareness to safeguard children from exploitation. We promoted accountability by establishing Child Protection Committees with local leaders that identify, respond to and prevent child rights violations. Additionally, our Children’s Clubs in government schools foster citizenship and governance by disseminating information on pertinent issues like rights, discrimination and quality education. These informal associations amplify children’s voices.
Youth Employability
Our Community Livelihood Centers provide disadvantaged youth vocational training to enhance employable skills and entrepreneurship. Offering programs in areas like IT, marketing, fashion and beauty, we open up new opportunities for urban slum youth. Guidance extends beyond the training period into job attainment. This worldview exposure increases girls’ mobility and decision-making agency regarding health and social issues while enabling economic empowerment.
NGO Partnerships
Mahita facilitates influential networks advocating child rights and human rights across sectors in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. As founder and convener of the 350-member APACR and TACR alliances, we lead NGO and stakeholder coordination to inform policies strengthening children’s welfare. Strategic advocacy efforts also drive critical policy changes around issues like child marriage. Further, Mahita conducts invaluable research studies on pressing children’s issues related to child marriage, education – from RTE implementation to assessing integrated aid – providing data-driven insights.
Celebrity Partnerships
Mahita has conducted impactful research and developed key IEC materials to address critical issues affecting children. Through videos, audio campaigns, and publications—supported by celebrities like Rakul Preet Singh and P.V. Sindhu—we have raised awareness on child marriage and trafficking while integrating resources such as SMC guidelines and child participation manuals into government systems. By collaborating with departments of Women & Child Welfare, Education, Legal Services, Police, and other partners, Mahita combines research, advocacy, and strategic partnerships to create lasting positive change for children across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
RURAL
Tribal Communities
MAHITA’s TDF Project in Adilabad promotes ecological restoration and sustainable livelihoods by transforming 500 acres of degraded tribal land into productive orchards. Supporting 500 tribal families, the initiative introduced mango, amla, teak, custard apple, and drumstick plantations while promoting organic farming through vermicompost, vegetable intercropping, and soil conservation practices. In collaboration with local Maathota committees, the project also improved water conservation, fencing, and ecosystem resilience, enhancing biodiversity and creating long-term environmental and economic benefits for tribal communities.
Conservation and Restoration
MAHITA’s initiatives in Adilabad and Sangareddy focus on ecosystem restoration, water conservation, and sustainable agriculture. Through the Bela Watershed Project, the organization supported the Kolam Tribal Community by implementing trench-cum-bunding across 25 acres, restoring wells, and providing training on sustainable farming, directly benefiting 163 individuals. In Sangareddy, MAHITA recharged bore wells for 60 farmers, improving water availability and crop productivity. By combining conservation efforts with farmer training and exposure visits, the organization strengthens local capacity for responsible resource management and long-term environmental sustainability.
Rural Livelihoods
MAHITA promotes localized production and sustainable livelihoods by empowering rural women through skill development, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy. In Sangareddy district, the initiative supports 150 women with livelihood training and enables 100 women across 10 villages to establish micro-enterprises, fostering economic independence and local production. The organization also helped 100 families access government entitlements while promoting indigenous crops, organic farming, and traditional handicrafts. By combining livelihood opportunities with cultural preservation and sustainable practices, MAHITA strengthens community resilience and supports long-term rural development.
Eduational Empowerment
Operating in 120 Adilabad villages and 90 government schools, Mahita addresses pressing issues like child labor through community partnerships. By engaging 6,500 children, 600 SMC members and stakeholders, we strengthen interventions to foster ownership over collective welfare.
Our multifaceted initiatives sustainably empower rural communities through an integrated approach targeting food security, skilling, access to entitlements, income generation, child development and educational advancement.
Advocacy & Networking
Mahita promotes state-level networks known as the A.P. Alliance for Child Rights (APACR) and the Telangana Alliance for Child Rights (TACR). APACR is a consortium of 350 NGOs, networks, and individuals working on child rights issues in the states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Mahita leads the NGO consortium in both states in the role of State Convenor. Mahita facilitates the network in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, playing a crucial convening role. Its advocacy initiatives are designed to provide clear-sighted inputs into local and state-level policies and action plans dealing with children’s rights and education. Mahita has also undertaken intensive advocacy efforts for policy changes on the issue of child marriage in both states.
