Kherwadi Social Welfare Association

Kherwadi Social Welfare Association (KSWA) is an Indian nonprofit organization founded in 1928 by B. G. Kher, the former political leader and first prime minister of Bombay State. It began as a community-welfare initiative in the marshlands of Bandra East, Mumbai, where roughly one hundred families were living in difficult conditions. The organization’s early work combined education, healthcare, income generation, and neighborhood infrastructure. Its activities included supporting roads, electricity and water access, establishing a school that was later transferred to the municipal authorities, promoting individual housing plots, and creating community facilities where women and young people could learn trades. The association’s community-development work became associated with the Kherwadi Scheme and with Parishramalaya, a community center intended to provide practical education and livelihood opportunities. KSWA also helped establish an early leather-training institute, which later became connected with the Government Polytechnic in Bandra East. The organization received land to conduct livelihood programs under the aegis of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission, linking its social mission with vocational and small-enterprise development. In 1998, Kishor Kher and Mrinalini Kher assumed responsibility for the organization’s operational activities and initiated the Yuva Parivartan movement. Yuva Parivartan, meaning transformation of youth, focuses on young people from disadvantaged backgrounds who have left school or lack access to formal employment pathways. Its model combines short-term vocational instruction, community engagement, placement support, and partnerships with government bodies, nongovernmental organizations, community-based organizations, and employers. The objective is to help participants develop practical skills, secure work or self-employment, and move toward economic independence. Yuva Parivartan was formally launched in 2003 by then-President of India A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. Over time, the program expanded beyond its original Mumbai base to centers across Maharashtra and other Indian states. Training has been presented as a mass-access livelihood intervention for school dropouts, undereducated youth, and people otherwise excluded from conventional skills programs. The organization’s work has included partnerships with companies and philanthropic institutions to establish or support vocational centers and to connect trainees with employers. KSWA also developed rural and tribal livelihood programs. In 2008 it formalized rural outreach in Wada, in the tribal belt of Thane district, through the Anvarali Tobaccowala Vocational Training Center. The center combines training facilities with residential space and has supported courses for tribal young women and men. Other rural initiatives have included masonry training and integrated rural development work intended to raise household incomes, improve agricultural and livestock practices, strengthen water-resource management, and support women’s self-help groups. The organization has worked in regions including Mumbai, Pune, Raigad, Thane, Nashik, Nagpur, Aurangabad, Chandrapur and Wardha, with historical expansion into Vidarbha and Marathwada. Its operating model relies on donations, corporate and philanthropic sponsorship, institutional partnerships, training centers, community facilitators, and placement networks. Publicly described certifications and registrations include GuideStar India, GiveIndia, Credibility Alliance, ISO 9001:2008, FCRA, section 80G, and section 35AC-related government certifications, although the current validity and status of each certification are not established by the supplied material. KSWA remains an active social-development organization whose public identity is closely connected with the Yuva Parivartan brand and its emphasis on skills, livelihoods, and social mobility.

Kherwadi Social Welfare Association was founded in 1928 by B. G. Kher, a prominent public figure who later became the first prime minister of Bombay State. The association was created in response to the poor living conditions of approximately one hundred families living in the marshes of Bandra East, then part of the wider Mahim Creek area. Its earliest purpose was broad community uplift rather than narrowly defined job training. Programs addressed education, healthcare, income generation, and the creation of basic civic amenities. During its formative period, KSWA supported the physical and social development of Bandra East. Its work included assistance with roads, electricity and water supply, and the creation of a school that was subsequently handed over to the Bombay municipal authorities. The organization also helped distribute individual plots to residents, an initiative associated with the Kherwadi Scheme. The intention was to replace precarious settlement conditions with a more stable and dignified community environment. A central institution in this model was Parishramalaya, a community center where women and young people could learn trades and pursue income-generating activities. KSWA also helped establish a leather institute that later became associated with the Government Polytechnic in Bandra East. Land was made available for livelihood programs under the Khadi and Village Industries Commission, reinforcing the association’s emphasis on practical skills and local economic activity. The organization’s founding philosophy was influenced by Gandhian ideas of constructive community work and self-reliance. A major transition occurred in 1998, when Kishor Kher and Mrinalini Kher took over the organization’s operational activities. They started the Yuva Parivartan movement at the Parishramalaya center. The movement was designed for underprivileged young people, especially school dropouts and those lacking motivation, formal qualifications, or access to stable work. Rather than treating education and employment as separate issues, Yuva Parivartan connected short-term vocational training with counseling, community engagement, employer relationships, and placement assistance. The movement was formally launched in 2003 by President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. Its central proposition was that practical, market-relevant training could help disadvantaged youth become economically independent and lead productive lives. Courses were intended to be accessible to participants who might not qualify for longer or more formal educational pathways. The model involved identifying a trainee’s interests, providing a usable skill, and helping connect the graduate with a small or medium-sized enterprise or another income opportunity. As the program developed, KSWA expanded from its Mumbai base into other parts of Maharashtra and beyond. Historical descriptions refer to centers in Mumbai, Pune, Raigad, Thane, Nashik, Nagpur, Aurangabad, Chandrapur and Wardha, as well as broader activity across Maharashtra and in additional Indian states. The organization worked with government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, community-based organizations, corporate sponsors, and philanthropic foundations. Partnerships were used to finance centers, offer specialized courses, expand rural coverage, and improve the transition from training to employment. Rural outreach became more structured in 2008, when KSWA acquired a building in Wada in the tribal belt of Thane district. The facility, named the Anvarali Tobaccowala Vocational Training Center, combined classrooms and residential accommodation. A Blue Star-supported center offered multiple courses primarily for tribal girls and boys, while support from the Larsen & Toubro Charitable Foundation was associated with masonry training. These initiatives extended the organization’s vocational mission to communities where young people faced limited local employment and pressure to migrate. KSWA’s Integrated Rural Development Programs broadened the focus from individual training to household and village economies. A pilot in twenty-five villages of Wada Taluka addressed improved agricultural practices, water-resource management, livestock management, and women’s empowerment through self-help groups. Agricultural and livestock assistants, a veterinary doctor, village-level Krishi Pashu Sathis, and an external project consultant were described as part of the delivery structure. The intended result was higher rural income, greater resilience among marginal farmers and tribal households, and reduced migration by young people. The organization also developed institutional and communications capacity. It partnered with Axis Bank to extend skills development into Vidarbha and Marathwada, regions affected by drought and agrarian distress. Model centers in Nagpur and Aurangabad supported partner centers in surrounding districts. Yuva Parivartan was selected as one of five Mumbai NGOs for a Thomson Reuters corporate-social-responsibility initiative coordinated with Impact International, a United Kingdom consulting firm. Participants from several countries worked on improving the organization’s website, information technology, marketing, and public-relations capabilities. KSWA’s public materials identify affiliations, certifications, and registrations including GuideStar India, GiveIndia, Credibility Alliance, ISO 9001:2008, FCRA, section 80G, and section 35AC-related government certifications. These references indicate an effort to establish organizational credibility and enable philanthropic or institutional support, but the supplied sources do not establish the current status of every certification. Today, the association is best understood as a nonprofit social-development platform whose principal public-facing identity is Yuva Parivartan. Its work combines youth skills training, livelihood support, rural development, community participation, and employment partnerships.

• 2011

  Historical network spans multiple Maharashtra districts

  [1]Kherwadi Social Welfare Associationen.wikipedia.org

  Material describing the year ending March 31, 2011 records 28 centers across seven districts, with additional centers listed in several Maharashtra districts.

• 2010

  Model centers open in Nagpur and Aurangabad

  [1]Kherwadi Social Welfare Associationen.wikipedia.org

  The organization strengthens its presence in Vidarbha and Marathwada and uses model centers to support partner training centers.

• 2008

  Rural vocational infrastructure expands

  [1]Kherwadi Social Welfare Associationen.wikipedia.org

  KSWA formalizes rural programs in Wada through the Anvarali Tobaccowala Vocational Training Center.

• 2003

  Yuva Parivartan receives formal launch

  [1]Kherwadi Social Welfare Associationen.wikipedia.org

  The movement is formally launched by President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam.

• 1998

  Yuva Parivartan begins

  [1]Kherwadi Social Welfare Associationen.wikipedia.org

  Kishor Kher and Mrinalini Kher assume operational responsibility and start the Yuva Parivartan youth-livelihood initiative at Parishramalaya.

• 1930

  Community infrastructure and education work develops

  [1]Kherwadi Social Welfare Associationen.wikipedia.org

  KSWA supports roads, utilities, a school, housing plots, and community facilities in the developing Kherwadi area. The exact dates of individual projects are not specified in the source.

• 1928

  KSWA is founded

  [1]Kherwadi Social Welfare Associationen.wikipedia.org

  B. G. Kher establishes the association to improve living conditions and economic opportunities for families in Bandra East.

A community-rooted Indian nonprofit focused on practical skills, livelihood creation, and economic independence for disadvantaged youth, school dropouts, rural households, and tribal communities.

• Youth vocational training and livelihood program · 1998

  Yuva Parivartan

  KSWA’s principal public-facing program supports disadvantaged youth, especially school dropouts and undereducated young people. It provides short-term vocational instruction based on participant interests and local employment opportunities, combined with community engagement, placement assistance, and links to small and medium-sized enterprises. The program is designed to help participants obtain wage employment or develop an income-generating livelihood.

• Rural livelihoods and community development

  Integrated Rural Development Programs

  The IRDP model works with marginal farmers and tribal households to improve rural income and reduce distress migration. Its described components include improved agriculture, water-resource management, livestock services, village-level facilitators, and women’s empowerment through self-help groups. A pilot program operated in villages of Wada Taluka in Thane district.

• Rural vocational-training center · 2008

  Anvarali Tobaccowala Vocational Training Center

  Established in Wada in the tribal belt of Thane district, this center provides space for vocational instruction and residential accommodation. It serves as part of KSWA’s rural outreach infrastructure and has supported training for tribal young women and men.

• Sponsored vocational-training center

  Blue Star Vocational Training Center

  A center supported by Blue Star Ltd. and described as offering fourteen courses primarily for tribal girls and boys. The supplied material does not identify the individual courses or confirm the center’s current operating status.

• Employment and partnership service

  Placement Support

  Placement support connects vocational trainees with employers, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises. It forms one part of the Yuva Parivartan model, alongside training, community engagement, and partnerships with government, nonprofit, community, and industry organizations.

• 2008Wada rural vocational outreach

  Wada Taluka · Thane district · Maharashtra

  KSWA expanded its rural work by establishing a vocational facility in Wada’s tribal belt, combining training space with residential accommodation.

  Outcome. The center supported additional vocational courses and became part of the association’s rural-development infrastructure.

  Source
• 2003Formal Yuva Parivartan launch

  India

  The movement was formally presented with the participation of President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, giving national visibility to its vocational-training and youth-livelihood mission.

  Outcome. The program continued as a platform for training, community engagement, placement, and institutional partnerships.

  Source
• 1998Yuva Parivartan Movement

  Maharashtra · India

  KSWA began a youth-transformation movement to guide disadvantaged school dropouts toward vocational skills, employment, and economic independence.

  Outcome. The initiative became the organization’s principal public-facing program and expanded through a network of centers and partnerships.

  Source
• Integrated Rural Development Program

  Wada Taluka · Thane district · Maharashtra

  KSWA implemented a pilot across villages in Wada Taluka addressing agriculture, water, livestock, and women’s self-help groups.

  Outcome. The stated goals were to increase rural incomes, strengthen household resilience, and reduce migration of young people to urban areas.

  Source
• Thomson Reuters CSR technology initiative

  Mumbai · India · International partner network

  Yuva Parivartan was selected as one of five Mumbai NGOs for a corporate-social-responsibility initiative involving Impact International and a multinational group of young participants.

  Outcome. The project focused on improving the organization’s website, information technology, marketing, and public-relations capabilities.

  Source

• 2010

  Regional expansion through model centers and partnershipsStrategy

  Background

  Vidarbha and Marathwada were identified as regions requiring expanded skills and livelihood support, including areas affected by drought and agrarian distress.

  Action taken

  With support from Axis Bank, KSWA established or strengthened model centers in Nagpur and Aurangabad and used them to support partner centers.

  Aftermath

  The program broadened the organization’s geographic reach across additional Maharashtra districts; exact current center counts are not established by the supplied sources.

  Source

• 2008

  Expansion from urban training to rural and tribal developmentStrategy

  Background

  The organization identified rural poverty, limited employment, low farm incomes, and youth migration as interconnected challenges.

  Action taken

  KSWA established a rural vocational center in Wada and developed integrated programs covering training, agriculture, livestock, water management, and women’s groups.

  Aftermath

  The association extended its livelihood model beyond urban youth training into village-level economic development.

  Source

• 1998

  Shift toward structured youth livelihood trainingStrategy

  Background

  After new operational leadership took over, KSWA sought to address school dropout, unemployment, and limited access to practical skills among disadvantaged youth.

  Action taken

  The organization launched Yuva Parivartan at the Parishramalaya center, combining vocational instruction with community engagement and employment support.

  Aftermath

  Yuva Parivartan became the central platform through which KSWA expanded its skills and livelihood work.

  Source

• 2010

  KSWA expands training activity in Vidarbha and Marathwada[1]Kherwadi Social Welfare Associationen.wikipedia.org

  Campaign

  Model centers in Nagpur and Aurangabad supported the expansion of skills training and partner centers in drought-affected regions of Maharashtra.

• 2008

  Yuva Parivartan formalizes rural outreach in Wada[1]Kherwadi Social Welfare Associationen.wikipedia.org

  Campaign

  KSWA expanded its rural work through a vocational center in Wada, Thane district, serving tribal communities and supporting livelihood programs.

• 2003

  Yuva Parivartan is formally launched[1]Kherwadi Social Welfare Associationen.wikipedia.org

  Campaign · Product launch

  The youth livelihood and vocational-training movement was formally launched by Indian President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam.

• 1998

  Kishor Kher and Mrinalini Kher take over operational activities[1]Kherwadi Social Welfare Associationen.wikipedia.org

  Leadership change

  The organization’s operational leadership passed to Kishor Kher and Mrinalini Kher, who initiated the Yuva Parivartan movement.

• 1928

  Kherwadi Social Welfare Association is established in Bandra East[1]Kherwadi Social Welfare Associationen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  B. G. Kher founded KSWA to improve living conditions and economic prospects for families settled in the Bandra East marshlands.

1. 1Kherwadi Social Welfare Associationen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Yuva Parivartan official websiteyuvaparivartan.org