The Global Organization of People of Indian Origin – Connecticut Chapter (GOPIO-CT) has been supporting Society for Human and Environment Development (SHED, https://shedindia.org/) in Maharashtra, an organization that runs schools in Mumbai’s Dharavi slums and tribal areas as well as provides health services in the rural areas.

SHED Vice President and SHED Trustee Asad Latif and Executive Council Member Prakash Kundalia spoke at a seminar organized by GOPIO-CT Saturday, May 31, 2025, at the Stamford Hampton Inn and Suites on the topic “Promoting Girls Education, Hygiene, Health & Nutrition and Women Empowerment in Rural Maharashtra’ sharing SHED experiences. The seminar was moderated by GOPIO Life Member Biru Sharma, a press release from GOPIO-CT said.

According to SHED, Akshara Foundation in collaboration with SHED, launched a Computer Literacy program in four slums of Mumbai—Dharavi, Mahakali, Saphale, and Palghar—making employable over 50,000 individuals, including 30,000 women. In the tribal regions of Maharashtra, SHED has established Health Centers to provide primary care, with referrals to the hospitals like Bhaktivedanta Hospital, Meera Road.

Asad said, “Over the past five decades, SHED’s vocational training initiatives have empowered 1.5 million women to become self-reliant and support their families.”

Kundalia said that to improve sanitation and reduce school dropout rates among adolescent girls, SHED has constructed 42,000 hygienic toilets till date. SHED is presently in the process of finalizing the construction of the toilets in 10 Municipal schools in Maharashtra.

GOPIO-CT President Mahesh Jhangiani presented a check of $25,000 for the construction of toilets for girls at these Municipal schools. Present at the program were GOPIO International Chairman Dr. Thomas Abraham and Secretary Siddharth Jain, GOPIO-CT Vice President Nandu Kuppuswamy, Boards Member Meera Banta, and Past Presidents Shailesh Naik and Ashok Nichani.

The Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) is a non-profit organization which aims to promote the well-being and advancement of people of Indian origin worldwide. Over the last 19 years, GOPIO-CT has hosted interactive sessions with policy makers and academicians, community events, youth mentoring and networking workshops, and working with other area organizations to help create a better future, the press release said.

(Used under special arrangement with NIT)

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