About NGO

SNEHA is a non-profit organization that works with women, children, and public health and safety systems. Our innovative work in urban informal settlements aims to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity, child malnutrition, and gender-based violence. In the early 1990s, neonatologist Dr. Armida Fernandez and her team were routinely caring for underweight and premature infants born into low-income households. These households often faced poor nutritional and health outcomes, especially among mothers and children. Dr. Fernandez and her team wanted to develop sustainable interventions that would go beyond simply providing stopgap solutions.They spent time in Mumbai’s low-income settlements, learning about the compounding challenges of lack of information, resources, and access to quality health services. SNEHA was thus established in 1999 to work on the twin goals of improving health-seeking behavior among underserved communities and improving the quality of public health services. Today, SNEHA is a 490+ person-strong organization with extensive on-ground experience in helping build the healthy lives of urban women and children. Its vision, mission, and values affirm its commitment to the health of vulnerable women and children.