Our Mission

Educating and empowering the less privileged through integrated methods and initiating and implementing progressive social change.

We want to see an India where every child gets an education, every youth an opportunity to succeed, and every woman the right to equality.

Our Approach

VIDYA believes in an integrated approach to empowerment and education.

We help communities by helping their most vulnerable members– their youth, women and children– and we design programs in a way that empowering one empowers the other.

VIDYA’s History

VIDYA is a non-profit NGO. We’re a charitable organization that specializes in the education and empowerment of less-privileged children, youth and women through working with them at an individual level. Our nationally-recognized programmes include schools, remedial education, computer training, adult literacy, skills training, microfinance and social entrepreneurship.

Founded in 1985 by Ms. Rashmi Misra, it began with her teaching a class of five girls in her home on the campus of IIT Delhi. VIDYA now offers programs in five major cities across India, in some of the poorest neighborhoods of Delhi, Haryana, Mumbai and Bangalore. Our team of about 350 people includes local and foreign volunteers, teachers and staff and a large circle of committed friends, donors and well-wishers. VIDYA has made a difference in the lives of more than 220,000 families over 29 years, over 2,500 women have been empowered to earn their own living, and more than 120,000 people across 20 rehabilitated slums in Delhi and Mumbai have benefited from our programs.

Sponsors span across India, the US and Europe, some providing constant support to us, and thousands of volunteers have worked with us over the years.