About
Who we are
Founder's message
Dhiraj Vagadia
Founder & Director
SSKK began with a simple question: what could we do for the community around us?
A handful of volunteers set out to find the answer. Today, that search has grown into a family — our members, our staff, and the communities we work alongside every day.
The pain of migration first sparked this work. Today it has become a clear purpose: sustainable livelihoods and healthier lives for women and children.
We haven’t walked this journey alone. Thank you to our donors, staff, volunteers, and every member of this organisation — for bringing us this far, and for what’s still ahead.
Our journey
Shikshan ane Samaj Kalyan Kendra earned its identity among the people of its operational area — one activity at a time. Through health, education, and women’s empowerment initiatives, the organisation found real ways to be useful to the community. People saw for themselves how these efforts helped, and found in them a new direction forward.
The road wasn’t without obstacles. We worked through them carefully, alongside our ongoing programmes, and each challenge added to our expertise. Our engagement with other organisations, too, has repeatedly sharpened the way we work.
What keeps the organisation strong is a team that works with genuine enthusiasm. We build new pathways through transparency in our programmes, administration, and accounts, and through our participation in social audit processes for social accountability. We follow the standards set by the Credibility Alliance and are part of its accreditation process.
45
Years in the field
250+
Villages reached
3
Districts
100+
Karyakartas on the team
Mandate
- Restore ecosystems
- Promote sustainable practices
- Uplift communities
- Foster unity with nature
- Ensure dignity and cultivate peace
To restore ecosystems, promote sustainable practices and uplift communities by fostering unity with nature, ensuring dignity and cultivating peace for all.
What we set out to do
- 01 Promote sustainable farming — organising farmers and forming groups, with a focus on eco-friendly practices that improve soil health, water management and farm productivity, and on greater participation by women. Sustainable agriculture
- 02 Foster environmental protection and climate adaptation strategies, including renewable energy, water conservation and biodiversity restoration. Environmental Sustainability & Climate Resilience
- 03 Strengthen community livelihoods through education, life-skill development, income generation and economic empowerment, with a special focus on women and marginalised groups. Livelihoods & Empowerment
- 04 Improve community health by widening access to healthcare, promoting health awareness, and addressing nutrition, sanitation, mental health and disease prevention. Health & Well-being
- 05 Conduct research and policy dialogue and share knowledge, to promote sustainable practice, equitable development and community-driven solutions. Research, Policy Dialogue & Knowledge Sharing
Core values
Not words on a wall — values that should show up in every karyakarta’s daily behaviour and decisions.
- 01 પ્રકૃતિ સાથે સુમેળ
Harmony with Nature
We treat the protection, restoration and sustainable development of nature as central to everything we do.
- 02 ગૌરવ અને માનવતા
Dignity & Respect
Every person is treated with respect, equality and dignity, regardless of caste, gender, religion or economic status.
- 03 પ્રામાણિકતા અને પારદર્શિતા
Integrity & Transparency
We hold ourselves to honesty, accountability, transparency and ethics in every piece of work.
- 04 સમુદાય કેન્દ્રિત અભિગમ
Community First
Community needs, participation and local leadership are what drive our development work.
- 05 સહયોગ અને એકતા
Collaboration & Unity
We work with trust and cooperation alongside our team, communities, government and other partners.
- 06 શીખવાની સંસ્કૃતિ
Learning & Innovation
We keep learning, adopt new ideas, and improve from experience.
- 07 જવાબદારી અને પરિણામ
Accountability & Excellence
We hold ourselves accountable for timely, quality and effective work.
- 08 સમાવેશિતા અને સમાન તક
Equity & Inclusion
We give women, children, youth and marginalised communities equal opportunity and leadership.
- 09 સેવા ભાવ
Service Before Self
We put the interest of society and nature ahead of personal gain.
- 10 શાંતિ અને સહઅસ્તિત્વ
Peaceful Co-existence
We promote peaceful, responsible coexistence with nature, society and all living beings.
HOPE IMPACT
- H
Harmony with Nature
- O
Ownership & Accountability
- P
People First
- E
Equity & Inclusion
- I
Integrity
- M
Mutual Respect
- P
Partnership
- A
Accountability
- C
Continuous Learning
- T
Transparency
How we work
Community first
The village decides which problem a programme solves, not the funder. Needs assessment is not paperwork here; it is the starting point.
Stay long
We have been in this area for 45 years. The relationship outlasts the project cycle, which is the only reason results hold.
Measure honestly
We publish what we can count, with the year attached. Where a figure is not verified, we say so rather than rounding it up.
Converge
Much of what a rural household is entitled to already exists in a scheme. A great deal of our work is closing the gap between entitlement and claim.
Recognition
Best CLEAN-India Regional Centre, West Zone
2003, 2005, 2007For the CLEAN-Amreli centre, under the CLEAN-India programme supported by the European Union and the Central Pollution Control Board through Development Alternatives. A separate Certificate of Merit followed on 19 January 2007, for the best display at the 10th CLEAN-India Annual Meet.
Recognition from the Panchayat, Rural Housing and Rural Development Department
2009Government of Gujarat, Resolution RDP/10-2009/SFS-27/Kh-2 dated 18 June 2009, recognising SSKK as an implementing agency across government programmes.
Nominated — Leaders of Tomorrow Awards
2011Certificate of nomination for successful participation in the nomination phase of the Leaders of Tomorrow Awards, run by ET NOW with IndiaMART and Ernst & Young.
ASER survey partner
2012Certificate of Partnership from the ASER Centre, facilitated by Pratham, for taking part in the Annual Status of Education Report — the largest citizen-led education survey in India.
Maanbhai Bhatt Nagrik Sanman
2021Awarded by Shishuvihar Sanstha, Bhavnagar, in its 75th year, with Shri Chitrakutdham Trust, Talgajarda — for good governance.
Accreditation
-
Give Discover — Bronze Certified 2023
Verified NGO profile with published financials and impact metrics
-
GuideStar India — Gold Seal qualifier
GSN 556
Assessed for governance, transparency and public disclosure
-
Credibility Alliance — Desirable Norms accreditation
Certificate CA/41/2012
Independent accreditation of governance and accountability practice
-
GreatNonprofits — Top-Rated 2023
Based on reviews from people who have worked with us
Registration & compliance
- Society registration
- GUJ/97/AMRELI
- PAN
- AACTS5105J
- 12A
- AACTS5105J25AD01
- Income tax exemption for the organisation. Valid AY 2027-28 to 2036-37
- 80G
- AACTS5105J25AD02
- 50% tax deduction for Indian donors. Valid AY 2027-28 to 2031-32
- FCRA
- 41930004
- Permits receipt of foreign contributions into the designated account
- NGO Darpan
- GJ/2017/0162266
- NITI Aayog unique ID, required for most government schemes
- CSR-1
- CSR00006692
- Eligible to receive corporate CSR funds
Support work that lasts.
Your contribution goes into long-term work across environment and climate resilience, sustainable agriculture, livelihoods, health, and knowledge sharing. All Indian donations are eligible for 50% tax deduction under Section 80G.