Azad Foundation

Azad Foundation focuses on providing dignified livelihoods for resource-poor women in Indian urban areas. Its mission envisions a world where underprivileged women experience full Read morecitizenship, earn with dignity, and contribute value to society. The organisation operates as a feminist entity, transcending religious and social divides to empower resource-poor women. Its accomplishments include empowering women with non-traditional livelihoods, and fostering a cadre of empowered agents of change who embody values of inclusivity, respect, and equality, thus influencing the spaces they inhabit. By involving men and women in community programmes, it creates an enabling environment for women's dignity in non-traditional livelihoods. It advocates for universal access to such opportunities and for social considerations in women's livelihood programmes. Established in 2008 in Delhi, Azad Foundation emerged due to persisting gender disparities and the need for non-traditional livelihood options for urban poor women. Starting with limited funds from family and friends, it embraced the spirit of volunteering and commitment. Expanding from Delhi to other locations, it now has training centres in Delhi, offices in Jaipur and Kolkata, and the Women on Wheels Academy offering residential training. Partnerships have brought Women on Wheels to Indore, Ahmedabad, and Bangalore.

Azad envisions a world where women have equal access to opportunities and are empowered to break barriers. Its mission is to enable resource-poor women to empower themselves with knowledge and skills to build a gender-just society and earn livelihoods with dignity.

Over 14 years, Azad expanded from one to six centers across India, built national and international partnerships, launched programs like Women on Wheels, and established the Kamla Bhasin Awards to recognize efforts in gender equality across South Asia.

Azad Foundation has enabled over 1,000 women to attain employability, with more than 400 trained women currently practising as professional drivers across various cities, collectively generating an annual wealth of around INR 4,80,00,000. Notably, 22 Azad-trained drivers are employed by the Delhi Commission for Women’s Helpline, responding to distress calls from victims of violence. Furthermore, the organization has benefited over 1,800 women through training in diverse areas such as women's rights, self-defence, sexual and reproductive health, English communication, first aid, grooming, and navigation skills.

Azad envisions a world where women have equal access to opportunities and are empowered to break barriers. Its mission is to enable resource-poor women to empower themselves with knowledge and skills to build a gender-just society and earn livelihoods with dignity.