Sambhali Trust

About the organisation

Sambhali Trust is a grassroots organisation in western Rajasthan supporting women, girls, children and gender minorities through inclusive education, vocational and digital skills, livelihood pathways, rights awareness and community participation. Extended description: Sambhali Trust is a grassroots organisation based in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, working with women, girls, children and gender minorities, particularly in communities facing social and economic barriers. Registered in 2007, our work is rooted in western Rajasthan, including Jodhpur, Setrawa and Jaisalmer. We combine education with practical pathways to greater independence. Through community-based centres and programmes, participants access literacy and basic education, vocational skills such as sewing and embroidery, digital and financial literacy, rights awareness, confidence-building and support to connect skills with livelihood opportunities. We also support children to stay in education through learning centres, scholarships and safe residential support, and help vulnerable people access services through counselling, referrals, documentation assistance and community follow-up. Our experience has taught us that training alone is not enough. Skills become meaningful when people also have confidence, access to markets and services, digital tools, supportive networks and opportunities to participate in decisions affecting their lives. This is why I-STEP’s focus on inclusive skills, training, employability and participation closely reflects the way Sambhali works. We hope to contribute practical grassroots experience from Rajasthan while learning from organisations working in other contexts.