In 1997, hundreds of volunteers from Maharashtra stepped forward to prevent child deaths in Melghat, giving their time, money, and expertise. This collective effort helped arrest child mortality, proving that ordinary people, while pursuing their own life journeys, could still create extraordinary impact through collective action. Inspired by this spirit, their continued commitment led to the birth of MAITRI.

Since then, MAITRI has expanded its work in Melghat, helping tribal communities access government schemes, strengthening education, and promoting better farming practices. The organisation has also responded to 14 major natural disasters, leading relief and rehabilitation efforts while continuously engaging volunteers and rallying public support.

MAITRI’s flagship program in Melghat now focuses on improving quality education at every stage, with four key pillars:

1) Empowering children to learn through their mother tongue,
2) Supporting mothers in providing optimal care and stimulation during the first 1,000 days.
3) Enabling parents to engage meaningfully with aanganwadis and schools.
4) Guiding adivasi youth toward informed and sustainable career choices.

Other initiatives include supporting vulnerable families facing financial stress in a major Pune slum, assisting flood-affected youth in Beed to continue their education, and offering physiotherapy-related financial support to poor patients.

Appeal

A child’s brain develops fastest in the first 1,000 days of life. By the age of three, nearly 75% of brain development is complete, shaping how a child thinks, learns, speaks, and understands the world. In Melghat, many children from the Korku Adivasi community miss out on this critical cognitive stimulation due to poverty, isolation, and limited access to learning resources.

MAITRI works with mothers, families, and the wider community to strengthen early childhood development from birth to six years of age. We support proper nutrition, responsive caregiving, and language-rich interactions through everyday conversations, songs, and stories - laying the foundation for healthy cognitive, emotional, and social growth.

Through the Tata Mumbai Marathon 2026, MAITRI is raising funds to give these children the strong start they deserve.

Your contributions will support:

--> Training of mothers and other primary caregivers
--> Easy-to-use reference material for families
--> Development of culturally relevant learning aids such as toys, songs, and stories in local languages
--> Simple, low-cost changes in homes and neighborhoods to create child-friendly, stimulating learning environments.