Where We Work
Mumbai, India
Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, is the capital of Maharastra state and is the most populated city in India. Over 13 million people call Mumbai home; an additional seven million live within neighbouring suburbs creating the fifth most populous metropolitan area in the world.
Currently, Women to Women International is working with Dharavi – an area of roughly 1.75 km and the largest slum in Asia. Over one million people live in Dharavi squeezed in between the railway tracks separating Mahim to the west and Sion to the East. Immigrants to Dharavi were initially from surrounding Maharastra state, but now people from throughout India, and especially the southern realms, stream into Mumbai searching for improved economic opportunity. In addition to being an ethnic melting pot, Mumbai hosts members of all major India religions. The majority are Hindu, followed by smaller populations of Muslims and then even smaller representative groups of Christians and Buddhists. Parsis, Jains, and Sikhs are also in residence.
While many resources exist for women within Dharavi, the standard of life remains well below an acceptable line. Literacy rates for women in particular are low and rates of malnutrition are approximately 80% within the slum.
Currently, Women to Women International is working in Dharavi in partnership with SNEHA.
North West Frontier Province and Federally Administered Tribal Area, Pakistan
In Pakistan, Women to Women International are working in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).
NWFP comprises 24 districts and is a settled area. It faces many development challenges in improving health and education status of its population, particularly in improving gender parity. FATA, comprising 13 agencies and frontier regions, is one of the most under-developed areas of Pakistan. Only 17% of the overall population is literate. Health indicators are equally poor, with one health facility every 50km. Infant mortality is estimated to be 87 deaths per 1000 live births, while maternal mortality is thought to be greater than 600 deaths per 100,000 live births (GoP, 2006). Gender disparity in all domains of life is significant. ‘The FATA Sustainable Development Plan (2006-2015)’ has been designed to address the development challenges of FATA by applying a cohesive and coordinated strategy. Many of the villages lack basic health care facilities and schools are not child friendly.
Currently Women to Women International is working in NWFP and FATA in parnetship with Khwendo Kor.