During the monsoon of 1997, "Melghat" appeared on the front pages of few magazines that narrated horrifying sories of infant deaths and malnutrition problem there. This problem had gripped Melghat region for years together. Reading this, a group of friends decided to visit Melghat to see the reality. What they saw there was so disturbing that then and there they decided to work for eradicating child mortality and malnutrition problem from Melghat. This is how "Meghat Mitra" a project and "Maitri"- a voluntary organization was born.

Melghat region is situated in the north of Amaravati district of Maharashtra in India. It consists of approximately 320 villages and is famous for its Project Tiger. The people living in Melghat are mostly Korku tribals. Maitri works in 28 villages of Melghat with our campus office located in village Chilati...Read more about Melghat region

Our work in Melghat

On returning from Melghat the group that decided to work there, appealed citizens to give their 10 days for Melghat. in 1997, about 250 volunteers responded to this appeal and worked in Melghat  to provide medical help in the villages. These volunteers included everyone from college students, medical students, doctors, businessmen to housewives.   That was the start of Maitri"s work in Melghat. We named the drive - "Dhadak Mohim". Since then every year Maitri runs Dhadak Mohim in different areas of Melghat from July to September...Read more about Dhadak Mohim

Child Mortality and Malnutrition are the problems which can"t be eradicated just by providing medicines and medical facilities. It takes a lot more than that. It requires overall progress of the society on different aspects. A chnage in lifestyle, doing away with the beliefs and priactices those are deep rooted in the community. In order to facilitate these changes MAITRI started working in the following areas

• Health
• Education
• Agriculture
• Community Building

Due to the effective implementation of above programs, Child Mortality Rate in the 28 villages where MAITRI works has dropped down to 65 by 2016. This is a significant reduction from the Child Mortality rate of 126 when MAITRI started working in Melghat in 1997.

This social change is an extremely slow process and requires immense focus and perseverance. It would not have been possible without the strong involvment and participation of local Korku Adivasis.

MAITRI"S every program in Melghat is built around following core principles

• Avoid free distribution of goods.
• Work to enhance the efficiency and reach of Government services.
• Encourage and ensure active participation from all those would be beneficiaries of the interventions
• Every program to have an ownership and participation of volunteers 

These all are small but firm steps toward a sustainable change. The change will not come overnight. It needs patient and persistent efforts with strong conviction and a support from friends like you.