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Mahila Housing Trust – Empowering Women through Sustainable Development Goals

MHT is the grassroot development organization in India, believes that women are the leaders in driving progress toward more sustainable and gender-inclusive cities. We help develop women’s grassroots institutions and build their knowledge and capacities to engage with decision-making on issues that concern their communities and cities. We also bring technical expertise in construction, technology, and urban governance to help design and deliver pro-poor services and programs. The socio-technical nature of our organization makes us uniquely positioned to act as a bridge between grassroots and mainstream public and private sector institutions and advance action on responsible urban development.

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Spotlight - Sustainable Development Goals

India’s First ‘Cool Bus Stop’ Launched in Ahmedabad

As part of the Ahmedabad Heat Action Plan, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), Ahmedabad Municipal Transport Service (AMTS), and MHT introduced India’s first ‘Cool Bus Stop’ at Lal Darwaja on March 18, 2025, to protect commuters from extreme heat.

The location is strategically chosen as the bus stop remains exposed to direct sunlight throughout the day and experiences a high footfall of over 6 lakh commuters during summer season.

Equipped with a High-Pressure Mist System, this energy-efficient cooling solution provides much-needed relief, especially to students, daily-wage workers, and vulnerable communities.

This transformation sets a benchmark for climate-resilient public spaces, inspiring cities across South-Asia to combat rising temperatures and enhance commuter comfort.

The Jodhpur Heat Action Plan

In April 2023, Jodhpur Nagar Nigam North (JNNN), MHT, and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) launched a first-of-its-kind Jodhpur Heat Action Plan, focusing on passive cooling features.
Prince Talal International Prize For Human Development 2021

Prince Talal International Prize for Human Development 2021

Award
How A Touch Of White Is Helping The Poor Stay Cool In A Heatwave

How a touch of white is helping the poor stay cool in a heatwave

In Media
Murals for Awareness on Air Pollution
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Murals for awareness on Air Pollution

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What we do

We work across sectors related to Habitat & Urban Development, with the aim to achieve interlinked goals of
1) Improving the quality of Habitats 2) Building Resilience to Climate Change 3) Promoting Participatory Governance
Equitable Access to Water, Sanitation and hygiene

​​Equitable Access to Water and Sanitation

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Building Climate Resilience and Energy Efficiency

Building Climate Resilience and Energy Efficiency

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Securing Womens Rights to Land and Housing

Securing Women’s Rights to Land and Housing

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Microlending for Habitat Improvement

Microlending for Habitat Improvement

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Advancing Women in Participatory Governance and Planning

Advancing Participation in Governance and Planning

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Women Livelihoods in Construction

Livelihoods in Construction

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Improving Community Infrastructure and Public Spaces

Improving Community Infrastructure and Public Spaces

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Natural Disaster Response and Recovery

Disaster Response and Recovery

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Focusing on women-led development, MHT contributes towards:

Sustainable development goals

Impact

Through our work we have positively influenced the lives of over two million people.
Community Action Group (CAG) Leaders
16,987
Community Action Group (CAG) Leaders
Households Benefited from Water Management
13,664
Households Benefited from Water Management
Women on Title and/or with Tenure Rights
24,979
Women on Title and/or with Tenure Rights
Women Trained as Climate Resilient Specialists
14,684
Women Trained as Climate Resilient Specialists
Worth of Public Resources Accessed for Poor Women
$18 Mn
Worth of Public Resources Accessed for Poor Women
Construction Workers Trained
21,124
Construction Workers Trained
The poor state of the drainage system in our settlement was directly affecting the health of the community. Every few days water would fill up in the drains and the waste would overflow onto the streets. People were falling sick. MHT connected our CAG to the zonal office and assisted us in registering a complaint. We received quick assistance in this matter, greatly improving our streets and our health.
Sarojben Karanbahadur Singh,
Hariom Nagar, Surat
In 2019, my husband and I began constructing our pucca house with the first installment received under the BLC scheme. But due to the pandemic, we stopped receiving money and our work came to a standstill. The local CAG women helped us file requests with the local government where we were informed of a delay in payment. We were advised to apply for a home loan which was facilitated by MHT. Once we started receiving the remaining money, we were able to pay back our loan.
Sonal Santosh Patil,
Jayambe Nagar, Surat
My settlement is situated on a hilltop which makes it difficult for our community members to fetch water as we could never carry the required amount uphill. When I reached out to MHT with this problem, with the support of the community they installed 3 big water tanks with pipe and motor connections. I no longer have to spend time and energy fetching water.
Kamla Devi,
Gaitor ki Chhatri, Jaipur
We keep on hearing about the deteriorating air quality in the news, but we didn’t understand how it impacted us and what we could do to combat it. MHT ran a program to train women in our settlement to measure the air quality using monitors. We also disseminated information through rallies, pamphlets, and street plays to increase awareness around air pollution.
Narainiben,
Bakkarwala, Delhi
I live with my family of six in a small Kutcha room with a kitchen. The lack of space always worried me as there was no place for our family to grow. I began working with MHT, who soom helped me avail a housing loan. Through this I have been able to construct a house for our family and we have enough space to accommodate guests from our village. I can now also begin thinking about getting my sons married and extending our family.
Meena Suresh Ray,
Bhakti Nagar-2, Surat
I never left my house for any work and was always dependent on my husband to solve problems. But ever since I began working with MHT, they have trained me to work with government officials to improve my home and my community. The officials now recognize me and people from my community come to me with their habitat problems.
Leelaben,
Chavand ka mand, Jaipur
My earnings of INR 250 per day were not sufficient for me to run my house. I could not even send my children to school. 2 years earlier, I took construction related training from MHT’s Karmika programme. Since then I have been working as a Rani Mistry and earn INR 500 per day. Currently, I am working with government contractors on constructing water tanks in Ranchi. I am also more confident about my work which has boosted my sense of individuality.
Gangiya Kachhap,
Tiril Sarna Toil, Ranchi

Where we Work

MHT has partnered with local governments in more than 34 cities in India, to improve quality of life in urban low income communities.

CAF International Validation 

Mahila Housing Trust has been validated by CAF International.

The CAF International Validated Organisation Badge is awarded to organisations that are structured and operated as non-profit entities. This ensures donors are aware that we are eligible to receive tax-efficient donations in the United States and that we have completed CAF America’s rigorous due diligence process.

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Gujarat

Ahmedabad, Sanand, Kolat village, Surat, Vyara, Baroda, Talodara village, Tajpura village, Mahemdabad, Pipaliya village

MHT is building a grassroots technical movement for responsible urban development in Gujarat.

MHT began work in Gujarat in 1994 with the Slum Networking Programme (SNP) with the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) to improve access to water, sanitation and waste management and upgrade roads in slum settlements. Since then, MHT has made great strides in working with local communities to increase their participation in city governance, develop their habitats, boost resilience against climate stressors, and connect them with reliable sources of energy.

Rajasthan

Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner

MHT is making cities in Rajasthan inclusive by bottom-up planning and good governance.

Since 2007, MHT has been working towards facilitating access to microfinance for construction of individual toilets and connection to legal water supply in slums in Jaipur, Jodhpur, and Bikaner. MHT has also mobilized government subsidies for formal housing for slum dwellers. Furthermore, MHT is building resilience against climate change by promoting technical innovations in building materials and revising wells through rainwater harvesting.

Delhi

Delhi

MHT is taking action on air pollution, water sensitive urban design and participatory city planning in Delhi.

Since 2005, MHT has been working to combat impacts of air pollution on women construction workers to bring attention to their vulnerability to climate change. We have also helped in providing piped water connection and individual sanitation facilities to improve water security and liveability conditions of disadvantaged communities. MHT is working with residents of resettlement colonies for legal housing titles. Furthermore,we have trained hundreds of women leaders to work with local government officials and other stakeholders to collaboratively meet the needs of the community as and when they emerge.

Madhya Pradesh

Bhopal, Hoshangabad, Vidhisha

MHT promotes energy efficiency and alternative energy for poverty alleviation in Madhya Pradesh.

MHT built its presence in Madhya Pradesh with the aim to provide safe water and sanitation facilities and promote climate resilient practices. We work with young children to raise awareness on vector- borne diseases to tackle long term climate stressors. MHT also facilitates access to green roof technology in slums and builds capacities of women as energy auditors to encourage efficient usage of energy.

Jharkhand

Ranchi

MHT is working in Jharkhand to provide access to basic services and safe housing for poor women.

MHT runs several programs to improve access to basic services in Jharkhand. Additionally, we build capacities of poor women to collectivize and participate in urban governance and work closely with women construction workers to upgrade their knowledge and skills for their professional and financial growth. We also help women avail social security schemes and promote PMAT’s Beneficiary- Led Construction program.

Odisha

Bhubaneswar

MHT is developing strategies for community resilience for coastal cities of Odisha.

Maharashtra

Amalner, Manmad, Bhusaval, Pachora, Dhule

MHT supports smaller cities in Maharashtra for climate resilient urban development.

MHT’s work in Maharashtra started in 2017 on providing access to safe sanitation by improving city-level sanitation networks. Through interventions in well revival and roof rain water harvesting, we are encouraging communities and local governments to improve city-level water management. Furthermore, MHT is facilitating the open defecation free agenda and working towards greening of urban public spaces.

Uttar Pradesh

Lucknow

MHT is addressing issues of water, sanitation and hygiene in Uttar Pradesh, with support from HCL Foundation.

Under the ‘Sustainable Sanitation and Behaviour Change’ program MHT’s work includes spreading awareness on water and vector borne diseases, training women to test water quality in their communities, furthering the open defecation free agenda, raising awareness on personal and menstrual hygiene, and promoting solid waste management.

Karnataka

Bangalore

MHT is working in Karnataka to promote action on just transition in cities.

MHT aims to lead a culture of sustainable development in Karnataka by building social capital in slum communities for participatory engagement around challenges concerning climate change, built environment and urbanisation. By bringing local communities and governments together, we want to enable responsible, climate sensitive, and just urbanization that includes the concerns of the poor.