Building Bridges of Hope
After 30 years, WHAD remains driven by the same values it was founded on: empathy, empowerment, accountability, and hope.
Dr. Ida Deva Chandrika
Our Story
WHAD began with a simple act of compassion. In 1995, Dr. Ida Deva Chandrika – a Bangalore-based physician – started volunteering her evenings to help women and children in one of the city’s poorest slums. What started as basic health check-ups and homework help soon grew into a community movement. Dr. Ida listened to the local mothers and realized they didn’t want charity – they wanted opportunity. She helped a small group of women form a self-help circle, learn new skills, and earn a livelihood. This organic growth, led by the community, gave birth to Women Health and Development (WHAD)
10,000
Lives Touched
Every Hand Helps Us Grow
500
Volunteers
Uniting Hearts and Actions
250
Projects Completed
Milestones of Hope and Change
Community-Driven from Day One
Dr. Ida’s approach was to empower local women to run the organization themselves . Early on, she provided vocational training (like tailoring and handicrafts) so women could gain financial independence and dignity. As these women gained confidence, they in turn mentored others, creating a virtuous cycle of empowerment. Over the decades, WHAD has remained rooted in the community – many of our current program leaders are the very women who once started as participants. We pride ourselves on this model of community participation, where the people we serve are equal partners in deciding and delivering our programs. It’s their organization as much as ours.
Involving Men as Allies
While our focus is on women and children, we know that sustainable change involves everyone in the community – including men. WHAD actively engages fathers and young men through awareness workshops and inclusive initiatives. In fact, we partnered with a local social enterprise, Three Wheels United, to support auto-rickshaw drivers (many are husbands of the women we work with) in improving their livelihoods. By helping organize auto drivers into cooperatives and access low-cost loans for electric rickshaws, WHAD expanded its impact beyond women. This innovative approach showed that when men become financially stable and supportive, the entire family benefits. Our inclusive strategy has strengthened families and won many male allies who now champion girls’ education and women’s rights in their communities.
Snapshots of Connection
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