Established in 1976, Destitute and Handicapped Welfare Association (DAHWA) has been performing a Herculean task in empowering rural belts of Jammu region, especially in Udhampur, Reasi and Samba districts of Jammu & Kashmir state. The Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) is engaged in the fields of empowerment, literacy, health-care, agriculture, social welfare and other allied activities, with a n
etwork of its dedicated volunteers. It has always been acclaimed by the Centre and the State Government besides various agencies involved with the welfare of poor and under privileged segments of the society. The NGO has been honoured with UNESCO award for its outstanding contribution in the field of education under National Literacy Mission of Government of India (document enclosed). It has literated 1,24900 souls including 40800 females and 84100 males in Udhampur, Reasi and Samba district under National Literacy Mission of Government of India besides providing vocational training to rural women including minority in different crafts through 48 vocational teaching and learning centres. In addition, under National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), the NGO provided training to various batches for VHSC in rural areas of the proposed district besides imparting training to over 200 Anganwari Workers under AWs Job Training Programme of the state government. DAHWA in collaboration with government departments is organizing Kissan-cum-gramin awareness mela since last 10 years to generate awareness among the rural people, especially the women, who otherwise hesitate to go out for information, about the state and centrally sponsored schemes. In Health sector, the organisation holds free medical checkup cm awareness camps besides providing free X-ray facility through mobile van to the poor and needy people of rural and inaccessible pockets. So far, it has organised more than 1000 such camps and arranged treatment and diagnostic facilities for the ailing with the support of state health authorities and other organisations. The organisation has helped more than 20,000 blind, handicapped, destitute and widows in getting their pension besides providing financial assistance and necessary material through donations to poor families to solemnize marriage of their girls. The organisation also holds general awareness camps in rural and far off areas to create awareness among the people about various welfare and development programmes of the government who otherwise remains deprived of such innovative schemes only for lack of knowledge about the same. Essentially dedicated to the cause of rural population of the Jammu region, which is predominantly and traditionally involved with agriculture, DAHWA has been regularly organising community level interactions through experts in the field of agriculture to generate awareness among the farmers on latest techniques in farming. Besides, the organisation in collaboration with the State Agriculture Department holds awareness camps with special focus on latest sustainable agriculture practices and technologies in hilly and rural pockets of the district which has immensely helped the farmers, especially the women to raise their socio-economic status. DAHWA is an organisation devoted and dedicated to welfare, emancipation and empowerment of rural community, especially women.
