Rural and tribal regions across India, especially Vidarbha, face severe and persistent deprivation across healthcare access, maternal health, livelihoods, women’s agency, education, and disability inclusion. High maternal mortality, anemia, malnutrition, climate vulnerability, low digital literacy, and lack of dignified employment continue to marginalize communities. Structural patriarchy, lack of representation in governance, poor access to health personnel, and social invisibility of persons with disabilities further deepen inequality. These systemic challenges require long-term community-driven solutions.

Founded in 1984 by Shubhada Deshmukh and Dr. Satish Gogulwar, Amhi Amchya Arogyasathi (AAA) has built a holistic, community-driven development model that strengthens local health systems, livelihoods, education, and women’s agency in tribal and rural regions.

Shubhada’s work focuses on enabling communities to lead their own development—by revitalizing Village Health, Nutrition and Sanitation Committees and promoting gender-inclusive health planning. She pioneered women’s Self-Help Groups in Gadchiroli and Chandrapur, building strong platforms for leadership in governance, forest rights, and financial literacy. Her livelihood initiatives support women-led enterprises, ecological farming, and forest-based collectives, while her work in schools enhances child protection, digital access, and financial literacy. She has also established community-based disability inclusion systems and led anti-alcohol movements that strengthened women’s collective agency. What distinguishes AAA is its deeply rooted, community-led design—allowing tribal communities to create sustainable change from within.

Unlike the well-known institution-led efforts of Dr. Bang and Dr. Amte in Vidarbha, the AAA model is entirely community-driven, broader in scope, and focused on enabling tribal communities to uplift themselves. With work now spanning 20+ districts, their impact remains largely unsung and deserving of wider national recognition.

Shubhada and Dr. Satish chose grassroots service over secure urban careers, living for years in remote tribal villages with minimal income, limited amenities, and constant financial uncertainty while raising a young child. Shubhada challenged deeply entrenched social norms by retaining her maiden name and rejecting visible marital symbols—choices that demanded emotional courage in conservative rural settings. Their journey has been one of resilience, conviction, and unwavering commitment to community wellbeing.

Over four decades, Amhi Amchya Arogyasathi has brought transformative, measurable change across health, livelihoods, women’s empowerment, child rights, and disability inclusion across 2200 villages and total 145,000+ beneficiaries.

Certain initiatives led by Shubhada and Dr. Satish have empowered 4,500 women, strengthened education and life-skills for 35,000 children, and enabled sustainable livelihoods for 11,000 households that together generated ₹500 crore in income. Their health efforts reduced maternal mortality in tribal regions by 50% and anemia by 80%, while disability inclusion models now support over 8,000 persons with disabilities. Sustainable agriculture programs have helped 5,000 farmers adopt organic practices, and her policy advocacy has influenced maternal health, women farmers’ rights, MGNREGA, and disability livelihoods—impacting more than 50,000 individuals across multiple states.