Garima Project Enhances Lives and Honors LGBTQIA+ in India

by Carlea Bauman

Homosexuality was decriminalized in India in 2018, an important first step, but one that by itself doesn’t end the isolation, discrimination, and violence members of the LGBTQIA+ community face, especially in deeply socially conservative Rajasthan, India.

Sambhali Trust saw a great need, and, as it so often does, answered the call, this time through its Garima (“Dignity”) project. Sambhali U.S. is proud to support the Garima project this year through a generous grant from the Marstine Family Foundation.

Garima began by helping members of the LGBTQIA+ find a community and safe haven. Through Garima, Sambhali Trust provides a drop-in center, psychological aid, and workshops ranging from mental and physical health to employment skills and self-esteem.

"For us, dignity is not a privilege—it’s a basic right. Garima is about making people feel seen, safe, and strong. It’s a journey of healing and hope, not just for the LGBTQIA+ community, but for society at large," says Govind Rathore, founder of Sambhali Trust.

In 2022, Sambhali held its first Pride Parade, a courageous act in and of itself in Rajasthan. Each year, its Pride activities have increased and grown more visible, last year encompassing a week of events to bring together the LGBTQIA+ community and educate the larger population of Jodhpur.

And Sambhali has literally planted a Pride flag in the heart of Jodhpur. Late last year, Sambhali Trust opened Sarai in a refurbished building in the heart of downtown Jodhpur.

"We’ve created a space where people can just be themselves, without fear or judgment. Every workshop, every conversation, every smile—it all adds up to a new beginning for someone," states Ronak, manager of the Garima project.

Sarai includes a shelter for women facing domestic violence and members of the LGBTQIA+ community who have been banished by their families or are victims of violence because of their sexual or gender identity. It is also a place for vocational training for the LGBTQIA+ community such as workshops by the nonprofit organization Hairdressers Without Borders which has visited twice to provide hairdressing and makeup workshops for Garima participants.

In addition, the newly launched Sambhali Development Foundation (SDF) runs vocational programs out of the Sarai building. SDF is a nonprofit company organized under Indian law for activities that can generate income. It was created alongside Sambhali Trust to enhance the organization’s sustainability and self-reliance. Currently, two SDF initiatives focus on the LGBTQIA+ community: Sambhali Cafe, openly run by members of the LGBTQIA+ community with huge Pride flags flying over the diners of the rooftop cafe, and Sambhali Walks, which starts and ends at the cafe, and focuses on the role of women and water and is led by members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Both Sambhali Cafe and Sambhali Walks are training grounds for work in the hospitality industry for members of a marginalized community that often faces harsh employment discrimination.

Many of Sambhali Trust’s programs that already exist for women in need are also essential for the LGBTQIA+ community. Nirbhaya, which provides psychological counseling and legal services for women facing gender-based violence, has seamlessly incorporated Garima participants. Sambhali Trust’s newest program, Sathi, provides health education, screenings, and basic healthcare for LGBTQIA+ individuals who are often ignored or mistreated by the medical establishment.

This holistic approach is in line with how Sambhali Trust has operated for 18 years. It is efficient and effective, and it is saving lives.