“You deserve a welcoming world, love and a home”

To be a trans* person in a country like India means being denied of access to many of the basic support structures that our cisgender peers have ready access to. For a trans person, it is hard to find acceptance in this cisgender-heteronormative society. Many of our own families reject us and we are forced to live lives of hardship and discrimination every step of the way.

Garima Greh, TWEET foundation’s shelter home in Mumbai, was established to support our trans siblings and help them live a life of dignity and respect. It is a pilot initiative led by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) and the National Institute of Social Defence (NISD) to safeguard the rights of transgender persons and protect the interests of the community. 

The Vision Behind Garima Greh

Ourfirst Garima Greh was established in Mumbai in alignment with the provision laid down under Section 12(3) of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019. It states that “whether any parent or a member of his immediate family is unable to take care of a transgender person, the competent court shall by an order direct such person to be placed in the rehabilitation centre. Our initiative aims to provide access to a safe environment while also empowering our residents through skill-building and sustainable rehabilitation.”

Objectives of the Garima Greh Initiative:

  • To provide shelter with basic amenities, recreation, medical facilities, and counselling
  • To safeguard the rights of trans persons
  • To offer our residents skill development and skill upgradation programmes 
  • To protect our residents from atrocities and social stigma
  • To maintain a congenial atmosphere on the premises by implementing certain rules and regulations for all residents

Wholesome Development and Care of Residents

  1. Skill Development

To empower our residents and make them independent enough to lead a sustainable life, we help them prepare for the world. We provide an overall Career Ready Program for them where they learn self-awareness, career awareness, work skills, digital and financial literacy, work ethics and etiquettes, business conversations, and much more.

  1. Mental Health Counselling

We provide everyday online counselling sessions to our residents and once a week we have in-person sessions where we do mindfulness activities and Yoga.

  1. Sweekar Group

Sweekar Group is a pan India support network made by the supportive parents of LGBTQIA+ children and adults. This group helps build bridges between our residents and their unsupportive parents by educating them on various gender identities and sexual orientations.

  1. Health Care

We organise camps for vaccinations, gender affirmation procedures, and other healthcare-related needs. Our doctors also visit our premises twice a week to see the residents.

  1. Cultural Activities

We celebrate all festivals and events in Garima Greh to make sure that our environment stays inclusive and full of life.

Eligibility criteria and How to Apply

To seek shelter at Garima Greh, you must be:

  • A transgender person certified by the local authority (preference given to those living below the poverty line)
  • Abandoned and between the ages of 18 and 60
  • Unemployed and not engaged in productive commercial activities 

We’re here for you.

We also provide information & support to trans persons in India, all year round.