Rooted in community, growing toward a sustainable world.
Vikalp Foundation is a non-profit organization registered under the Bombay Public Trusts Act, 1950. Guided by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we drive grassroots environmental action and community empowerment.
Creating harmony between communities and nature.
Vikalp Foundation is a non-profit organization registered under the Bombay Public Trusts Act, 1950, dedicated to fostering a sustainable balance between people and the planet.
We firmly believe in the limitless potential of individuals and communities to shape a future where harmony with the environment is not just an ideal, but a lived reality.
Guided by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we strive to implement innovative solutions through collaboration, inclusivity, and collective action to build a more sustainable and equitable world.
🌱 Our Vision
To create a future where a sustainable balance between people and the planet is achieved, fostering harmony, resilience, and inclusive growth for generations to come.
🎯 Our Mission
Committed to driving sustainable development by empowering communities and promoting environmentally responsible practices. We work step-by-step through innovative, inclusive action.
Three Core Pillars, One Vision
Our strategic focus combines environmental preservation, climate action, and community skill building for long-term impact.
Environment
Restoring degraded ecosystems, preserving coastal environments, and innovating sustainable waste management technologies.
Climate Change
Mitigating plastic pollution, reducing carbon emissions through circular economy practices, and sensitizing urban municipalities.
Skilling & Sustainability
Empowering women with vocational sewing skills, supporting Safai Saathis' children in schools, and health insurance coverage.
Past & Recent Programs
Explore the key initiatives undertaken by Vikalp Foundation to empower communities and preserve the environment.
Women Empowerment Through Skill Development
Slum community assessment in Ghansoli revealed >52% unskilled women desired skill training. Partnered with UnLtd India to train 110 women in cloth sewing and upcycling old fabrics.
Educational Opportunities for Safai Saathi Children
Registered 83 children of waste workers in municipal schools and provided supplementary tutoring to ensure retention and prevent family pressure dropouts.
Paper Bags for Sustainable Livelihoods
Mitigated plastic bag reliance by training low-income women to manufacture recycled paper bags marketed to boutiques and clothing stores.
Refurbished Footwear Distribution with ONGC
Distributed 7,158 pairs of upcycled footwear to underprivileged children across 42 Gujarat village schools. Reduced 22.68 tons of CO₂ and generated 45 refurbishment jobs.
Waste Management R&D (ZeroTrash Tumbler)
Innovated an automatic sealed composting tumbler designed for laborers handling wet waste, expediting organic waste conversion into nutrient-rich compost.
COVID-19 Pandemic Relief for Waste Workers
Enrolled 996 waste workers in Corona Kavach Insurance, distributed ration packages to 2,562 families, and provided 4,875 PPE kits across 14 Indian states.
Solid Waste Sensitization with Bidar Council
Collaborated with Bidar City Municipal Council in Karnataka to foster solid waste segregation awareness across schools, commercial establishments, and sanitation workers.
Women's Day Celebration with Safai Saathis
Recognized essential contributions of 60 women waste pickers with certificates, tokens of appreciation, and community basti outreach sessions.
Beach Clean Up Drive at Dadar Chowpatty
Organized community volunteer cleanup drives at Dadar Chowpatty beach in Mumbai to restore coastal ecosystems and reduce marine plastic pollution.
IEC Awareness with Alibaug Nagar Parishad
Conducted Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) school awareness sessions in Alibaug on plastic pollution and sustainable waste segregation lifestyle practices.
Plastic Pollution & Youth Quiz Competition (2026)
Environmental awareness initiative in Mumbai featuring a Poster Making Competition and Sustainability Quiz Competition to empower students with eco-knowledge.
Our Valued Partners & Alliances
We work hand-in-hand with leading corporations, municipal councils, and social enterprises to scale our mission.
Vikalp in the News
Special press feature published in Mid-Day newspaper covering Raviprakash Shrivastava and Vikalp Foundation.
TWENTY five year-old Raviprakash Shrivastava passes the slums in the Ghansoli area in Navi Mumbai every day on his way to work. "The people living in these slums are mostly migrants who come to Mumbai to find work. While the men get odd jobs, the women and children tend to spend their day in the slum area," says Shrivastava.
The migrants live without basic amenities like electricity and running water, he adds — something we take for granted.
"Sometimes the women take clothes that have been donated to them to Crawford Market or Chor Bazaar and sell them. They buy utensils in exchange," he reveals.
Saddened by the condition these migrants lived in, Shrivastava decided to help empower the community. He found that a lot of NGOs were working for the benefit of children as well as seniors, but little was being done to help women.
"The women lacked both opportunity and encouragement to make a living," he says. And that is exactly what he aimed to provide them with. About six months ago, with help from United India, Shrivastava set up a vocational training centre for these women.
Today, 30 to 35 women attend sewing classes at the centre. But Shrivastava reveals that a lot of work went into convincing the men in their families to allow them to leave their homes.
"While the women were always keen to learn from us, we had to explain to the men that we were here to help," he says.
A friend's wife agreed to teach them how to sew. We have rented a room in a chawl in Ghansoli. Currently the group works on six sewing machines — three have been donated to them by the Ananbh Trust. The women undergo a four-month session before being awarded a certificate.
Ask him about the future and he is full of ideas. "I want to introduce classes such as chocolate-making, soap-making, and making incense sticks. I also intend to tie up with the government so I can work on a larger scale," says Shrivastava.