Saaheli Information

Educate, Engage , Empower Our Mission: Saaheli is a global community of women committed to educate, engage and empower women to reach their true potential. In Gujarati, my native language, there is a fragrant and beautiful flower called saaheli, which also means “girlfriend.” Growing up I watched the vine of Saaheli grow and climb the wall of my great aunt’s house. It seemed it was growing limitlessly every time I visited her house. I believe that like the saaheli vine, women, too, have unlimited growth potential. With enough encouragement and support, especially from a tribe of other women, they can flourish and reach the sky. My own story is a testament to the importance of support and its transformative powers.When I wanted to start a community to empower women I naturally thought of naming it Saaheli.In 2012, I created Saaheli to promote gender equality and to Educate , Engage and Empower women to realize their true potential by breaking cultural, social and economic barriers. Within our three pillars , Educate, Engage and Empower, We have several projects we work on. In past We have supported daughters of Sex workers from Mumbai’s red light district by paying for their college education and supporting their new life in USA so they do not end up in the same horrible place as their mothers. We also teach Krav Maga, an Israeli self defense practice to at-risk girls. Within the engagement pillar we have created a saaheli community and project Saaheli Connect. In 2019, we held our inaugural women’s empowerment weekend in Napa Valley where women came to connect, learn and have fun through different activities and workshops. With help from volunteers, Ambassadors and Donors Saaheli continues to work on projects that empower girls and women globally. -Founder Sima Patel