Community-Based Initiatives

The Anil Divan Foundation has partnered with Zenith Society for Socio Legal Empowerment, a youth-led organisation that works with the local Sahariya Adivasi community in the Gwalior-Chambal region of Madhya Pradesh. Zenith supports and promotes legal awareness and access to justice in the region. The Foundation’s consistent support has significantly strengthened Zenith’s ability to create impactful change through resource contributions, infrastructure development, and targeted project funding. These initiatives have furthered the cause of legal empowerment and access to law.

The Law Library

The Foundation has donated Anil Divan’s law library, comprising more than 1,500 books, to Zenith. The library includes All India Reporter (AIR) manuals, books on jurisprudence from jurisdictions like the US and UK, commentaries on different laws and books on legal theories and concepts. The Foundation has also helped construct a building to house these resources. This initiative has helped the local community access a wide variety of legal materials. Additionally, students and lawyers in Shivpuri who do not have access to such resources, can also use this library. The Foundation has supported Zenith Society in setting up a legal database of resources which is open to use for law students and lawyers in Shivpuri. Zenith also works with local law colleges to involve law students in legal aid work and other activities. In addition, Zenith runs Legal Aid Clinics in Gwalior and Shivpuri districts

Samudayik Adhikar Kendra: A Catalyst for Legal Empowerment

The Anil Divan Foundation has supported Zenith in the running of a community centre in Malanpur, a town 40 km north of Gwalior. Malanpur’s local economy includes factories and units spanning manufacturing, engineering, textiles, pharmaceuticals and automobiles. These industries provide daily wage labour and informal employment to both locals, as well as migrant workers from nearby districts and states. In 2021, Zenith established the Samudayik Adhikar Kendra (SAK) or community rights centre to educate and empower workers and marginalised groups such as Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes, and women with the knowledge and tools of law. So far, over 5,800 individuals have benefited from SAK’s legal awareness campaigns, skill development programmes, and access to government schemes. In 2024 alone, SAK Malanpur reached out to 2,541 people resulting in a direct monetary impact of INR 30,35,000.Collaborative efforts with local organisations and government bodies have further amplified its impact, addressing critical issues such as labour rights, gender discrimination, and economic independence.

A Model for Grassroots Legal Empowerment

The Foundation’s partnership with Zenith Society exemplifies the profound impact of strategic support in fostering legal and social empowerment. By contributing to infrastructure, supporting transformative projects like the Samudayik Adhikar Kendras or community rights centres, and enabling economic independence, the Foundation has been instrumental in creating empowered communities and an equitable society through its partnership with Zenith.