Sambhali Sarai

Sambhali Sarai is a shelter for women who are escaping gender-based violence as well as for members of the LGBTQIA+ community who are facing violence or have been rejected by their families. Both needs are significant in Jodhpur.

The word Sarai means a place where caravans or people on their lifelong journeys can rest for a while.

In the past, Sambhali’s emergency shelters for women were limited to a small area within the girls’ boarding homes, which was not ideal for women and their young children in distress or for the girls already living there. Additionally, there was no place for members of the LGBTQ+ community who face enormous discrimination.

Today, Sambhali Sarai provides both groups with safe shelter, education and vocational training, and resources to gain independence and reestablish their lives. The shelter also serves as a drop-in center for LGBTQIA+ members, and the bottom floor has a new Empowerment Center and Primary Education Center.