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About EAIF
Healing trauma. Restoring dignity. Reimagining access.

EAIF RAAH is a trauma-focused nonprofit organisation committed to making high-quality mental healthcare accessible to every child—regardless of their background, literacy level, or zip code.

Founded in 2013, we began our journey inside shelter homes for vulnerable children—listening to stories no child should ever have to tell. What we heard compelled us to expand. Today, we work across government childcare institutions, municipal schools, low-income communities, and nonprofits, offering direct therapy, group counseling, and capacity-building programs tailored for the Indian context.

We exist because India is facing a silent mental health emergency. There are only 2.4 clinical psychologists per million people, far below the WHO-recommended 30 per million. Suicide is now the leading cause of death among Indian adolescents. Every day, 31 children take their own lives.

This is not just a statistic. It’s a call to action.

At EAIF RAAH, we bring therapists where they are needed most—into classrooms, slum communities, and state-run homes—places often overlooked by traditional mental health systems. Our work is trauma-informed, culturally rooted, and data-driven. We train teachers, caregivers, and frontline workers to build healing systems, while also designing tools for early intervention, emotional literacy, and peer support.

We believe mental health is not a luxury. It is a right. And every child deserves a safe space to heal, grow, and be seen.

With FCRA and 80G status, we partner with governments, donors, and CSR teams to scale our impact and dismantle the stigma that keeps children from seeking help.

Join us. Together, we can ensure that no child’s cry for help goes unheard.

Our Core Values

At EAIF RAAH, we care deeply about people. Our work is rooted in the belief that mental healthcare is a fundamental right, just like access to a physician. Everyone deserves support, no matter who they are or where they come from.

We are committed to equity, inclusion, and justice—within our team, for those we serve, and for every person who believes in our mission. We do not discriminate based on background, identity, or circumstance.

We recognize that hurt people hurt people—but we also believe that healing is possible. By providing safe spaces for individuals to process their trauma, we work to break the cycle of abuse and create lasting change.

As an organization, we affirm each other’s humanity, honor diverse perspectives, and foster a workplace where talents, ideas, and experiences are valued. We envision a world where mental healthcare is not an afterthought but a vital human right.

We won’t stop until everyone has access to the mental health support they deserve. This is our commitment—to our team, our supporters, and the communities we serve.

Our Strategy

Our team at EAIF Raah is dedicated to ensuring that all people receive the mental health support they need, when they need it. We understand that early intervention can prevent an emerging mental health need from becoming a crisis. That's why we offer a range of services, from evidence based school curriculums to individual and group therapy, to help people feel supported and heard.

The need for mental health support among youth is staggering, and it can feel overwhelming at times. At EAIF Raah, we recognize the gravity of the situation and work to provide timely and accessible support to those who need it most. 

Together, we can make mental healthcare more accessible. 

OUR IMPACT SO FAR

Direct Beneficiaries
3800

Indirect Beneficiaries 

(including Shakti Program)

6500

Number of shelter homes

11

Number of schools

6

MEET THE LEADERSHIP TEAM

vandana.jpg

VANDANA KRIPALANI BALA

Chief Executive Officer

Vandana brings her expertise and passion for supporting the needs of trafficking victims and developing public-private partnerships. After graduating from Franklin & Marshall College in the U.S., Vandana returned to India in 2007 and began a successful career in consulting, eventually launching her own market entry strategy firm. During this time, she began to exercise a developing passion for humanitarian issues and women's rights. She left consulting in early 2013, to become the CMO for Set Beautiful Free, a non-profit that rescues, rehabilitates and reintegrates victims of sex trafficking in India.
In her work with Set Beautiful Free, Vandana participated in several United Nations Conferences, presented to the US Congress, and was instrumental in raising more than USD 1.4 million in support. In 2014, Vandana worked with the organization to set up their new school, the BTC Academy, in collaboration with the American School of Bombay, (a partnership seeded by EmancipAction) which serves children rescued from the red-light areas of Mumbai. Vandana has been invited to share her expertise at several international forums on trafficking including the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in 2013 and 2014; the Nexus Global Youth Summit in 2015; and to the 63rd and 64th National Presidential Prayer Breakfast on Human Trafficking.
Vandana was awarded "Woman of Substance 2016" from among 500 nominees across India by the All Ladies League for her work and commitment to the cause of human trafficking in India

©2024 by EAIF Raah

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