Their lives were saved. We help them become independent again.

Project Saksham funds physical rehabilitation for people who survived a stroke, spinal injury or accident, but can't afford the therapy that lets them walk, work and live on their own terms.

Fund a recovery Read their stories

1.8M+

new strokes recorded in India every year, per the Indian Stroke Association — most survivors need rehabilitation they can't easily get.

OUR MISSION

Saksham means capable. That's what we help people become again.

Project Saksham exists on a simple belief: surviving an injury shouldn't be where the story ends. A stroke, a spinal injury, a sudden accident — these take away far more than movement. They take away independence, income, and often, a person's sense of who they are.

We work to give that back. Not just mobility, but the ability to dress yourself, hold a conversation, return to work, and be present in your own life again — regardless of what a family can afford to pay for it.

Quality of life shouldn't depend on the size of a bank balance.

A therapist supporting a patient relearning to walk

Rehabilitation in India isn't out of reach because it doesn't work. It's out of reach because it isn't funded.

Treatment saves a life. What happens after — relearning to walk, to speak, to work — decides what that life looks like. Three things get in the way.

Savings run out at acute care

By the time a family gets through hospitalisation and emergency treatment, there's often nothing left to pay for the months of therapy that follow.

Insurance stops at treatment

Physical rehabilitation still isn't covered under most health insurance in India — physiotherapy, occupational and speech therapy are paid out of pocket, session by session.

Early rehab starts too late

Awareness of how much early, consistent therapy changes recovery is still low — among families, and often within the medical fraternity itself.

What we do

Saksham brings every discipline a recovering patient needs under one roof — funded for those who can't afford the full course on their own.

A therapist working hands-on with a patient

Physiotherapy

Rebuilding strength, balance and movement after stroke, spinal injury or orthopaedic trauma.

Occupational therapy

Relearning the daily tasks — dressing, eating, transferring — that independence is built from.

Speech therapy

Recovering communication and swallowing function after neurological injury.

Assistive devices & splints

Partner orthotists reduce their charges for Saksham patients so biomechanics are never compromised for cost.

Counselling

Support for patients and families coming to terms with a sudden disability.

Home therapy programmes

Training families to continue therapy at home, so recovery doesn't stop at the clinic door.

How funding works

Not everyone can pay for rehabilitation through to discharge. So we built a model where patients contribute what they genuinely can, and Saksham covers the rest.

Every applicant gets a detailed evaluation to understand their real need and real means — not everyone who asks is turned away, and not everyone gets the same support.

We ask patients and families to contribute whatever they're able to, and take on the remaining cost of therapy ourselves.

Families are trained to run a home therapy programme alongside clinic sessions, to make the most of every week of recovery.

Recovery, in their own progress

Every patient's course is different. These are a few of the people Project Saksham has supported through it.

Vijay

Sudden left-side weakness · 3 months of rehab

Vijay had a sudden onset of weakness down the left side of his body in November 2025, while he was asleep. Working as a bouncer, he had little savings for treatment — his siblings and a fundraiser through Saksham covered the rest. In three months, he went from needing two people and a hemi-walker to move, to walking independently and riding his two-wheeler again. He has since rejoined his job.

Walking with 2-person assistIndependent, back at work

Yuvraj

Spinal cord injury at 20 · ongoing rehabilitation

At just 20, Yuvraj suffered a spinal cord injury in an accident that left him bedridden and unable to move independently. His mother, a technician and his family's only earning parent, could cover his immediate medical costs but not the long-term rehabilitation — so Saksham stepped in. With consistent therapy, he's learned to move independently in bed, sit up, and transfer to a wheelchair with assistance, and has begun walking with body-weight support. He continues physiotherapy and occupational therapy today, working toward greater independence and a return to work.

Bedridden, no independent movementStanding with support, working toward independence

Manish

Stroke two years ago · rehabilitation ongoing

Manish worked as a scientist at a pharmaceutical company when a massive stroke two years ago left the right side of his body paralysed, with no muscle activity and complete dependence on his attendant. Through physiotherapy and speech therapy supported by Saksham, he's become semi-independent — rolling, sitting up, transferring to a wheelchair, and walking with a hemi-walker and one attendant. Speech difficulties and paralysis in his right hand mean he can't return to his old profession, and his wife has taken up teaching to support the family. Saksham continues to support his rehabilitation and his path back toward financial independence.

No muscle activation, fully dependentSemi-independent, walking with support

Ramesh

Right-side weakness after stroke · 1 year of therapy

After a stroke in March 2025, Ramesh struggled to balance and couldn't lift his leg while walking, with little strength in his right arm. As a backstage artist, he had limited means to afford the rehabilitation he needed — Saksham stepped in to fund over a year of consistent physiotherapy. Today he walks without support, balances well, and is regaining strength in his arm. With renewed confidence, he's now looking for work again.

No balance, zero arm strengthIndependent, looking for work again

Help fund the recovery that comes after the emergency is over.

A contribution to Project Saksham goes directly toward therapy sessions, splints and assistive devices for patients who've already been assessed and can't cover the full cost themselves. One-time or monthly, both help.

ONE-TIME OR MONTHLY DONATION

Payable toSwabhaan Foundation

Account no.50200121772313

IFSCHDFC0001793

BranchHDFC Bank, Navi Peth, Pune

OTHER WAYS TO HELP

VolunteerHelp with patient coordination, admin, or fundraising — or lend a skill in design, content, or logistics.

PartnerClinics, hospitals and NGOs working with rehabilitation patients can refer cases or co-host camps.

Corporate & CSRA focused, measurable rehabilitation program with a clear model and honest reporting.

Refer a patient Get in touch