Founder: Gitali Thakur

Portfolio Partner: 2015

Operational States: Assam and West Bengal

Maitri Livelihood Services or My Help, a domestic service placement and management company recruits, trains, and secures employment for women from disadvantaged Northeast communities. Through its flagship “Sahayika” (“caregiver” in Hindi) initiative, Maitri is currently placing domestic workers in Guwahati and Jorhat, Assam, and is launching four new centers across Assam and Kolkata, West Bengal.

The Sahayika initiative is designed to build both the technical and interpersonal skills needed by domestic workers. Sahayikas receive training on a variety of home-based care services including housekeeping, child care (including health and safety skills), and care for infirm persons. The company also verifies that the prospective employer’s household does not have a history of issues with domestic service workers, sets clear expectations for the nature of work, and briefs the family on the prospective Sahayika’s background, skills, and employment preferences.

Furthermore, Maitri takes this time to educate each Sahayika on her employee rights including a regular salary, paid leave, a bank account, and other benefits enjoyed by her service sector counterparts. This extra effort creates trust and an open communication channel between Maitri, the Sahayikas, and the family setting each up for great success.

Visit their website to learn more.

About the Founder:

Gitali Thakur is the Founder of Maitri Social Enterprise Group, comprising a non-profit and a for-profit entity.​ With over 20 years of experience in livelihood promotion and microfinance, she previously worked at prestigious institutions like BASIX, FWWB, and MicroSave. Her core skills include institution building, training, and developing market-based solutions for low-income households.