Voluntary Action for Rehabilitation and Development (VARHAD) Amravati is a Non-Governmental Organization registered under Societies Registration Act 1860. We are working for reformation and rehabilitation of prisoner and their families. VARHAD is presently based in Amravati Central Prison. In western vidharbha we are working across five district namely Amravati, Yeotmal, Akola, Buldhana and Washim with families of prisoner who are serving sentence in the Amravati Central Prison. We are also working in urban and rural communities in Amravati district for crime prevention.

To be an organization that continuously responds to the changing social reality by promoting social justice and protecting the liberty and dignity of all.

Mr. Ravindra Bhaurao Vaidya , an Post Graduate in Social Work from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai founded VARHAD in the year 2001 in Amravati, Maharashtra (India). He is specialization in Criminology and Correctional Administration. Prior t starting VARHAD, he has 3 yrs working experience in PRAYAS (Social Work in Criminal Justice) a project of Tata institute of Social Sciences.

VARHAD’s work begun in 2002 with only two part-time workers by taking up cases in the Amravati Central Prison. Over a period of time, the team gradually expanded to 21 full-time paid Social workers, Para-social workers, trainers, teacher and administrative staff & volunteers.

In the beginning, VARHAD focused only on the children of women prisoners who were with their mothers in the prison. Work initially commenced with the beginning of the Balwadi (Crèche) in the Women's Section of the Amravati Central Prison. Now VARHAD is working with the children of male and female under trial and convict prisoners left outside. They are supported through sponsorship for educational if their families or relatives could not afford expenses for education. Some are admitted to residential institution for further schooling.

Then VARHAD started a Training Center for the women prisoners in the barrack of central prison, Amravati in year 2003. The center provided long-term training of tailoring and simultaneously provided short-term training courses in Ceramic Painting, Candle making, Embroidery, Mehandi Application etc. We began work in the prison with the objective to work with both under-trial and convict male and female prisoners. VARHAD proceeded forward to support the prisoners for legal guidance and legal aid who are needy and poor in 2004. Besides provision to help the prisoners for legal aid, VARHAD also assisted the prisoners to avail of the prison facilities like parole and furlough.

VARHAD saw a frequent flow of released prisoners due to its intervention. Then the need of aftercare services and support to the release prisoners to prevent recidivism and rehabilitate them in the society was realised. Thus aftercare services were aimed towards reintegration of the client into society and to prevent his future involvement in crime or anti-social activities.

Beginning of aftercare services to the clients demonstrated the need to work with police. VARHAD started “Sawitribai Phule Mahila Punarwasan Kendra” (Women Rehabilitation Center) for released women prisoners. Aftercare services were provided to the released prisoners. Through this, began VARHAD’s work with the police in regard to the rehabilitation of released prisoners. This Rehabilitation Center playsed an important role in the work towards crime prevention in the community in 2005 VARHAD initiated community based crime prevention programme known as “VARHAD YOUTH CONFERENCE”. There are more than thousand volunteers working for the cause.