Greetings from LMST!
I personally feel thrilled to release the Annual Report for your observation of our sincere work during the
financial year 2016-17. It has been observed that self-employed workers all over the world are an exploited lot
because they are not organized and do not have enough bargaining power. As a result, they are not able to raise
their voice against the exploitation perpetrated on them. In this context Lucknow Mahila Sewa Trust, popularly
known as LMST, was conceived as a Voluntary Development Organization operating in Uttar Pradesh, which
has a substantial population of self-employed workers. It was founded with the objective of uplifting the
downtrodden and economically marginalized people.
Another area of focus is to bring about improvement in the socio-economic and political status of domestic
workers and construction workers. It has been found that these workers lead a highly uncertain and insecure
life, as they have to bear the brunt of any beautification drive undertaken in the cities, which throws their life
completely out of gear. They have poor bargaining power and they do not enjoy the status and privileges of legal
workers. LMST has undertaken a campaign to better the living conditions of these workers and to obtain a legal
status for them.
LMST is a nonprofit organization working since 1995 in different districts in Uttar Pradesh to bring qualitative
and quantitative changes in the lives of the poor and marginalized section of the society. This report brings out the aims and features
of the programs as well as our achievements and challenges. This year most of our
programs did reasonably well. We continue to be inspired by the Gandhian ideals of social and economic
change. We cherish the values of Satya (truth), Ahimsa (Non-Violence), Sarvadharma (Integration of all faith and
all people) and Khadi (Propagation of Self-employment).
We endeavor for transparency and accountability in our work; always aligned to our mission of helping the
poorest of the poor. The year 2016-17 has been of implementation, expansion and intensification of our different
developmental programs with greater participation of people and realistic approach. The programs run by
LMST have been able to reach the people it strives for.
We offer our sincere gratitude to all concerned supportive organizations and the people of the society who
helped in achieving our goal. Social Change is constant, continuous, unavoidable and inevitable. Social
transformation is the result of positive actions to improve the environment in which
marginalized/afflicted/affected are assisted to progress. Lucknow Mahila Sewa Trust’s role is of a Change Maker
and the communities which benefit are Change Recipients. We have seen changes among women, who were
illiterate, abused, exploited, denied of their fundamental rights but transformed themselves to become
educated, skilled, employed, independent, self-reliant, making a significant contribution to their families and
communities. Women in informal economy with their voices muzzled, dependent and restricted have become
better informed, independent, self-reliant, interacting freely in public. They have been empowered to be at par
with men folk, and now emerging as decision makers for themselves and their families. Women, who were
marginalized, resource crunched, under employed, mortgaged/indebted have learnt to manage their own
resources, diversify their potentials, become thrifty in their dealings, change traditional attitude of society
especially towards women and girls and carry out responsibility as heads of families. In the realms of socioeconomic development of poor marginalized, segregated and exploited, the end results of LMST operations have
made a positive impact on their lives. In this success of our efforts, one should appreciate, recognize and laud
the contribution made by the team who manage the programmes which produce desired positive results and
also the recipient communities who consume, appropriate and change to depict a model. Let us congratulate
and resolve to act decisively for the future to come.
Thank you very much for engaging with us
Chief Functionary
Mrs. Farida Jalees