This New Bengaluru Initiative is Letting the LGBTQIA+ Community Lead the Way on Healthcare and Jobs
Bengaluru is often celebrated as a progressive hub for diversity, but for many members of the LGBTQIA+ community, the reality on the ground tells a different story. Securing a steady job, getting proper medical care, and navigating public services remain uphill battles.
To bridge these gaps, CBM India recently hosted a major stakeholder consultation in the city. The goal was simple but crucial: bring together community members, government leaders, and development experts to build an actual roadmap for change.
This event marks the official foundation of Project Sparsh, a new initiative by CBM India designed to boost health, livelihoods, and social inclusion for Bengaluru’s LGBTQIA+ community, with a specific focus on transgender individuals.
Putting Lived Experiences First
Rather than designing a program from the top down, CBM India is putting the community’s lived experiences right at the center of the project.
Sony Thomas, the Executive Director of CBM India Trust, emphasized that the people who live these realities every day are the ones who should shape the policies. He noted that while Bengaluru has made strides, many LGBTQIA+ individuals still face major barriers to employment and healthcare. Project Sparsh aims to break down those barriers by co-creating practical, real-world solutions.
Government and Activists Join Forces
The consultation saw strong backing from the Karnataka state government. Smt. Padma Basavanthappa, Project Director for the Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society (KSAPS), inaugurated the event and highlighted how vital these partnerships are. She reaffirmed the government’s commitment to expanding healthcare access, skill development, and economic empowerment.
Dr. Dhananjay T. N., also from KSAPS, pointed out that the community has lacked a platform to voice their needs for too long. He suggested that one immediate avenue for growth could be raising seed funding for small businesses and entrepreneurship within the community.
However, the most critical insights came from grassroots activists who highlighted the stark challenges the community faces daily. Mallu S. Kumbar, a transgender rights activist and State Coordinator for the Karnataka Sexual Minorities Forum, spoke openly about the financial strain of sex-reassignment surgeries and the subsequent loss of income during recovery. Kumbar noted that between high healthcare costs, unemployment, inadequate medical infrastructure, and social alienation, the hurdles are incredibly high.
What Project Sparsh Will Actually Do
The dialogue didn’t just focus on the problems; it mapped out concrete areas for action. The insights gathered will directly shape Project Sparsh, which aims to impact the lives of 1,000 LGBTQIA+ individuals in Bengaluru.
Moving forward, the project will focus on:
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Accessible Healthcare: Providing inclusive medical care, vision care, and HIV/STI support.
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Dignified Livelihoods: Offering market-linked skill development, entrepreneurship training, and exposure visits to successful businesses.
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Financial & Digital Literacy: Teaching essential financial skills to help community members build independent, sustainable ventures.
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Social Protection: Helping individuals navigate government welfare schemes, understand their legal rights, and reduce societal stigma.
The project will also place a special emphasis on addressing the unique, overlapping challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ individuals who live with disabilities.
By centering the entire project around community input, CBM India hopes to create a model for development that proves true inclusion is possible when people are given the tools, resources, and dignity to lead their own way.
