In 1972, SEWA was founded in Ahmedabad by Elaben Bhatt, a lawyer and labour organiser, to support women working in the informal economy through union formation and self-reliance. In the Mid 70’s, SEWA women voiced the need for accessible health care. In response, the first ‘Know Your Body’ training sessions began, offering preventive health education and basic medical support. In the 1980’s and 1990’s, SEWA began training Arogya Sevikas (community health workers) and Dais (traditional birth helpers), laying the foundation for a community-led primary healthcare cooperative. With 50+ trained health workers active on the ground, SEWA scaled its health services, adding check-ups, referrals, and structured training across communities.