In January 2026, Basera brought together forty people who rarely sit at the same table: community members, doctors and health workers, government officials, police officers and representatives of other organisations. Together, they formed Basera’s first Community Advisory Board.

The idea is simple. The people we serve, and the systems they deal with every day, should have a say in what we do. The board will meet regularly to tell us what is working, what is not, and where we should put our effort next.

At the first meeting, members agreed on the issues that matter most right now: education and jobs, safe shelter, getting identity documents, access to Ayushman Bharat and other health services, mental health support, skill training and building young leaders in the community.

For many community members, it was the first time they had spoken face to face with a police officer or a health official about their own needs, and been listened to. We hope this board makes that kind of conversation a regular part of how things work.