Winner of the Community Service Award at the 11th World Zoroastrian Congress in Perth in June this year (see "Trophy for the twelfth,” Parsiana, September 7, 2018), 84-year-old Meher Medora (pictured) has not restricted her social welfare activities to the community. The managing trustee of Ahmedabad’s Ushta-te Foundation that promotes religious, social and cultural activities among the Zoroastrians of that city also serves as trustee of the B. M. Institute of Mental Health for the past 15years. "It’s been very long... I do not remember exact dates,” she told Parsiana in a telephone conversation on September 11, 2018. The Institute helps children with special needs. Currently on the board of Gujarat Sarvar Mandal which renders free medical aid to the needy in nine Ahmedabad hospitals, as well as Ahmedabad Sarvar Mandal which works with the handicapped and street dwellers, 
Parsiana received a brief about her activities from Astad Pastakia from her home city when she was felicitated at Perth.
Persuaded to add to the write-up, Medora provided details of her other secular activities: As part of her work at Apang Manav Mandal (AMM), an institution for physically disabled children, she was instrumental in starting a fashion design center for disabled girls with the help of National Institute of Fashion Technology, where community member Villoo Mirza was the director. "We trained our girls for six months and brought them up to such a level that we could take orders for Fabindia, a private platform for products that are made from traditional techniques, skills and processes, and other designers too... Similarly we started the boys center and made... menswear. Today both centers are working well (and) have diversified into jewelry making,” noted a satisfied Medora. Instrumental in starting a day care center for the mentally challenged children for AMM, "today there are 32 children (who provide) great satisfaction (to) their parents.” A year ago, Medora handed over her responsibilities to younger women, "and they are all doing a great job,” she noted.
Past president from 2012 till this year of Jyoti Sangh, a nongovernmental organization that works for emancipation and empowerment of women, Medora noted that highlighting and preventing "domestic violence is one of its main features... thousands of women have been helped throughout its long journey.” The Sangh was started by Independence activist and politician Mridula Sarabhai and inspired by the ideals of Mohandas Gandhi in 1934. "My main contribution was to start a certified course on gender sensitization and counselling for post graduate students of psychology of Gujarat University after the unfortunate (2012 Delhi gang rape) Nirbhaya case,” noted the social worker. "We have created a museum of photographs (on the theme of) empowerment of women over the years and how women came out of the four walls of their houses and joined the freedom movement,” noted Medora.
"It has been a long journey and not without difficulties but nevertheless there has never been a dull moment. Looking back, I enjoyed everything I did,” she recalled. "It is now the right time for me to withdraw from active responsibilities at these organizations, including at Ushta-te, and let younger people take over.”