Programs

SHAKTI (STRENGTH)

(1) Read Govandi: An Education Drive by the Girls for the Girls of Govandi:
Eighteen girls from the first-ever Shakti group from Govandi – ‘Roshni’ came together and undertook a project called “Read Govandi” with the objective that all girls in Govandi should receive primary education. Successfully overcoming many obstacles, the group conducted a survey of all 33 schools within Govandi and began a door-to-door search for young girls who were not being sent to school.  To date, the group has admitted 59 children and continues to receive requests and enquiries from families regarding admission information, help with documentation and procedures. The group has created a  detailed school survey directory for anyone in the community to refer to for admission purposes which they hope to publish in the near future for a wider reach. 
They also mentored and supported another Shakti group of about 15 working on a project for child laborers. (Mazdoori se Taleem Tak ). It aims to build awareness and motivate child laborers to pursue education through the medium of night schools. In order to help child laborers access their right to education, the group networks with an education-related organization in the community, ‘Pratham’ as well as with the previously mentioned Shakti  Roshni group. Together the group now plans to gather more information about night schools and procedures and to identify more child laborers through visits to child labor units (zari kharkhanas), so as to motivate them to join school.

(2) Suraksha Kavach: The girls of Dongri provide support and Inforrmation on keeping safe from sexual abuse:
Set up by 19 girls in Dongri, many of who themselves were victims of abuse, this group believes that its most important to talk about the problem, assure other young women that they are not alone. Their project “Suraksha Kavach” creates awareness amongst teenage girls in the Dongri community about ways to keep themselves safe from sexual abuse. Designing an evocative puppet show and a handout, they focus on practical advice about how to keep safe. They believe that they can teach girls from other neighborhoods, how to use the same material and spread awareness. Over 45 girls were reached.

(3) Ration Card Se Jeevan Sukhi (Prerna, Kamatipura):  The girls from this red-light do an awareness drive. Twelve graduated girls of the ‘Nakshatra’ group (January 2010 graduates) are keen on creating awareness amongst women in the Kamathipura and Falkland road communities where legal documents are scarce about the benefits of owning a Ration Card. They do this through  street plays and by networking with like-minded organizations such as the ‘Ration Kruti Samittee’, as well as through developing a working relationship with the ration card officer. They have to date helped 90 women fill up the ration card forms which are then submitted to the ration card officers.

(4) Smart Girls of Bhiwandi: What’s going wrong with our Municipal schools?
The Smart Girls believe that they can bring about change in the dismal  situation of schools in Bhiwandi and decided they would take the true picture to the Education Officer, in charge of Municipal schools. They spoke to 70 parents and 70 children and after analyzing the data, they created a report of their findings. The next challenge was to access the Education Officer, who was reluctant to have any kind of meeting the girls. But they managed to share with him highlights of their reports:  No drinking water in schools, teachers spend too much time chatting, teacher’s talk in Marathi when most of the children are Urdu speaking and can’t follow. The Education Officer promised to send out a memo about these points and has agreed for the girls to do a follow up after three months.

> SHAKTI Alumni Meet
In April 2010, almost 100 Shakti graduates from all over Mumbai came together at Maharashtra Nature Park Dharavi to attend the first ever alumni meet. They talked about networking, exchanging information, ideas and getting together with (just for fun!) in the future. It was wonderful to see Shaheen, from the first Shakti batch in Govandi, now active in her role as peer facilitator, managing and organizing the event, a big change in less than a year.  Awards were given to the girls depending on their projects, teamwork, family support and their perseverance; and for us the biggest reward was to see a group of confident, assured young women together - ready to take on the world. As fifteen-year-old, Kshama from Govandi said very articulately, "Jasbah toh sub mein hai, lekin kuch karne ke liye Shakti chahiye. (We all have a passion to do something, but we need Shakti to make it happen). To view video clip, click here.

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