On 28^th July 2014, exposure visit was organized for the community women of Bhagwan Nagar in Apurva Mahila Samajik Sanstha by Sakhya Women’s Guidance Cell extension center in Thane.15 women participated in the exposure visit. They were very enthusiastic and very curious to know about SHG groups and trainings.

   Training on Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act 2013

On 15^th June 2014, workshop on sexual harassment of women at workplace was organized by Gonsalo Garcia College in Vasai for 130 college students on the event of the inauguration of the Women’s Cell.

The main objective of the workshop was to create sensitivity and awareness regarding the Act and the legal provisions outlined to address sexual harassment.  Through the medium of a documentary, discussions based on myths and misconceptions,; Clipsy Banji and Chatush Singh from Sakhya conducted the workshop gradually building their perspective on the larger realities of violence against women.  They enabled them to understand the Act in the present scenario; i.e. the prevention and protection of women from sexual harassment. 

Subsequently a meeting was held with the principal, Ms Cecilia Carvalho and college faculty along with Sakhya team to discuss the formation and capacity building of an Internal Complaints’ Committee in the college to address issues arising in the college. 

      

                                       TOT for ICDS personnel

On 5^th July 2014, Sakhya in collaboration with ICDS organized a workshop on “Women and Health” to make them aware of women’s health and its implications on the family and the overall society.  Sunila Bhise conducted the sessions.

The following points were covered:

·                     Status of women in Indian Society

·                     Effects of domestic violence on women’s health

·                     Family’s perspective about girl child

·                     Reasons for anemia in women

·                     Myths and misconceptions about health

·                     Role of Anganwadi workers.

The participants expressed that the session was very good and informative and that they had an opportunity to unlearn and also get to know information related to women’s health. 

Building capacities of Community Leaders on laws related to women

5 sessions were conducted in July 2014 in different areas of Thane to impart legal knowledge and laws pertaining to women and to build the capacities of the local community leaders to increase referrals and linkages of women in distress situations.  140 women gained knowledge on the laws and provisions.  Sunila Bhise and Chatush Singh conducted these sessions.

          

The contents included discussions on myths related to domestic violence, DV Act 2005,   filing of NC, FIR and writing applications to police stations.  The sessions provided a platform for the women to open up and express the violence faced and to seek assistance to address it.  

A day of fun and camaraderie

26^th June 2014 was a day of fun and frolic for 25 young girls who participated in with full vigour and gusto.  They were motivated to perform in groups to understand the importance of group achievement, team building and team spirit in order to strengthen the group. Various games were organized by Shalini and Clipsy to harness and channelize their energy and to bring out a creative response.  They were very happy with the entire event and expressed that more such events could be held to increase their understanding of team work and performance.  

Successful tracking of mentally challenged
 girls’ parents by Sakhya team

On 29^th April, Payal’s aged 24 was referred by a social work trainee who is working in the hospital for mentally challenged persons in Vadodara.  According to the information given by the hospital authorities, Payal was there in the hospital for the last 1 year.  She was being treated for mental illness and when her conditions started improving she was able to give information about her whereabouts.  The hospital authorities had tried all their means to trace her whereabouts, had got in touch with various police stations but to no avail.  They then got the contacts of Sakhya through the website. The authorities informed Sakhya, upon which Ms. Hilda Fernandes inquired with the Nala Sopara police station whether a missing complaint has been filed.   The police said that there was no such complaint.  So Shalini and Geeta set about getting to know the whereabouts of Payal.  They were able to locate her residential vicinity and got to know that her parents were not there as they had gone for the younger daughter’s wedding, but they meet Payal’s paternal uncle who confirmed that Payal indeed stayed in Nala Sopara.  He also said that he did not know whether her parents had filed a missing complaint; his wife also informed that Payal was married but in a secretive manner.  A copy of the letter from the hospital and the contacts were given to the paternal uncle to further follow up with the hospital authorities and to inform Payal’s parents about the recent developments.

Meanwhile the hospital authorities informed Sakhya that the parents had not contacted them, so Shalini called up her uncle on 8^th May, he said that the parents had not returned from the wedding.  On 19^th May Shalini was intimated by the hospital about the phone call made by the uncle that the parents would return by 23^rd May and they would further follow up with the hospital authorities. 

The hospital authorities were grateful to the efforts of Sakhya for locating the parents and relatives of Payal.    

               Rehabilitation of a destitute minor

Seema (the name changed) aged 11, studying in the 7^th standard in the local zilla parishad school had been staying in Shivshankar Pada in Nala Sopara. Her father died to ill health when she was barely three years old and immediately after a year lost her mother to ill health.  She and her older brother were looked after by her grand mother.  She too passed away four years ago.  The villagers for some time provided food and clothing for the children. Her brother started grazing cattle while Seema began working in the homes as a domestic worker; both were earning a meager income. 

Kamala Jadhav one of the active animators of the village informed Sakhya about the children’s plight.  The case was immediately taken up by Geeta Goswami, staff of Sakhya who then went about trying to find a shelter home for Seema and also to ensure that she is able to continue her education.  With the collaboration of the entire team comprising of Sakhya, the Child Welfare Committee, the local school and Ankur Children’s Home run by the St Anne’s Sisters, Seema was successfully admitted to Ankur shelter home in Mira Road on 21 June 2014.  The sisters in the home also wholeheartedly pleaded their support and commitment to the care and upbringing of Seema.