EKTA Resource Centre for Women  

CAPACITY BUILDING

Capacity Building is perceived by Ekta as more than trainings and an ongoing process through which individuals, groups, organizations and communities enhance their ability to identify and meet development challenges and move towards actualizing their rights. The interventions are around the following thematic areas:

• GENDER AND GOVERNANCE
• GENDER AND HUMAN RIGHTS   
• GENDER AND MASCULINITY 

Ekta envisages social change as a process of collective action and reflection, and works in collaboration with similar thinking organisations and individuals.

• ‘One Billion Rising’ is a worldwide campaign on February 14, to create a world free from violence
• The 16 days campaign (Nov 25 – Dec 10) was launched by Ekta in 1994. The purpose of this campaign is to create greater awareness on the issue of violence against women and also to express solidarity to the inter-national campaign on the above issue
• Safety audit is a participatory tool for understanding the elements of public spaces that contribute towards creating safety or vulnerability. Ekta initiated safety audit in Madurai with the guidance from Jagori, New Delhi and Sakhi, Kerala since 2013
• ‘Study Circle’ was initiated at Ekta on the 14th January, 1992. The objective was to create a space for women from different professional backgrounds to come together to discuss, debate on women’s issues and thereby evolve strategies for collective action
• 10-day Feminist Capacity Building Programme for the two countries in Tamil every year with the support of SANGAT since 2009. The participants come from both Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu. The main objective of this programme is to equip women activists with knowledge on gender and development issues that perpetrate gender inequalities at the level of household, community, workplace and the state

We work with the following institutions and networks:

• Childline 1098
• The Naz Foundation (India) Trust  - Life Skill and Sports for Adolescent girls
• Girls Not Brides - Advocacy to prevent child marriage
• Forum to Engage Men (FEM)
• International Women Peace Group (IWPG)
• Voluntary Action Network in India (VANI) – Information dissemination
• National Alliance of Women (NAWO) – Networking of Women
• State and National Commission for Women – Promotion of women rights
• Universities and Colleges – Advocacy and Lobbying for Gender Equity
• National Centre for Advocacy Studies (NCAS) – Advocacy and Lobbying

Since 2013 Ekta is organizing OBR in Madurai, TN in collaboration with Jagori, New Delhi. In 2018, there were five launches and 3 planning meetings for the main public event on 14^th Feb 2019.

In collaboration with 16 NGOs, Advocates, Individuals, 1 University and 7 colleges this year Ekta organized the One Billion Rising in Madurai. Around 650 members participated.

Ekta provides counselling to women and their families irrespective of their class. Based on the merit of the case, they are helped to access to get referrals to Police and Family Courts. For litigation process, we get the help of specialized agencies.

• Students for Change - This was launched in the year 1994. Every year workshops and seminars are organised for students in different colleges in Madurai.
• Life Skill Programme - Life Skill Education is one of the flagship programmes of Ekta. In the year 2000 Life Skill programme was initiated in six corporation schools in Madurai. The students in the corporation schools who primarily come from the urban poor settlements are victims of poverty, social discrimination and lack access to development opportunities. This programme aims to provide these students relevant information and counselling for enhancing their self-esteem and skills to address the problem they are confronted with.
• Ekta has partnered with NAZ India Trust from 2016 implement life skill through sports through a programme called Young People's Initiatives (YPI) with children coming from socially and economically marginalized communities to help them their potential and act as change makers. Each year around 1200 girls are being covered through this programme.

Ekta has all women Executive Body but the General Body has both female and male members. The General Body meets annually and the Executive Body meets on a quarterly basis.

S.NO    NAME OF THE MEMBER         DESIGNATION

1.            Ms. Bimla Chandrasekar          Secretary

2.            Ms. Gandhimathi                        President

3.            Ms. Revathy                                 Vice President

4.            Ms. Jesu Rethinam                    Treasurer

5.            Ms. Manohari Doss                    GB Member

6.            Mr. Gnana Surabi Mani              GB Member

7.            Mr. Deva Manoharan                 GB Member

8.            Ms. Valligopal                              GB Member

9.            Ms. Epsi Bai                                   GB Member

10.          Mr. Mahaboob Batcha               GB Member

11.          Ms. Ranjini K. Moorthy              GB Member

12.          Mr. M. J. Prabhakaran                GB Member

13.          Dr. Santha                                      GB Member

14.          Dr. S. Nagarathinam                   GB Member

15.          Ms. Jeena                                      GB Member

16.          Ms. Lydia Rajaselvi                     GB Member

Our Staff Team

Ekta’s team consists mostly of women. The team is committed to social change process and constantly engaged in updating their knowledge and experiences.

S.NO     NAME OF THE STAFF                DESIGNATION

1.            Ms. Bimla Chandrasekar            Director

2.            Ms. T.  Tamil Moni                        Programme Manager                        

3.            Ms. M. Latha                                  Accountant

4.            Ms. K. Suganya                             System Associate

 Goal Team 

5.         Ms. Jenifer Megala                     Net ball Coach

6.         Ms. M. Gomathi                          Life Skill Trainer

7.         Ms. R. Shanthi                              Community Sports Coach (CSC)

8.         Mr. V. Sangu Sathish                  CSC / Field Organizer   

9.         Ms. Suriya                                    CSC  / Field Organizer 

10.       Ms. Kavitha                                 CSC  / Field Organizer 

11.      Ms.  Vinitha Mozhi                     CSC / Computer Teacher

12.      Ms. Vathani                                 CSC  / Field Organizer 

13.      Ms. s. Muthamil                          CSC  / Field Organizer 

Nambikkai Team

14.      Ms. V. Vaithegi                             Coordinator

15.     Ms. M. Suganya                             Warden

16.     Ms. B. Kavitha                              Field Organizer                          

17.     Ms. A. Basheerunisha                Tailoring Teacher

 

S.NO     NAME OF THE STAFF                DESIGNATION

Childline 1098 Child Help Desk, Railway Junction, Madurai

18.           Ms. Janani Priya                        Coordinator

19.           Ms. S. Anita Vithya                   Counsellor

20.           Ms. Sujatha                                 Team Member                      

21.           Ms. Suriya Devi                          Team Member

22.           Ms. Charu Nivetha                   Team Member

23.           Mr. James                                    Team Member

24.           Mr.  Venkatesh                           Team Member

25.           Mr. Jeyanth                                Team Member

26.          Mr. Viknesh                                  Team Member 

27.         Mr. Kathiresan                              Volunteer

28.          Mr. John Soloman                       Volunteer

29.          Mr. Muthu Pandi                          Volunteer