EKTA Resource Centre for Women

Ekta was established in 1990 at Madurai as a Resource centre towards creation of a gender just society. The organization adopts a life cycle approach; works in rural and urban areas with women, men and adolescents in the educational institutions.

It promotes issue-based campaigns to end violence against women, facilitates networks for experiential sharing and collective action. It advocates and lobbies for gender sensitive policy changes to further the interest of women and address gender based violence in particular.

Post Tsunami, it has expanded its work with the rural communities in Chidambaram Taluk of Cuddalore district in Tamil Nadu, with a focus on strengthening education of girl children and livelihood rights of single women.

• Goal Lauch at various schools  in Madurai and Chidambaram
• "World No Tobacco Day on 31st May. The theme for this year is "TOBACCO AND HEART DISEASE"
• YPI Camp at Nambikkai Centre, Killai
• Net Ball Basic Training for CAC
• Summer Camp at Training Centre, Kodimangalam

• 10 Million Signature Campaign for  "Urging for a Peace Agreement for the Cessation of War  on the Korean  Peninsula"

True to its objectives and intentions EKTA swung into action immediately after the occurrence of Tsunami by holding consultations at the affected districts to assess and grapple with the situation from a gender perspective with which EKTA is concerned. Based on the early diagnosis of the situation, EKTA created a shelter home in the year 2007 for girls at Cuddalore district. 

The Nambikkai Centre operates with the following three fold objectives: 

1. Protecting and promoting childhood of the vulnerable girl children. 

2. Facilitating their creative growth. 

3. Carrying out the networking and advocacy functions.

Christened as Nambikkai Centre (Nambikkai in Tamil means ‘hope’), This centre apart from giving shelter to 30 children in the age group of 6-15, it serves as the drop-in centre for women and children in need. It provides nutritious food, health care and supplementary education. 

For the benefit of over 1,100 adolescent girls residing in the target area, Nambikkai Centre undertakes a number of programmes aimed at their rehabilitation.  Conducting health awareness camps, periodical health check up, counseling sessions, creativity camps in summer, and providing study support are the major activities/programmes undertaken by the Centre.

The Centre has been involved in conducting training programmes on computer skills.  So far it has trained 65 adolescent girls with a view to enhance their employability.  In the larger area of life skills, the Centre is providing training in the areas of Games, Yoga and Martial Arts.  It also houses a library stocking textbooks and other relevant materials for the benefit of these children. 

Going beyond its immediate target group of adolescent girls, the Centre undertakes a range of activities aimed at the women folk living in the areas.  They are: 

a) Providing a platform to facilitate experience sharing and discussion of things of critical importance.

b) Conducting health and legal awareness camps to impart literacy in these areas.

c) Giving basic education and livelihood skills for economic empowerment.

d) Creating awareness about various Government schemes by disseminating this information.

e) Providing need based counseling and other necessary linkages.