Swadhina (self-reliant) was organised as a civil society with the prime objective of empowerment of women for self-reliance’ by a group of youth. We believe that the high rate of illiteracy, cultural subjugation of women, a general lack of socio-political awareness, severe neglect in terms of health, economic exploitation are the key factors which need to be tackled in all programmes aiming at changing life and living of women in our society. Working primarily for the tribal and backward class women, Swadhina is presently active, through 52 village units, in the states of Jharkhand, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu with a membership strength of about 1260 women.

The Aim:
Establishment of a socio-economically self-reliant society based on gender justice, non-violence and communal harmony.


The Process:

We believe that women’s organisation has a three tier approach for self-sustenance:

• Identification of issues relating to women at the micro as well as macro level,
• Awareness trainings and formation of women’s groups around those issues, initiate participative self-reliance actions, and
• Handing over the organisational and functional work to those people-based groups for sustainability.

The Strategies:

For us following are the basic premise of any sustainable development effort:

• Any development interaction to be sustainable must involve women and include a gender perspective in the process.
  
• There must be a social awareness component whereby the participants involve themselves more consciously and the programme, even if it is economic production oriented, becomes a process of societal education. The participants must develop the analytical skill to understand issues affecting their lives.
• Free and fuller participation of people at every stage, right from identification of issues, planning of actions till the evaluation, is essential for any sustainable development initiative whereby they become owner of the project rather than passive recipients of benefits.
• Identification of local skills, mobilisation of local resources by the people themselves and their optimum utilisation are also the prime requisites.
• Capacity Building of the participants is another important aspect whereby they not only efficiently handle and manage all the actions; also gain courage and confidence to demand their rights.
• Any development interaction will be sustainable only when it is local culture based with the people retaining their cultural identity.

Programme Emphasis:

• Women’s Empowerment (groups formation, gender training, women’s literacy)
• Sustainable Development (non-formal education, health - environment awareness, capacity /institution building)
• Livelihood Promotion (natural resource management, income generation, market promotion, savings)
• Non-violence & Social Empowerment (peace education, social awareness)

Present Projects:

* European Union-Welthungerhilfe, Germany: Singbhum (Jharkhand) Tribal Families Agro Development & Food Security Project

* Third World Association, Germany: Midnapore (West Bengal) Tribal Women’s’ Socio- Economic Development Project

* Third World Association, Germany: Kanya Kumari (Tamil Nadu) Women & Children Development Project

* War Resisters International, UK: Non-Violence & Social Empowerment Project

* Action Medeor, Germany: Health Care & Medicines Support Project

Co-ordination

Swadhina, established in 1986, is a Registered Charitable Organisation registered under the Societies Registration Act, and, Foreign Contribution Regulation Act of Government of India. It is an ecumenical organisation managed by an all women Executive Committee and run by a team of experienced social activists - both women and men. It has adequate infrastructural support like 3 offices in Kolkata and an office each in Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu and rural West Bengal with necessary office equipment and computer support. It has a fully computerised accounts keeping system. Its main office is located at Kolkata (Calcutta)