Our Gritty Women

In 1990, to help our children come regularly to school, Katha decided to help women earn more. The Teacher Training Programme as well as Katha Shakti, a co-operative of about 27 women, became successful examples of the empowerment revolution in our community. As the women’s earnings went up, more children began coming to school! A group of women members started the ‘Ma-Mandal’ in 1992/3 with Katha. The Ma-Mandal group epitomizes Katha’s efforts towards women’s representation and empowerment and is now largely self reliant/empowered and acts as Katha’s most important instrument in promoting Katha’s mission of development through education and empowerment in the communities. Furthermore, Katha’s Slum Resurgence Initiative (SRI) works in 64 slums, bringing together different groups and teams in Katha to focus on more equitable lifestyles for children, women, men and elders. Since 1990, more than 1 lakh women have gone through our training programmes.

[SHE]²

Our youth learn to work with women as major contributors in community activism. They are the [SHE]-Squarers, helping double woman-power in our communities!   [SHE]² stands for Safe Water and Sanitation; Healthcare and Housing; Employment and Empowerment. Working in the bustling slums, the [SHE]² model brings decent lifestyles to people in Govindpuri, and in other Katha communities across Delhi. Our women are able to fight for rights usually denied to them. Katha’s efforts to bring them literacy and independent incomes have facilitated their own and their families’ well-being, thus ensuring better education, better health and brighter futures for their children.