Post on 23-Apr-2020
Friends,
Vacha officially turns 25 in March 2015. Officially,
because it actually began to function as a
women’s library and cultural centre from 1987.
The small group of us had felt that we should first
start a women’s resource centre and see if we
stay together, work voluntarily and only then we
should think of registration or fund raising. So it
was registered as a trust three years later in
March 1990. This issue commemorates 25 years
of this formal existence and is, actually quite
nostalgic.
Vacha was not only conceptualized but was also
concretised in the form of a library and cultural
centre where women, and even men, could drop
in to borrow a book, get information or discuss
something related to women’s issues. Women
could also drop in to have a chat and chai. It was a
novel concept and by early 1988 some
newspapers wrote about it. (A couple of them
appear somewhere in the newsletter.) We had
also enthusiastically published two issues of a
Vacha newsletter way back in 1990 but shortage
of resources, time and a great deal of overwork
put a stop to it. Now we plan to bring out this
newsletter as an occasional publication.
Hopefully, it will pop up on your computer from
time to time.
We thank all of you who have helped Vacha
survive and grow. Dr. Vibhuti Patel, my earliest
contact with women’s groups, had supported the
idea of Vacha enthusiastically. Later, she
contributed to organizing a gender study circle for
teachers, scholars, writers and home makers for
three years. Today, she is on our board. Advocate
Flavia Agnes, my colleague from erstwhile
Women’s Centre, discussed it further and helped
in calculating initial costs. Dr. Neera Desai, Dr.
Maithreyee Krishnaraj, Dr. Veena Poonacha, Dr.
Malini Karkal and many other scholars
contributed to discussions at Vacha library. Dr.
Nandita Gandhi suggested a source for a grant at
a crucial time for Vacha in 1997. We have also
had a cooperative and productive relationship
with SETU, Ahmedabad.
At Vacha, contribution of volunteers is invaluable,
especially after the project moved to a Municipal
school with a view to work with children and
youth, especially girls from deprived families.
Volunteers have given time, expertise, money,
items of furniture and much else. Asha Shroff,
Geeta Mitra, Anju Jani, Padma Ramamurthy have
taught girls regularly. Alfreda Ohol and Sumi
Rajesh helped with library and administrative
work . It is impossible to remember everybody’s
name. I must have missed some names but one
person who is almost a member of the team is
Vrijendra. We always approach him for help in
writing, translations, corrections and proofing and
for a great deal more. And he always helps
readily. There are many who have donated
money and books and materials.
And finally, I have to say this. All of us greatly
appreciate Dr Himanshu Shukla’s silent and solid
contribution through sharing his space, his
furniture and equipment, his telephone, his
kitchen and his wife’s time and energy. Yes, he is
my husband, my partner who has supported many
causes this way steadily and silently. We propose
to let him do it forever…..
-Sonal Shukla,
Director
VACHA NEWSLETTER
Volume I, Issue I March 2015
vVa MARCH, 2015 VACHA NEWSLETTER
From Vacha Team
As we celebrate twenty five years of Vacha Trust,
it is perhaps time to go down the memory lane
and remember how it all began and how over
these years, Vacha has undergone many shifts in
its work and focus, even as Sonalbehn is happily
still around...
Though the Vacha Trust was formally registered in
1990, its foundation was really laid with the
emergence of an active women’s movement in
Mumbai in the 1980s.
That is when the idea of a women’s resource
centre and library originated and Vacha began to
take shape in Sonal Shukla’s home at Vile Parle,
Mumbai. It was perhaps the first such centre of its
kind. By September 1987, Vacha had become a
reality with not only collections of books but also
audios and videos which members could actually
borrow and share. Since it was meant to be a
resource centre, born out of a movement, Vacha
was also a place for sharing of ideas and views
and other experiences for its members. Fittingly,
from time to time, interface were organised at
Vacha with writers, artists and activists like
Mahashweta Devi, Barbara Ehrenreich and Allison
Lurie and, later, Dhirubehn Patel, Urmila Pawar,
Gloria Steinam and others. Film screenings were
held at Vacha and there was a study circle with
regular readings and discussions. But it was a
study circle with a difference: all participants were
treated as equals – after all, all life experiences
are equally important value – and there was no
hierarchy separating well-known scholars from
others.
But again Vacha was not just a resource centre
at one place. In the spirit of a movement, its
resources had to be actively shared with
different groups. Therefore, it had an outreach
component. It initiated participatory story
telling with theatre artists at different places.
Plays were performed at various sites in villages
and cities: the most significant being the
musical Nari Itihas ki talaash mein (In Search of
Women’s History) developed by Forum Against
Oppression of Women (FAOW), Mumbai,
directed by Madhushri Dutta and written by
Vibhuti Patel. Vacha produced it after one
performance by FAOW; Vacha supporters
provided music and constituted its cast. Vacha
also made presentations at various women’s
conferences, seminars and workshops. In
addition, Vacha produced two music videos:
one with songs from women’s movement and
the other had feminist garbas. (Garba, a term
derived from garbha (foetus) is a traditional
song and dance form of Gujarat. Garbas used to
be created mostly by women praying to female
gods or calling out to sisters and women friends.
Often they were songs of complaints, protests,
dreams and aspirations. Feminist garbas were
adapted from these songs.) Vacha also
produced two video films on women
participants in the Indian Freedom struggle, in
Gloria Steinem during her visit to Vacha library
At a study circle with Mahashweta Devi
2
vVa MARCH, 2015 VACHA NEWSLETTER
consultation with historian, Amrita Shodhan and
sociologist, Sujata Patel.
These audios and videos turned out to be hugely
popular and are still in use. This was the first
phase of Vacha work from 1987 to 1996 when it
remained housed at Sonal Shukla’s place - a space
that had been often used by various groups and
organisations from 1970s. During this phase,
other very active members were Nina Haeems,
Dineshwari Thonse, Meenal Patel and Vibhuti
Patel.
In 1996, Vacha shifted to the BMC School at
Santacruz, Mumbai, where it still remains. As a
registered NGO, it was allotted rooms in the
school to work on education and other related
issues of students from deprived communities
with a priority for girls. (Sonal, Nina and
Dineshwari all have additional qualifications and
experience in pedagogy.) Here, Vacha’s focus
shifted to young students, both girls and boys, at
the school and their needs. At this stage, there
were two important additions to the Vacha team:
Kumud Shanbag, who had worked closely with
Prof. Neera Desai at the SNDT Women’s
University, Mumbai and at a rural women’s
project in Udwada, Gujarat and Nischint Hora who
walked out of a job at Door Darshan, the
govterment-owned TV channel. Now, it was
decided that Vacha members and volunteers
would conduct English and computer classes for
these students, before and after school hours, in
the premises and would also add a substantial
component of life skills.
In 1998, Vacha applied for and was awarded a
girls’ development project. This project
transformed Vacha. A study-cum-action project to
be carried out in BMC schools in the city for girl
students between the ages of 9 and 13 years, with
a sample size of 7000 girls, its focus was on the
status of their health which also included a sense
of well-being. Swatija Manorama worked with
Sonal Shukla on this project. Other team members
were Daivashala Giri and Darshana Joshi. Partly,
as a result of this project, in 2001, Vacha evolved
into a Girls Resource Centre with specific
resources for girls: books, games, journals, songs,
quiz books, music videos and other resources
were gradually built for girls’ use. At the same
time, Vacha began to hold gender training
workshops for NGOs, CBOs, students, teachers
and others working among tribals in Gujarat and
Maharashtra. Vacha was one of the three
organisations selected to create a gender syllabus
for primary school teachers and students and to
conduct teacher training in Maharashtra, and,
later, in Gujarat.
Vacha received a certificate of appreciation from
Bombay Community Public Trust and Centre for
Advancement of Philanthropy, Mumbai in 2005.
In 2014, Vacha was awarded a certificate of
achievement and a cash prize of Rs 15 lakhs in
‘Life Skills’ category, Girl power awards in an all
India competition from Dasra, Mumbai.
One of the activities emerging from the girls’
resource centre was to to extend its work among
young girls who lived in bastis. First Pradnya
Sawargaonkar initiated this programme in 2006
that Medhavinee Namjoshi has coordinated and
expanded from 2008. First action was to follow
girl students into their localities. In the process, it
began to form groups of girls to discuss their
issues, to provide them a platform and safe space
for their activities and to build their leadership
skills. In some bastis, it also involves boys in these
groups as well for many reasons: boys in these
‘Bheetar Bahe Mukti Dhara’ and ‘In Search of Safia
Khan’- two videos produced by Vacha on women
freedom fighters
3
vVa MARCH, 2015 VACHA NEWSLETTER
At a foyer event during Symposium
bastis are also deprived (though vigilance is
necessary to assure they did not appropriate
youth leadership); justice for girls must involve
boys and besides, even as they grow up, boys
largely stay back while girls get married and move
to other places. However, Vacha volunteers try to
ensure that leadership roles in mixed groups are
equally shared between girls and boys. In most
cases, once initiated, girls themselves ensure that
boys do not dominate them in group activities and
leadership roles. Happily, this network of bastis
today has extended to 17 places with an average
active membership of 25-30 girls. However, boys
are not actively involved in all bastis. In all these
bastis, regular classes are held to build some soft
and hard skills; there is a mobile library and twice
a year, on August 15 and January 26, in each basti,
girls produce a newsletter which is entirely their
own.
Besides, girls from Vacha’s centres in bastis have
participated in many campaigns, seminars and
fairs (including a stall at Kala Ghoda festival,
Mumbai and the work continues....
Earlier Vacha Newsletters
“A library with books exclusively on women” – The Afternoon Dispatch and Courier, 1988 “An exclusive women’s library”- Mid Day, 1989
[Quoted in a Symposium report- ‘Girls at Margins’]
Making a presentation in a Symposium on Grilhood
Earlier Vacha Newsletters
“Parents proudly introduce their sons to
guests and treat them with a lot of love,
respect and concern. But they ignore their
daughters. Parents’ rough tone and manners
hurt and ager us.”
- Shabnam, 16 years
Past Vacha Newsletters
4
vVa MARCH, 2015 VACHA NEWSLETTER
[From Preface to Nina Haeem’s anthology
‘Rebecca Reuben: Scholar, Educationist,
Community Leader 1889-1957’ (2000).]
We were amazed that there was no mention of
Rebecca Reuben in books and documents
published even by people who were concerned
about recording the history of women and of
minorities in Maharashtra. It seemed no one
wanted to look for pioneering women educators
among the Bene Israel even though it was well
known that some of the earliest women teachers
belonged to this community.
Did no one want to find out what the first woman
to top the Matriculation examination did later in
her life? We wondered if large scale migration of
her community to Israel and to Western countries
was the reason why Rebecca Reuben’s memory
was not valued and preserved. Would such a
phenomenon retrospectively wipe out a person’s
contribution in the field of education? Or was ot
because she was a woman? There is no way to
know now. We felt the omission had to be
corrected. We cannot afford to lose information
about our foremothers, for Rebecca Reuben was
not just a Jewish teacher, but an Indian woman
who made an impact on community life as early as
the second decade of the 20th century.
COMPLIMENT
It is difficult for me to accept
Each compliment you have paid me.
Like the time
I won the first prize in public speaking.
You said
“One look at you was enough for the judges to
decide”.
Or when that famous editor
Selected my poem for publication,
You asked
“Did you take the poem personally to him?”
I am astonished at your astonishment.
It is a compliment you insist.
It is difficult for you to understand
Then why I am insulted.
In your code of legitimacy
I am only supposed to look good.
To like jewellery, clothes, cosmetics.
I do.
As much as I like to argue,
or write, or win.
In your code of conduct
A good girl is seen not heard.
But then I don’t want to be a good girl.
Only a better one.
In your code of compliments
I should then wear a veil,
For you are not blind.
And the wool you couldn’t pull over eyes
Is stuffed in your ears.
It is difficult for you to say the right words
It is difficult for me to accept.
For
in my code of existence,
I cannot wait.
I will not hide.
- Joy Deshmukh
[ Published in 2nd
issue of a past Vacha Newsletter, 1991]
5
vVa MARCH, 2015 VACHA NEWSLETTER
Male Female
75.3 53.7
82.1 65.5
Improvements in literacy levels in India
2001 2011
Myths about menstruation are a part of the larger
patriarchal structure of control over girls and women.
While restrictions on girls during menstruation cut
across class and culture around the world, the custom
of untouchability practiced against menstruating girls
and women is unique to India. Girls and women
between the ages of 10-50 years, face untouchability
from their own family members during menstruation.
In this book, we have documented girls’ stories of
menstruation in their own voices.
“ This is my cousin sister’s story, of when she got her
periods…That day, she had felt a strong pain in her
stomach, and when she started bleeding, she didn’t
know what it was. She got very scared and told her
teacher about it. Her teacher asked her to go home and
sent a friend along with her to reach her home.
Once she got home, a difficult time began for her.
Instead of placating her fear or showing her any love or
even explaining to her about what had happened, her
mother kept my sister alone in one room. She had to
stay there, alone, for the next six days. On the following
day, a pooja was arranged for her and she was given
sarees by all the married women in the family. It is true
that she was given a lot of good food and other things
during those days…but anyone passing by her room
would taunt her and harass her…she felt terrible during
those days, that is what she told me…”
[Excerpts from our publication- ‘Puberty, Poverty
and Gender- Girls speak about menstruation’
(2014). ]
India South Asia World
88 86 92 74 73
87
Youth (15-24 yrs) literacy rate (%) 2009-2013*
Male Female
As Chart 1 shows, gender gap in youth
literacy rate for India in period 2009-2013,
is much worse than gender gap of rest of
the world. As Chart 2 indicates, this
gender gap has continued over the years.
However, there is one positive note in
current times for female literacy in India.
As Chart 2 shows, the improvement rate in
female literacy rate from 2001-2011 is
better than improvement rate in male
literacy rate for the same period. This
shows that though gender gap in literacy
rates remains high, there is improved
awareness about female literacy.
Ch
art
1
Ch
art
2
6
Source: UNICEF. Accessed at:
http://data.unicef.org/corecode/uploads/document6/uploaded_pdfs/coreco
de/SOWC_2015_Summary_and_Tables_210.pdf
Source: Census of India, 2011. Accessed at:
https://data.gov.in/catalog/improvements-literacy-
levels#web_catalog_tabs_block_10
vVa MARCH, 2015 VACHA NEWSLETTER
[A Girl’s Poem from our publication- ‘Bole Kishori’ (2010), translated from Hindi.]
Vacha’s Publications
Our Vacha
Our Vacha is like the wide world –
Full of colour and all sorts of people.
So Vacha includes us all –
Our teachers, women and men,
And us, students of different
backgrounds
and different communities.
We do not quarrel here,
In fact, we soon become good friends.
We eat together,
Together we learn, and together we
attend Vacha workshops.
Some girls love to get up to mischief in
class,
But all love Vacha teachers very much.
- Aayesha Shaikh
Remembering VACHA
It was wonderful to be reminded that we
began our work at Vacha 25 years back. I still
remember those first few days, months when
we were arranging our library and discussing
as what all we could do to educated our
school going children mostly coming from
nearby slums to make their lives more
interesting as well as fruitful by knowing
about their lives and their rights.
-Kumud Shanbag (Former Administrator)
A few girls from a Muslim majority
community, said during an interview,
“Today we can come out of our house
and shout slogans and act in a street play
to raise our issues in front of a crowd in
our basti; if we think of ourselves 6
months back the situation was totally
different. But now with Vacha’s regular
support and life skills programmes we
are here …”
“that repository of stree shakti in the form of
books at Vacha continuously challenged and
provoked my thought process.” – Pinky
Virani in the foreward to her book ‘Bitter
Chocolate’
When I joined Vacha class,
I was in 4th standard and I
couldn’t read or write in
English. Now I am doing my
graduation. When I was in 10th
standard I stood first in English
language throughout all the
BMC schools.
- Rajesh (Former
student in Vacha)
7
vVa MARCH, 2015 VACHA NEWSLETTER
Vacha’s publications
VACHA RESOURCE CENTRE FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS
Registered office: Project Office: 5, Bhavna, S.V.Road, Ground floor, Municipal school building, Vile Parle (W), Mumbai- 400 056. Tank Lane, Santacruz (W), Mumbai- 400 054.
Email: vachamail@gmail.com / admin@vacha.org.in Tel No. 91-22-2605-5523 www.vacha.org.in Follow us on Facebook: Vacha Resource Centre
Watch videos on Youtube: Vacha Trust Contribute to our blog at hhtp://girlhoodindia.wordpress.com