Deepshikha Samiti - Empowering transgenders through Livelihood (Foreign Donations Accepted)

About The Beneficiary Organisation

Deepshikha Samiti is an organization of social workers working in Delhi since July 1994. The issues on which Deepshikha Samiti works are gender-based violence, discrimination, capacity building, livelihood, education and health and violence against transgender and women.

The objective of the organization is to provide a healthy, strong, and safe environment to all the people of society where everyone has equal rights, participation, and opportunities without any discrimination.

Vision:

To build a safe, healthy and empowered environment for the transgender and MSM (Men Having Sex with Men) community in the Delhi NCR region and provide opportunities for them to earn a livelihood and integrate within society.

Mission:

To provide a healthy environment and meaningful life to the people of India.

 Vision:

To develop a healthy, educated, and empowered community where everyone would have equal rights, share and opportunities without any discrimination.

 Objective:

·    Provide educational and medical facilities to underprivilege communities.

·    Empowering people through education.

·    Making them self-reliant in terms of earning their livelihood, through vocational training.

·      Spreading awareness about healthy living.

Activities

Target Intervention Project (TI)

•       As one of the nodal agencies, Deepshikha Samiti has successfully implemented the Targeted Intervention Project (TI) funded by DSACS (Delhi State AIDS Control Society). Deepshikha Samiti was awarded as the best working organization after evaluation amongst all the NGOs working on the same project.

•       The organisation’s outreach has covered 4,100 transgender/ MSM individuals in Delhi NCR region (out of a total estimated population of 35,000-50,000). In the last year, we have provided clinical services to 3,841 of these individuals and done over 100 crisis interventions.

Virtual Intervention for the Transgender/ MSM population in Delhi

•       This virtual intervention aimed to identify and link the target population using virtual platforms with the HIV services.

•       The virtual Intervention for transgender/ MSM in Delhi can be considered as one of the first government-led and cost-effective intervention incorporated in the existing TI project, that provides HIV prevention, care and treatment services to MSMs active on virtual platforms. Deepshikha Samiti is providing service to about 5,000 transgender/ MSM community in Delhi by visiting them virtually on social networking sites. Our aim is that this community can get all health-related services virtually, so that they do not have to reveal their identity in the clinic for getting their healthcare needs serviced.

Mahila Panchyat Programme at Jafrabad Area sported by Delhi Commission for Women (DCW).

•       Programme Objective to stop violence against women through awareness and action by changing values and attitudes in our society. To build the capacity of grassroots women to become legally aware, gender sensitive and non-judgmental, to listen with empathy to victims of domestic violence.

•       Deepshikha samiti runs a Mahila Panchyat Programme in the Jafrabad area in East Delhi. As part of the programme, these Mahila Panchayats offer crisis and legal aid at community level and assist in reduction of violence against women. The programme facilitates the legal empowerment of women and for distress redressal at the community level. Groups of community women, identified by the NGOs, form a Panchayat in their area, take up local disputes, counsel the two parties and assist in reducing violence in their locality.

•       These women are selected from the community are trained in the different laws pertaining to women and guided through the process of handling a case and counselling women in distress. The Mahila Panchayat facilitates follow up and process documentation of all the cases.

SKILL DEVELPOMENT PROGRAMME

•       Deepshikha Samiti works to ensure that people from the transgender/ MSM communities are empowered, live in dignity, and have secure livelihoods, allowing them to support their household and community.

•       Training courses involving various livelihood programmes are organized depending on the existing local skills of the population and advanced training is given based on the chosen craft. Over 1,000 individuals participated in courses for Sewing and Stitching, Beauty, Culture, Handicraft Production work, etc.

In addition, Deepshikha Samiti has facilitated BPO training for 200 girls, including training in personality development and English language speaking. The participants are prepared for job interviews. This training is being done in collaboration with Action Aid.