Disha Social Organisation

The Women Cell actively engages with victims of domestic violence, offering resolution for disputes and implementing preventive measures against future violence. The organization hosts 36 Nari Adalats (women’s courts) and conducts diverse workshops involving stakeholders such as the police, media, health professionals, school management committees, education department officials, and teachers. The organisation also hosts competitions among students, commemorates international Women’s Day, arranges meetings for young women and adolescent girls’ groups, and conducts periodic testing of haemoglobin and calcium levels among them, providing necessary iron and calcium supplements. It provides capacity building to women farmers in various farm-based livelihoods, establishing fully functional Farmer Producer Organization (FPO) offices, and setting up 15 girls’ education centres to offer informal education to around 450 girls from class 1 to 5. Engage with victims of domestic violence through t

The organisation establishes Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and Village Organizations (VOs) to foster community engagement. It then extends support by providing revolving funds to SHG members, empowering them to initiate income-generating activities. It offers capacity building programs for SHG and VO office-bearers, enhancing their capabilities. It also collaborates with government welfare schemes, ensuring convergence and optimal utilization. It organizes exposure visits for SHG members, facilitating hands-on learning experiences. It connects SHGs with banks to facilitate access to credit facilities, fostering financial empowerment and sustainability within the community.

The organisation aims to educate girls aged 6 to 10 years through a structured approach involving various community-based activities. It hosts community management committee meetings at the village level to actively involve local communities in the educational journey of these girls. Quarterly teacher training sessions are conducted to equip educators with enhanced teaching skills. Regular assessments of both the girls' learning progress and the teachers' performance are carried out to monitor development and identify areas for improvement. To bolster teachers' expertise, subject-specific study circles are organized to focus on their weaker areas and refine their teaching capabilities.

The organisation selects 25 fellows and five mentors, followed by comprehensive induction workshops for these chosen individuals. Cross-learning workshops and review sessions are organized to foster ongoing learning and improvement. As part of this effort, Public Legal Volunteers (PLVs) actively engage with victims of domestic violence to mediate disputes and prevent future incidents. Women's courts (Nari Adalats) are organised on a monthly basis in specific project villages, aiming to resolve cases promptly. Unresolved cases are escalated to higher authorities such as the police, Sakhi one-stop center, and judicial service authority for further action. To promote knowledge and awareness, various training sessions and workshops are conducted for Community-Based Organization (CBO) members, police officials, media professionals, grassroots health workers, and schoolteachers.

As the organization faced a growing influx of women seeking assistance due to violence, there arose a need to systematize the organizational support for these cases. This realization was further reinforced by observations made during the organization's evaluation process.
After extensive discussions, it was decided to establish a dedicated Women Cell within the organization to streamline and manage the work involving women. The Women Cell developed strategies, including the implementation of a monthly Nari Adalat (women’s court) held on the 10th day of each month to address the cases reported during the preceding period. Notable community figures are invited to contribute to resolving the issues faced by the victims.

Disha's Livelihoods initiative is now managed through Disha India Micro Credit, extending its services to 29,724 clients across 326 villages in two states. Employing both self-help group (SHG) and joint liability group (JLG) methodologies, Disha has significantly bolstered enterprise development in Saharanpur, Roorkee, and Dehradun, where its program units are situated, by providing savings, credit, and insurance opportunities to numerous rural women.
While the enterprise initiatives cater to women from families not primarily engaged in agriculture, Disha maintains a balanced focus on agricultural activities. It has effectively executed a diversification of agriculture project in Saharanpur district and presently continues a similar venture in Rampur and Moradabad districts.