Bengal is a place which witnessed resurgence of learning, arts and creativity. Women also rose to fame in various spheres. Begum Rokkeya, Pritilata Waddedar, Bina Das, Matangini HAzra, Kadambini Ganguly, Rani Rashmoni. The list is quite endless of the women who were at the forefront.

There was another breed of women who came from entitled backgrounds who set up organisations for for underprivileged and distressed adult women. They worked for development, education, vocational training to upskill them and empower them to not only earn a living but also to support their families if the need so arose. These bodies have withstood the test of time and are thriving even today with the same objectives and doing stellar work. Some of the founder members though old and frail are still spearheading activities with much gusto. They are entrepreneurs in their own right. Women of substance!

 

The “Nari Seva Sangha” Spring Fete is marked on all calendars where women entrepreneurs of all types congregate to display and sell their wares. Clothes, food, art, craft.

Founder member and Secretary of Nari Seva Sangha, Seeta Chaudhuri, was Bengal’s Florence Nightingale. The Sangha was founded in 1944 when hundreds of women were victims of the great Bengal famine in 1941-42 followed by the partition of Bengal.

The starting was a modest one, but in 1976 the Sangha had shifted to its present address at 1/1/2A, Gariahat Road (South), Jodhpur Park, Kolkata 700068. Here it runs a Home for these women, a school for non-formal education and a  Vocational Training School. Keeping the welfare of children in mind, The Sangha started a Balwadi or Pre Primary School for 40 children coming from a low income group, and a primary school up to Class IV. They also have a Working Womens Hostel.
The Primary aim of the Sangha is to train, rehabilitate and make these girls self reliant. Once they get an employment outside, they continue living at the Sangha until they find an alternative accommodation. Some of the girls trained here are also married under the guardianship of the Sangha.
The Institution is a regulated body under the Societies Regulation Act 1860. For funding it depends on Govt. grants, sale of its products and donations. All donations are exempted under section 80G of the Indian I.T. Act.

 

Saroj Nalini Dutt Memorial Association (S.N.D.M.A) was founded by Shri Gurusaday Dutt in the year 1925 following the death of his wife Smt Saroj Nalini Dutt. He did this to fulfill his late wife’s philanthropic vision. The cogent objective of this institution was to train helpless and needy women and transform them into independent and strong minded individuals. It is located near the Ballygunge Station and an obscure gate opens into a vast compound housing the activities.

Hemlata Thakur was at the helm of affairs and now Arati Dutt, Meera Chaudhuri, Sumita Sanyal are the women who have been taking the organisation from strength to strength. It has become one of the most renowned philanthropic organizations of the country. Their objectives are to educate women from low income groups of society in both urban and rural areas, to set up facilities for the health care of mothers and children and to teach hygiene, principles of basic health and childcare to rural and urban women, to teach women about nutrition and family-planning in order to improve the general quality of their lives, to establish and run vocational training centers for the improvement of the economic condition of women, to work for the welfare of children with concern to their health, education and other development activities.

S.N.D.M.A is one of the oldest Constituent Founder Members of the organization –
Associated Country Women of the World (A.C.W.W).

 

All Bengal Women’s Union (ABWU) is a non profit organization, founded in the year 1933. Today, more it has evolved into a far reaching women’s rights organization, providing shelter to disadvantaged women and children, and support, guidance and infrastructure to their struggle for basic rights. The inception of the organization can be traced back to the agitation by a group of determined women in Kolkata, whose campaign for the legislation against traffic of women and children played a major role in the passing of the Bengal Suppression of Immoral Traffic Act (1933).

In 1933, ABWU opened its first shelter home in Dumdum, Kolkata, where three young women, who had been victims of exploitation, were provided with shelter support and direction to start new lives. ABWU expanded over the years to shelter disadvantaged women and children who had been abused, trafficked, abandoned and displaced because of natural or man-made calamities and political exigencies.

They  have provided legal assistance, in instances when required, to support the fight for rights of this marginalized population. To make the teen agers and women of the ‘home’ self reliant and women regain their self respect various activities and vocational training were initiated, at different stages. The main aim behind this was to make them financially independent and help them regain the self-respect that is often lost as a result of abuse and marginalization.

In recognition of ABWU’s dedicated work for the cause of women and children, the Government of West Bengal has allotted rent free accommodation to them at 89, Elliot Road, Kolkata. The additional space helped in expanding the organization , the reach of their impact.

It has under its wing,  a  Children’s Welfare Home along with a Primary school and a Crèche for infant care, After Care Home for girls above the age of 18, and they are vocational training. There is a home for trafficked/abused women, an  Old Age Home. The activities have expanded to include In-house vocational training and production centers for weaving, block printing and fine needle work,  Suruchi ( SELF HELP GROUP): A popular restaurant known for its traditional Bengali cuisine. Some of the girls from adult home work here after training as chefs and managers, ABWU show room: where all the home products are displayed and sold.

ABWU is a fiercely committed institution to provide shelter protection, dignity and rights to women and children of different ages, who are under threat.