Honouring DEF’s Unsung Heroes

The second edition of the CIRC Awards was held at Prayag on February 25, 2017. The award, which was held among much fanfare, celebrated those centres that made impact and brought about positive transformation in their communities. Eleven centres were declared winners across five categories. CIRC Tura (Meghalaya) won the Uniqueness and Innovation Award while…

Felicitating grassroots changemakers

The 5th edition of the eNGO Challenge Awards took place amid varied colours, knowledge exchange and cultural essence that was all witnessed under one crown — Prayag 2017. Winners of the Challenge were declared and acknowledged at a unique space that recreated a village scene where rural women from Bihar could be seen participating in…

Sultan is expanding his horizon

Sultan is tailor who lives in Chanderi. A Class V dropout, he recently joined the Chanderiyaan family. Here is what he has to say about his new experience. “I used to work as a tailor at a shop with three other artisans. I cut cloth and stitched kurtas, pyjamas, pants and shirts for men. However,…

Demonisation forces weavers to ditch their art

Between November and January, Saindapur village in Barabanki district of Uttar Pradesh has witnessed a massive drop in business for handloom weavers. Once flourishing with the clitter-clatter of handlooms, Saidanpur — which is home to 200 weaver families — today complains of acute lack of work. After a number of meetings with suppliers and weavers…

Crowdsourcing and Social Change

Preethi Herman Country Lead Change.org India In October 2015, Masooma Ranalvi wrote a blog about her experience of undergoing Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Her blog described her horrific experience of being circumcised as a little girl without her consent or preparation. What she didn’t know then was that she had just initiated the crowdsourced movement…