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Sambhali Trust |
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Location: Jodhpur, Setrawa Setting: Urban and Rural Established: 2007 Staff: 5
Subject Areas:
Health: Health Education
Human Rights: Women and Dalit rights
Women’s Empowerment: Vocational training, Livelihood, Leadership, Gender Equity Strategies, Counseling
Youth and Education: Urban and Rural Education Programs, Teaching, Extracurricular Activities
Organization Objectives
Sambhali Trust works to empower women and children in oppressive social and economic situations in order to promote a sense of independence and self-worth.
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Sambhali Trust's goals are to: |
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Identify and organize young Harijan ("untouchable") women from urban slum areas into groups for academic and practical education, vocational training programs, and group confidence-building activities |
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Build a cooperative utilizing the skills of trained Dalit women which will operate both domestically and internationally, providing women financial independence |
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Provide educational opportunities to poverty-stricken rural youth |
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Program information |
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1. Empowering Harijan Women
Women of the Harijan ("Untouchable") caste in Rajasthan are among India's most oppressed populations. Anti-Harijan religious and superstitious beliefs combine with grossly inequitable traditional gender roles and dictate the pitiful role the Harijan woman plays in modern society. Harijan women face worse health and hygiene conditions, greater challenges to literacy and further education, and more obstacles to financial and social independence than any other group.
Sambhali Trust seeks to empower Harijan women from urban slums in Jodhpur through a holistic 5-days-a-week program including academic and practical education, vocational training and income-generating opportunities, and self-esteem and confidence building. The project is currently nearing the finish of its first 2-year cycle which has seen the education and empowerment of 22 young Harijan women.
Women receive training 5 days a week at Sambhali Trust's Jodhpur office.
Specific activities include:
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Academic training in math and basic English |
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Creative courses in arts & crafts and design |
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Training on practical topics like basic rights, opening a bank account, visiting a health clinic, etc. |
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Occasional special workshops by guests including health and hygiene, HIV/AIDS education, specialized art classes, music, women's rights in India, etc. |
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Advanced vocational training by a full-time teacher including tailoring, embroidery, block printing, screen printing, and traditional tie-dye |
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Confidence-building activities and individual counseling |
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Extracurricular activities such as sports, picnics, movies, and field trips to city and area sights |
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Opportunities |
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Teach math, English, arts & crafts, or other topics of interest during class hours (1-3 hours per day) |
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Develop workshops on specific topics like female leadership, women's rights, running a business (planning, managing a budget, marketing, etc), reproductive health, etc. |
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Organize outings and field trips |
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Assist with design and color schemes for vocational training |
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Assist with the writing of the annual report, currently underway |
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Requirements |
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Interest in women's rights and empowerment |
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Prior experience in education, mentoring, counseling, or youth program development a plus |
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Eye for design and color (for vocational training development) |
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Good verbal and written communication skills |
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2. Sambhali India
Sambhali India, the sister company to Sambhali Trust, links skilled artisans both from the Harijan Empowerment Project and from other non-profit training programs to domestic and international markets, with 75% profit from product sales returned to those who produced them. Sambhali India is a step towards self-sustainability not only for Sambhali Trust beneficiaries but also for the Trust itself.
Sambhali India is already in full operation on the Sambhali Trust website selling cloth items such as scarves, skirts, T-shirts, handbags, cloth toys, and tablecloths. The organization is currently planning with other livelihood-promoting NGOs in Jodhpur to open a joint shop in the city center which would provide exposure to local and tourist buyers.
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Opportunities |
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Research and create workshops for Sambhali Trust and other NGOs on Western designs, colors, and markets |
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Regularly advise on designs and new product ideas |
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Assist Sambhali Trust trainees in selecting appropriate fabrics (new and second-hand) from local markets |
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Create printed and online marketing materials for distribution locally and on the internet |
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Requirements |
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Creativity and interest in training |
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Experience in art or design |
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Background in outreach, business, or marketing |
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3. Setrawa Project
Setrawa, the site of Sambhali Trust's rural education program, is a small village of approximately 3000 people situated 110 kilometers from Jodhpur city. While the target group of the Setrawa Project (girl children aged 3 to 18) varies from that of the Harijan Empowerment Project (young Harijan women), the core objectives remain the same. The Project was started to provide basic education for girls who couldn't afford traditional schooling and supplement the schooling of those who could. In Setrawa, students are also trained in basic academic subjects like math and English in addition to practical topics like health and hygiene. In addition, the Setrawa Project deals with issues of caste and encourages free interaction between children of different castes while condemning prejudice and discrimination.
In the future, the Setrawa Project also hopes to pursue broader village projects like awareness programs, water harvesting structures, and income-generating agricultural activities.
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Opportunities |
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Teach girls at Setrawa Project school |
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Organize community workshops and awareness-raising activities |
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Help design other village improvement projects |
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Creative courses in arts & crafts and design |
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Volunteers with design, marketing, or business training are urgently needed to assist with this project!
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Requirements |
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Desire to live and work in a rural setting |
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Teaching or training background a plus |
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Program Supervisor |
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Govind Singh Rathore, founder and trustee
Note: Responsibilities offered to each participant will be proportionate to their level of experience. Participants who are new to development work may predominantly support and assist current project agendas, while those with much applicable experience may be able to assume greater responsibility. Research projects are strongly encouraged by this organization to support each program’s objective because minimal resources are currently allocated for research.
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Working conditions |
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Sambhali Trust is based out of Durag Niwas Guest House in Jodhpur. An upstairs classroom with a joined outdoor area serves as the meeting, training, and working area for the Harijan Empowerment Project. The area is small but comfortable. Like all of Jodhpur, the Sambhali Trust office experiences power cuts for several hours a day, although large windows provide ample light for working. Volunteers can expect to spend most of their working hours in and around this area, although a small café/restaurant downstairs can be used for lesson planning and documenting.
Volunteers are strongly encouraged to bring their own laptop, if possible. The Sambhali Trust currently has only one donated computer which is frequently in use by others.
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Organizational background |
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Growing up in Western Rajasthan, Govind Singh Rathore observed countless instances of inequity and injustice in his home community. In 2006, he decided to do something about it by creating an organization which would help those in need and attempt to lessen the gap between genders and castes in the area. Having shared this idea with two American friends, Nina and Jen, the seed of Sambhali Trust soon took root and led to the establishment of the Jodhpur-based organization.
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About Sambhali Trust's Clients |
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Women in Rajasthan have long been exploited and oppressed. The treatment of Harijan women in particular generates dramatic physical, mental, and emotional consequences for millions in Rajasthan alone.
In male-dominated Rajasthani society, women are often powerless to their husbands and to social, cultural, religious and superstitious beliefs. Although they play a key role in establishing and raising a family, they are denied basic rights such as decision-making, education, healthcare, and family planning options. They lack confidence and basic socializing skills. These women are often subject to physical and emotional abuse that they are powerless to prevent or, without contrary knowledge, even object to.
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