Empowering Voices: Sahosini Project’s Gender Training Initiative

The “Sahosini” project is an initiative by Kolkata Foundation, jointly developed and implemented in collaboration with Mukti under their shared guidance.

Since last February, ‘Smayam,’ the training partner of the ‘Sahosini’ Project, has been diligently equipping Sahosini Project members with essential knowledge of gender dynamics, patriarchy, power dynamics, and violence. These intensive training sessions have empowered 30 Sahosini members, each of whom is now actively engaged in mentoring 30 women within their respective localities. Leveraging a variety of engaging participatory tools, the Sahosini members skillfully impart the insights they’ve gained to their fellow women, conducting enlightening training sessions at the village level.

Throughout July, an impressive total of 30 insightful meetings were orchestrated across 5 distinct blocks in Sundarbans, drawing in a remarkable attendance of 468 eager participants. These gatherings served as vibrant platforms for brainstorming and exchanging ideas on gender-related topics. The intricate concept of gender was dissected to reveal the extent of societal constraints, illuminating areas where social constructs hinder individual growth. To demystify this concept, Sahosini members ingeniously introduced mobility mapping—a method that overlays a woman’s sphere of access with her roles and responsibilities. By unveiling the intricate connection between work, roles, and accessibility, these meetings achieved their core objective of fostering awareness and consciousness about gender-related issues among the attending women.”