Shadhika Newsletter Archive
August 17, 1996
Dear Friends,
It is time again for Friends of Shadhika to meet to catch up on current developments and future plans. Enclosed is an invitation to this year's meeting. I hope you will be able to join us for a first-hand account as well as a pleasant time. In case you cannot, here is a brief status report.
In mid-January I made my annual visit to Calcutta. As usual, I spent much of the time at Paripurnata. My family is beginning to think that I go to Calcutta to work, rather than to visit them... But my visits to Paripurnata seem to mean so much to the residents there, and are also so gratifying for me, that I try to spend as much time there as possible.
Besides bringing little presents to the residents that they appreciate enormously (e.g., soap and shampoo, hair ornaments and small purses), I also organized a picnic for residents, staff and board members at the beautiful vacation home of a friend. I donated all the food and we hired a cook so the residents could have a break. My family arranged for a bus to make the trip, some 30 miles away from the city. The host (a family friend) provided elaborate desserts and baskets of fresh fruits and vegetables grown in their garden to take back with us. A country picnic does not sound like an extra-ordinary event to us here, but for Paripurnata residents it is a special and memorable experience. Most importantly perhaps, it serves as an example to local people of moderate means, for example board members, for personal contributions they can make to the project.
The Board organized another fund raising event this year. While it was not a roaring financial success, it did raise some money and perhaps more importantly, it generated significant local publicity for the project. Through that some job opportunities materialized for residents, and Mrs. Siromoni got some new contacts for possible future help. For example, a local school offered to send their students once a week to tutor the residents on a weekly basis as part of their public service program, and a woman lawyer volunteered to offer free legal advice should the residents need it.
We also acquired new board members. A couple of them are retired government officers who are familiar with the bureaucracy and are willing to help the director and staff navigate the maze of inefficiency and incompetence. This could turn into a hugely valuable asset...
As you may remember from last year, the emphasis at Paripurnata has shifted to provide mental health care for disturbed women -- a service which till very recently had not been available at all, except for deeply psychotic individuals. As a result of welcome new legislation, a non-criminal female prison population no longer exists. The tables have turned: instead of the victims being sent to prison, now those who are responsible for "bride burning " or "nudging" someone into suicide are arrested instead. This means that Paripurnata's original purpose is no longer relevant, but happier news may be difficult to imagine...
The project now has a highly trained clinical psychologist and several part time psychiatrists and social workers. Calcutta University Psychology department has contracted with Paripurnata as a site for the clinical training of their interns, under the supervision of our professional staff. This is another testimonial to the success of the Paripurnata concept that we are proud of.
As you can see, work is continuing with the enthusiasm and devotion characteristic of Paripurnata to date. Meanwhile the perennial space problem is still festering like a chronic sore. This year was an election year so nothing was happening in the land disbursement department (or any department for that matter). So the "promised land" is still just a promise. Now that the elections are over, and with the help of new Board members with connections, perhaps something will come through -- we can only hope.
While we cannot take full credit for the legislation eliminating imprisoning non-criminal women, you should all feel gratified for Shadhika's contribution toward this end. Hope to see you at the fund raising dinner on the 17th. There is still much to do before women in India cease being an underclass. If you cannot come on the 17th, please don't forget to send in your tax deductible contribution. Remember: this may be the only project you support where your ENTIRE contribution goes to the cause -- there is no administrative overhead here...
Best regards,
Juthica Stangl