Eka - the Communicators' Collective

Eka is a registered non-profit trust working in the area of Development Communication and Community Development for the past 8 years. Our Community Development work is based in 8 Read moreurban slum communities of the old city of Bhopal, which is a predominantly Muslim area. We also attempt to reach out to women and children from Dalit communities and nomadic tribal groups in the old city. Eka currently houses Parwaaz - a legal aid cell, Hunar - a skills training and production unit, Shakti - the adolescent girls initiative, Baccha Rasoi - a community kitchen set up for working children during COVID, Mazdoor Sahyog Kendra set up during the lockdown migrant crisis. PARWAAZ: The Community based Legal Aid Cell which receives cases of women, youth, and children facing violence and abuse. Parwaaz runs a counseling support unit and has linkages with other units in the city which offer extended legal support in court cases, for medical treatment and mental health-related interventions. Parwaaz holds bi-monthly social protection camps in the  bastis  to create awareness around schemes and services for the community and also assists the community in accessing these services. Parwaaz has a team of para-legal volunteers and youth workers who are responsible for community outreach. Parwaaz centre receives technical support from Centre for Social Justice. Parwaaz primarily carries out the following functions: Social Protection Camps: Counseling Support Referral for Legal Aid Anchoring a Survivors’ Group Anchoring a Skills Training & Production Unit run by survivors of violence Building a Cadre of paralegal volunteers Awareness generation through participatory theatre and performances HUNAR: The Skills Training and Production Unit at Eka. Hunar is run by a group of women survivors of violence with handholding support from Eka. Women are trained in tailoring skills and are encouraged to take up production and earn a small regular income. Hunar acts as a stepping stone for women who have never been outside their homes and are faced with the eventuality of earning an income. Hunar builds the confidence of women to pick up skills, engage in professional work, and explore markets. Currently, Hunar engages with about 25 women survivors of violence. The proceeds from the sale of Hunar products are used to provide fellowships for girls and women. SHAKTI: Shakti is the adolescent girls' empowerment program at Eka. Shakti is led by a team of youth facilitators who attempt to reach out to out of school girls and working girls in the  basti  and engage them in group processes. Shakti also reaches out to girls in  madarasas , in local private schools, and coaching classes. Girls with leadership skills and an interest in community development work are offered a Shakti Youth Fellowship where they engage with the organization team to learn community development work. Currently, we support five youth fellows. COMMUNITY MEDIA OUTREACH: The community media facilitator at Eka engages with groups to engage them in writing, story-telling, theatre, songs, producing small videos, and exploring photography. Nanhe Lekhak is an outcome of children’s writings/narratives that we try to bring out as a quarterly publication. Eka has a rich collection of photographs that depicts the moods and colors of the community. The Development Communication team of Eka works on the design and development of communication resources, documentation using various formats, participatory theatre, and capacity building. Currently, we are hosting a 5-week certificate course AZAAD BOL: Community Media & Journalism. Eka is engaged in intensive relief work during COVID 19 and continues to provide food to most vulnerable children through the  BACCHA RASOI.  We also assist daily wage workers in the unorganized sector through the  MAZDOOR SAHYOG KENDRA.

Eka's vision is to empower rural and urban communities through participatory communication and action, with a focus on child rights, gender equality, and social justice.

Eka has established programs like Parwaaz (legal aid cell), Hunar (skills training unit), Shakti (adolescent girls initiative), and community media outreach initiatives over the past 8 years.

We are able to engage 200 children directly and approximately 500 children indirectly in all centres. Children have access to library, teachers for learning and training programs. Formation of functional women's SHGs in the bastis Formation of youth groups who work on constitutional rights awareness Case work, counseling through the legal aid cell. Support to daily wage earners for their documentation Working with government bodies to highlight cases of access to justice - police thana, DLSA, Child Rights Commission, Juvenile Justice Board among others.

Eka's vision is to empower rural and urban communities through participatory communication and action, with a focus on child rights, gender equality, and social justice.