MENTORING, EMPOWERMENT & LEADERSHIP
Rakshak Foundation believes that concern for the environment must be coupled with initiatives for inclusion and equality for the world to be a better place for humankind. Therefore, women and youth empowerment, gender equality, advocacy, international partnerships, mentoring and developing the next line of leaders and empathizers are an important part of the foundation's activities.
INTERNATIONAL DELEGATIONS
advocacy for women empowerment and gender equality
Rakshak Foundation has initiated and participated in various international delegations and summits to advocate and uphold the cause of women's empowerment, gender equality and inclusion. Chaitali Das, Managing trustee of the foundation has led the first-ever Indian CSO delegation to China followed by the all women's delegation to China in two consecutive years. She also hosted a high profile women's delegation from Yunnan province to India.
As the Managing Trustee of the foundation, she has also been a part of various delegations to countries like US, Netherlands, Canada, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Dubai, Thailand, Nepal, Sri Lanka to name a few.
WORKSHOPS FOR WOMEN PRISON INMATES
developing soft skills & confidence
Rakshak Foundation believes that enablement and skilling is the best way to achieve empowerment. With this vision, the foundation organized various workshops for women inmates at the Alipore Women's Correctional Home.
Through training in Spoken English, painting, cookie making, dancing, creating utility products from waste materials through the 'waste to aesthetic' workshops, the foundation has endeavoured to boost the confidence and soft skills of the women inmates.
Besides the training, the foundation has organized many events which showcased the skills acquired by the women inmates through these workshops.
GLOBAL MENTORING WALK
developing next level of leadership
Chaitali Das, as an Alumna of Fortune US State Department’s Global Women Mentoring Partnership Programme, organized The Vital Voices, ‘Global Mentoring Walk’ in Kolkata as a mentor and flag bearer of the event.
Rakshak Foundation organized the Global Mentoring walk in 2019 to observe International Women’s Day, in solidarity with women around the world in 174 walks across the 62 countries .
The foundation has organized the walk every year since 2019 to mark the Global Mentoring Walk to promote leadership and eco-consciousness in women and youth.
PROJECT SHAKTI
cluster development initiative
Rakshak Foundation actively promoted a cluster-development project for underprivileged women in the Chetla slums, to make eco-friendly jute products as a fashionable lifestyle commodity.
It employed around 20 underprivileged women from urban slums of Chetla. The bags were made from recycled fabrics reclaimed from used furnishings, upholstery etc. to be donated for the Single-use Plastic prevention drive organized by the Honourable Mayor of Kolkata.
The bags were thereafter distributed to common people at the Mayor's Distribution Drive in Chetla, Kolkata.
NEW HORIZON COMPUTER TRAINING CENTRE
keeping pace with the world
The foundation established the New Horizon Computer Training Centre in 2016, inaugurated by the Hon'ble Mayor of Kolkata, and Minister for Urban Development and Municipal Affairs, Janab Firhad Hakim and H.E. Consul General of Republic of China to Kolkata, Ma Zhanwu. The Hon'ble Consul General generously donated the computers and system peripherals to the centre.
Trainers from the reputed technical training institute, George Telegraph were recruited by the foundation, to provide free training to the students of New Horizon Holistic Development Centre and underprivileged youth of the locality. The trainees are awarded certificates from George Telegraph at the end of their training period.
NABADISHA
nurturing the grass roots
Rakshak Foundation established the first-ever ‘SMART Class’ for the underprivileged children at NABADISHA Tollygunj Centre, in association with Community Policing, Kolkata Police. It was set up with the aim of holistic development of underprivileged children, between the age of 4-15, for inculcating good values and habits, engaging them with educational games, folk tales, painting, music and dance through interactive and fun learning through smart educational tools.
This initiative was inaugurated by the Hon'ble Education Minister, Sri Partha Chatterjee and H.E. Consul General of the People’s Republic of China to Kolkata, Mr. Ma Zhan Wu.
The centre also organizes health camps, excursions, fun outings, film screenings, cultural programs and celebration of various festivals involving the children, so that they can experience the finer aspects of life and positivity.
NEW HORIZON HOLISTIC DEVELOPMENT
CENTRE
grooming the nexgen leaders & empathizers
The New Horizon Holistic Development Centre was established in the Chetla Slums in 2016, for grooming the children and youth of the community. The centre not only provided educational training by retired teachers and educationists from reputed institutions, but also encouraged the children to participate in positive activities like health and hygiene, cultural programs, sports, social awareness programs, celebrating festivals and other creative workshops.
Five years down the line, the grown up children from the centre, now participate in Rakshak Foundation's various events and campaigns as volunteers . They have transformed into responsible and empathetic individuals who can positively contribute in their communities and take leadership roles. A few of the young women from the centre also participated in creating the foundation's Guinness World Record for the largest jute bag in the world.
YOUNG LEADERS' FORUM
internship at the foundation
Many prestigious educational institutions like Delhi School of Economics, Indian Institute of Crafts and Design, Jadavpur University, BBIT, JD Birla and such have entrusted us with their interns.
Rakshak Young Leaders Forum has been established to mentor our alumnus interns to create the nex-gen leaders who will carry this mantle of humanitarian service and goodwill ahead. They actively participate in our programs, events and campaigns to add their perspective and energy into the foundation's philanthropic programs. They become our connect with the youth and their ideas.
