Eleven women from affluent families have come together to form the charitable organisation Sahachari Foundation. Their flagship event, Design One, is a shopping extravaganza
Eleven women from affluent families have come together to form the charitable organisation Sahachari Foundation. Their flagship event, Design One, is a shopping extravaganza
SIT in on a gathering of a group of 'ladies who lunch' and you will catch snippets of conversation about children, weddings and diets interspersed with tinkling and flashes of expensive jewellery. But the group we met was a little different.
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Co-founding and junior members of Sahachari Foundation (left to right) Laxmi Nair, Sheela Bhogilal, Aishwarya Nair, Meghna K, Ashika Pohoomul and Bijal Meswani |
Eleven women belonging to Mumbai's affluent class have got together to form a foundation that benefits the less privileged. Minakshi Bajaj, Sheela Bhogilal, Parul Choksey, Mala Goenka, Pallavi Kanoria, Brinda Khatau, Nilima Kilachand, Daksha Mehta, Laxmi Nair, Gauri Pohoomul and Madhu Ruia are the founding members of Sahachari Foundation, which means Women Walking Together. The foundation was formed six months ago by these 11 women who have known each other for some time now but have been associated with other charities and NGOs separately. They decided to pool in their resources and collectively benefit organisations that work with those less privileged and hence make a deeper impact, states one of the members, Bijal Meswani.
Each lady has her own expertise that she brings to the group hence giving each member a role to play. Says Laxmi Nair, "Since I come from a hotel background I would contribute with the catering or arrange the stay if the exhibition is held outside the city." She goes on to talk about her co-founder, Sheela Bhogilal, "Sheela is very modest so let me tell you she is very good with finances."
The foundation raises funds and creates awareness about the causes they support by organising cultural programmes and inviting musicians to hold concerts. Now, they have a line up of various activities including their flagship event called Design One. Design One is a shopping extravaganza with specific attention on the upcoming festive season. On sale is not only designer wear but also home and lifestyle products, silverware, exotic flowers, gift items and various cuisines too.
Says designer Meghna K whose work is up for sale, "I hope to expand my client base. My signature pieces are sarees. But I am also doing kurtas and churidars, which is a first for me straight simple lines in cotton. There are also glamorous gowns." Meghna, a junior member of Sahachari was initiated into the foundation by her mother-in-law, Daksha Mehta, one of the founding members. Another junior member Aishwarya Nair, who is setting up her mini-dessert table at Design One and whose mother Laxmi Nair is a co-founding member, says, "This is my opportunity to get into the business world to launch my own dessert brand."
The proceeds from Design One will benefit various NGOs that Sahachari is associated with. 26-year-old Ashika Pohoomul, a special invitee member of the organising committee of Design One, is of the opinion that the event has dual importance with the proceeds going towards empowering women generated by women who are empowering themselves by setting up their own endeavours. There has been tight quality control on the exhibitors and hence buyers get only the best.u00a0u00a0
Their motives might be pure, but what about those who claim that philanthropy is a hobby for the affluent? Says Bijal, "It is very easy to make such comments. Everything we do might be just a drop in the ocean but certain people are meant to do this." Meghna questions, "Why not use this influence in the right direction? It's just wrong (to make comments about charity being a hobby for the rich)."
Design One is being held on September 1 and 2 at the World Trade Centre
One of the NGOs to benefit from the proceeds of Design One is Apne Aap Womens' Collective who work with the children of sex workers in Kamathipura. One of their aims is to prevent children of sex workers from entering the flesh trade themselves. The NGO that was founded in 1998 began with just five women but now supports 700 of them. They run The Balwadi Program akin to a nursery where children of sex workers aged 2-6 years are taken care of and The Sparrows' Program where older girls are given education. Ashika Pohoomul, who initially counselled the girls and who has taken on the responsibility of raising funds for the NGO, says that their alumni is very strong with the Balwadi members returning to teach. They also have a 100 per cent success rate with no girl going back to the flesh trade. This, however, does not come easy. Says Manju who runs the NGO, "We need teachers for Hindi, Marathi and also to teach computers. We need someone to spread awareness as well."
On the objective of the NGO, she says, "We teach these children to improve their personality and face the world."
If you wish to make a contribution to Apne Aap Womens' Collective, visit www.apneaap.info or contact them on 022-23819721.u00a0u00a0u00a0
