Help 135 devadasi women move from oppression to opportunity | Milaap
This is a supporting campaign. Contributions made to this campaign will go towards the main campaign.
Help 135 devadasi women move from oppression to opportunity
  • Aashita

    Created by

    Aashita Singhania Saraf
  • M

    This fundraiser will benefit

    MASS

    from Belgaum, Karnataka

Tax benefits for INR donations will be issued by MASS


"My mother was a Devadasi. She never wanted me to become devadasi but I was forced to become one when my mother fell really ill. My uncle had spent on her medication and he wanted his money back. They told me that I should also be made a Devadasi so that they could use me to get their money back. I had to save my mother's life and had no other option. I was sold to a trader in Sangli in Maharashtra for sex trade. But soon, I fell ill and could not work. My trader refused to let me go unless I paid back his money. When I went to hospital for treatment, they found that I was pregnant. My trader forced me to undergo abortion when I was 5 months pregnant. I then returned to work and somehow managed to pay the money and returned to my village.  After returning to my village, I did a tailoring course for two years to become financially independent; after that I have been running my own tailoring business for 6 years now. With the loan of Rs. 20,000 from Milaap, I was able to buy 3 sewing machines. I have also started training other women who aspire to become independent. Currently, I train 10 women and take Rs. 100 as training fees for 1 month. I also work as a farm labourer from 7 AM to 2 PM.

When I returned, I had to start my life from nothing. Being a Devadasi myself, I will never let my two daughters be made Devadasis. My daughters should prosper, should educate themselves. I have painstakingly brought my daughters up so that they are able to live a good life."
-Mahananda from village Kappalaguddi, Belgaum district, Karnataka.

Mahananda is one of an estimated 250,000 girls and women in southwestern India still dedicated to their local temple deities as "Devadasis" (meaning "servant of God"). This ancient and outlawed yet prevalent practice originally gave Devadasis a comfortable life and high social standing, but began to be abused by the rich and powerful. Over the years, the Devadasi system has resulted in trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation of women, with almost 64% of these women forced into prostitution to survive.

Mahananda, however, escaped the system with support from MASS, our field partner. Now a 34-year single mother, she has started her own tailoring business, and is proud that her business will enable her two daughters to complete their education and embark on their own careers.
MASS provides financial support to former Devadasi women like Mahananda to start small businesses like tailoring, rearing livestock, and running small shops. These businesses help them pay their children’s school fees, generate a livelihood for their families, and save for their old age. Becoming entrepreneurs also offers their children a better future, helps integrate them back into society, and eventually break free of the vicious cycle of prostitution that most Devadasis are doomed to.
Sl. No
Budget Head
Rate/cost
No's/ Unit
Time
Calculation
 Annual Budget
1
Training to SHG members on book keeping






100 SHGs x 1 day programme






15 members per SHG x 200 SHG






Food Charges - Rs.50/- per members x 1500 members
50
1500
1
             75,000


Stationery
15
1500
1
             22,500


Resource Person honoraria & travel expenses - Rs.600/- x 100 SHGs
600
100
1
             60,000


Tailoring Training




          157,500

(4 months training I,e 3 training in a year)






25 members per batch x 3 batch






Teacher honoraria
3000
1
12
             36,000


Tailoring machine
6000
5
1
             30,000


Repair Charges
300
1
12
               3,600


Travel & Other expenses
500
1
4
               2,000







           71,600
2
Donation to start their own business-






Buying buffaloes
20000
20
1
            400,000


Kirana shops
20000
20
1
            400,000


Tailoring machines
6000
75
1
            450,000


Masala powders
20000
20
1
            400,000







       1,650,000

TOTAL




     1,879,100

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