News
Raksha
Raksha — meaning "protection" in several South Asian languages — is a Georgia-based nonprofit organization for the South Asian Community. Raksha's mission is to promote a stronger and healthier South Asian community through confidential support services, education, and advocacy. Guided by values of consensus in decision-making, diversity in leadership, and the dignity and worth of every individual, Raksha strives to empower and serve the South Asian community.
To sign-up for Raksha's newsletter please go to www.raksha.org/.
Saheli Appoints First Executve Director February 1, 2010.
Welcome Meena Sonea-Hewett
After 14 years of social service to the South Asian community in Massachusetts, Saheli, a largely volunteer based organization has reached another milestone! We are excited to announce the appointment of our Executive Director, Meena Sonea Hewett beginning February 1, 2010.
The Board of Directors and the staff of Saheli welcomes Meena. In this position, Meena will support our program operations and execute plans and policies. She will be responsible for communication and partnership across our team and community leaders. She will also be working to elevate the awareness of Sahelis work that is being generated by our volunteers. She'll be reaching out to many of you in the coming weeks as she begins to immerse herself in our team and the organization as a whole. We look forward to the impact this position will have on our fundraising capacity and in increasing our visibility across the community.
Meena has volunteered with Saheli since 1997 and has 12 years experience in capacity building and program development for grassroots non-profits, with a focus on gender, culture, and immigration issues. She is a dynamic individual committed to the cause of social justice for all South Asian immigrants in the US.
Meena was Saheli's first program coordinator in 2002 and assisted Saheli to define the organization's mission, programs and goals. More recently, as a diversity trainer for Saheli, Meena designed and conducted South Asian cultural awareness training for police officers in 11 communities, and for the administrative and medical staff at Lahey Clinic in MA.
She recently graduated with a Masters degree in Sustainable International Development from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University.
Her prior experience is in architecture and museum design. Meena has a Master's in Architecture from Rice University in Houston, Texas, and a BA in Economics from St. Xavier's College in Mumbai, India.
Please join us in welcoming Meena.
Usha Vakil
Saheli (Chair) 2/1/2010
Saheli Receives Grant
from Target Companies
Saheli, a volunteer organization that helps South Asian women experiencing family violence received a grant from the Target Companies to promote healthy Inter-Generational Communication With help from local school departments and senior centers Saheli will conduct and support workshops for immigrant parents and their children. In 2008 Saheli received requests from school and police departments to assist in communication conflicts between parents and youth. The benefit of the Saheli workshops will be to increase more effective parent-child-grandchild communication in ways that are consistent and respectful of South Asian culture and community. Saheli has strong networks from which the organization will be able to develop community dialogues in the fall and winter.
NEW SOUTH ASIAN WOMEN’S ORGANIZATION
FORMS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE
Saheli New Hampshire - South Asian women looking for help with domestic violence, family issues, and women’s empowerment and volunteer opportunities can now get help in New Hampshire.
Please click on "Saheli New Hampshire" in the side bar menu.
Issue Date: June 16-30, 2008, Posted On: 6/24/2008
Community Connector
Rita Shah leads IAGB, Saheli
By Julie Masis
Rita Shah, 42, of Burlington, Mass. is the leader of two important South Asian organizations in the Boston area: The India Association of Greater Boston and the women's support group Saheli.
As president of the India Association, Shah is currently planning the IAGB India Day event on August 17. She said she hopes to involve more young people and second-generation immigrants in the association and organize a fundraiser with the goal of making close to a million dollars.
"I really would like IAGB to be recognized not only in Massachusetts, but also in New Jersey and New York," she told INDIA New England soon after her election in December.
Shah has been active with Saheli since 1998 and is currently the director of the organization. Under her leadership, Saheli received a grant to begin cultural sensitivity trainings with the Burlington and Billerica police departments "to train officers so that they can appropriately respond to domestic violence situations in the South Asian community." The first of these trainings, in the Burlington Police Department, began in May.
Shah is currently devoting all of her time to her responsibilities at IAGB and Saheli and said she will start looking for a full-time job only after the August 17 India Day event.
SAHELI launches Men’s Initiative:
Men Speaking Out to Stop Violence Against Women
SAHELI has launched an new to involve men in our community as allies to strongly oppose violence against women. Through a proactive prevention program our goal is to address the issue of violence and abuse and to end all forms of discrimination against women.
We invite all South Asian men to sign the pledge:
Please join Saheli in this unprecedented, intensive multi-level campaign.
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