About Us

Eka – The Communicators’ Collective is a Bhopal based non-profit Trust (86/444-445)
registered under the MP Public Trusts Act, in 2013. Eka works in Central Indian States on
issues related to Child Rights (Especially, Child Participation, Protection, Health &
Nutrition, and Governance), Gender, Youth Engagement, Adolescent Girls & Life Skills
and Women’s Empowerment. 

The Community Development Initiative works with urban poor households in Bhopal with a focus on Participatory Communication & Collective Action. Communities we work with include working children, women artisans, daily wage earners in the unorganized sector, out of school adolescent girls and young people. 

Our Development Communication Initiative has a focus on Design & Development of Communication, Resources, Process Documentation, Participatory Theatre, Capacity Building and Video Documentation.

Key community development programs include:

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 encouraged to take up production and earn a 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 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.

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. Parwaaz has a team of para-legal volunteers and lawyers and receives regular technical support from Centre for Social Justice, Ahmedabad.

COVID VOLUNTARY SUPPORT
Through the Mazdoor Sahyog Kendra – A voluntary initiative of the Jan Sampark Samuh, Bhopal in which Eka was an active member providing Media & Communication support along with running and handling community kitchens management across old city. The MSK provided support to migrant workers and other daily wage earners including food, medical aid, counseling support and travel support.

Key Development Communication processes include:

SAMVIDHAN LIVE: A documentation initiative chronicling People’s Movements in Indian, in various formats, including a Web Portal – www.samvidhanlive.com

DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNICATION RESOURCES:  We conceptualize and create a range of communication material including modules, publications, posters, audio-visuals, podcasts, websites, specialized course modules on media & communication, collaborative space design among others.

RESEARCH & DOCUMENTATION: With a focus on participatory ground research to highlight issues of most marginalized communities and groups. Includes ground studies conducted in collaboration with partner organizations. Documentation includes video documentation of community processes and development initiatives by organizations, groups and networks.

CAPACITY BUILDING: We work on a range of issues with diverse groups on the concept of participatory communication & action, gender, child rights, media & communication, digital literacy, life skills.

PERFORMING MEDIA : We work with diverse groups including Anganwadi workers, tribal women from SHGs, out of school children, daily wage earners, unemployed youth among others. The effort is to engage groups in a dialogue around Rights, Participation, Communication and Collective Action. Participants are encouraged to engage in various group exercises that help assessment, analysis and reflective action

Registered office of Eka is based in the old city of Bhopal in the heart of the communities where we work.  Samvidhan Live studio is based in Arera Colony, Bhopal.

Email:
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

Contact:
Amreen Sheikh (9131332465)
Sachin Shrivastava (7869128784)
Sajana Jayaraj (8129511887)
Seema Kurup (9425014874) 

Naveen Gautam (9793424685)