Saving Lives Through Dance
Project Street Address
Project City
Project Province/State
Project Postal/Zip Code
Project Country
Sector Focus
Civil society
Year the initative began (yyyy)
2004
YouTube Upload
Web site (url)
http://www.kolkatasanved.org
Which of these barriers is the primary focus of your work?
Vulnerability of targeted populations
Which of the principles is the primary focus of your work?
Mobilize peer groups and communities to raise awareness
If you believe some other barrier or principle should be included in the mosaic, please describe it and how it would affect the positioning of your initiative in the mosaic
Principle 1: Providing adequate rehabilitation programs for victims of trafficking. This is the primary focus of our work as we create an opportunity for psycho-social rehabilitation through dance movement therapy. The rehabilitation process for victims is as important as mobilizing peer groups and increasing community resilience. Principle 2: Providing a livelihood option for survivors of trafficking is another main element of our work with victims of trafficking Principle 3: Creating human rights awareness among the individuals to foster understanding of their rights as citizens in this world
Name Your Project
Describe Your Idea
What is your signature innovation, your new idea, in one sentence?
Kolkata Sanved pioneered Dance Movement Therapy as an alternative approach to recovery, healing & psychosocial rehabilitation for survivors of slavery in South Asia.
Describe your innovation. What makes your idea unique and different than others doing work in the field?
Kolkata Sanved is a pioneer in the use of Dance Movement Therapy (DMT) for victims of slavery in South Asia. Most other rehabilitation programs use traditional techniques such as handicraft making and hairdressing. Kolkata Sanved has developed specialized techniques that establish Dance and Movement as an alternative form to traditional counselling. Many victims formerly refused to sit with counselors and talk about their feelings and problems. Through our process participants slowly break down the emotional walls that have kept back their feelings of fear, sadness, anger, hate, peace and joy for so many years. Our program leads to body-mind coordination, peer bonding, mutual support and growth emotionally, physically and socially. DMT creates a holistic approach by building positive attitudes and body image among participants of its program, which other trypes of rehabilitation problems are unable to accomplish. It also includes capacity building of trainers as well as professional development of participants. Capacity building will raise leaders and trainers in this field providing an alternative livelihood option.
Delivery Model: How do you implement your innovation and apply it to the challenge/problem you are addressing?
•Regular DMT classes- with women and children in shelter homes, railway platforms, mental hospitals, Domestic workers, red-light areas, HIV/AIDS patients •Training Of Trainer program- Training of 12 women to learn about the Dance Therapy to become future DMT trainers •Workshops- workshop based programmes in community organizations, one of the main areas reporting high amounts of trafficking, regional workshops on DMT with people from Nepal and Bangladesh •Awareness and Advocacy about trafficking through performances and round table discussions on using DMT with victims
How do you plan to grow your innovation?
After successfully implementing DMT in India, we are trying to expand our innovative rehabilitation techniques to other parts of South Asia, particularly in Nepal and Bangladesh. We have been working with partner institutions in both of these countries through on-site workshops on DMT as well as regional workshops, bringing together participants from India, Bangladesh and Nepal. Plans are currently underway to set up a Sanved Nepal and Sanved Bangladesh, so that we can spread our innovation using DMT with victims of slavery.
Do you have any existing partnerships, and if so, how do you create them?
We are partnering with 30 organizations in South Asia such as women’s shelter homes and NGOs, organizations working with railway platform children and mental hospitals. These partnerships were established primarily by initiating DMT classes at their institutions. We have also collaborated with international partners through workshops, conferences, and round table discussions. This illustrates that Kolkata Sanved has successfully pioneered Dance Movement Therapy as an alternative livelihood and therapeutic option for rehabilitation for both mainstream and community populations.
Provide one sentence describing your impact/intended impact.
Kolkata Sanved’s therapeutic process allows survivors to heal, excel, become empowered, and reclaim their rights in the society, while expressing themselves independently and creatively.
What are the main barriers to creating or achieving your impact?
The main challenge we face is working in the community. Some communities, especially in the smaller villages, are hesitant about allowing their children to attend the DMT sessions. We will work closely with these people to help them understand the benefits of DMT for their children. Also, at times the shelter home children are not allowed out due to legal hassles. We will educate and lobby to allow the shelter home children to participate in our programming.
How many people have you served or plan to serve?
Since the inception of Kolkata Sanved in 2004, we have served over 7000 women and children who are victims of trafficking.
Directly
Kolkata Sanved reaches 2500 children through its weekly dance therapy classes, workshops, training of the trainer programs, livelihood programs and replication for children and youth in shelter homes, drop-in-centers, schools, clinics, and community based organizations in India, Nepal and Bangladesh.
Indirectly
Kolkata Sanved also reaches over 5000 people through advocacy, awareness programs and performances.
Please list any other measures of the impact of your innovation?
•Through Kolkata Sanved’s process, 7 survivors were rehabilitated into mainstream society and now have paid careers as Dance Movement Therapy trainers. 12 women are currently undergoing training to become DMT trainers •We have documented numerous case studies of how we prevent re-trafficking through one to one interaction and follow-up with survivors •Other organizations have now begun to incorporate DMT into their institutions as well, thanks to our initiative. •Currently, there are over ten institutions on our waiting list for DMT classes.
Is there a policy intervention element to your innovation?
Kolkata Sanved uses dance movement as a dynamic agent of healing, recovery self expression in advocacy and awareness campaigns, transcending the traditional boundaries of speech or the written word. Traditional awareness campaigns on child and women's rights or on human trafficking use speeches, pamphlets, and marches to convey the message. However, these methods often do not communicate the message in a moving way that engages the audience. Kolkata Sanved's use of creative dance and movement in awareness campaigns has proven to be a meaningful method of communication and advocacy for children and women. For example Health Vision and Research hired Kolkata Sanved to make communication material (visual video) for Trafficking and HIV Awareness
Exactly who are the beneficiaries of your innovation?
Kolkata Sanved works with different populations in slavery- like conditions through regular classes and workshops including red-light area women, youth and children, slum populations, domestic workers, trafficking victims, platform children, and vulnerable populations subject to trafficking.
Issue Selector
How is your initiative financed (or how do you expect your initiative will be financed)?
Kolkata Sanved is financed by grants from Global Fund for Children and UNIFEM. We also receive consultancy fees from the institutions where we implement DMT classes. A small amount of donations are also received every year.
If known, provide information on your finances and organization
Annual Budget: September 1, 2007- December 31, 2008: Rs. 2250000 Annual Revenue: April 1 2007- March 31, 2008 : Rs. 769171 Number of staff: 9
What is the potential demand for your innovation?
After several years of struggling we have been able to convince the educational institutions, NGOs and GOs about the therapeutic value of dance movement therapy. And now there is a growing need among the organisations and institutions and they are asking for our support. However, we are unable to provide trainers due to lack of funds. As we mentioned above, we have 10 institutions on the waiting list for DMT classes.
What are the main barriers to financial sustainability?
We are currently in the process of obtaining FCRA which will permit us to receive international funding. We have encountered problems in the past when we have received funding for a project but were unable to have them transferred due to lack of FCRA.
What is the origin of this innovation? Tell us your story.
Kolkata Sanved emerged from a research project that Sohini Chakraborty (Director and Founder of Kolkata Sanved) initiated in 1998 called “Rangeen Sapney”(colourful dreams) which engaged 120 children and women from different centers of Sanlaap (a care home for victims of trafficking) to illustrate how the performing arts can bring about changes among victims and abused children. The success of Rangeen Sapney gave birth to a platform called SANVED in 2002 where the women and children could express themselves through Dance Movement Therapy. With this new establishment Sohini completed creating a dance curriculum, SAMPURNATA ( meaning fulfillment), and received the Ashoka Fellowship in 2003. After the success of the curriculum, SAMPURNATA, she started to share this programme with other psychosocial rehabilitation programmes, NGOs, CBOs and youth, so they too could gain the rewards. On April 29, 2004 Kolkata Sanved was formally registered under the West Bengal Society Act.
Please provide a personal bio. Note this may be used in Changemakers marketing material
Sohini Chakraborty. Ashoka Fellow. Sociologist. Dance Activist and Founder Director of Kolkata Sanved. Network Chair of Status & Welfare World Dance Alliance West Bengal Chapter. Sohini uses Dance Movement as an alternative tool for therapy, communication, self-expression, and also rehabilitation for mainstreaming victims of violence and slavery. Sohini has worked in the field developing the Kolkata Sanved model for the last twelve years. Sohini has conducted dance therapy workshops, training of trainer workshops and replication workshops across India and in Nepal, Bangladesh, Thailand, USA, London. She has represented South Asia three times at the International Dance Therapy Conference organized by the American Dance Therapy Association, USA.
Emphasis of Work
Kolkata Sanved focuses primarily on the psychosocial rehabilitation of victims of slavery through dance movement therapy, transforming the lives of these victims. Therapy through dance and movement is a new concept in South Asia in general, and India in particular. Kolkata Sanved has expertise in working with those women and children who are traumatized, vulnerable, deprived and suffering from HIV/AIDS. We use the powerful communication tool of dance to raise awareness on the dangers of trafficking to help prevent vulnerable populations from being subjected to this form of modern slavery. Through the dance movement therapy process, the abused/shamed body changes into respectful, movement created by “myself”, allowing one to express “my” will. Through playful, creative, gentle movements participants reconnect, change their body image, and more importantly allows them to be empowered and able to reclaim their rights in the society.
 | Lorelei Almirez added this idea to their favorites. - 61 days ago. |
 | Barry Jomeneos said: Meh, things always seem bigger than they are when it's just getting started. However big you feel it will be when starting off, cut it ... about this idea. - 400 days ago read more > |
| Barry Jeenmaz said: I feel virtually the same way you do. And I'm also highly interested in your future plans and how to get involved myself. This could ... about this idea. - 421 days ago read more > |
| Shuktara Lal said: Your work sounds very exciting and is extremely necessary. I wholeheartedly support the use of alternative forms of therapy which ... about this idea. - 478 days ago read more > |
| Dr. Cecelia Wambach said: Hello Sohini, We have newly heard about your work in the US and its important impact on your former students who are now your ... about this idea. - 480 days ago read more > |
| Bobbi Ausubel said: Hello Sohini, I am so impressed with the work you do especially for youth. You have created a new and useful form of expression for ... about this idea. - 480 days ago read more > |
| Srabani Sarkar said: This is a tremendous Job you done. You create the alternative job option for the survivors whom people look at condescendingly. Today ... about this idea. - 483 days ago read more > |
| Falguni Seth said: Sohini is great in Kolkata . She is so dedicated in her work that she eats away bondage & dreams harmony. Falguni ... about this idea. - 488 days ago read more > |
| Sohini Chakraborty said: Dear Jasper, Thank you for the information on sports and social transformation. In response to your question, movement gives ... about this idea. - 508 days ago read more > |
| Jasper Nicolaisen said: Hi Sohini, I am very interested in the use of bodily exercise, sports and movement in the field of social transformation and peace ... about this idea. - 509 days ago read more > |