Empower Future Leaders from Mumbai Red-Light Areas

Dear Kranti Supporters,

We moved into a new, much bigger home (Kranti is growing and we’re planning for yet more growth)! Not only does it have space to accommodate more girls but we also have space to start our own mini-library and a music room. The girls are very excited! One of them wants to learn the Tabla  (Indian drums used in Hindustani Classical music) and a few of them want to learn the guitar...lessons start on Tuesday, October 12^th!

Last week we partnered with an educational firm, 3D Tutorials, who have started providing us with tutors for the girls. What is great about 3D Tutorials is that we were completely honest with them about Kranti rehabilitating trafficked girls, but instead of backing off because of the taboo attached with trafficked women, they were very encouraging and supportive. All the tutors they will send to teach the girls will be briefed beforehand about the background of the girls so they can be sensitive and flexible to the needs of the girls. The CEO of 3D Tutorials, Professor Roopesh, is also going to help us to acquire documents to prove identity for the girls who don’t have any.

A very valuable partnership for Kranti is the one with Samhita, an organization based out of Mumbai, which is creating a network of NGOs and service providers for NGOs (lawyers specialising in non-profit law, funding agencies, evaluators, auditors) all over India. You can view our profile on Samhita here. Our partnership with Samhita not only gains us credibility in the Indian social service sector, but also gives us an easy path to access other human and monetary resources through their network.

Durga Puja is a 10-day long festival celebrated in India during the end of October. Typically there are larger than life idols of Gods and Goddesses put up in decorative tents where people of the city come to pray. This year, during this 10 day festival, Kranti will be holding an art exhibition of the paintings of the girls being rehabilitated by Kranti at the festival venue in Mumbai, and sharing information about trafficking in India and our work of rehabilitating trafficked women. With an estimated footfall of at least 5000 people, our exhibition will make all these people aware of Kranti’s work. (Update – we sold 8 paintings on the first day!)

Lastly, Robin is currently in North America, taking part in our most recent fellowships, Youth Action Net in Washington D. C. and Opportunity Collaboration in Mexico. Both of these promise immense exposure, and a wealth of knowledge and connections for Kranti in the global social entrepreneurial circle. We are incredibly excited to begin networking!

We are very grateful for your faith in the Revolutionaries and your undying support!

Thanking you,

Trina Talukdar

Dear Global Giving Supporters,

As of August 6, Kranti has raised $10,783 on Global Giving! We cannot thank you enough for your generous support since our April 27 launch on GG, and we wanted to give you a quick report on the exciting things going on at Kranti.

As most of you know, Kranti co-founer Trina Talukdar has been attending the Unreasonable Institute (.org) in Boulder since late May. At this 10-week Institute, Trina has: - Created a business plan so we can launch our for-profit ventures and be on the road to sustainability; - Networked with global non-profit leaders and social entrepreneurs, including the Skoll Foundation and the Global Fund for Women; - Launched our rudimentary website, which we’ll expand to the full version by late August; - Submitted our applications for tax-exempt status in India and the United States; - Created a partnership with a Mumbai-based film maker who is already teaching film/videography skills to one Revolutionary; - Become trained as a representative of “Girls Fight Back” to teach the Revolutionaries and other young women self-defense skills upon her return to India; - Pitched in front of dozens of investors, leaders, and entrepreneurs…her Global Summit pitch is linked below; - And plenty of other exciting things!

While Trina and Robin have been busy planning for Kranti’s future, the Revolutionaries have been hard at work living daily life – studying 3-4 hours a day, taking dance and painting classes, exploring Mumbai, and (of course!) dancing in the rain since the monsoons started last month. They are also preparing for a big move in early September, when we relocate to a new flat that accommodates 4 more girls...because we will be welcoming two new Revolutionaries in late August!

Also, if you missed our announcement via Facebook, Kranti was selected as a Cordes Fellow to Opportunity Collaboration, a 5-day conference in Mexico for non-profit leaders and social entrepreneurs. We have one more exciting fellowship but cannot announce it until the organization sends out a press release....so stay tuned! Our next update will be in late August after we're all (Trina, Robin, and the new Revolutionaries) settled into the new flat.

Once again, thank you for your support on Global Giving and in general - none of these accomplishments would be possible without you!

Sincerely, Robin, Trina & the Revolutionaries

Links:

• Trina's Global Summit Pitch
• The Rudimentary Website
• If you haven't already, please join us on FB!