SHAMA

Since nineteen years SHAMA Inc. (A non Profit Organization based in Wisconsin, U.S.A.) and Smt.P.N.Doshi Women’s College, a college under the umbrella of SPRJ Kanyashala Trust, Ghatkopar, Mumbai, have undertaken a number of projects for empowering less fortunate women in educational, financial, leadership, social and personal arena.

The activities undertaken can be grouped under five heads.

• Projects undertaken at Smt.P.N.Doshi Women’s College.
• SHAMA Kids - Sponsor the education of a child programme.
• Projects undertaken for development of Mhaskal, a tribal village in the outskirts of Mumbai.
• SHAMA WELL Shama Women’s Empowerment Loan for a Living.
• SHAMA SHAKTI HIV and AIDS awareness and treatment project, among sex workers.

I) PROJECTS UNDERTAKEN AT SMT. P.N.DOSHI WOMEN’S COLLEGE

a) Scholarships to needy students. Since nineteen years financial aid is provided by SHAMA Inc. to underprivileged girls in this college. The tuition fee of each student is paid by the Trust to Education Department. The other fees i.e. admission, examination & Computer fees are paid from the funds provided by SHAMA Inc. On an average 250/300 students avail of this facility per year.

b) Scholarship to students pursuing higher education:

As one of the important aims of SHAMA Inc. & Smt.P.N.Doshi Women’s College is to empower women, financial help is also provided to students pursuing higher education after completing their studies in our College. Around 60 Students avail of this assistance for doing their Masters or B.Ed. every year.

c) Small loans to regular and past students of Smt.P.N.Doshi Women’s College to begin small business:

Once again, to empower our students & to build their self confidence, they are encouraged in becoming self reliant and self employed by utilising whatever inherent skills they have. For this purpose interest free loans are given to them. So far 15 girls have availed of this facility to start a small business. The amount of loan varies from Rs.2000/- to Rs.25000/- for each applicant. Many have started repaying loan.

d) Students’ nutritious snacks & health programme: Around 50 undernourished students are provided with nutritious food every day in the canteen. They are provided monthly food coupons.

e) Medical treatment is provided to students who cannot afford it on their own.

II) SHAMA KIDS:

The SHAMA Kids project operates as a branch of SHAMA Inc. This project matches sponsors with a particular child from SPRJ Kanyashala sponsored school or Zilla Parishad School Mhaskal.

(Child is selected by the sponsor from SHAMA Kids website http://www.uwsp.edu/multicultural/SHAMA/. The annual contribution of US$120/- provides the kid with everything they need to attend the school, including books, fees, educational accessories, sports coaching, uniforms, shoes, daily snacks, transport & medical check-up.

At present nearly 250 kids are sponsored. 200 students belong to SPRJ Kanyashala Trust’s schools and 50 belong to Zilla Parishad School Mhaskal.

The sponsor receives:

1) Photograph and socio-economic profile of the kid.

2) A letter & season’s greeting from the kid.

3) Progress report & Health card of the kid.

4) Details of how & where the sponsor’s money is spent.

Academically weak students are given extra coaching. Some students from Smt.P.N.Doshi Women’s College give extra tutoring to such weak students. A marked improvement has been found in the performance of such students. A past student of Smt.P.N.Doshi Women’s College teaches drawing to these students. The sponsors very often write letters to their kids & even send them gifts.

III) PROJECTS IN MHASKAL:

In the year 2002 Smt.P.N.Doshi Women’s College adopted a tribal village Mhaskal, which is 40 km North of Mumbai, The village was absolutely undeveloped with practically no amenities at all. It was the aim of our College to develop this village within the next five years with the help of SHAMA Inc.

a) Income Generation:

A tailoring school was inaugurated by the Chief executive of SHAMA Inc Ms. Jyotsna Chander on 22nd March 2005. Nearly 40 tribal and non tribal women have enrolled themselves and are attending regularly. SHAMA Inc. has purchased 10 sewing machines for this purpose.

b) Reproductive health and nutrition programme:


15 pregnant women on an average are provided nutritious food which includes fresh fruits, milk, eggs etc. They are also given health check up and training in prenatal/post natal health care.

c) Loan Scheme:



for buying buffaloes and goats, sewing machines etc are given.

d) Construction of Toilets:



75 eco friendly toilets have been constructed in the village. Initially a few were partially funded by SHAMA Inc. In the near future we plan to ensure that each house in the village has a toilet.

e) A tree plantation project:With the help of 30 of our students we have planted nearly 100 trees in and around the village.

f) A pipeline project:

A one and a half kilometer long pipeline has been put up from Kalu River to the farms in the village. This will provide perennial water to 34 acres of land helping in double and triple cropping per year.

IV) SHAMA WELL
Under this project nearly 45 needy women including our students have been given interest free loan for starting their own business, or further studies or taking up some courses which would help them in becoming economically independent. Under this project women are sponsored by donors from USA & UK from SHAMA WELL



website http://www.uwsp.edu/multicultural/SHAMA/ShamaWell/index.htm and receive loan of an amount of US$180/-. Once they repay this amount, it is used to help another needy woman.

V) SHAMA SHAKTI

We have undertaken this project in collaboration with NARC (National Addiction Research Centre.)The main aim of this project is to provide HIV and AIDS awareness and treatment to sex workers.



So far we have helped five women who were HIV positive by giving them medical aid and nutritious food to improve their CD4 count. We now plan to rehabilitate them.

Future Plans:

1) Establishing a proper medical centre in Mhaskal village

2) To adopt another village after completion of work in Mhaskal.