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About Odanadi...
Odanadi, The Soulmate
In the expressive Kannada language, 'Odanadi' is one who walks hand in hand with you through life's long journey: a mate, a friend for all seasons. Translating this fine ethos of human bonding into action among the prostituted and destitute in Karnataka is the Odanadi Seva Samsthe.
Odanadi started as a challenge. In the mid-80s, when Stanly & Parashu (Odanadi's founders) were working for the govt as district coordinators of the Total Literacy Project, they also did some journalism work on the side. For one story they wanted to speak to the lowest strata of society - Dalits, untouchables etc. Speaking with a bullock cart owner one day, a woman approached, wishing to talk. The small crowd that had gathered urged Stanly and Parashuram not to talk to her. Although the people in the crowd were themselves considered outcasts of the society, they regarded this woman as worse than them - she was a prostitute. She challenged Stanly and Parashuram for having come to talk to them, but then going back to their comfortable lives. She asked them what they planned to do after getting a good story, telling them that they were just like all the others: in actual fact, unconcerned with the lives of the poor and destitute. Moved by this challenge, Stanly and Parashuram pledged to do their best to help that part of the society that was not deemed human: the prostituted. Stanly-Parashu along with a handful of friends, chose Mysore to spearhead a full-blooded struggle against the harsh socio-economic and cultural forces affecting these women.
Prior to starting Odanadi, Stanly-Parashu undertook a ten-month pilot study ("Bodies For A Meal") of the socio-economic conditions of prostituted women and their children in Mysore district. Odanadi Seva Samsthe emerged as a registered trust in 1992 to be the 'Odanadi' of this ravaged group of the society.
Since then, Odanadi Seva Samsthe's pioneering efforts to empower and rehabilitate these sexually-exploited women and children and the organisation's relentless campaign to expose and curb flesh trade has spread state-wide. The trio, Stanly, Parashu and Anuradha Polanki Ramamurthy have helped Odanadi emerge as a leading and powerful voice, advocating the cause of prostituted women in India
VISION STATEMENT:
'Justice to the Neglected and Empowerment of the Weak' and `Equality of Opportunity to All' are the cornerstones of Odanadi's philosophy.
The Objectives Of Odanadi:To organise the prostituted into a vocal group fighting against exploitation, and facilitate their empowerment and rehabilitation. To re-integrate exploited women and children with the mainstream and make them self-reliant through counselling, education and vocational training. To prevent women and children from being drawn into the flesh trade. To rescue women and children forced into prostitution and expose the unholy nexuses in the flesh trade. To eradicate the social taboo and rejection through sensitisation of various social and peer groups. To expose human rights violations against women and children in all sections of society. To provide support to women and children affected by domestic violence and other social-economic problems. To assist in the prevention of rural-urban migration, which is a major contributor to urban prostitution. To combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic and provide care to the terminally-afflicted. To combat child labour with groups like CACL (Campaign Against Child Labour).
ODANADI's ACTIVITIES AND ACHIEVEMENTS:
In its attempt to achieve its stated goals, Odanadi has surmounted numerous hardships from various mainstream segments. Happily, most of its objectives have borne fruit and the organisation has emerged as a pioneering entity, setting standards for the welfare of the victims of this centuries-old vice.
Rescue and Rehabilitation:
Rescued over 400 girls, most of them minors, from the clutches of the flesh traffickers in various parts of Karnataka. With a special focus on Mysore, Odanadi has gone a long way in eradicating the social stigma attached to the prostituted and in sensitising the mainstream society. As many as 22 women were married through widely publicised exercises in the presence of leading personalities. Organised the prostituted into a vocal and powerful group, the Vimochana Mahila Sangha, with the strongest being the Mysore group numbering 1020. As many as 350 women have been rehabilitated with alternative livelihood in the mainstream society. Established a very successful permanent residential school and rehabilitation centre ('Prayoga Patha') for the children of the exploited women in 1995 in partnership with CRY (Child Relief and You). As of this writing, the Prayoga Patha is providing shelter, education and vocational training to more than 75 children. Odanadi operates a counselling and trauma care centre for women of various strata afflicted by marital discord and social problems.
Development:
In recognition of Odanadi's services, the Karnataka Government has allotted two plots of land in Mysore at nominal rates, one of 2 acres and another of 3/4 acre. As a result, the Samsthe now functions from an independent premises. The home `Prayoga Patha' and the counselling centre function from this premises. Many universities in the US, the UK and Germany have recognised Odanadi as a study and faculty centre for women's studies and social work. The Samsthe has developed infrastructure through mobilisation from the local communities for day-to-day functioning. Odanadi has introduced a novel education module for the children of the prostituted aimed at integrating them into the mainstream school curriculum. As an outcome of this, 30% of the children at Prayoga Patha who did not have even rudimentary education have successfully passed out of public examinations conducted by the Directorate of Public Instruction, Karnataka. For the first time in Karnataka, many of the rehabilitated women are in the process of leading an independent and self-reliant life utilising the training and guidance given by Odanadi over the past few years. Success stories: Manjula and Padma are trained beauticians. More than 20 girls have acquired tailoring and weaving skills. Nanjunda, one of the oldest boys of Pryoga Patha, is all set to enter legal practice. Manjunath is geared up to establish a Video and Photo parlour. The Karnataka Government documented the activities of Odanadi and televised the same on the national channel (Doordarshan). Advocacy: Extensive awareness programmes conducted for sensitising various wings of society. Various agitational programmes and lobby exercises were undertaken to secure basic constitutional rights to the prostituted both from the union and the state governments, with focus on voting rights, reservation, housing and social security cards. Pioneered the movement against legalisation of prostitution, both at the state and national levels. Legalisation would only favour the vested interests rather than stop the exploitation of the prostituted. Extensive campus programmes and lecture series on HIV/AIDS conducted. An active participant in the national movement against child labour.
LOOKING AHEAD:
Odanadi enters the new millennium with a very clear perception of the unfinished tasks that lie ahead. Goals for the first decade aim at strengthening the infrastructure and care systems needed to address this challenge both at the state and national levels.
Establishing small-scale entrepreneurial units providing employment to the prostituted and the destitute, and utilising the income generated to sustain Odanadi's activities. Establishing a dairy farm to enable destitute migrants to follow a traditional means of economic empowerment. Establishing an HIV terminal-care centre exclusively for exploited women and children. Expanding the Prayoga Patha into a National Rehabilitation Centre for Children (NRCC). Networking with service organisations at the national level to secure reservation benefits for the prostituted women and children. Launching multi-pronged initiatives aimed at securing social security cards (SSCs) for the victims of prostitution. To create a social awakening regarding the plight of the prostituted and enlisting the services of pillars of society in alleviating this human tragedy.
PEOPLE AT ODANADI:
Board of Trustees: Mr. Stanly KV, Mr. Parashuram ML, Prof. Anuradha Polanki Ramamurthy, Mr. Lakshmikanta Raje Urs, Mr. Venkataramu
Advisory Committee: Mrs. Shobha, Dr. Ashwath, Mr. Badagalapura Nagendra
Friends, philanthropists, social activists and organisations have been the backbone of Odanadi and its services since its inception. Odanadi has always valued its friends and would not have come this far but for their constant and unstinting support.
COME, JOIN US:
Odanadi has its doors open always for any assistance, be it in cash or kind, and all gestures will be remembered with gratitude. If you would like to support Odanadi on a regular basis, the following modes are available:
Your Odanadi: Adopt a child by extending an annual assistance of Rs.8,000 for all-round development and be an 'odanadi' of the child. Odanadi Shilpi: Donate or sponsor a room at NRCC (National Rehabilitation Centre for Children) with a financial assistance of Rs.1 Lakh or above and become an Odanadi Shilpi ('Shilpi' means Architect or Sculptor). Odanadi Fellow: Invest in the future of Odanadi women and children by depositing Rs.50,000 in a joint account and become an Odanadi Fellow. Odanadi will only withdraw the interest accrued on this amount. Odanadi Nidhi: With a vision to emerge as a self-sustaining service organisation and carry on the various programmes in the years to come, 'Odanadi Nidhi' ('Nidhi' means Treasure) has been conceived as a permanent fund, the interest accrued upon which would be used for various activities. The seed money would remain untouched. Contributions of Rs.10,000 and above are solicited.
An audited expenditure statement would be circulated annually to all the friends who join hands with Odanadi in its endeavours.
All donations to Odanadi receive tax exemption under 80G and 12A.
CONTACT INFORMATON:
email:
[email protected]
[email protected]
Phone: (area code of Mysore is 0821)
402155 (Odanadi Office)
303812 (Mr. Stanly K.V)
403371 (Mr. Parashuram M.L)
542384 (Prof. Anuradha Ramamoorthy)
Postal Address:
Odanadi Seva Samsthe ,
S R S Colony , Hootagally Village,
Belawadi Post, Mysore
Mysore District,
Karnataka, India - 571 186
Last updated April 2002