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Narika seeks more support, volunteers

R S Shankar

Narika, a women's help organization, was in the news recently when it joined several other organizations in holding a candle light protest outside a restaurant owned by Lakireddy Bali Reddy, the Berkeley landlord who finds himself facing serious charges.

But Narika volunteers will tell you its activities are rarely reported in the press. The organization wants to carry out its mission of rehabilitating abused South Asian women without much fanfare. And it is always on the lookout for volunteers.

One volunteer can help a woman in crisis, say Narika's leaders. A group of volunteers can help a city in crisis.

What would a city of volunteers accomplish?

'Through training and staff support, Narika channels its volunteers's skills into helpline support, community education, youth outreach, website maintenance and fundraising,' Narika says. 'Through these roles and activities, our collective energies empower the women we help and ultimately breaks the cycle of violence against women.'

Narika requires a one year commitment from all volunteers.

The organization plans to hold a volunteer training program this month. They are also holding a discussion on Gender and Domestic Violence Issues in the South Asian Community, from noon to 1.30 pm at the Kalart Gallery, 855 Sansome St, San Francisco, on March 19. Non-members attending the discussion will have to pay a $ 3.

The discussion will focus on perceptions of masculinity and femininity, responsibilities of South-Asian males and females and other community influences on domestic stability such as in-laws, finances and stereotyping.

Narika was founded in 1992 to address the problem of domestic violence in the South Asian community. In recent years, it has begun to involve itself in communities as diasporic such as Fiji and the Caribbean.

Narika's mission statement says it works to empower the women of our community in order to confront the cycles of domestic violence, exploitation and ignorance, to build leadership and to build a movement that works to end violence against women.

'We consider women who are emotionally or physically abused in their homes and families to be victims of a larger societal violence against women,' the mission statement adds. 'Such women may be abused by either men or women and the violence they suffer is not the result of their class, education, race, religion, economic circumstances, sexual orientation, perceived inadequacies or other personal circumstances or characteristics. We are committed to the empowerment of women, whether or not they share our analysis of violence against women.'

Those are interested can write to DSReddy@aol.com. Narika's helpline for abused South Asian women is 1 800 215 7308.

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