Friday, September 18, 2015

Group Update - From 'Team Ekta'

The cohort of 20 Pratiti fellows have commenced their on-ground work on gender issues close to their hearts. They are doing this in groups of 4, with a total of 5 groups being formed so far. The Pratiti blog will host the stories and experiences of each of these groups as they traverse through their powerful change-making journeys over the next 2 months while learning more about their own lives and communities in the process...


The beautifully diverse fellows from the aptly named Team Ekta - Alisha, Aishwarya, Arjun and Puru - are working on a bold and powerful project - the exploration and celebration of sexuality. Their work will focus on identity processes, body image issues, acceptance of one's sexuality and the subsequent acceptance of self, all of which they believe will help identify and break stigmas created by social conditioning and taboos related to sexual liberation.


Here's Aishwarya from the group sharing a quick update from their side:


Happiness at work (L-R) Puru, Alisha, Aishwarya & Arjun

"
We picked our group name ‘EKTA’ which can be defined as ‘solidarity’ in English to represent the commonalities, shared sensitivities and goals that made us into a team regardless of our individual and social disparities. The spirit of solidarity also motivated the objective of our project: to bring together individuals marginalized or compromised by the main stream notions of ‘normality’ and create a safe space to express, understand, celebrate sexuality.

We hope to realize these objectives through Workshops, Discussions, film screening and a Party (Yes! Because Sexuality is something to be celebrated) stretching over the coming two months, enabling us to build a sensitized and ‘liberated’ community that lasts much longer.

Our group has been working on sketching out the project in all its structural details. Starting with throbbing ideas for our first workshop, which will facilitate processes around Identity, Body and Sexuality but largely aiming to weave the very essence of ‘ekta’ amidst our participating friends and to energize the notion of a ‘safer’ community through the experience of the workshop. We hope the sincerity of our efforts and the thought behind our project translates into a meaningful and enriching experience for all..."

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Follow the Pratiti blog for more beautiful updates from the different groups as they share their journeys of growth and transformation into gender leaders over the next 2 months...

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