ABOUT US
About Disha
DISHA is a NGO working for socio-economic development of urban and rural communities. Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s ideology of serving the downtrodden, poorest of the poor and marginalized sections, DISHA works with children, adolescents, women and their families in the area of education, health, gender equity, skill development, Self-Help Groups, micro finance, water management, sanitation, livelihood, peaceful conflict resolution for restoring justice, dignity and human rights. These development programs are based on the felt needs of people with an effort to mobilize participation for their individual and community development.
In Delhi, our work is with children and youth to encourage creativity through innovative pedagogy in the area of education and skill development. In the last seven years, we have touched the lives of more than 20,000 boys and girls from the slums and streets of Delhi and students studying in the municipal corporation schools. Most of them are working and face sexual abuse, economic deprivation, and harassment and are addicted to drugs. We also work with the families of the little ones to enable their children to live their dreams.
In Bihar, we work for the empowerment of rural women who are at the bottom of the pyramid. Since the past fifteen years we have helped women by establishing 825 Self Help Groups and cluster groups to start micro- financing activities, skill development for sustainable livelihood and micro enterprise development. Their children are provided education and adolescent girls are given accurate and correct information on issues of adolescent reproductive health. We have helped the marginalized communities to adopt rainwater harvesting for water management and sanitation.
DISHA was founded in 1992 and since then, these initiatives have helped people on the path of self-reliance and empowerment.
Our Mission
- Social, economic and education empowerment of the underprivileged sections of the society towards grass roots democracy.
- Eradication of all forms of injustice and discrimination against women and children.
- Building unity and solidarity through peace and justice.
Team
Ravi Chopra, a photojournalist who founded DISHA, was driven by an extraordinary dream - the dream that no underprivileged children would be deprived of basic rights. He was sure that the hidden creativity of children would flower given a right chance. He started at a very young age to work with the children living in the urban slums and rural villages by teaching them photography to impart them a job-oriented skill. He worked with runaway children living on New Delhi Railway platform, with mentally challenged and handicapped children in institutions like Anandvan and with village children living in remote hilly areas. His passion to work with children took him to visit slums in Delhi where he found children surrounding him wherever he went to get a glimpse of the world around them through his camera.
He also taught children to draw comics and raised money by publishing these in the newspaper. He won a national award for his photographs highlighting the plight of education of children.
These qualities of resourcefulness and determination were to come in handy when Ravi and 10 of his friends started DISHA in1992. They felt that something needed to be done to improve the situation of the underprivileged Indian child and women
Shobhana Raadhakrishna inherited her commitment and from her father Late K. S. Radhakrishna. She was a student of Nai Taleem (Gandhi ji’s concept of Basic Education) school in the Sevagram Ashram and has been Gandhian constructive work programme in various parts of the country. Her commitment as a social activist led her to dedicate her life to the cause of serving the underprivileged in obtaining peace, justice, dignity, gender equity and self-reliance.
For over three decades her creative expressions as a classical dancer made a mark on the national and international frontiers. She has contributed to development sector by integrating theater with social development
She is part of the Gandhian family and Sarvodaya movement and is working for the empowerment of the women and their families, especially children and youth, towards finding locally sustainable solutions to deprivation in education, health, income generation, water conservation, disaster preparedness and environmental sanitation.
Inspiration
Radhakrishna ji was a dedicated Gandhian who did not disdain those with eclectic views. He was a genial companion and warm friend. He was Secretary of the Gandhi Peace Foundation during the Emergency period. He was deeply involved in social development by exploring alternative paths to development and social progress.
He was a votary of JP's concept of Total Revolution and lok samitis, bhoodan and gramdan, khadi and village industries, antyodaya, decentralized rural development and conflict resolution. He was forever willing to experiment and tread new paths and it is this aspect of his philosophy and approach to the problems of the day. He drew inspiration from Gandhi’s life and work in charting his future course of action.
The labourer must get a fair deal, of course; but equally, the labourer must be worthy of his hire. Concepts such as trusteeship and safety nets need to be built for specific cases of industrial growth, technological change and globalization. Radhakrishnaji tried to probe Gandhian frontiers. There are vital issues of fraternity, naxalism, alienation, tribal uplift, education, gender justice, the environment, employment and so on that cry for attention. He encouraged people to think deeply enough or holistically on such topics and their inter-linkages and translate the ideas into programmes.
Governing Members
| LIST OF DISHA'S GOVERNING BODY MEMBERS | ||
| Smt. Sulochana Bhashyam | Social Worker and Counselor | President |
| Shri Vineet Dikshit | Sr. correspondent Times Now TV | Vice-President |
| Shri Ravi Chopra | Consultant Social development | Secretary |
| Smt. Shobhana Radhakrishna | Chief Executive, Gandhian Forum for Ethical Corporate Governance, Scope | Treasurer and Chief Functionary |
| Shri Anupam Misra | Environmentalis Gandhi Peace Foundation | Member |
| Smt. Deepali Khanna | Country Representative, Plan International, Vietnam | Member |
| Shri Ved V.Dewen | Retried Manager, Kores India Limed, Mumbai | Member |
| Shri Suresh Jain | Managing Director CXL Pvt. Limited, New Delhi | Member |
| Shri I. M. Bajaj | Branch Manager, Bank of India | Member |
| Smt. Neelam Khurana | Teacher | Member |
| Shri Kunal Wahi | Correspondent, Ndtv TV | Member |
Our Supporters
- TPC Limited
- Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited
- Tech Mahindra Foundation
- Pathfinders International
- AXIS Bank Foundation
- Sir Dorabji Tata Trust
- Lutheran World Relief
- REACH India
- Pathfinders International
- TPC Limited
- Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited
- Tech Mahindra Foundation
- Pathfinders International
- AXIS Bank Foundation
- Sir Dorabji Tata Trust
- Lutheran World Relief
- REACH India
- Pathfinders International