Project Sweekruti

Project Sweekruti

News: The Indian Express is conducting The Indian Express Excellence in Governance awards for 2020 and 2021.

Background:
• Chanchal Rana, DM & Collector, Balangir (Odisha) won one of such award under the category “Gender” for Project Sweekruti which seeks to provide life of Dignity to Transgender Persons by giving them jobs.
• You can quote such examples in your essay, ethics paper or any issue that talks about larger role of civil society, administration, gender justice etc.

Below are few details about the project, experience of a beneficiary and how it has helped the community in particular:
• We will discuss how life of Premanand Sahu has changed. Sahu is among 300 transgenders persons who have been engaged by the distinct administration under project Sweekruti (acceptance), an ambitious plan seeking to mainstream the transgender community through jobs. 
• Sahu’s job is to collect fees at parking lot near the District collectorate complex in Balangir. 
• The project is a departure from a life of discrimination and social exclusion the transgender persons faced, where no one even gave them a job. 
• As quoted by Sahu, “We were forced to beg on trains, dance in marriages and other social functions to earn a livelihood.” 
• Sahu, who earns Rs 7,000-10,000 a month now, said Sweekruti has also ensured an end to transphobia and the mental stress that came from dealing with it. “People coming to park their vehicles also show us respect. My parents are also very happy for me,” he said. 

The story of Jairaj Nag (another Transgender person):
• He works as a helper in a Swachha Safari, a battery-operated vehicle used in door-to-door waste collection, says Sweekruti has given the transgender persons their “own identity”.
• He says, there was a time when people used to crack jokes for being a transgender but now Jairaj doesn’t face any transphobia and lives life with Dignity. 

How has the project helped SHG’s?
• The project has helped form self-help groups among transgender persons to enable these groups to avail of seed capital. Around 400 to 500 people are likely to have benefitted from this. 

Note – Making notes on social issues, stigma faced by Transgender community in India is important topic. You must have necessary data, facts and initiatives taken by Government, civil society for the Transgender community.