indigo conversations: a spotlight on India

 

 

Please join us over zoom for a very special 'indigo conversations', and the chance to meet  local leaders from our community partners in India.

Join Dr Susan Engel in conversation with Guna Vincent, Co-Founder and Director of Mahalir Sakthi, and Semmalar Selvi, Liaison Officer for the Program for Education and Awareness Building (PEAB). Guna and Semmalar are both long time friends and colleagues of indigo, as well as leading feminists who are active in the Dalit rights movement in India.  

When: 530-615pm Wednesday 12 October 2022

Where: Zoom. We'll send you the link once you register

Who:

• Guna Vincent. Guna is the Founder and Director of our long-term partner, Mahalir Sakthi, alongside her sister Grace. Guna was the first in her family to attend university. She worked with the Indian Ministry of Finance and has long been a civil society leader, including in the first campaign in Tamil Nadu to organise quarry workers for better pay and conditions. She founded Mahalir Sakthi (meaning 'women power') in 2005 and the organisation has grown to be a thriving hub in the slum areas of Madurai working to empower children and women to break the cycle of poverty, unemployment and discrimination.
• Semmalar Selvi. Semmalar has been the Liaison Officer for our partnership with the Program for Education and Awareness Building (PEAB) for over a decade. She is a social work professional and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Work, Loyola College, Chennai. Her research focus is on social exclusion, the political economy of development and human rights, and she has been a vocal and effective campaigner on the rights of Dalit women, and survivors of sexual violence.
• Dr Susan Engel - Susan is an Associate Professor in Politics and International Studies and co-Director of the Future of Rights Centre. Her research interests focus on the impact of neoliberalism on development and international political economy. She has been involved with indigo foundation for almost 20 years and is currently our India Partnership Coordinator. 

India endured one of the harshest Covid lockdowns in the world and our local partners Mahalir Sakthi and PEAB were at the frontline, working in the slum areas of Madurai and rural communities in Tamil Nadu to protect livelihoods, safeguard education outcomes and defend women's rights.

Guna and Semmalar will share stories from the ground about the impact of the pandemic in their communities, how they were able to respond and our local partners’ plans for the coming year. They will also share insights on the struggle for Dalit rights and ongoing challenges for NGOs and civil society under the current Indian government. There'll be a chance for questions and discussion. 

Registration for indigo conversations is free. Please join us.

What are 'indigo conversations'?

'indigo conversations' are regular indigo events, either virtual or in person, designed to bring our community of supporters in Australia closer to our partners and their work. We share updates on our partnerships and the context in which we are working, and open a space for questions and discussion to dig deeper.