2 Annual Report 2010-Narika

 

Dear Friends of Narika, 

It is an exciting and challenging time for Narika as we continue to expand our volunteer base and develop innovative programs. The demand for our services continues to increase exponentially. We work tirelessly to  meet  this  demand,  while  striving  to  raise  awareness  about  the  plight  of  many  women  in  our communities. 

Narika’s mission  is  to break  the barriers surrounding domestic violence, especially  in  the South Asian communities  located  in  the  greater  San  Francisco  Bay Area. As  the  leading  non‐profit  in  our  area  of outreach services and scope of assistance offerings, we are making a difference in the lives of hundreds of women each year with a small, but efficient, staff and our dedicated volunteer base.  

From  just a Helpline staffed by a  few volunteers sitting  in a basement, Narika has blossomed  into a  full‐fledged network of proven, established and welcoming programs geared towards helping women and their children living amidst domestic violence. 

More  than  20,000 women  in  the  San  Francisco  Bay Area  are  victims  of  domestic  violence  each  year. Physical  injuries. Verbal  abuse.  Sexual  assault. Loss  of  life. Domestic  violence  transcends  and  affects  all socio‐economic levels, education and generations. It affects many lives. One out of every three women in the world has experienced violence  in an  intimate  relationship at some point  in her  life. Studies suggest  that around the world between 3.3 and 10 million children witness some form of domestic abuse annually. These are  staggering  statistics. We must work  together—women, men,  in‐laws,  siblings,  friends  and  respected leaders—to make a difference. Join Narika as we strive to keep our communities healthy and strong, now and for future generations. 

We need you  in order  to  continue  and  expand our  service offerings. A  third of Narika’s  annual budget comes  from  individual  contributions. Narikaʹs operating  and  administrative  costs  are  covered by grants, and individual contributions go directly towards supporting programs and services. You can rest assured, when you give to Narika, you’re giving to the people who need the help. 

For those of you familiar with us, thank you for standing by the Narika family. If you’re just learning about Narika—welcome! As Narika’s  interim  executive  director,  I  present  this  report  to  you  on  behalf  of  our dedicated staff, caring volunteers, generous donors, and numerous survivors. This is an open invitation to share  in  our  accomplishments,  learn  about  our  outreach  programs  and  services,  hear  from  our participants, and assist us in our future endeavors. 

Thank you, 

Sutapa Balaji 

Interim Executive Director 

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ABOUT NARIKA Narika was founded in 1992 to address the problem of domestic violence in the South Asian community. Embracing the notion of women's empowerment, Narika set out to address the unmet needs of abused South Asian women by providing advocacy, support, information, and referrals within a culturally sensitive model. We serve women who trace their origins to Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and diasporic communities such as Fiji and the Caribbean.

NARIKA’S MISSION Narika's mission is to promote the empowerment of women in our

community to confront and overcome the cycles of domestic violence and exploitation. We work to build a movement to end violence against

women and to support women's rights as human rights.

OUR WORK Narika has evolved from a basic Helpline staffed by a few volunteers to a collaborative, community-focused, educational organization. The dedicated staff and many volunteers help women navigate a myriad of abusive situations, offering classes; financial support; legal immigration and housing referrals; and sensitive human interaction.

“Narika’s commitment to our community grounds me in the rest of my life.

As clients and volunteers, we all share a common desire to build a peaceful

life for ourselves and those whom we love. Every time I witness the

strength and laughter of the women who have survived such incredible

hardships, I am reminded that my own strengths and laughter have yet to

be fully tapped.” -Shanta, a six year veteran of Narika’s volunteer program

NARIKA MAKES AN IMPACT

Calls to Narika’s core service–the toll-free

Helpline–continue to grow. Women call

Narika for help, information, referrals, and

sometimes just to talk and unburden

themselves to another woman who speaks

their language and understands their

culture. In the last year, Narika received 1,250

calls and served 325 clients.

Geographic Distribution of Calls

Total number of calls received: 1,250Total number of clients served: 325 

 

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Narika’s Violence Prevention Framework Community Outreach and

Education

An important part of Narika’s mission is to prevent domestic violence by providing community members with education and resources to lead violence-free lives.

SEED – South Asian Economic Empowerment and Development

The SEED program is designed to foster women’s economic independence through the development of leadership skills and the encouragement of personal and professional growth. It seeks to present women in potentially abusive situations with the opportunity to become economically independent so that they may live and raise their children in an atmosphere free of violence and abuse.

Classroom based trainings in ESL, computers, financial literacy, resume writing and job search are offered three times a year in Fremont, San Francisco and San Pablo. Since the inception of the program in 2002, 160 women have completed the program.

Narika provides women the tools to succeed and helps them, as appropriate, remove themselves from abusive environments. Narika is working through women to promote happy, healthy families. Ending family violence

ultimately helps children foster strong cultural ties and stay affiliated with their communities.

This was my life…

I was not allowed to talk to my friends or go out of the house alone. Anytime I disagreed with my husband, he would get angry, yell, and call me names. So, I stopped disagreeing altogether. One day, he tried to strangle me while I was still holding my infant daughter in my arms. When I tried to call the police, he went to the kitchen, picked up a knife and threatened, “I’ll cut you up into pieces and then kill myself. What will the police do then?”

I confided in a colleague, who gave me Narika’s number. The Narika advocate listened to me and helped me realize this was not a normal situation. They helped me move into a shelter and, although it was hard sharing a living space with strangers, a Narika volunteer was there for me whenever I wanted to speak to someone during this difficult time.

I don’t want my daughter to grow up thinking what her father did to me was acceptable. I want her to believe in her own self worth and never accept such abuse in her own life. It takes guts to accept you are in a domestic violence situation. I finally realized I had to leave – not only for myself, but also for my daughter.

Annual Report 2010-Narika5

ASSETS Bank Accounts  $15,892 Accounts Receivable  $59,577 Prepaid Expenses  $48 

Current Assets 

Total Current Assets  $75,517 Fixed Assets 

Book Value  $350 

Other Assets 

Deposits  $2,664 

Total Assets                $78,531 LIABILITIES & FUND BALANCES 

Current Liabilities 

Accounts Payable  $18,660 

  Fund Balance  $59,871 Total Liabilities and Fund Balance               $78,531 

Revenue by Category

Narika’s 2009-10 Financial Summary (As of June 30, 2010)

Online: It’s fast and easy to donate online. Visit www.narika.org

Go to Support – Donate and use your credit card via secure link

Or, download the online donation form and fax/email it per the instructions

Send a Check: Make the check payable to Narika at P.O. Box 14014, Berkeley, CA 94712

Donate Stocks

Donate Your Old Car

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Manju Seal, President Neerja Bhutani, Treasurer Megha Sahgal, Secretary

Rom Srinivasan Devika Patil

STAFF

Sutapa Balaji

Roopa Mohan Shrimalie Perera Dimple George

Community Collaborative Partners

Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach

Asian Women’s Shelter Shimtuh-Korean Community Center of the East Bay Asian Pacific Islander Institute of Domestic Violence

California Partnership to End Domestic Violence Maitri

SEMAH NISA SAVE

The Hume Center India Community Center

Pakistani Amercian Community Center Fremont Resource Center

City of Fremont Contra Costa Community College

Our Team at Narika

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Narika Helpline: 1.800.215.7308 Donate or Support: 510.444.6068 Post Office Box 14014 Berkeley, California 94712 • Email: narika@narika.org • www.narika.org © 2010 Narika