Main activities of WISE

In order to translate its vision into reality, WISE adopts different strategies and practices so as to bring about tangible results and concrete transformation in people’s lives. In its social development interventions, WISE operates both in the urban and rural settings.

Skills Training At The Centre

At the centre, there is a regular skills training for school drop-out girls, domestic workers, single mothers and women in difficult circumstances. The trainings include trades like:

• Tailoring
• Embroidery
• Handicraft
• Candle making
• Knitting
• Weaving
• Flower making
• Basket Making and
• Card making

Interventions at the District Jail

WISE gives regular awareness programmes, value education and conducts interactive sessions to the women inmates in the Shillong District Jail. Skills training in Tailoring, Embroidery, Handicraft, Knitting, Basket making, Flower making, Food Processing, and Fast Food have also been started since the year 2003. This was undertaken so as to provide the women prisoners with alternative means of livelihood once they complete their term in prison. Since June 2006, similar programmes have also been started for the men inmates.

Initiative at the Children’s Home, Shillong

CHILDREN’S HOME is a place where young boys who have been caught misbehaving in some way or another are admitted for a period of transformation. Since the beginning of 2006, with the permission of the Directorate of Social Welfare, Meghalaya, and the collaboration of the Rotary Club, Shillong, a regular skills training has been started by WISE for these young boys. Trainings are imparted for Basket making, Candle making, Fast Food, Food Processing and Handicraft. Besides the skills training, value based education and interactive programmes are also conducted in the Children’s Home.

Development initiatives in the villages

In the rural areas, the main thrust of our social transformation initiatives is community mobilization and formation of Self-Help Groups (SHGs). Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has been supporting this venture since 2003. We also collaborate with NABARD, DRDA and MRDS in this regard. These SHGs actively involve in savings, micro-credit, income generating activities and resolving socially disturbing issues in their villages and localities. SHG is one of the most effective development tools especially in the rural areas. Through the SHGs, sensitization programmes on various socio-economic issues affecting the community are carried out from time to time.

Condensed Course of Education for Adult Women

WISE has collaborated with the Central Social Welfare Board (CSWB) in providing condensed course education to adult women residing in the villages of our project area. 25 women have befitted so far from this programme. Most of these women are Self-Help Group members.

Cross Border anti-trafficking initiative

WISE is one of the state partners in implementing the “Cross Border Anti Trafficking initiative in the North East India” project. This is a UNIFEM funded project in collaboration with Impulse NGO Network, Shillong.