SEVAK - Society for Empowerment through Voluntary Action in Karnataka

SEVAK carries out ventures among the disadvantaged communities for increasing their income, improving access to education, health care facilities and training in human resources development. It puts a heavy emphasis on child welfare ensuring protection of children against exploitation, abuse and neglect.

Some of their Interventions:

Child Welfare: To strengthen the systems by advocating with Government and Law enforcement agencies; to prevent children from sexual exploitation. SEVAK is actively and closely working with the girls and survivals of exploitation and violence. It has been arranging several Programmes and Trainings for Help Groups, Early Married Girls, Local Representatives, etc. Vocational training along with educational support are provided to such children.

Community Health: The people who are suffering from respiratory tract infections, Arthritis, Fever, Dental Care, Anemia have been benefited by the Mobile Medical Unit. The services are mainly provided to scheduled castes, tribes which are inhabited by homeless, tribal or below poverty line sections.

Women Empowerment: SEVAK with the assistance of Fideel Foundation, Netherlands implementing the Empowerment of domestic Worker’s project in Belagavi and in Mangalore cities. Domestic workers are employed for household chores like cooking, cleaning (dusting, sweeping and mopping the house), washing (clothes and/or utensils), ironing marketing, running errands, childcare, and care of the aged or disabled, etc. The ultimate objectives of forming, strengthening and capacity building of Self Help Groups is to bring the assisted poor families, the target beneficiaries, above the poverty line by ensuring an appreciable increase in income over a period of time.

Science Communication through Puppetry & Capacity Building: SEVAK has selected traditional Puppetry folk media as media for communicating science and social issues to the public in general and students groups in particular. Districts in northern Karnataka i.e. Belagavi, Dharwad, Chikodi, Koppal, Gadag, Bagalkote, Haveri and Raichur are covered wherein Science teachers, students are trained on the preparation of puppets, scriptwriting and playing, voice modulation.