2010 Plans for The Sarah Kailath Women’s Leadership Award
Program description
The award was initiated in 2008 as an extension of ICA’s mission to invest in the development of communities in India focusing exclusively on helping build a cadre of future women leaders from Indian NGOs and assist professionals and volunteers in fields related to issues supported by ICA, including human rights, women’s rights, health, rural empowerment, poverty alleviation, livelihood, environment, social justice and others.
The selected candidates would be offered scholarships to attend short-term formalized leadership-training sessions offered by institutions in the San Francisco Bay area.
The goals of this initiative are to –
• Identify women activists in India with potential leadership capabilities who could benefit from this training, get a broader perspective and have a greater impact on their communities;
• Support and strengthen capacity building and leadership development in Non-Governmental organizations (NGO);
• Supplement conventional knowledge about critical issues and techniques with management skills and leadership practices;
• Invest in future leadership and help expand the capacity and network of emerging leaders;
• Develop a network of leaders to act as a liaison for ICA to scout out new and innovative projects and evaluate projects those already supported.
Criteria for Selection
The program seeks accomplished, motivated individuals who are eager to prepare themselves for greater leadership responsibilities within their communities and focus areas. Fellows are selected through a competitive application process with applicants from all over India, with backgrounds ranging from sustainable development, and public health and others. A panel comprised of ICA committee member, community leaders in US and India will select the participants after reviewing all applications.
Participants will be selected based upon their leadership role and commitment to development issues. Specifically:
1. Has a vision for her organization, and/or the community, requiring a new level of leadership.
2. Has demonstrated leadership abilities within an organization, network, or support system.
3. Is part of a project with significant impact on the organization and/or the community,
4. Is aware of concrete and achievable outcomes in a specific project for her organization and/or community.
5. Has developed a clear and compelling case for support.
6. Is fluent in English.
Application process
Accepting applications from grassroots and community organizing initiatives for
2010 in the area of social justice.
Cost and Venue: The 2010 Fellowship Session will be held in the summers of 2010.
The venue will be announced later. Fellowship includes travel, lodging and meals.
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2010 Committee Members
Chair Lata Patil, co-Chair Shobha Hiatt, Anasuya Sengupta, Dr.Tom Kailath,
Shyam Rungta
Process: Online evaluation of applications by committee members, joint decision on selection of candidate(s)
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For Immediate Release: Contact:
July 16, 2008 Lata Patil (650) 941-4133
“IMPROVING STATUS OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN INDIA”
AN EVENING WITH THREE WOMEN LEADERS
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Palo Alto, CA – Indians for Collective Action (ICA) in association with The Global Women’s Leadership Network, Santa Clara University, invite you to meet three dynamic women leaders from India on Tuesday, July 29 between 6:30 pm and 8:30 pm, at the India Community Center in Milpitas. The three women, Suchitra Rao, Sunisha Ahuja and Sandhya Puchalpalli will lead a discussion, “Improving the Status of Women and Girls in India” and share their insights on how education can transform women’s rights and ultimately their lives.
Suchitra Rao is the first Fellow of ICA’s Leadership Program and works with youth, especially girls who are disenfranchised and powerless with minimal access and opportunities for education and vocational training. Sunisha Ahuja directs literacy programs through Room to Read, a project that emphasizes education as an important tool in breaking the cycle of poverty and exploitation. Sandhya Puchalpalli’s Arti Home educates and houses 82 children. She sees education as a way of making women and girls financially and socially independent, and fostering a society where no girl child is unwanted.
All three of these women are participating in the leadership-training program offered by Global Women’s Leadership Network at Santa Clara University. “This program was started with the intention of supporting leadership development in NGOs as well as to help expand the global network of emerging leaders who make a difference for the long term” says Lata Patil, ICA board member and a graduate of the program.
Established in 1968, ICA is a San Francisco Bay Area nonprofit group, working on behalf of India’s poor. With the vision of securing life for every Indian in a sustainable environment and a just society, ICA provide seed funding, ongoing financial resources, and technical support to innovative, community-based development initiatives. The Leadership Fellows Program was established by ICA this year to focus on training future leaders in India-based nonprofits. Scholarships will be given yearly for selected fellows to attend short-term formalized leadership training sessions offered by institutions in the San Francisco Bay Area.
The Indian Community Center is located at 525 Los Coches St. The event is free to all. Please RSVP by July 25 to Lata Patil at lata@hotmail.com or Bhupen Mehta at bhupenmehta@yahoo.com. For more information, call 650-941-4133.
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