Narika Opens Second Transitional Home In Bay Area

Narika raises $450K at annual gala, Tarang

“All our shelters are full at this time.” As a volunteer crisis intervention advocate on a crisis hotline, it is the hardest thing I’ve had to say to any survivor who took the monumental decision to flee domestic violence – that there is no safe shelter for her and her children right now. In the densely populated counties of the Bay Area, this situation is not uncommon.

Which is why the Bay Area-based domestic violence survivors’ support organization, Narika , opening its second Transitional Home (temporary shelters for survivors and their children fleeing domestic violence) in Alameda County in September 2024, is a reason to celebrate.

The new transitional home was announced at Narika’s Annual fundraising gala, Tarang, on September 8. At an elegant evening with actress-activist Shabana Azmi as the guest of honor, and donors and patrons in attendance, Narika raised over $450K to support their programs to aid survivors of domestic violence.

Narika’s impact

Last year, Narika provided

• 750 survivors of domestic violence (its highest ever) with support
• 855 emergency safe nights
• 329 survivors with intensive case management and crisis intervention
• 274 survivors with benefits from HEAL (Health, Enrichment and Access to Life Skills) and SEED economic empowerment groups
• 95 hours of legal support and consultation
• 1200 hours of case management services.

Shailaja Dixit, Executive Director of Narika said, “Every number we speak about in our impact is a person – a beautiful whole person with dignity and self-respect and dreams, and they carry scars and wounds that they did not deserve. As changemakers, that is what we have to hold in our hearts.”

SAPHAL

In 2023, Narika opened its first Transitional Home in Alameda County and launched the pilot program for SAPHAL – South Asian Parents/Caregivers Heal and Learn program – which provides education on healthy parenting to advocates and community members in the South Asian diaspora. Dixit further said, “Our Transitional Housing Program provides a culturally responsive, trauma-informed space for survivors of domestic violence and their children to heal and rebuild their lives with dignity and safety.”

Expanded services

Survivors at Narika’s transitional homes get individualized services to help recovery, including food, personal care assistance, mental health resources and therapy, economic empowerment and financial literacy services and support to work towards long long-term housing. This year, Narika added:

• New programs to its mental health services,
• Pehchaan, a divorce support group for survivors who take the ultimate decision of exiting a violent marriage,
• Extended helpline hours from Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 8:00 pm,
• Roots, a program to address intergenerational trauma and build resilience,
• Revamped economic development program teaching financial literacy through peer learning groups,
• KOSHISH, a prevention podcast developed in conjunction with Sangita Biswas of Lotus Family Therapy .

Narika’s second Transitional Home was founded with generous contributions from the Krishnan-Shah Family Foundation, Dr. Veena Puri, Vanita and Sachin Aggarwal, the Sundar-Ranganathan Family, the Dixit-Ranganathan Family, and Sukhi Singh and Sanjog Singh, in honor of Dr Pritam Kaur, who left a legacy for advocating for women in marginalized communities.

Shabana Azmi in a Fireside Chat with Shailaja Dixit

During an inspirational fireside chat with Dixit, Shabana Azmi, Guest of Honor for the evening said, “When you start working with women you realize that they are the centrifugal force behind all change. Everything that happens in society affects the woman the most, and so you have to work in many capacities whether it is strengthening her in sports or dramatics or anything.” She added, “No change is possible for the betterment of women in society unless it is in partnership with the male. It is very important to go into battle for change together with the men, and to get them involved.”

There are many reasons why violence happens to women, Azmi said, “and it is really about patriarchy and the men believing that they are privileged and the women have a secondary place. The other thing being, the constant pressure to keep the marriage alive under any circumstance, including from the parents of the girl. If a girl has undergone violence and turned to the parents, oftentimes she is sent back to her marital home. In Mumbai, there was a survey done in which 64% of women believed it’s ok if the men beat them up. So there is a huge transformation needed. (As a changemaker) You just have to carry on working and do it regularly. Then you can see that the women who are supporting are getting the voice to control their own lives”, she concluded.

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